| Geology of the Alps |
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TheAdriatic orApulian plate is a smalltectonic plate carrying primarilycontinental crust that broke away from theAfrican plate along a largetransform fault in theCretaceous period. The name Adriatic plate is usually used when referring to the northern part of the plate. This part of the plate wasdeformed during theAlpine orogeny, when the Adriatic/Apulian platecollided with theEurasian plate.
The Adriatic/Apulian plate is thought to still move independently of theEurasian plate in NNE direction with a small component of counter-clockwise rotation.[1] Thefault zone that separates the two is thePeriadriatic Seam that runs through the Alps. Studies indicate that in addition to deforming, the Eurasian continental crust has actually subducted to some extent below the Adriatic/Apulian plate, an unusual circumstance in plate tectonics.Oceanic crust of the African plate is also subducting under the Adriatic/Apulian plate off the western and southern coasts of the Italian Peninsula, creating a berm of assorted debris which rises from the seafloor and continues onshore. This subduction is also responsible for the volcanic interactions of southern Italy.
TheAdriatic Sea,Istria, the easternItalian Peninsula,Malta, and the coastal part ofSlovenia are on the Adriatic/Apulian Plate.Mesozoicsedimentary rocks deposited on the plate include thelimestones that form theSouthern Calcareous Alps.
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