tertiary to recent oblique convergence and wrenching of the central dinarides: constraints from a...

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Tectonophysics 410 (

Tertiary to recent oblique convergence and wrenching of the Central

Dinarides: Constraints from a palaeostress study

Aleksandar Ilic a,b, Franz Neubauer a,*

a Department of Geography, Geology and Mineralogy, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, Hellbrunner Str. 34, A-5020 Salzburg, Austriab Faculty of Mining and Geology, University of Belgrade, Dusina 7, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

Received 10 February 2004; received in revised form 18 November 2004; accepted 25 February 2005

Available online 2 November 2005

Abstract

The late Eocene to Neogene tectonic evolution of the Dinarides is characterised by shortening and orogen-parallel wrenching

superposed on the late Cretaceous and Eocene double-vergent orogenic system. The Central Dinarides exposes NW-trending

tectonic units, which were transported towards the Adria/Apulian microcontinent during late Cretaceous–Palaeogene times. These

units were also affected by subsequent processes of late Palaeogene to Neogene shortening, Neogene extension and subsidence of

intramontane sedimentary basins and Pliocene–Quaternary surface uplift and denudation. The intramontane basins likely relate to

formation of the Pannonian basin. Major dextral SE-trending strike-slip faults are mostly parallel to boundaries of major tectonic

units and suggest dextral orogen-parallel wrenching of the whole Central Dinarides during the Neogene indentation of the Apulian

microplate into the Alps and back-arc type extension in the Pannonian basin. These fault systems have been evaluated with the

standard palaeostress techniques. We report four palaeostress tensor groups, which are tentatively ordered in a succession from

oldest to youngest: (1) Palaeostress tensor group 1 (D1) of likely late Eocene age indicates E–W shortening accommodated by

reverse and strike-slip faults. (2) Palaeostress tensor group 2 (D2) comprises N/NW-trending dextral and W/WSW-trending sinistral

strike-slip faults, as well as WNW-striking reverse faults. These indicate NE–SW contraction and subordinate NW–SE extension

related to Oligocene to early Miocene shortening of the Dinaric orogenic wedge. (3) Palaeostress tensor group 3a (D3a) comprises

mainly NW-trending normal faults, which indicate early/middle Miocene NE–SW extension related to syn-rift extension in the

Pannonian basin. The subsequent palaeostress tensor group 3b (D3b) includes NE-trending, SE-dipping normal faults indicating

NW–SE extension, which is likely related to further extension in the Pannonian basin. (4) Palaeostress tensor group 4 (D4) is

characterised by mainly NW-trending dextral and NE-trending sinistral strike-slip faults. Together, with some E-trending reverse

faults, they indicate roughly N–S shortening and dextral wrenching during late Miocene to Quaternary. This is partly consistent

with the present-day kinematics, with motion of the Adriatic microplate constrained by GPS data and earthquake focal mechan-

isms. The north–north-westward motion and counterclockwise rotation of the Adriatic microplate significantly contribute the

shortening and present-day wrenching in the Central Dinarides.

D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Transpression; Transtension; Central Dinarides; Neogene; Quarternary; Surface uplift; Wrenching; Palaeostress analysis

0040-1951/$ - see front matter D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2005.02.019

* Corresponding author.

E-mail addresses: [email protected] (A. Ilic),

[email protected] (F. Neubauer).

1. Introduction

A key question of the geological evolution of the

Alpine orogenic system of south-eastern Europe is the

timing and nature of collisional processes which finally

2005) 465–484

A. Ilic, F. Neubauer / Tectonophysics 410 (2005) 465–484466

led to the double-vergent arcuate orogenic system (Fig.

1). These collisional processes followed the late Juras-

sic emplacement of the Dinaric ophiolite nappe and the

Palaeogene closure of the Penninic oceanic domain

(Burchfiel, 1980; Channell and Kozur, 1997; Pamic et

al., 1998, Stampfli and Mosar, 1999; Stampfli et al.,

2002; Neubauer, 2002; Pamic, 2003). The Austroal-

pine–Carpathian–Balkan strand of the orogen is affect-

ed, during late Cretaceous–Tertiary times, by Europe-

directed shortening, folding and thrusting (Burchfiel,

1980; Dallmeyer et al., 1996). Deformation of the

Southalpine–Dinaride–Hellenide strand was directed

towards the Adriatic Sea, i.e. towards the eastern Med-

iterranean Sea (e.g., Dimitrijevic, 1997; Pamic et al.,

1998; Robertson and Karamata, 1994). The double-

vergent orogen has been affected by subsequent oro-

gen-parallel strike-slip motion along the Adriatic mar-

Fig. 1. Schematic tectonic overview over the Alpine orogenic sys

gin (Picha, 2002), lateral extrusion of the tectonic units

from the Eastern Alps towards the Carpathian arc

(Ratschbacher et al., 1989; Csontos et al., 1992; Cson-

tos, 1995) and back-arc extension of the Aegean Sea

(Jolivet et al., 2003; Fig. 1).

A few data are known from the late-orogenic

Tertiary evolution of the Dinarides where Jurassic/

Cretaceous emplacement of ophiolite nappes and sub-

sequent shortening was directed towards the External

Dinarides and the undeformed Adriatic microplate

(e.g., Pamic et al., 1998; Pamic, 2003; Dimitrijevic,

1997). The main stage of deformation of External

Dinarides was during the Eocene when internal thrust-

ing and folding occurred (Dimitrijevic, 1997; Pamic

et al., 1998 and references therein). Recently, Picha

(2002 and references therein) suggested that Neogene

north-westward motion of the Adriatic microplate is

tem of southeastern Europe (modified after Royden, 1988).

