Paleomagnetic evidence for a large counterclockwise rotation of northern Greece prior to the Tertiary clockwise rotation

Abstract

AbstractThis study aims at unravel the geotectonic evolution of northern Greece prior to the already established Tertiary clockwise rotation. Therefore, Mesozoie sediments, Early Mesozoie ophiolites and Carboniferous granites were sampled. While the metamorphosed and/or too weakly magnetized limestones had to be rejected, the gabbros and serpentinites of the 80 km long Chalkidiki belt (40.4°N, 23.3”E), and the granites of the northern Pelagonian zone (40.8°N, 21.2°E) have yielded similar results interpretable in terms of geoleetonies. In both areas the demagnetizing process has revealed a poh phased magnetic evolution.The oldest magnetizations, labelled M (D=311°, I=20°, a95, = 15°; VGP: 37°N, 272.5°, for the ophiolites; D=320.5°, I = 26°, a95 =11°; VGP : 46°N, 264.5”E, for the granites) are interpreted as overprints acquired in Late Jurassic-Cretaceous times. The younger magnetizations, called C2 (D = 66°, I = 28°, a95 = 9°; VGP : 28°N, 117°E, in the ophiolites ; D=64°, I = 2° a95, = 11°; VCP : 20°N, I28...