MESOZOIC PLATE TECTONIC RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CARPATHO-PANNONIAN AREA. L. CSONTOS and A. VÖRÖS

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1 MESOZOIC PLATE TECTONIC RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CARPATHO-PANNONIAN AREA L. CSONTOS and A. VÖRÖS ELTE Geol dept. H-1117 Budapest, Pázmány P. s. 1/c, Hungary Key words: plate tectonic reconstruction, Mesozoic, Carpathian area, biogeography, paleomagnetics, tectonic transport Paleomagnetic, paleobiogeographic and structural comparisons of different parts of the Alpine-Carpathian region suggest that three terranes build up this area. These are named here Alcapa, Tisza-Dacia and Adria (Fig 1). All of them are composed of different Mesozoic nappes (Fig. 2) assembled during a complex Late Jurassic-Cretaceous-Paleogene history. Paleomagnetic data combined with tectonic transport directions delineate five different vergency units: the Alps (NW), the West Carpathians (E), the Dinarides (WSW) the Tisza (W) and East Carpathians (N) in Late Cretaceous coordinates (Fig. 3). The Carpathians are built up by two major buckles. The Alcapa buckle has the Meliata oceanic unit, correlated with the Dinaric ophiolite belt, in its core (Fig. 4). It is composed of the West Carpathians, East Alps and South Alcapa units (Transdanubian Central Range, Bükk). This row finds its continuation in the Dinaric shelf of the Dinarides. Further elements of the Alcapa terrane are thought to be derived from "ribbon" microcontinents: Czorsztyn in the N and Drina Ivanjica in the SE. The Tisza-Dacia buckle has the Vardar-Mureş belt in its core (Fig. 4). It is composed of the Tisza, the East Carpathians and South Carpathians. This row finds its continuation in the Serbo-Macedonian Massif and Rhodopes. This terrane is completed by some geodynamic units derived from the Drina-Ivanjica microcontinent. By analysis of structural position of nappes, stratigraphic columns, and typical Early Jurassic fauna belonging to two major faunal provinces, the Mesozoic shelves and oceans are individualized. Numerous branches of the Tethys ocean cut up the area in smaller microcontinents. The Vardar and

2 Ophiolite belt-meliata oceans of the Dinarides, the Penninic-Váh ocean of the Alps-Carpathians, the Magura ocean of the West Carpathians and the Ceahlãu -Severin ocean of the East and South Carpathians are the key elements in the Mesozoic plate-tectonic history (Fig. 5). The presented plate tectonic reconstruction differs from others by giving emphasis on the Tisza-Getic microcontinent. This ribbon continent has an original position east of the West Carpathians and fills the present Carpathian embayment in Late Paleozoic-Early Mesozoic. Another continental ribbon, Drina-Ivanjica, hosting Juvavic, Szilice and Upper Codru nappes, occupies an intermediate position between the West Carpathian-East Alpine- Transdanubian-Dinaric margin on one hand and the Tisza-Getic-Serbo- Macedonian, on the other. An internal major ocean fills the remaining space. Drina-Ivanjica rifts off the Mediterranean-Apulian microcontinent in the Middle Triassic. Short-lived oceans subduct by the end of Jurassic, colliding Drina- Ivanjica with both the Dinaric-West Carpathian and the Tisza-Getic internal margins (Fig. 5). An external Penninic-Váhic ocean tract begins to rift in Early Jurassic, separating the East Alpine-West Carpathian microcontinents (and their fauna) from the European shelf. Also in this line, the Severin-Ceahlau-Magura ocean begins its rifting in the south in Early Jurassic, but final separation of the Tisza-Getic ribbon (and their fauna) from the European shelf does not take place before the Middle-Late Jurassic. Two buckle closures: the West Carpathians on the Dinaric margin and the Tisza on the South Carpathian Getic margin are essential elements of this reconstruction. These motions, Aptian in the first, Albian-Maastrichtian in the second case are partly suggested by paleomagnetics (Fig. 6). The two buckles are finally opposed and pushed along the Moesian gate into the Carpathian embayment by Paleogene.