A. Ilic, F. Neubauer / Tectonophysics 410 (2005) 465–484 467

responsible for a dextral strike-slip displacement in

the most south-western part of External Dinarides,

close to the Adriatic coast. These observations are

in line with earlier observations of the present-day

seismicity, which also suggest the presence of a major

active strike-slip system within the boundary zone

between the Internal Dinarides and south-western

part of the Pannonian basin (Drava and Sava faults,

Fig. 1) (e g., Aric et al., 1987; Prelogovic et al.,

1998; Tomljenovic and Csontos, 2001; Csontos et

al., 2002). Recent GPS measurements show NNE-

ward motion of south-eastern Adria (Oldow et al.,

2002) and south-westward motion of the Aegean

Sea, the latter due to retreat of the Hellenic trench

(Kahle et al., 1998). Focal mechanism solutions of

numerous earthquakes also show that Dinarides are

affected by ca. N–S to NE–SW contraction and ca.

E–W to NW–SE extension (Prelogovic et al., 1998;

Fig. 2. a — Simplified structural map of the Dinarides. b — Structural map d

brittle faults (modified after Basic Geological Map of Yugoslavia 1 : 500,00

Gerner et al., 1999; Poljak et al., 2000; Marovic et

al., 2002; Toth et al., 2002). The orientation of the

stress field is variable from the NW to the SE of the

Dinarides, concerning the counterclockwise rotation

of the Adriatic microplate.

The Internal Dinarides are located in the southern

and southwestern margins of the Neogene Pannonian

basin. The formation and further development of the

Pannonian basin, which is a part of the Oligocene–

Neogene Paratethys, resulted from combined effects

of extension due to eastward slab retreat of oceanic

lithosphere, which enabled lateral extrusion of wedges

from the Eastern Alps (e.g., Ratschbacher et al., 1989,

1991; Royden, 1993; Peresson and Decker, 1997; Wor-

tel and Spakman, 2000; Sperner et al., 2002). No

attempt has been done so far to correlate between the

neotectonic processes in the Pannonian basin with such

within the Dinarides.

isplaying the principal structural units of the working area and Tertiary

0).


Here we report the new structural data from the

Central Dinarides, the boundary area between External

Dinarides and Internal Dinarides, in order to constrain

mainly the late Eocene and Neogene tectonic evolution

of that area (Figs. 1 and 2). For time scale calibration of

the Paratethys, we follow Rogl (1996).

2. Regional tectonic setting

The working area includes the north-eastern part of

the East Bosnian-Durmitor unit, located in the foot-

wall of the overriding Dinaric ophiolite nappe in

westernmost Serbia and easternmost Montenegro of

former Yugoslavia (Fig. 2a,b). The Dinaric ophiolite

nappe is correlated with the Mirdita zone of Albania

(Robertson, 2002) and the ophiolites of the Pindos and

Subpelagonian zone of Greece (Jones and Robertson,

1990). The East Bosnian-Durmitor unit represents a

composite pile of nappes (Dimitrijevic, 1997) and is

considered to be the passive continental margin of the

Apulian plate (Robertson and Karamata, 1994; Pamic

et al., 1998). These nappes are mainly composed of

Palaeozoic successions, which are overlain by Triassic

limestones and volcanic rocks. Within the working

area, these are represented by the Lim Palaeozoic

unit, (i.e. bZone de LimQ of Rampnoux, 1970). The

Lim Palaeozoic unit is overthrusted by the Dinaric

ophiolite nappe during late Cretaceous time (Fig.

2b), associated with low-grade metamorphic condi-

tions. This led to the formation of semiductile and

ductile fabrics along thrust zones (Ilic et al., 2003).

The Cretaceous to Eocene Durmitor Flysch was depos-

ited along the western front of the East Bosnian-Durmi-

tor unit (Dimitrijevic, 1997), the Upper Cretaceous–

Oligocene Vardar Flysch on top of units comprising

the Internal Dinarides (Capoa et al., 1995). The main

deformation of the Dinarides occurred during the Eocene

with the shortening towards the Adriatic Sea (Dimitrije-

vic, 1997) later followed by ca. 308 late Miocene–Plio-

cene anticlockwise rotation of the Adriatic microplate

(Marton et al., 2002, 2003).

During the middle early Miocene, the whole region

was affected by the opening of so-called bDinarideLake systemQ (Krstic et al., 2001). The remnant Mio-

cene sediments are only locally preserved, often fault-

bounded and interbedded with fine-grained volcanic

deposits and sometimes with coal (within the working

area, these are represented by the Pljevlja, Rutos-

Radoinje, Kremna and Bela Zemlja basins; Fig. 2b).

According to recent palaeontological investigations,

the age of the coal and its lacustrine overburden is

early Miocene, between 19 and 17 Ma (Prysjazhnjuk

et al., 2000; Krstic et al., 2001). The younger sedi-

mentation cycle is started in the latest early to middle

Miocene, ca. 16–15 Ma (Kochansky and Sliskovic,

1981). Both from age and locations to the southwest

of the southwestern margin of the Pannonian basin, a

link to early Miocene formation of Dinaric intramon-

tane basins with the Pannonian basin is obvious.

Subsidence in the southern/southwestern part of the

Pannonian basin is mainly during two stages, (1) early

to middle Miocene (mainly Badenian) and (2) late

Miocene (Pannonian) times. The first stage is charac-

terised by ca. E–W extension (Fodor et al., 1999 and

references therein), later overprinted by middle Mio-

cene ESE–WNE extension, after main displacement

along the Periadriatic fault system (Horvath, 1995;

Fodor et al., 1998, 1999; Tomljenovic and Csontos,

2001; Csontos et al., 2002). Some recent publications

argue for a limited Pliocene–Quarternary dextral dis-

placement on SE-trending secondary faults, exposed to

the south from the Periadriatic fault (Fodor et al.,

1998; Vrabec, 1999). The NW-trending Drava and

Sava faults are major dextral displacement zones

along the interface between the Dinaridic bedrock

and the Neogene infilling of the Pannonian basin

(e.g., Prelogovic et al., 1998; Tomljenovic and Cson-

tos, 2001).

