Complex structural pattern of the Alpine-Dinaridic-Pannonian triple junction

Due to the political boundaries between the Central European countries, on one hand, and the thick Tertiary cover in the Pannonian Basin, on the other , the eastward continuation of the Alpine and Dinaridic units has been ambi guous and poorly documented. Based on comparative analyses, the aim of the present paper is to define the pre-Tertiary structural units in the junctio n area of the Alpine, Dinaridic, and Pannonian regions, in the SW part of t he Pannonian Basin, and to draw conclusions on the continuation of the Alpi ne and Dinaridic units. According to diagnostic characteristics of the Peri adriatic Lineament system, the Balaton Lineament system may be considered a s its direct eastern continuation. North of the Periadriatic-Balaton Lineam ent system, the Transdanubian Range Unit, due to its pre-Tertiary paleogeog raphic setting, shows mainly South Alpine facies relations; however, its pr esent structural position is identical to that of the Upper Austroalpine na ppes. Between the Periadriatic-Balaton and Zagreb-Zemplin Lineament systems heterogeneous structural units are juxtaposed, forming the Sava Composite Unit. In the northern part of this composite unit non-metamorphosed nappes occur which can be considered the eastern continuation of the South Alpine units. These nappes are overthrust onto Internal Dinaridic units in the Ter tiary. The Zagreb-Zemplin (Mid-Hungarian) Lineament separates the Sava Unit from the Tisza Unit showing close affinity to the Tethyan margin of the Eu rasian plate during the early stage of the Alpine evolution.