Palinspastic reconstruction and topographic evolution of the Eastern Alps during late Tertiary tectonic extrusion

Abstract

This paper presents a new palinspastic restoration of the Eastern Alps for Neogene time and an attempt to reconstruct the Neogene palaeogeology, palaeotopography and palaeohydrography in connection with the structural evolution. The Eastern Alps underwent radical horizontal displacement during the Neogene due to large strike-slip systems and formation of structural windows. Our palinspastic reconstruction considers: (a) the rearrangement of tectonic units dismembered during tectonic extrusion, (b) the tectonic denudation driven by displacement of the crystalline blocks, (c) geochronological arguments, and (d) the sedimentary record of the syn-extrusion basins. The rearrangement of tectonic blocks results in a remarkably good fit of highly dismembered zones both in crystalline and sedimentary areas and shows the pre-Miocene unstretched pattern of the Eastern Alps, reduced to 65% of its present-day E–W elongation. Using this structural frame and considering the sedimentary record, a set of palaeogeologic and palaeotopographic sketch maps with the palaeo-river systems is presented for three time slices (pre-, syn- and post-extension situation). In Late Oligocene and Early Miocene times, the western Eastern Alps were already mountainous, whereas the eastern part of the orogen formed lowlands or hilly areas. Enhanced block movement in the course of the extrusion process around the Early/Middle Miocene boundary led to the formation of intramontane sedimentary basins and a fault-induced reorientation of the drainage pattern, which forms the basis of the modern river system in the area east of the Tauern window. This region, where pre-Miocene land surfaces are preserved, probably became a mountainous area not before Late Miocene time and never reached the elevations of the areas further west.