Thrust tectonics in the Wetterstein and Mieming mountains, and a new tectonic subdivision of the Northern Calcareous Alps of Western Austria and Southern Germany

Abstract We investigate the tectonic evolution of Wetterstein and Mieming mountains in western Northern Calcareous Alps (NCA) European Eastern Alps. In-sequence NW-directed stacking thrust sheets this thin-skinned foreland belt lasted from Hauterivian to Cenomanian. In more internal NCA major E-striking intracontinental transform faults dissected at Albian–Cenomanian boundary that facilitated ascent mantle melts feeding basanitic dykes sills. Afterwards, basement was subducted, were transported piggy-back across tectonically deeper Penninic units. This process accompanied by renewed Late Cretaceous thrusting, folding thrusts. During Paleogene collision, N(NE)-directed out-of-sequence thrusts developed offset in-sequence thrust. use latter observation revise existing subdivision NCA, which these had been used delimit nappes, locally with young-on-old contacts base. define new units represent having exclusively old-on-young their Two large build NCA: (1) Tannheim sheet (2) higher Karwendel sheet. West mountains, Imst part is stacked an onto main body sheet, is, its southeastern part, lateral contact a tear fault.