The whole Dinarides were affected by the late

Neogene and Quaternary uplift and denudation

(Marovic et al., 1999, 2002), which resulted in sur-

face uplift of pronounced peneplanation surfaces with

present-day elevations ranging from ca. 1100 to 800

metres (Fig. 3a). These peneplanation surfaces seem-

ingly also affect local Miocene sedimentary basins,

within which uppermost sediments are exposed at

the same elevation level as in adjacent pre-Neogene

basement.

3. Fault pattern analysis

In this chapter we describe the fault pattern observed

within the boundary between the East Bosnian-Durmi-

tor unit and the Dinaric ophiolite nappe. In a map view,

the Cretaceous to Palaeogene contractional structures

(N-trending semiductile and ductile thrust faults) are

overprinted by numerous NW-trending dextral strike-

slip faults, which dominate the area (Fig. 2b). Due to

the fact that these strike-slip faults partly affect Lower

Miocene strata, we suggest a post-early Miocene age of

their activity.

The Lim Palaeozoic unit is confined, at its north-

eastern and southwestern margins, by steep, dextral

strike-slip faults roughly parallel to the strike of major

Fig. 3. a — Satellite image of the southernmost Pannonian basin and Central Dinarides. b — Digital elevation model (DEM) of southwestern Serbia

within the working area showing a peneplanation surface at a plateau-like elevation surface at 1000 to 1100 above sea level.


units (Fig. 2b). The length of these faults amounts in

the order of tens of kilometres, the offset in order of

few kilometres. However, the displacement along var-

ious faults is cumulative and represents on all faults

the finite displacement accumulated during several

deformation stages. Therefore, it is difficult to separate

the displacement of each deformation phase (see

below). The Lim fault with a dextral offset of ca. 6

km represents a major fault zone in the north-eastern

part of the East Bosnian-Durmitor unit and affects

locally the boundary between East Bosnian-Durmitor

unit and Dinaric ophiolite nappe (Fig. 2b). Other

major NW-trending faults of the area are: the Kamena

Gora and Pljevlja faults (Fig. 2b). These NW-trending

transpressional structures display the polyphase kine-

matic evolution and cumulative strike-slip displace-

ment in order of several kilometres. The palaeostress

succession on these and many other faults in the area

corresponds to a systematic formation of the new and

reactivation of previous outcrop-scale sets of slicken-

sides (see below).

In outcrop scale, slickensides and striae are numer-

ous along map-scale faults although in similar slicken-

sides can also found in far away from major faults.

Similar slickenside patterns characterise also faults

in the Dinaric ophiolite nappe as well as those which

affected the Miocene basins. The steep, transpressional,

brittle structures prevail in the area, but also ca. N-

trending, relatively low-angle reverse faults are present

(Fig. 4a,b). Relatively steeply dipping, NW- and rough-

ly NE-trending normal faults, which bound the Mio-

cene basins, were later reactivated as later dextral and

sinistral strike-slip faults (Fig. 4c,d).

4. Methodology of palaeostress analysis

Structural field analysis is based on the measure-

ments of fault planes and associated slip directions. The

direction of movement is given by slickensides, striae

and grooves on the fault plain (e.g., Petit, 1987). In

many outcrops, superimposed sets of slickensides and

striations indicate a polyphase reactivation of these

faults. Polyphase deformation and fault reactivation

was deciphered by cross-cutting and overprinting rela-

tionships such as fault offsets, overgrowth of differently

oriented fibres (Hancock, 1985). The determination of

the succession of faulting and displacement followed

criteria proposed by Petit (1987) and Gamond (1983,

1987). Reduced deviatoric palaeostress tensors were

computed from cogenetic fault populations, which

were separated from polyphase sets by evaluating

field observations and kinematic compatibility. Palaeos-

tress orientation patterns were evaluated from these

fault and slickenside data using numerical and graphical

Fig. 4. Examples of brittle structures within the Central Dinarides. a — Brittle N-trending, W-directed thrust within the Dinaric ophiolite nappe.

Serpentinites (left side of the photo) were thrusted over deep-water, thin-bedded Triassic limestones. b — Fault surface in serpentinites displays

striations with reverse sense of movement. c — Ca. NW-trending fissure within Triassic limestones filled with Miocene sandstones. d — Detail

from b. Wall of a Miocene clastic fissure (in Triassic limestone) with two generations of striations: normal-slip (D3b), overprinted by dextral strike-

slip striation (D4).


inversion methods proposed by Angelier and Mechler

(1977), Angelier (1979, 1989), Armijo et al. (1982) and

Marret and Almendinger (1990). These inversion meth-

ods indicate strain rather than palaeostress patterns with

relative magnitudes of principal stress axes (Twiss and

Unruh, 1998). The direct inversion method failed in the

analysis of strongly asymmetric faults sets, e.g. when

one set of conjugate faults strongly dominates over the

other one (Sperner et al., 1993). Such sets were ana-

lysed with numerical dynamic analysis (NDA) method

(Sperner et al., 1993) using an angle of 308 between the

slip line and the P-axis. The NDA-method gives kine-

matical axes which in case of coaxial deformation are

considered to coincide with the principal stress axes.

The tectonics FP program was used as an auxiliary

means to divide the data into groups, each of them

corresponding to a certain deformation stage (Ortner

et al., 2002).

