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306 R. Catalano et al./ Tectonophvsics 260 (1996) 291-323

(2a2) The Inner Carbonate TS is an imbricate fan in the Nebrodi Mountains the carbonate units are
formed by (a) Mesozoic platform and basinal pelagic buried beneath a wedge, 4000 m thick, of Numidian
and turbiditic carbonate and siliceous sediments Flysch and Sicilide units as documented by explo-
(Panormide and Imerese domains, Fig. 5) with local ration wells (Bianchi et al., 1989). The above-men-
duplex geometry, tectonically overlain by a roof tioned terrigenous wedge was detached from its
thrust consisting mainly of Upper Oligocene-Lower Panormide, Imerese and more internai carbonate sub-
Miocene foreland basin deposits (Numidian Flysch stratum in the Langhian (Catalano et al., 1989a and
Auct.) and southward (b) an imbricate wedge of reference herein) and displaced southwards above
units composed of Upper Triassic to Liassic shelf more external carbonate domains during the Early
and Jurassic to Paleogene deep-water carbonate rocks Tortonian (Figs. 7, 8 and 10). The Inner Carbonate
(Pre Panormide and Trapanese domains) overlain by TS is also characterized, ali over western and eastern
Lower to middle Miocene glauconitic calcarenites Sicily, by regionally extending east-west-trending
thrusts with a right-lateral component (Ghisetti and
and pelagic mudstones (Corleone and San Cipirrello Vezzani, 1984; Oldow et al., 1990). These structures
Formation, Fig. 5). postdate uppermost Miocene sedimentation as shown
in the M. Kumeta region (Figs. 7 and 12 and Oldow
The Inner Carbonate TS mostly grew during et al., 1990) where Upper Miocene deposits of the
Early-Late Miocene times and was unconformably Terravecchia Formation are offset by the faulting.
sealed by the Upper Tortonian clastics of the Ter-
ravecchia Fm. (Catalano et al., 1989a and references The Inner Carbonate TS extends in the offshore
herein). It extends east-west along the northern Sicily area north of Sicily (Selli, 1974; Agate et al., 1993)
belt and forms major structural culminations from and westward in an area bounded to the north by the
the Madonie Mountains to the Palermo Mountains Drepano Thrust Front and to the southwest by the
and further to the west to Capo San Vito (Fig. 7). NNE-SSW-trending Egadi Thrust Front (ETF, Figs.
The thickness of individuai carbonate thrust sheets 9 and l 0). In this sector, the highest thrust units
generally does not exceed l 000 m. The bulk of the show the reflecting character of a thin layered suc-
allochthonous Numidian Flysch reaches about 2500 cession of clastic deposits interpreted on the basis of
m in thickness south of the Madonie Mts. Eastwards,

Fig. 15. Maghrebian-Sicilian Outer Carbonate and Inner Carbonate TS. NW-SE seismic line shows in the Egadi Thrust Front area a

tectonic wedge of mainly carbonate platform thrust units Onner Carbonate TS) underlying the Trapanese type carbonate units (Outer
Carbonate TS), overlain by Lower Miocene and Upper Miocene foreland basin deposits. Key: M - Messinian horizon; TV- Terravecchia

Fm deposits (Lower Messinian-Upper Tortonian); mLM - Middle to Lower Miocene marls; Tp - top of carbonate platform rocks. For

location of the section see Fig. IO.