3 Tisza Tisza MAJOR TECTONIC UNITS OF THE CARPATHIAN-PANNONIAN AREA POLAND Cracow External flysch and molasse nappes Flysch nappes of the ALCAPA unit Austroalpine part of the ALCAPA unit Dinaric part of the ALCAPA unit Flysch nappes of the Dacia unit Tisza-Dacia unit Silesian Magura Skole Silesian SLOVAKIA Dukla UKRAINE Vienna AUSTRIA SLOVENIA CROATIA Adriatic sea ADRIA Drava ALCAPA L. Balaton HUNGARY Budapest MID-HUNGARIAN LINE Duna TISZA-DACIA SERBIA Audia Ceahlau Subcarpathian ROMANIA Tarcau Figure 1. Main terranes of the Carpathian area. After Csontos 1995, modified. ALCAPA UNITS Flysch nappes belonging to ALCAPA, Inácovce Krichevo Penninic Tatric-Lower Austroalpine Veporic Fatric-Middle Austroalpine Choc-Tirolic-Transdanubian Grauwacke-Tét-Gemer Torna-Borka Bükk-Jadar-Inner Dinaric -Szendro-Uppony Vardar-Mures-Transylvanides; Meliata-OB Szilice-Juvavic, Upper Codru EUROPEAN UNITS External flysch nappes Danubicum (imbricated european foreland) Cracow I.K. PRE-TERTIARY STRUCTURAL UNITS OF THE CARPATHIAN AREA TISZA-DACIA Flysch nappes belonging to Dacia Mecsek-Infrabucovinian-Getic Villány-Bihor, Subbucovinian Lower Codru, Bucovinian, Supragetic Biharia Post-tectonic granite Vienna Budapest Duna Figure 2. Mesozoic tectonic units of the Carpathian area without Tertiary formations (outcrop and subcrop). Modified from Csontos et al., (1992) after Árkai (1990), Árkai and Balogh (1989), Beck-Managetta and Matura (1980), Canovic and Kemenci (1988), Flügel (1988), Fülöp and Dank (1987), Fusán et al. (1987), Gnojek et al., (1991), Haas et al. (1988, 2000), Mahel' (1973), Nastaseanu (1975), Pamic (1998a), Pap (1990), Protic et al. (2000), Sandulescu (1975a, 1976, 1980, 1988) Sandulescu and Visarion (1978), Simunic et al. (1979), Soták et al. (1993) Tari 1994, Wessely (1988), and personal work.

4 *135 *88 *67 *155 *87 *105 *120 *118 *88 *100 TECTONIC TRANSPORT DIRECTIONS IN RECONSTRUCTED LATE CRETACEOUS POSITION 116? Northern Calcareous Alps Central Eastern Alps *90 * ? 100 Eastern Carpathians Transylv anian basin *100 *124 *160? Southern Carpathians *90, Transdan ubian Rang e Apuseni Mts *114 *107 *70 Western Carpathians *118 Southern Alps Bükk Mts Mecsek Mts Vill ány Mts * Adriatic sea Slavonian inselber gs Late Cretaceous paleomagnetic declination Dinarides Late Jurassic Early Cretaceous Mid-Late Cretaceous Mid-Late Cretaceous elongation Figure 3. Tectonic transport directions and terrane positions reconstructed for rotations younger than Late Cretaceous. Pieces were reoriented so that arrows (measured declinations point northwards. Paleomagnetic declination data from Márton, tectonic transport data from various authors. Figure 4. Schematic disposal of facies belts in Alcapa and Tisza-Dacia terranes, respectively. Arrows show main nappe vergencies. A, present situation and simplified reconstructed situation for Alcapa; B,. present situation and simplified reconstructed situation for Tisza-Dacia.

5 Bd Bk Zg Din Ta OXFORDIAN Mag Pen Val Bri LAA SA Tcr Ty Me LCo Váh Ta Ge-Hr Szi Ju Ib Bc UCo Pe Bih Mo Ceah Ge Vard SMM DIE EMed Pin OphB Figure 5. Proposed position of units in Oxfordian. Thin broken lines indicate rifting/spreading axes and transfers. Thick lines indicate active tectonic zones. Open barbs: subduction, with barbs on the upper plate. Full barbs: collision-thrusting.abbreviations: TTZ: Tornquist-Teisseyre Zone;?: Thinned crust of the External NE Carpathians (Silesian unit?); Mo: Moesia; Sl: Slavonian inselbergs; Me: Mecsek; VB: Villány-Bihar; LCo: Lower Codru; Ib: Infrabucovinian; Sbc: Subbucovinian; Bc: Bucovinian; Ge: Getic; Sge: Supragetic; SMM: Serbo-Macedonian Mass; Rho: Rhodopes; Cz: Czortsztyn; Ta: Tatric; Fa: Fatric-Veporic-Krizna; Ge-Hr: Gemer Paleozoic (Torna- Bórka included) and Hronic; Bri: Briançonnais; LAA: Lower Austroalpine; MAA: Middle Austroalpine; Ty: Tyrolic; Tcr: Transdanubian Central Range. Bk: Bükk; Zg: acka Gora; Din: Dinaric plateau; SA: South Alpine; Ap: Apulia; Mel: Meliata; OphB: Ophiolite belt; Mal: Maliak; Parn: Parnassos plateau; Pin: Pindos; Ion-Trip: Ionian-Tripolitza; EMed: East Mediterranean; DIE: Drina-Ivanjica Element-Pelagonian; Szi: Szilice; Ju: Juvavic; Uco: Upper Codru; Bih: Bihária-Baia de Aries; Pe: Persani; Vard: Vardar; ALBIAN Bri Pen Val WC Tcr Cz MAA Ty SA Tcr Mag Váh Bu Fa Me VB LCo UCo Ib Sbc Bc Pe Ge Sge V-Mu DIE SMM Rho Mal Parn Pin EMed Ion-Trip Figure 6. Proposed position of units in Albian. Contours and main latitudes inferred from Stampfli et al. (1998a, b)

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