Denudation history and palaeogeography of the Pyrenees and their peripheral basins: an 84-million-year geomorphological perspective

This review provides a synthesis of the evolution Pyrenees since ~84 Ma and is uniquely focused on analysing jointly comparatively its peripheral pro-foreland, retro-foreland Mediterranean basins. The reconstructions adopt geomorphological perspective waxing waning palaeorelief, underpinned by (i) denudation history mountain belt encoded in sedimentary record basins, (ii) rock-cooling histories inferred from low-temperature thermochronology, (iii) age spatial distribution tectonic erosional landforms. Existing geological commonly terminate at end syntectonic collision period (early Miocene). Here, no-less eventful post-shortening last 25–30 m.y. also addressed. Accordingly, emphasis given to provided nonmarine clastic sequences, often understated depositional biochronology documented continental fossils they contain. Sedimentological provenance analysis coarse deposits further documents fine-scale palaeogeography sources sinks, correlated with different generations eustatic, tectonic, volcanic features, as well extant populations land surfaces such rock pediments, palaeovalleys, other landforms indicative palaeoelevation palaeotopography. These interconnected age-bracketed diagnostic features are independent evidence concerning structural orogenic crustal lithospheric scale. They show that Ancestral (i.e., Paleogene) were many aspects dissimilar successor range we observe today. suggest that, despite prima facie topographic continuity Atlantic, modern range, particularly eastern half, transient state. would appear have been driven large-scale asthenospheric flows contributing regional uplift erosion not just but foreland basins during ~12