5. Results of palaeostress analysis

In this chapter we present fault slip data, which

constrain the evolution of the palaeostress fields with-

in the Central Dinarides. In addition to dominant

NW-trending faults we observed subordinate SW-

trending faults with sinistral offsets. These can be

explained together with a NW-trending dextral set

to be part of a conjugate Mohr shear system. This

implies ca. N–S trending maximum principal stresses

and E–W trending minimum stresses to activate the

system. In order to examine this, we carried out

palaeostress analysis on slickenside and striae data,

which have been collected at ca. 80 stations. Results

are compiled in Table 1 and are graphically shown in

Figs. 5–9. Palaeostress analysis of faults shows four

brittle stages of kinematics following there two stages

of late Cretaceous and early Eocene ductile deforma-

tion (Ilic et al., submitted for publication). The rela-

tive succession of palaeostress tensor groups was

deduced from overprinting relationships in a few

key outcrops, thus making the deformational se-

quence partly uncertain, particularly between palaeos-

tress tensor groups 3a and 3b (see below). In the

following, we report five palaeostress tensor groups,

which are ordered in a succession from oldest to

youngest.

Table 1

Results of palaeostress analysis

No Station Latitude Longitude Tectonic

unit

Lithology Age D Stress

regime

N Method

applied

r1 r2 r3

1 Prijepolje–Bistrica 48.09 73.90 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D4 Strike-slip 5 NDA 178/17 330/75 86/04



3 Prijepolje–Bistrica 48.12 73.91 DOB Limestone Triassic D3b Normal 12 NDA 10/70 203/20 111/05

4 Prijepolje–Bistrica 48.13 73.90 DOB Limestone Triassic D3b Normal 4 NDA 225/72 43/19 312/01

4 Prijepolje–Bistrica 48.13 73.90 DOB Limestone Triassic D3a Normal 2 Dihedra 330/83 156/07 77/16

4 Prijepolje–Bistrica 48.13 73.90 DOB Limestone Triassic D2 Strike-slip 6 NDA 219/22 334/50 115/33

5 Bistrica 48.15 73.92 DOB Pillow-basalts Jurassic D4 Strike-slip 7 NDA 335/14 151/75 66/01

5 Bistrica 48.15 73.92 DOB Pillow-basalts Jurassic D3b Normal 9 NDA 178/82 33/07 302/3

5 Bistrica 48.15 73.92 DOB Pillow-basalts Jurassic D1 Reverse 10 NDA 290/01 28/11 210/78

6 Bistrica–Priboj 48.17 73.90 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D3b Normal 6 NDA 253/62 86/29 353/07

6 Bistrica–Priboj 48.17 73.90 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D3a Normal 11 NDA 332/69 139/20 227/01

6 Bistrica–Priboj 48.17 73.90 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D2 Strike-slip 6 NDA 239/15 114/63 336/21

7 Bistrica–Priboj 48.18 73.89 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D4 Strike-slip 6 NDA 163/07 303/78 72/06

