reconstructions set Iberia facing Newfoundland and North Africa, approximately
between Algeria and Tunisia. During this stage, the Paleotethys oceanic lithosphere
was located to the east of the African and Eurasian plates (Stampfli and Borel 2002).
Later, relative movements between Africa and Eurasia could be synthesized into four
main evolutive phases) (Fig. 5.2) (Dewey et al. 1989; Srivastava et al. 1990a;
Schettino and Turco 2011) in which the Iberian plate worked as a single plate or
else in association with the African and Eurasian plates.
During the Jurassic (154 Ma) and part of the Lower Cretaceous (120 Ma), the
opening of the Central Atlantic and Western Tethys basins took place (Ligurian and
Alpine Tethys) (Fig. 5.2a). The motion of Africa with respect to Eurasia (including
Iberia) was eastward, implying senextral movements along a plate boundary located
south of Iberia. In this paleogeographic scenario, the Central Atlantic opening was
prolonged southeast of Iberia into the Ligurian Tethys basin, thus providing for an
oceanographic connection between the Atlantic and Tethys oceans, most likely
through the Subbetic continental margin (Vegas et al. 2016; Michard et al. 2018;
Gómez et al. 2019).
From the Lower Cretaceous (120 Ma) to Late Cretaceous (83.5 Ma), the North
Atlantic basin opened, including the Bay of Biscay, whereas the Tethys opening
ceased. Hence, processes of divergence and convergence between the two main
plates coexisted, maintaining Iberia as an intermediate plate (Fig. 5.2b, c). The
opening velocity of the North Atlantic basin was greater than that of the Central
Atlantic, causing a relative motion of Africa toward the west (with respect to Iberia
and Eurasia), producing dextral movements along the southern plate boundary of
Iberia and sinistral movements in the northern boundary (Fig. 5.2b) (Srivastava et al.
1990b). The opening of the Bay of Biscay basin produced an anti-clockwise rotation
of Iberia, implying some convergence toward the southeast with Africa, and oblique
divergence with Eurasia northward (Sibuet and Collette 1991; Olivet 1996; Vegas
et al. 1996; Sibuet et al. 2004; Osete et al. 2011; Vissers and Meijer 2012). The
oceanographic connection between the Atlantic and the Tethys basins was
maintained in this period, probably through oceanic portals both south and north
of Iberia, though in a more restricted gateway to the north (Martín-Chivelet et al.
2019).
Since the Late Cretaceous (83.5 Ma) the opening of the Central and Northern
Atlantic basins has continued (Fig. 5.2c). The region was deformed during late
Cretaceous-Paleogene times by relative convergence toward the north of Africa
with respect to Eurasia (Dewey et al. 1973; Biju-Duval et al. 1978) as a result of
South Atlantic and Indian oceanic spreading (Olivet 1996). An orogenic Alpine
phase was produced through the subduction of the Ligurian Tethys oceanic lithosphere and the collision of Africa and Eurasia, along with several intermediate
continental lithospheric blocks involved in this plate boundary, including minor
plates such as Iberia and Apulia (Fig. 5.2c) (Schettino and Turco 2011; Verges and
Fernàndez 2012; Vissers et al. 2016). The Pyrenean connection between the Atlantic
and the Tethys basins was closed by the convergence between Eurasia and Iberia,
and only the south Iberian connection remains.
114
J.-T. Vázquez et al.
between Algeria and Tunisia. During this stage, the Paleotethys oceanic lithosphere
was located to the east of the African and Eurasian plates (Stampfli and Borel 2002).
Later, relative movements between Africa and Eurasia could be synthesized into four
main evolutive phases) (Fig. 5.2) (Dewey et al. 1989; Srivastava et al. 1990a;
Schettino and Turco 2011) in which the Iberian plate worked as a single plate or
else in association with the African and Eurasian plates.
During the Jurassic (154 Ma) and part of the Lower Cretaceous (120 Ma), the
opening of the Central Atlantic and Western Tethys basins took place (Ligurian and
Alpine Tethys) (Fig. 5.2a). The motion of Africa with respect to Eurasia (including
Iberia) was eastward, implying senextral movements along a plate boundary located
south of Iberia. In this paleogeographic scenario, the Central Atlantic opening was
prolonged southeast of Iberia into the Ligurian Tethys basin, thus providing for an
oceanographic connection between the Atlantic and Tethys oceans, most likely
through the Subbetic continental margin (Vegas et al. 2016; Michard et al. 2018;
Gómez et al. 2019).
From the Lower Cretaceous (120 Ma) to Late Cretaceous (83.5 Ma), the North
Atlantic basin opened, including the Bay of Biscay, whereas the Tethys opening
ceased. Hence, processes of divergence and convergence between the two main
plates coexisted, maintaining Iberia as an intermediate plate (Fig. 5.2b, c). The
opening velocity of the North Atlantic basin was greater than that of the Central
Atlantic, causing a relative motion of Africa toward the west (with respect to Iberia
and Eurasia), producing dextral movements along the southern plate boundary of
Iberia and sinistral movements in the northern boundary (Fig. 5.2b) (Srivastava et al.
1990b). The opening of the Bay of Biscay basin produced an anti-clockwise rotation
of Iberia, implying some convergence toward the southeast with Africa, and oblique
divergence with Eurasia northward (Sibuet and Collette 1991; Olivet 1996; Vegas
et al. 1996; Sibuet et al. 2004; Osete et al. 2011; Vissers and Meijer 2012). The
oceanographic connection between the Atlantic and the Tethys basins was
maintained in this period, probably through oceanic portals both south and north
of Iberia, though in a more restricted gateway to the north (Martín-Chivelet et al.
2019).
Since the Late Cretaceous (83.5 Ma) the opening of the Central and Northern
Atlantic basins has continued (Fig. 5.2c). The region was deformed during late
Cretaceous-Paleogene times by relative convergence toward the north of Africa
with respect to Eurasia (Dewey et al. 1973; Biju-Duval et al. 1978) as a result of
South Atlantic and Indian oceanic spreading (Olivet 1996). An orogenic Alpine
phase was produced through the subduction of the Ligurian Tethys oceanic lithosphere and the collision of Africa and Eurasia, along with several intermediate
continental lithospheric blocks involved in this plate boundary, including minor
plates such as Iberia and Apulia (Fig. 5.2c) (Schettino and Turco 2011; Verges and
Fernàndez 2012; Vissers et al. 2016). The Pyrenean connection between the Atlantic
and the Tethys basins was closed by the convergence between Eurasia and Iberia,
and only the south Iberian connection remains.
114
J.-T. Vázquez et al.