Discriminating between tectonic and sedimentary burial in a foredeep succession, Northern Apennines

An extensive apatite fission-track survey has been carried out on the Marno so-arenacea foredeep succession in the Northern Apennines. The data show a general decrease of the maximum paleotemperature undergone by the sediments toward the foreland areas. The maximum burial calculated by using a geothe rmal gradient of 20 degrees C km(-1) spans from more than 5 km to less than 2.5 km and indicates that the previously assessed total thickness of the M arnoso-arenacea succession is not enough to justify the determined values. It is concluded that a now eroded Ligurian wedge, up to 5 km thick, was pre sent on top of the Marnoso-arenacea sediments.