7 Bistrica–Priboj 48.18 73.89 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D3a Normal 13 NDA 310/58 149/33 55/09

7 Bistrica–Priboj 48.18 73.89 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D2 Reverse 5 NDA 207/17 110/21 332/62

7 Bistrica–Priboj 48.18 73.89 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D1 Reverse 5 NDA 260/23 160/21 36/58

8 Bistrica–Priboj 48.19 73.88 DOB Limestone Triassic D3a Normal 4 NDA 169/45 336/33 72/07

8 Bistrica–Priboj 48.19 73.88 DOB Limestone Triassic D2 Reverse 4 NDA 224/12 127/37 328/52

9 Bistrica Valley 48.14 73.93 DOB Carbonates Jurassic D3b Normal 4 NDA 207/61 21/33 112/01

9 Bistrica Valley 48.14 73.93 DOB Carbonates Jurassic D3a Normal 5 NDA 133/46 295/42 33/09

9 Bistrica Valley 48.14 73.93 DOB Carbonates Jurassic D2 Reverse 6 NDA 229/15 128/37 339/49

10 Bistrica Valley 48.14 73.96 DOB Limestone Jurassic D2 Strike-slip 3 Dihedra 234/12 02/72 140/13

13 Bistrica–Prijepolje 48.14 73.91 DOB Limestone Triassic D3b Normal 4 NDA 209/35 46/54 305/08

13 Bistrica–Prijepolje 48.14 73.91 DOB Limestone Triassic D3a Normal 5 NDA 297/62 111/28 209/05

14 Savin lakat 48.03 73.81 EBD Limestone Triassic D4 Reverse 4 NDA 02/24 252/41 114/41

14 Savin lakat 48.03 73.81 EBD Limestone Triassic D3b Normal 3 Dihedra 99/71 255/18 346/09

18 Babine–Jabuka 48.05 73.81 EBD Limestone Triassic D4 Strike-slip 6 NDA 179/08 316/79 87/08

18 Babine–Jabuka 48.05 73.81 EBD Limestone Triassic D3a Normal 4 NDA 195/78 99/01 11/12

18 Babine–Jabuka 48.05 73.81 EBD Limestone Triassic D1 Reverse 4 NDA 91/25 352/16 237/55

19 Babine–Jabuka 48.05 73.80 EBD Sandstone Miocene D4 Strike-slip 4 NDA 343/18 209/64 79/18

19 Babine–Jabuka 48.05 73.80 EBD Sandstone Miocene D3a Normal 5 NDA 312/84 107/02 198/02

20 Babine–Jabuka 48.04 73.80 EBD Limestone Triassic D3a Normal 4 NDA 157/76 309/13 41/06




22 Jabuka–Pljevlja 48.00 73.78 EBD Limestone Triassic D4 Reverse 7 NDA 359/02 264/32 94/58

22 Jabuka–Pljevlja 48.00 73.78 EBD Limestone Triassic D3a Normal 6 NDA 87/73 292/17 204/08

22 Jabuka–Pljevlja 48.00 73.78 EBD Limestone Triassic D2 Reverse 3 Dihedra 206/49 97/16 355/36

23 Jabuka 48.01 73.78 EBD Limestone Triassic D4 Strike-slip 7 NDA 339/05 80/63 245/27

23 Jabuka 48.01 73.78 EBD Limestone Triassic D3a Normal 11 NDA 281/76 134/10 46/4

24 Jabuka–Kamenolom 48.01 73.79 EBD Limestone Triassic D3a Normal 20 NDA 273/73 108/14 15/02

24 Jabuka–Kamenolom 48.01 73.79 EBD Limestone Triassic D2 Reverse 4 NDA 227/36 106/35 347/35

26 Cadinje 48.08 73.83 EBD Volcanic Triassic D3a Normal 9 NDA 315/74 149/14 241/01

29 Prijeplje–Brodarevo 47.95 73.96 EBD Limestone Triassic D3a Normal 6 NDA 77/64 302/19 206/17

29 Prijeplje–Brodarevo 47.95 73.96 EBD Limestone Triassic D2 Reverse 4 NDA 38/14 302/22 156/62

30 Prijeplje–Brodarevo 47.94 73.97 EBD Limestone Triassic D2 Reverse 15 NDA 33/20 125/2 218/70

31 Prijeplje–Brodarevo 47.93 73.96 EBD Limestone Triassic D3a Normal 4 NDA 249/87 114/03 24/05

31 Prijeplje–Brodarevo 47.93 73.96 EBD Limestone Triassic D2 Strike-slip 9 NDA 57/01 174/78 327/06

33 Kumanicka klisura 47.80 73.97 EBD Limestone Triassic D3b Normal 6 NDA 80/70 261/21 171/01

35 Lim Valley 47.82 73.96 EBD Limestone Triassic D2 Strike-slip 3 Dihedra 38/08 312/54 135/35

35 Lim Valley 47.82 73.96 EBD Limestone Triassic D1 Strike-slip 3 Dihedra 82/07 334/71 174/18

36 Lim Valley 47.85 73.96 EBD Limestone Triassic D3a Normal 4 NDA 345/58 127/26 226/17

36 Lim Valley 47.85 73.96 EBD Limestone Triassic D2 Strike-slip 16 NDA 34/03 275/78 125/15


37 Lim Valley 47.86 73.96 EBD Limestone Triassic D2 Reverse 6 NDA 227/05 315/24 127/64

(continued on next page)


Table 1 (continued)

No Station Latitude Longitude Tectonic

unit

Lithology Age D Stress

regime

N Method

applied

r1 r2 r3

38 Lim Valley 47.87 73.95 EBD Limestone Triassic D4 Strike-slip 14 NDA 19/12 204/81 108/01


44 Mileseva 48.05 73.92 DOB Pillow-basalts Jurassic D1 Reverse 6 NDA 109/08 200/05 324/80

45 Mileseva 48.05 73.93 DOB Limestone Triassic D4 Strike-slip 12 NDA 338/01 75/86 245/03

45 Mileseva 48.05 73.93 DOB Limestone Triassic D2 Strike-slip 8 NDA 38/09 200/83 308/02

45 Mileseva 48.05 73.93 DOB Limestone Triassic D1 Reverse 4 NDA 259/06 350/39 161/49

46 Hisardzik 48.04 73.93 DOB Limestone Triassic D4 Reverse 5 NDA 174/02 265/19 82/68

46 Hisardzik 48.04 73.93 DOB Limestone Triassic D2 Strike-slip 9 NDA 214/25 45/68 307/06

49 Mileseva–Sjenica 48.00 73.99 DOB Pillow-basalts Jurassic D4 Strike-slip 7 NDA 359/09 249/68 92/22

49 Mileseva–Sjenica 48.00 73.99 DOB Pillow-basalts Jurassic D3a Normal 5 NDA 135/70 319/16 51/01

51 Mileseva–Sjenica 48.01 73.96 DOB Pillow-basalts Jurassic D3b Normal 3 Dihedra 10/79 225/13 135/06

51 Mileseva–Sjenica 48.01 73.96 DOB Pillow-basalts Jurassic D3a Normal 5 NDA 134/80 335/11 245/04

53 Mataruge 47.93 73.85 EBD Limestone Triassic D3a Normal 5 NDA 219/69 314/01 44/21

57 Bistrica–N. Varos 48.15 73.97 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D4 Strike-slip 6 NDA 355/08 190/82 85/02

57 Bistrica–N. Varos 48.15 73.97 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D3b Normal 7 NDA 88/53 259/37 353/04

58 Bistrica–N. Varos 48.18 74.00 DOB Pillow-basalts Jurassic D3b Normal 7 NDA 58/50 247/40 154/05

58 Bistrica–N. Varos 48.18 74.00 DOB Pillow-basalts Jurassic D3a Normal 6 NDA 219/72 114/14 20/10

60 Zlatarsko jezero 48.20 74.05 DOB Limestone Triassic D1 Strike-slip 4 NDA 96/20 260/69 04/06

61 Kokin Brod–Zlatibor 48.22 74.07 DOB Limestone Triassic D4 Strike-slip 5 NDA 161/35 342/55 252/02

62 Kokin Brod–Zlatibor 48.24 74.07 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D4 Strike-slip 4 NDA 19/21 165/64 284/14

62 Kokin Brod–Zlatibor 48.24 74.07 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D3b Normal 11 NDA 30/70 206/15 296/02

62 Kokin Brod–Zlatibor 48.24 74.07 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D2 Strike-slip 4 NDA 230/12 73/76 320/04

