Apparent polar wander path for Adria extended by new Jurassic paleomagnetic results from its stable core: Tectonic implications

As a continuation of a systematic paleomagnetic research in the northern part of stable Adria, which provided a well-defined apparent polar wander (APW) path for the Cretaceous-Eocene, we present new paleomagnetic results for the Jurassic. These newdata were obtained from15 geographically distributed localities fromthe Trento platform(eastern Southern Alps) using standard paleomagnetic approach. The Lower Jurassic shallowwater carbonates are not considered for tectonic interpretation, due to inconsistent inclinations. TheMiddle and Upper Jurassic Rosso Ammonitico provided excellent kinematic constraints. With the new Jurassic results, an APWis now defined for Adria for the 167–40 Ma interval. It iswell constrained for timing of important changes, like the speed and the sense of rotations. This APWsuggests that the CWrotation and southward shift changed to the opposite at 155.1 ± 5.3 Ma, signifying a dramatic change in the life of the Neo-Tethys, from opening to closing. The latter is manifested in fast CCW rotation and northward movement of Adria up to 102.9±2.4 Ma andmoderate displacements in the samemanner in post-103Ma times. Combined data sets fromstable Istria and the foreland of the Southern Alps point to an approximately 15° CWrotationwith respect to Africa at the end of the Cretaceous, and an about 25° in the CCWsense, after the Eocene.