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A. Sulli / Tectonophysics 324 (2000) 321–336 327
Fig. 6. Interpretative geological cross-section (Catalano et al., 1996). G and C with relative numbers indicate seismic profiles crossing
the geological section.
( Tricart et al., 1990; Torelli et al., 1992) as respon- stratigraphy appears comparable with rocks
sible for the crustal thinning in this area, is a outcropping in westernmost Sicily. The Neogene
matter of debate. terrigenous deposits locally exhibit affinities with
those of the Tunisian offshore (Antonelli et al.,
The Apenninic–Maghrebian units, seaward 1991 ).
extension of the Sicily chain (Catalano et al., 1989),
are believed to be a thick tectonic body made up 5. Description of data
of several embricate units progressively overthrust-
ing east- and south-eastward the foreland units The interpretation of the Italian CROP profile
(Catalano et al., 1985, 1989; Antonelli et al., 1991). (shown as a line drawing in Figs. 8 and 9), together
They originated from the Neogenic deformation with the reinterpretation of AGIP multichannel
of the Mesozoic–Tertiary basin and carbonate seismic lines contributed to integrate previous
platform rocks that have been correlated with investigations (Catalano et al., 1989; Tricart et al.,
the Pre-Panormide, Imerese, Panormide and 1990; Torelli et al., 1992; Sulli, 1996). The collected
Trapanese units outcropping in north-western Sicily data yields information on the whole crust and on
(Catalano et al., 1985; Antonelli et al., 1991). In the attitude and location of the Moho discontinu-
the Apenninic–Maghrebian belt two main tectonic ity. It sheds light on the paleogeography and the
elements can be distinguished, that contain a tectonic evolution of the area.
number of genetically related thrust systems
(Catalano et al., 1996). The inner tectonic element 5.1. The Cornaglia area
includes tectonic units emplaced essentially during
the Miocene; at sea it develops from Elimi chain to The transition from the Algerian–Provencal
Egadi area. The outer tectonic element, deformed oceanic crust to the Sardinian continental crust is
during Tortonian–Pleistocene, occurs in the area expected to take place in the western Cornaglia
between the Egadi Islands and the Sicily Channel. terrace (Fig. 2). The reduced crustal thickness
(around 15–20 km) and the occurrence of layered
The submerged sedimentary succession (Fig. 7) reflectors in the lower crust ( Fig. 8) are characteris-
consists of Triassic–Lower Liassic carbonate plat- tics which denote, according to Meissner and
form deposits overlain by Jurassic–Paleogene sea- Kuznir (1987), a thinned continental crust. In the
mount and slope-to-basin, marly and sandy Cornaglia basin the contact between the Sardinian
carbonates, in turn unconformably covered by
Neogene foredeep deposits (Pre-Panormide and
Trapanese domain Auct.). As shown in Fig. 7, the