63 Zlatibor 48.26 74.08 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D4 Strike-slip 4 NDA 188/03 68/83 278/06

63 Zlatibor 48.26 74.08 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D3b Normal 7 NDA 27/37 177/46 286/15

63 Zlatibor 48.26 74.08 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D3a Normal 14 NDA 127/72 305/20 34/05

63 Zlatibor 48.26 74.08 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D1 Strike-slip 4 NDA 305/05 200/71 37/19

71 Kolovrat 48.05 73.80 EBD Conglomerates Palaeozoic D3b Normal 5 NDA 182/64 87/10 347/19

72 Prijepolje 48.07 73.83 DOB Serpentinites Jurassic D3b Normal 5 NDA 81/69 230/15 323/11

73 Ivanje 48.06 73.84 EBD Volcanic Triassic D3b Normal 6 NDA 160/83 53/02 323/04

74 Crna Stena 48.08 73.84 EBD Limestone Palaeozoic D4 Reverse 4 NDA 189/02 97/29 282/61

75 Zebudja 48.10 73.90 EBD Limestone Triassic D3b Normal 16 NDA 30/67 224/20 131/05

76 Zebudja 48.10 73.91 EBD Limestone Triassic D4 Strike-slip 7 NDA 184/11 353/70 87/03

76 Zebudja 48.10 73.91 EBD Limestone Triassic D3b Normal 4 NDA 211/40 69/56 307/06

77 Brodarevo 47.87 73.93 EBD Limestone Triassic D4 Strike-slip 3 Dihedra 338/18 143/72 247/04

77 Brodarevo 47.87 73.93 EBD Limestone Triassic D3b Normal 4 NDA 217/34 36/56 127/01

77 Brodarevo 47.87 73.93 EBD Limestone Triassic D1 Reverse 6 NDA 246/25 134/25 06/56

78 Brodarevo 47.85 73.94 EBD Limestone Triassic D1 Strike-slip 7 NDA 238/07 128/63 324/22

Latitude and longitude are coordinates from the official Basic Geological Map of Yugoslavia 1 : 100,000. DOB — Dinaric ophiolite belt; EBD —

East Bosnian-Durmitor unit; D — deformation event; N — number of measurements, NDA — numerical dynamic analysis.


5.1. Palaeostress tensor group 1 (D1): E–W contraction

The first palaeostress tensor group comprises a

conjugate system of NW-trending sinistral and NE-

striking dextral strike-slip faults as well as the ca. N-

trending reverse faults (Fig. 5). These faults belong to

the same deformational event, and in most outcrops

they are overprinted by mainly extensional structures.

These are the oldest brittle structures recorded in the

rocks of East Bosnian-Durmitor unit and Dinaride

ophiolite nappe, which point to, roughly, E–W con-

traction. D1 faults reactivated older N- to NW-trend-

ing thrust surfaces, which were formed within

semiductile conditions. The reactivated faults are in

part oblique to the strike of the Dinaric orogen. As

Dinaric units strike NW, these relationships suggest

sinistral transpression within the Dinarides during E–

W shortening within a present-day geographic frame-

work (Fig. 12).

5.2. Palaeostress tensor group 2 (D2): NE–SW contraction

The second tensor group comprises WNW-trending

steep reverse faults with subhorizontal SW–NE orient-

ed r1-axis (Fig. 6). Together with these reverse faults,

conjugated N- to NW-trending dextral and W-/SW-

trending sinistral faults are present. These faults define

NE–SW contraction. D2 structures occur in almost 60%

of the stations, where they are always overprinted by

normal faults.

Fig. 5. Fault-striae data and palaeostress assessment recording palaeostress tensor group D1. Squared numbers 1, 2, 3 represent orientation of

maximum, intermediate and minimum principal stress axes.


5.3. Palaeostress tensor group 3a (D3a): NE–SWextension

Significant NE–SW extension overprints all for-

mer contractional structures. This is indicated by

normal-slip reactivation of older strike-slip or reverse

faults as well as by formation of new NW- and ESE-

trending normal faults. Normal-slip and oblique-

normal-slip striations are generally dipping to the

Fig. 6. Fault-striae data and palaeostress assessment recording palaeostress tensor group D2. For explanation, see Fig. 5.


SW or NE, and the r1 axis is oriented vertically (Fig.

7). Some faults, which belong to this tensor group,

affected Lower Miocene sedimentary rocks, and indi-

cate therefore a post-early Miocene age of their ac-

tivity. An example is shown from a Miocene clastic

fissure within Triassic limestone, which is cut by a

pronounced peneplanation surface (Fig. 4d). The wall

of the Miocene fissure show two generations of

striations: normal-slip (D3b), overprinted by dextral

strike-slip striation (D4).

Fig. 7. Fault-striae data and palaeostress assessment recording palaeostress tensor group D3a. For explanation, see Fig. 5.


5.4. Palaeostress tensor group 3b (D3b): NW–SE extension

The second extensional palaeostress subgroup partly

overprints and reactivates previous contractional struc-

tures by normal faulting or form a new set of NE-trend-

ing normal faults. A conjugate system of NE- and E-

trending normal faults is common (Fig. 8). These faults

display oblique-normal slip striations with subvertically

oriented r1 axis, and they indicate orogen-parallel (NW–

SE) extension. There are no sufficient overprinting cri-

Fig. 8. Fault-striae data and palaeostress assessment recording palaeostress tensor group D3b. For explanation, see Fig. 5.


teria between the faults of palaeostress tensor groups 3a

and 3b. However, based on limited field evidence of

overprint, the data suggest that these two extensional

events occurred in a sequence and do not belong to one

set of uniform radial extension.

5.5. Palaeostress tensor group 4 (D4): N–S contraction

The final stage of faulting includes NW-trending dex-

tral and NE-trending sinistral strike-slip faults as well as

some E-trending thrust faults. In most stations the fault

Fig. 9. Fault-striae data and palaeostress assessment recording palaeostress tensor group D4. For explanation, see Fig. 5.


population attributed to this palaeostress tensor group

contains reactivated fault planes. Computed palaeostress

tensors are mostly of the strike-slip type, with r1 oriented

approximately N–S and r3 roughly E–W, except in few

stations where the faults are reactivated in a pure thrust

regime (Fig. 9). Overprinting criteria is very clear in this

case. In almost every outcrop these transpressional struc-

tures overprint former extensional faults (Fig. 4d).


