Back?Arc Dynamics Controlled by Slab Rollback and Tearing: A Reappraisal of Seafloor Spreading and Kinematic Evolution of the Eastern Algero?Balearic Basin (Western Mediterranean) in the Middle?Late Miocene

In spite of clear fan-shaped magnetic anomalies in the Eastern Algero-Balearic Basin (EABB), way how and time when seafloor spreading occurred are still debated. this work, a new seismo-stratigraphic interpretation based on deep-penetration reflection seismic data correlated to reduced-to-the-pole on-offshore litho-stratigraphic correlation Pre-Messinian units brings constraints its age mode opening. Our results reveal that EABB at an intermediate half-spreading rate 3.7 ± 0.5 cm/yr for 2.45 0.18 Myr during Langhian-Serravallian times, is, after Corsica-Sardinia block rotation collision Lesser Kabylia with Africa. We revise kinematics domain into three stages: (a) birth highly stretched continental basin accommodating southern drift Kabylies driven by slab rollback between ?23 ?15 Ma, (b) fast opening 15.2 12.7 Ma clockwise Greater Alboran Block (GALB) promoted tearing, (c) late East-West western response westward retreat Gibraltar tearing propagation concomitant migration GALB. The last stages match both formation Subduction-Transform Edge Propagator faults toes margins post-collisional volcanic along Algerian margin interpreted as related propagation. This scenario favors significant stretching splitting GALB several fragments resulting from arcuate subduction front lateral narrow slab.