LARGE-SCALE HERCYNIAN WEST-DIRECTED TECTONICS IN SOUTHEASTERN SARDINIA (ITALY)

Widespread Hercynian west-directed thrusting and west-facing folds, un til now only reported in a limited area, are ubiquitous in the Sarrabu s unit, southeastern Sardinia. Intense thrusting and imbrication in th e higher tectonic levels of the Sarrabus unit potentially originated d uring west-directed thrusting of higher tectonic units, which have bee n eroded. The floor thrust of the Sarrabus unit, the Villasalto thrust , is a west-directed thrust that places the Sarrabus unit above the Ge rrei and Meana Sardo units. East-west shortening in southeastern Sardi nia followed north-south shortening in central Sardinia and internal d eformation in the Castello Medusa-Riu Gruppa, Gerrei, Meana Sardo and Barbagia units. After restoration of movement along the Villasalto thr ust, the Sarrabus unit is located east of the Gerrei and Meana Sardo u nit. Therefore, it cannot be directly correlated with the Meana Sardo or the Barbagia units. (C) Elsevier, Paris.