6. Peneplanation and surface uplift

As mentioned before, the Central Dinarides have

been affected by surface uplift, denudation penepla-

nation during late Miocene and Quaternary times

(Marovic et al., 1999, 2002). Peneplanation surfaces

are at an elevation of ca. 1100 to 800 metres (Figs.

3a and 10a,b). These surfaces are very pronounced

and can be traced over a large area in the Dinaric

ophiolite nappe, forming there, e.g., the surface of the

Zlatibor serpentinite massif (Fig. 10b). Subsequent

uplift of the peneplanation surface resulted in some

steps, including formations of river terraces as can be

traced along valleys, e. g. the Lim and Milesevka

valleys (Fig. 10c). In many areas, the river incision is

very young as pronounced gorges along present-day

rivers indicate. An impressive example is the Mile-

sevka gorge along the Lim river at the border be-

tween Serbia and Montenegro (Fig. 10d; see Fig. 3b

for location).

7. Present-day tectonic activity

The widespread late Miocene–Quaternary transpres-

sional tectonic regime of the most of the Dinarides and

southwestern margin of the Pannonian Basin is closely

associated with the present-day seismicity (Marovic et

al., 2002; Prelogovic et al., 1998; Poljak et al., 2000).

The recent stress field of the wider area is inferred from

Fig. 10. a — Peneplanation surface at the elevation of ca. 1,100 m in the Lim

of the Dinaric ophiolite nappe. c — Elevated terrace surface in the Lim v

pronounced river incision, gorge formation and steep slopes on both sides

earthquake focal mechanism and is characterised by

counter-clockwise rotation of the horizontal maximum

stress axis (Bada et al., 1998; Gerner et al., 1999; Poljak

et al., 2000; Marovic et al., 2002; Toth et al., 2002 and

references therein) along the Southern Alps–Dinarides

chain, due to the ca. northward motion of the south-

eastern part of the Adriatic microplate (Oldow et al.,

2002; Babucci et al., 2004).

Present-day seismicity, on the northern edge of

Dinarides, indicates NW-trending strike-slip and E-

trending thrust faults as potentially active, where

earthquake foci reach depths of 25–30 km (External

Dinarides, Slovenia) to 17–25 km (on the border

between Dinarides and Pannonian basin, Croatia; Pre-

logovic et al., 1998), with recent magnitudes up to

Mlh=5.6. Present-day seismicity is strong within In-

ternal Dinarides and at southwestern margin of the

Pannonian basin (Marovic et al., 2002). Earthquakes

are aligned to NW-, NE- and N-trending zones and

reach magnitudes of 6 (Gerner et al., 1999; Marovic et

al., 2002; Fig. 11). The maximum principal stress r1

displays a variable orientation ranging from ca. N–S in

northern Dinarides, NE–SW along the Pannonian

basin/Dinarides interface and ca. NNE–SSW in central

External Dinarides (Marovic et al., 2002; Toth et al.,

2002; Reinecker et al., 2003). There is seemingly no

systematic study on possible surface rupture of recent

faults. Recent GPS measurements show NNE-ward

motion of southern/central Adria (Fig. 11; Oldow et

area. View towards NW. b — Zlatibor peneplanation on serpentinites

alley to the south of Prijepolje. d — Milesevka gorge displaying the

of the gorge due to Pliocene/Quaternary surface uplift.

Fig. 11. Velocity model for Adriatic plate and distribution of earthquakes of the Central Dinarides (GPS data compiled from Oldow et al., 2002 and

Grenerczy et al., 2002). Block boundaries are from Oldow et al. (2002).


al., 2002), eastward extrusion of the Eastern Alps

(Grenerczy et al., 2002) and southwestward motion

of the Aegean Sea, the latter due to retreat of the

Hellenic trench (Kahle et al., 1998).

On the SW margin of the Pannonian basin, earth-

quake focal mechanism also indicates a compressive

regime of the strike-slip type with a horizontal axis of

maximum compressive stress oriented SW–NE (Gerner

et al., 1999, Marovic et al., 2002). The earthquake foci

are shallower than in the west reaching depths between

7–20 km (Central Serbia) with the magnitude up to 5.6

(Kopaonik earthquake, year 1984, Marovic et al.,

2002).

In general, a high angle between the strike of major

active fault zones in the Dinarides and the contraction

direction leads to transpression in the wider area. The

dominance of NW-trending dextral strike-slip faults in

most Central Dinarides and along the southwestern

margin of the Pannonian basin suggests recent relative

N-ward motion of Dinarides (e. g., Aric et al., 1987;

Tomljenovic and Csontos, 2001).

8. Discussion

The new structural and palaeostress data from the

Central Dinarides shed new insights on Tertiary tec-

tonic processes of the region, which were not known

until now. These processes are related to the late

Eocene to recent post-collisional development of the

Dinaric thrust wedge and the formation and further

evolution of the southern margin of the Pannonian

basin. The sequence of timing of various tectonic

events is compiled in Table 2 and on the Fig. 12.

Further discussion on kinematics is within the pres-

ent-day coordinates, although Dinarides rotated ca.

308 in an anticlockwise manner during late Mio-

cene–Pliocene (Marton et al., 2002, 2003 and refer-

ences therein).

Deformation stage D1 represents E–W shortening

of late Eocene age, following the ductile deformation

event within Lim Palaeozoic unit (Ilic et al., submitted

for publication), and is likely related with westward

progradation of thrusting of the Dinaric orogenic

Table 2

Scheme showing the tentative succession and timing of tectonic events in Central Dinarides and Alps


wedge over the Adriatic platform (e.g. Dimitrijevic,

1997; Pamic et al., 1998; Picha, 2002).

