varying from oceanic lithosphere to hyper-extended margin (Vergés and Fernàndez
2012; van Hinsbergen et al. 2014).
Numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain the formation of the
Alboran Basin in the context of the surrounding Betic-Rif orogen: (1) extensional
collapse of a thickened crust due to convective removal of the continental lithospheric mantle (Platt and Vissers 1989; Platt et al. 2003, 2013); (2) continental
lithosphere delamination processes (Seber et al. 1996; Calvert et al. 2000);
(3) W-SW retreat of the subduction zone (Royden 1993; Lonergan and White
1997; Gutscher et al. 2002); (4) W-NW retreat of the subduction zone (Vergés and
Fernández 2012); or (5) complex models which integrate subduction, delamination
event and rollback westward as Bezada et al. (2013).
The geodynamic evolution of the Alboran Domain—comprising the basement of
the Alboran Sea as well as the internal domains of the Betic and Rif cordilleras—is
mostly controlled by the extension and exhumation of metamorphic core units,
driven by the westward retreat of the subduction zone that interplays with AfricanEurasian convergence. The metamorphic basement of the Betic Cordillera is made
up of three stacked metamorphic complexes, from bottom to top: the NevadoFilabride, Alpujarride, and Malaguide (Fig. 5.4). In the Rif Cordillera, where no
equivalent of the Nevado-Filabride complex exists, the Alpujarride and Malaguide
complexes are, respectively, known as the Sebtide and Ghomaride complexes.
Today, these metamorphic complexes are separated by crustal-scale extensional
detachment shear zones (Galindo-Zaldívar et al. 1989; García-Dueñas et al. 1992;
Lonergan and Platt 1995; González-Lodeiro et al. 1996; Augier et al. 2005a; Platt
et al. 2005). Exhumation of the Alpujarride/Sebtide complex occurred during the
lower Miocene (22–18 Ma) in an N–S to NNE–SSW extensional setting (Monié
et al. 1994; Crespo-Blanc et al. 1994; Crespo-Blanc 1995; Kelley and Platt 1999;
Platt et al. 2005) while exhumation of the Nevado-Filabride complex occurred from
the Lower to Upper Miocene (20–9 Ma—de Jong 1991; Monié and Chopin 1991;
Johnson et al. 1997; Augier et al. 2005b; Platt et al. 2005; Vázquez et al. 2011)
through $E-W regional-scale extension (Galindo-Zaldívar et al. 1989; Jabaloy et al.
1992). Two nearly perpendicular superimposed directions of stretching in the basement nappes complexes (Alpujarrides and Nevado-Filabrides) show a progressive
yet drastic change in the direction of extensional crustal-scale shear from N-S to
E-W, which occurred between 20 and 14 Ma (Jolivet et al. 2008). The exhumed
low-angle normal faults are inactive at present; yet the present-day tectonic motion
determined by GPS measurements would indicate that E-W extension continues in
the Betic Internal Zones (Mancilla et al. 2013; Galindo-Zaldívar et al. 2015a, b; Gil
et al. 2017), where it interplays with NW-SE compression that affects the entire
Alboran Domain under continual Africa-Iberia convergence.
After the late Oligocene, several sedimentary basins formed above the basement
in response to extensional deformation (Galindo-Zaldívar et al. 2019). In the Betics
onshore, two main generations of sedimentary basins were formed: the first subsidence pulse took place early in the Aquitanian-Burdigalian up to the Langhian, and
the second during the Serravallian-Tortonian (Sanz de Galdeano and Vera 1992;
Vissers et al. 1995; Vera 2000). The first generation of sedimentary basins lies
120
J.-T. Vázquez et al.
2012; van Hinsbergen et al. 2014).
Numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain the formation of the
Alboran Basin in the context of the surrounding Betic-Rif orogen: (1) extensional
collapse of a thickened crust due to convective removal of the continental lithospheric mantle (Platt and Vissers 1989; Platt et al. 2003, 2013); (2) continental
lithosphere delamination processes (Seber et al. 1996; Calvert et al. 2000);
(3) W-SW retreat of the subduction zone (Royden 1993; Lonergan and White
1997; Gutscher et al. 2002); (4) W-NW retreat of the subduction zone (Vergés and
Fernández 2012); or (5) complex models which integrate subduction, delamination
event and rollback westward as Bezada et al. (2013).
The geodynamic evolution of the Alboran Domain—comprising the basement of
the Alboran Sea as well as the internal domains of the Betic and Rif cordilleras—is
mostly controlled by the extension and exhumation of metamorphic core units,
driven by the westward retreat of the subduction zone that interplays with AfricanEurasian convergence. The metamorphic basement of the Betic Cordillera is made
up of three stacked metamorphic complexes, from bottom to top: the NevadoFilabride, Alpujarride, and Malaguide (Fig. 5.4). In the Rif Cordillera, where no
equivalent of the Nevado-Filabride complex exists, the Alpujarride and Malaguide
complexes are, respectively, known as the Sebtide and Ghomaride complexes.
Today, these metamorphic complexes are separated by crustal-scale extensional
detachment shear zones (Galindo-Zaldívar et al. 1989; García-Dueñas et al. 1992;
Lonergan and Platt 1995; González-Lodeiro et al. 1996; Augier et al. 2005a; Platt
et al. 2005). Exhumation of the Alpujarride/Sebtide complex occurred during the
lower Miocene (22–18 Ma) in an N–S to NNE–SSW extensional setting (Monié
et al. 1994; Crespo-Blanc et al. 1994; Crespo-Blanc 1995; Kelley and Platt 1999;
Platt et al. 2005) while exhumation of the Nevado-Filabride complex occurred from
the Lower to Upper Miocene (20–9 Ma—de Jong 1991; Monié and Chopin 1991;
Johnson et al. 1997; Augier et al. 2005b; Platt et al. 2005; Vázquez et al. 2011)
through $E-W regional-scale extension (Galindo-Zaldívar et al. 1989; Jabaloy et al.
1992). Two nearly perpendicular superimposed directions of stretching in the basement nappes complexes (Alpujarrides and Nevado-Filabrides) show a progressive
yet drastic change in the direction of extensional crustal-scale shear from N-S to
E-W, which occurred between 20 and 14 Ma (Jolivet et al. 2008). The exhumed
low-angle normal faults are inactive at present; yet the present-day tectonic motion
determined by GPS measurements would indicate that E-W extension continues in
the Betic Internal Zones (Mancilla et al. 2013; Galindo-Zaldívar et al. 2015a, b; Gil
et al. 2017), where it interplays with NW-SE compression that affects the entire
Alboran Domain under continual Africa-Iberia convergence.
After the late Oligocene, several sedimentary basins formed above the basement
in response to extensional deformation (Galindo-Zaldívar et al. 2019). In the Betics
onshore, two main generations of sedimentary basins were formed: the first subsidence pulse took place early in the Aquitanian-Burdigalian up to the Langhian, and
the second during the Serravallian-Tortonian (Sanz de Galdeano and Vera 1992;
Vissers et al. 1995; Vera 2000). The first generation of sedimentary basins lies
120
J.-T. Vázquez et al.