An outline of the geology of the Northern Apennines (Italy), with geological map at 1:250,000 scale

Abstract

An outline of the geology of the Italian Northern Apennines, to accompany a geological map at 1:250,000 scale covering the Emilia- Romagna, Marche, Tuscany and Umbria regions, is presented herein. The map is intended as a first result of a longer term project carried out by the Geological Surveys of the above regions, aimed to create a common geological map at 1:10,000 scale, useful for environmental planning and management.The lithostratigraphic units are grouped in domains and successions (with references to main tectonic units), and a special effort was made to correlate similar lithostratigraphic units across the area. The enclosed geological map distinguishes stratigraphic successions deposited in: a) Ligurian Domain (Internal and External Ligurian domains); b) Subligurian Domain; c) Tuscan Domain (Tuscan Succession, Tuscan Metamorphic Succession, Cervarola- Falterona Succession, Modino Succession, Rentella Succession, Pseudoverrucano Succession); Umbria-Marche-Romagna Domain. Tectonic units derived from regional tectonic mélanges and shear zones (Sestola-Vidiciatico Unit), and units affected by HP metamorphism in the Tuscan Archipelago and southern Tuscany have been mapped. Distinguished younger successions are: a) Epiligurian Succession; b) Miocene-Pleistocene succession of the Tyrrhenian margin; c) Miocene- Pleistocene succession of the Po Plain and Adriatic margin. The main outcrops of magmatic rocks (Miocene-Pleistocene in age) and Quaternary alluvial, continental and coastal deposits have also been mapped. Main tectonic contacts (high-angle normal faults, main thrust and low-angle normal faults) are indicated. The 1:250,000 geological map of the Northern Apennines is freely available as PDF, raster and vector GIS data from the web site: https://www.geological-map.it.