Deformation stage D2 is characterised by NE–SW

compression and subordinate NW–SE extension due

to Oligocene to early Miocene shortening of the Dina-

ric orogenic wedge (Fig. 12). This deformation phase

can be correlated with the late Oligocene post-colli-

sional volcanism in Central Dinarides (Cvetkovic et

al., 2004).

The deformation stage D3a comprises NE–SW ex-

tension and opening of Miocene Dinaric intra-moun-

tainous basins (Krstic et al., 2001), which also

represent a prominent early to middle Miocene phase

of extension in the Pannonian basin (Ratschbacher et

al., 1989, 1991; Prelogovic et al., 1998; Fodor et al.,

1999; Csontos et al., 2002; Fig. 12). This is followed

by orogen-parallel NW–SE extension (D3b), combined

with further development of Miocene sedimentary

Fig. 12. Scheme of the late Eocene to recent tectonic evolution of Central Dinarides. See text for explanation.


basins (Kochansky and Sliskovic, 1981). However, the

NW-ward motion of the Adriatic indenter and geomet-

ric constraints in the Carpathian realm limited exten-

sion and resulted in final ca. N–S shortening associated

with surface uplift and erosion, after closure of the

remnant Carpathian basin (Fig. 12). The N–S shorten-

ing phase in Central Dinarides might have started as

early as latest Miocene and likely continues until

present time although the direction of shortening

vary over the area from N–S in north to NE–SW in

External and southern internal Dinarides (Marovic et

al., 1999; Fodor et al., 1999; Oldow et al., 2002).

However, a stage of late Miocene NE–SW extension

is well known from the northwestern interface between

Dinarides and Pannonian basin (Tomljenovic and

Csontos, 2001; Csontos et al., 2002). Ca. northward

motion of the Adriatic microplate likely caused internal

ca. N–S shortening of Dinarides (D4) and dextral

wrenching along orogen-parallel, dextral strike-slip

faults within Central Dinarides, not only in western-

most External Dinarides as proposed by Picha (2002).

This is line with present-day kinematics constrained by

GPS data, although earthquake focal mechanisms and

present-day stress orientations show a more complicate

pattern. The orientation of the maximum horizontal

stress axis is roughly oriented NNW–SSE in Slovenia

(Poljak et al., 2000), N–S to NW–SE in Croatia (Toml-

jenovic and Csontos, 2001) and NE–SW in the Vardar

zone of the Central Serbia and External Dinarides

(Marovic et al., 2002; Reinecker et al., 2003). The

latest GPS results confirmed the basically N- to

NNW-ward motion of Adria in respect to Eurasia

(Oldow et al., 2002; Nocquet and Calais, 2003;

Babucci et al., 2004) and the systematic counter-clock-


wise rotation of the axes of contraction in northern

Dinarides (Grenerczy and Kenyeres, 2004). Earthquake

focal data indicate active wrenching Drava–Sava sys-

tem between Dinarides and the Pannonian basin (Pre-

logovic et al., 1998) and to the south of the Eastern

Alps (e.g., Fodor et al., 1998; Vrabec, 1999). The N- to

NNW-directed motion and counter-clockwise rotation

of the Adriatic microplate contribute the present-day

wrenching in the Central Dinarides.

The Miocene formation of peneplanation surfaces

likely correlate with processes in the Pannonian basin.

Several processes may contribute to the subsequent

Pliocene–Quaternary surface uplift of Central Dinarides

including ca. N–S shortening and, as shown in mantle

tomography, unloading of the lithosphere by slab break-

off (Wortel and Spakman, 2000) which is also

evidenced by Neogene volcanism in inner sectors of

Dinarides (Pamic et al., 2002).

9. Conclusions

The study of brittle faults in the Central Dinarides

resulted in following major steps in tectonic evolution

of the area (Fig. 12):

(1) Brittle deformation stage D1 resulted in transpres-

sional, ca. E–W oriented shortening including

reverse and strike-slip faulting of late Eocene age.

(2) Deformation stage D2 comprises N-trending dex-

tral and W- to SW-trending sinistral strike-slip

faults. Together with reverse faults, these data

indicate ca. NE–SW contraction and subordinate

NW–SE extension due to Oligocene to early

Miocene shortening of the Dinaric orogenic

wedge, consistent with the data from the External

Dinarides.

(3) Deformation stage D3a comprises mainly NW-

and ESE-trending normal faults, which indicate

NE–SW extension related to early/middle Mio-

cene extension in the Pannonian basin. The sub-

sequent palaeostress tensor group 3b (D3b)

includes ca. NE- to NW-trending, respectively

SE-dipping normal faults indicating together

NW–SE extension which is likely related to fur-

ther extension in the Pannonian basin.

(4) Deformation stage D4 (late Miocene to recent)

activated ca. NW-trending dextral and NE-

trending sinistral strike-slip faults. Together,

with some E–W trending reverse faults, these

indicate ca. N–S shortening and significant

wrenching. This is largely consistent with the

present-day kinematics constrained by GPS data

also showing roughly northward motion of

Adria although earthquake focal mechanisms

and stress data show a more complex pattern

likely due partitioning of strain subparallel and

perpendicular to Dinarides orogen. The north-

westward motion and counter-clockwise rotation

of the Adriatic microplate contribute to shorten-

ing and present-day wrenching in the Central

Dinarides.

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge discussions with Johann Genser

and Cestmir Tomek. We gratefully acknowledge careful

and constructive reviews by two anonymous reviewers

and Gabor Bada who helped to clarify ideas and pre-

sentation. The work has been supported by an Ernst

Mach grant of the Austrian Academic Exchange Ser-

vice to AI, respectively by a research grant P15,646

from the Austrian Research Foundation to FN.

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