A late Lower Pliocene planation surface across the Italian Peninsula: a key tool in neotectonic studies

An integrated geological-geomorphological approach is proposed in order to provide more information for the assessment of neotectonic deformation in t he Apennines. On this basis, it can be stated that: (1) a major flat planat ion surface is recognisable across the whole Italian Peninsula; (2) it is b etter preserved on harder rocks and in the higher parts of the local relief ; (3) it cuts strata ranging in age from Palaeozoic to early Lower Pliocene ; (4) it smoothed tectonic structures older than early Lower Pliocene; (5) it is buried below continental and marine deposits younger than late Lower Pliocene; (6) it is displaced and deformed by local thrust re-activation an d, since the Lower Pleistocene, by high angle normal faults. Displacement a nalysis of this morphological feature at local scale allowed us to discrimi nate between pre- and post-planation tectonic deformations. hence providing useful information about the rates of uplift and faulting in the Apennines . (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.