Tectonic Processes and Geodynamic Evolution in the Central Mediterranean

The Central Mediterranean occupies a complex junction between the converging Eurasian and African plates, punctuated by microplates and small oceanic fragments. Since the Late Oligocene, subduction of thinned continental and oceanic lithosphere beneath the Calabrian Arc has driven rollback of the Ionian slab and opening of the Tyrrhenian back-arc basin. Concurrently, continental rifting and transtensional deformation have shaped the Sicily Channel Rift Zone, forming a series of grabens separated by transfer faults. The interplay of slab rollback and lateral escape of orogenic wedges has conditioned the evolution of the Apennines, the Sicilian fold-and-thrust belts and the Calabria–Peloponnese orogenic system. Strike-slip shear zones, such as the N–S–oriented Lampedusa–Sciacca corridor, accommodate significant lateral motion, localising high heat flow and magmatism. Throughout the Plio-Quaternary, phases of syn-rift deposition were succeeded by basin inversion and transpressional uplift, yielding distinct marine terrace sequences along the Sicilian coast. Active degassing, fluid migration and hydrothermal circulation testify to ongoing permeability along major fault systems, while seismicity remains concentrated on both inherited transfer zones and newly activated shear domains. This mosaic of processes underpins seismic and volcanic hazards, regional uplift patterns and geothermal potential in a key segment of the Africa–Europe plate boundary.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have elucidated the dominant role of a north–south-oriented lithospheric shear zone crossing the Sicily Channel, which carries most plate-boundary strain through left-lateral strike-slip and associated aseismic creep rather than pure rifting. Integration of seismological, geodetic and seismic-reflection data reveals active volcanism, elevated heat flow and anomalously thin crust that inhibit brittle failure in favour of ductile deformation. Estimated geodetic and seismic moment rates indicate that less than one per cent of tectonic strain is released seismically, emphasising the importance of aseismic slip for regional seismic-hazard assessments. This work reframes the Sicily Channel as an active shear corridor with implications for earthquake forecasting and geothermal exploration.

Tectonic Processes and Geodynamic Evolution in the Central Mediterranean publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in tectonic processes and geodynamic evolution in the central mediterranean across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Slab rollback: The retreat of a subducting plate hinge that induces back-arc extension and basin formation.

Back-arc extension: Lithospheric thinning behind a volcanic arc due to slab rollback or trench retreat.

Transtension: Combined strike-slip and extensional deformation along oblique faults.

Transpression: Combined strike-slip and compressional deformation along oblique fault zones.

Rift zone: A region of the crust experiencing extensional tectonics that lead to graben and fault system development.

Shear zone: A volume of rock that accommodates concentrated lateral displacement under ductile or brittle conditions.

Syn-rift deposits: Sedimentary fills accumulated contemporaneously with active crustal extension.

References

1. Generation of Back-Arc Basins as Side Effect of Shortening Processes: Examples from the Central Mediterranean. International Journal of Geosciences (2014).
2. Basic Role of Extrusion Processes in the Late Cenozoic Evolution of the Western and Central Mediterranean Belts. Geosciences (2021).
3. Morphostructural Setting and Tectonic Evolution of the Central Part of the Sicilian Channel (Central Mediterranean). Lithosphere (2021).
4. Crustal deformation, active tectonics and seismic potential in the Sicily Channel (Central Mediterranean), along the Nubia–Eurasia plate boundary. Scientific Reports (2020).
5. Plio-Quaternary coastal landscape evolution of north-western Sicily (Italy). Journal of Maps (2023).
6. Fluid-Related Features in the Offshore Sector of the Sciacca Geothermal Field (SW Sicily): The Role of the Lithospheric Sciacca Fault System. Geosciences (2023).
7. Active degassing across the Maltese Islands (Mediterranean Sea) and implications for its neotectonics. Marine and Petroleum Geology (2019).