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[1] In the Kraishte region, near the junction of the Balkanides and Dinarides, late Early Cretaceous compression led to the thrusting of the Morava unit over the Struma unit. Structural investigations, combined with zircon fission track and [sup.40]Ar/[sup.39]Ar analyses, have been used to reconstruct the geological history of the area and to clarify the original tectonic position of the main units before Cenozoic extension. The results show that Early Cretaceous lower amphibolite facies metamorphism and deformation in the Osogovo-Lisets Metamorphic Complex were related to top-to-the-NE directed nappe stacking, whereas the deeper parts of the allochthonous Morava unit experienced low-grade metamorphic overprint at temperatures >~260[degrees]C. The structurally intermediate Struma Diorites and their Mesozoic cover experienced temperatures between ~170[degrees]C and 300[degrees]C. Thrusting of the Morava onto the Struma unit started probably in Valanginian times (140-136 Ma), soon after the cessation of preorogenic to synorogenic turbidite sedimentation on Struma. The metamorphic peak was reached before 112 Ma. Subsequent extension-related cooling of both units was probably accompanied by the formation of low-angle normal faults. doi: 10.1029/2009TC002509

[1] Top-basement detachment faults (TBDF) represent exhumed segments of downward-concave detachments accommodating tens of kilometers of offset. TBDFs are key structures of magma-poor rifted margins, but are difficult to identify in seismic profiles, because they coincide with top-basement reflections. We have constructed realistic seismic models of an Alpine example, which were used to simulate full marine seismic surveys and to identify the seismic fingerprint of TBDFs in CMP-stacked and time-migrated sections. Minor extensional allochthons, which locally cap TBDFs, give rise to pronounced diffractions, which are in stark contrast to continuous reflections from uncapped segments of TBDFs. In time-migrated synthetic sections we find a continuous and constant amplitude reflection alternating with a laterally discontinuous reflection of variable amplitude. These diagnostics were also identified in the Lusigal 12 seismic profile imaging the Hobby High detachment, a TBDF in the Iberia Abyssal Plain. Using these diagnostics, small extensional allochthons and high-angle faults cutting the Hobby High detachment are observed in Lusigal 12 and the entire sedimentary cover can be shown to be postrift. INDEX TERMS: 8109 Tectonophysics: Continental tectonics--extensional (0905); 8105 Tectonophysics: Continental margins and sedimentary basins (1212); 3025 Marine Geology and Geophysics: Marine seismics (0935); 0935 Exploration Geophysics: Seismic methods (3025); KEYWORDS: rifted margins, top-basement detachment, faults, extensional allochthons, downward concave detachment faults, seismic response, seismic modeling. Citation: Holker, A. B., G. Manatschal, K. Holliger, and D. Bernoulli, Tectonic nature and seismic response of top-basement detachment faults in magma-poor rifted margins, Tectonics, 22(4), 1035, doi:10.1029/ 2001TC001347, 2003.

The reconstructed southeastern margin of the Tethys ocean was compared with the present-day Galicia margin and their architectures and tectonic evolutions were found to be very similar. It is argued that asymmetric rifting was dominated by simple shear extension in the later stages of rifting, resulting in the exhumation of subcontinental mantle.