Boll. Soc. Geol. It., Volume speciale n. 1 (2002), 199-207, 9 ff.
Neogene strike-slip reactivation of Jurassic normal faults
in the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline (Umbro-Marchean Apennines, Italy)
CRISTINA CHILOVI (*), ARNOUD J. DE FEYTER (**), GIORGIO MINELLI (***) & MASSIMILIANO R. BARCHI (***)
ABSTRACT
The effect of pre-existing faults on the development of oblique
to transverse discontinuities in thin-skinned fold-and-thrust belts
has been investigated through detailed structural mapping of the
southern extremity of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline in the
Umbro-Marchean Apennines of central Italy. This NE-vergent asym-
metric box-shaped brachyanticlinal structure evolved during the
Neogene through incipient buckling over a sole fault in Triassic eva-
porites followed by stepped thrusting. The general style of deforma-
tion was determined by massive platform carbonates of Early Juras-
sic age. The main anticlinal body is bounded by a NNE-SSW
trending oblique primary tear fault which presumably coincides
with the margin of a Jurassic synsedimentary high. The broad anti-
clinal crest adjacent to this Corno di Catria Fault contains several
approximately N-S trending narrow reliefs of Jurassic origin. The
Neogene paroxysm of orogenic shortening determined the partial
strike-slip reactivation of these oblique discontinuities. This accom-
modated the lateral transfer of strain to the thrust front of the M.
Nerone-M. Catria Anticline from the out-of-sequence thrust front of
the overriding M. Cucco Anticline. The identified mechanism can be
regarded as a kind of tectonic expulsion.
KEY WORDS: Umbro-Marchean Apennines, Jurassic tecton-
ics, Neogene tectonics.
RIASSUNTO
Riattivazione neogenica in trascorrenza di faglie dirette
giurassiche nell’Anticlinale di M. Nerone-M. Catria (Appennino
umbro-marchigiano).
Durante l’esplorazione per idrocarburi in aree a geologia com-
plessa, la comprensione dei meccanismi che determinano le chiusu-
re laterali delle strutture, e quindi delle trappole, è di fondamentale
importanza. In particolare, scopo di questo studio è stato la com-
prensione del ruolo giocato dalle discontinuità pre-esistenti nello svi-
luppo delle terminazioni laterali delle strutture in catene pellicolari a
pieghe e sovrascorrimenti. Per questo motivo è stato eseguito un ri-
levamento strutturale di dettaglio nell’estremità meridionale dell’An-
ticlinale di M. Nerone-M. Catria (Appennino umbro-marchigiano).
L’Anticlinale di M. Nerone-M. Catria è una brachianticlinale
asimmetrica con vergenza nord-orientale, di età neogenica. La sto-
ria deformativa consiste in un piegamento iniziale seguito dal pro-
pagarsi di sovrascorrimenti con una geometria a gradini relativa alla
litostratigrafia. Lo stile strutturale è dominato dalla reologia dei car-
bonati di piattaforma del Giurassico inferiore, completamentie scol-
lati dal basamento grazie alla presenza di evaporiti triassiche. Il cor-
po anticlinalico principale, allungato in direzione NNO-SSE, è
delimitato nel quadrante meridionale da una faglia obliqua NNE-
SSO, nota come Faglia di Corno di Catria, la quale coincide con il
(*) ENI S.p.A. - Div. Agip/GEBA, Via dell’Unione Europea 3,
20097 S. Donato Mil.se (MI), Italy, cristina.chilovi@agip.it
(**) ENI S.p.A. - Div. Agip/ESPR, Via dell’Unione Europea 3,
20097 S. Donato Mil.se (MI), Italy, arnoud.defeyter@agip.it
(***) Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Stu-
di, Piazza dell’Università, 06100 Perugia, Italy, geolo@unipg.it
bordo di un alto sinsedimentario del Giurassico. Altri stretti pa-
leoalti giurassici, con prevalente orientazione N-S, interessano l’am-
pia zona di cresta dell’anticlinale nella immediate vicinanze della
Faglia di Corno di Catria.
La compressione neogenica, che interessa anche questo settore
dell’Appennino, causa la parziale riattivazione dei paleoalti giurassi-
ci, sostanzialmente obliqui rispetto alla direzione di massimo rac-
corciamento NE-SO. In particolare, la riattivazione come faglie tra-
scorrenti destre delle paleofaglie dirette bordanti gli alti giurassici
(sia i piccoli alti N-S che quello più grande orientato NNE-SSO),
permette il trasferimento laterale del raccorciamento dal fronte di
sovrascorrimento fuori-sequenza della retrostante Anticlinale di M.
Cucco al fronte di sovrascorrimento dell’Anticlinale di M. Nerone-M.
Catria. In altre parole, il meccanismo deformativo che ha interessa-
to la terminazione meridionale dell’Anticlinale di M. Nerone-M. Ca-
tria può essere considerato una sorta di espulsione tettonica.
TERMINI CHIAVE: Appennino umbro-marchigiano, tettoni-
ca giurassica, tettonica neogenica.
INTRODUCTION
Geometric variations along-strike due to strain trans-
fer are common in thin-skinned fold-and-thrust belts
(DAHLSTROM, 1970). Their identification is important for
hydrocarbon exploration as they may determine the lat-
eral closure of structural traps.
In case of limited seismic coverage, transverse to obli-
que discontinuities often are poorly constrained. Such
features can reflect basement irregularities (WILTSCHKO
& EASTMAN, 1983; MCDOUGALL & KHAN, 1990), mechan-
ical inhomogeneities at the level of the sole fault due to
lithology or pore-fluid pressure variations (HARRIS, 1970;
HARRIS & MILICI, 1977), as well as rheological properties
of the overlying multilayer (SUPPE, 1985). With regard to
the latter, the reactivation of pre-existing discontinuities
is particularly advantageous to the kinematical segmenta-
tion of detached terrains.
This mechanism has been investigated in the Umbro-
Marchean Apennines of central Italy, where Jurassic syn-
sedimentary faults are known to have conditioned the
pattern of paroxysmal Neogene shortening (DEIANA &
PIALLI, 1994).
GEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK
OF THE UMBRO-MARCHEAN APENNINES
The Umbro-Marchean Apennines form part of the
Umbro-Marchean-Romagnan Zone of the Apenninic oro-
genic system, which is contiguous with the stable Adriatic
Foreland to the NE. They are an arcuate thin-skinned
fold-and-thrust belt of outward convexity which was
200 C. CHILOVI ET ALII
Fig. 1 - Schematized stratigraphy of the Umbro-Marchean-Roma-
gnan Succession in the Umbro-Marchean Apennines.
– Schema stratigrafico della Successione umbro-marchigiana-roma-
gnola nell’Appennino umbro-marchigiano.
emplaced during the Neogene (BALLY et alii, 1986; LAVEC-
CHIA et alii, 1988; DEIANA & PIALLI, 1994). Its substratum,
encompassing both the actual Hercynian basement and
its Permotriassic tegument, has been encountered by
exploratory drilling near Perugia, at the inner margin of the
Umbro-Marchean-Romagnan Zone (GHELARDONI, 1962).
The sedimentary cover of the Umbro-Marchean-Roma-
gnan Zone is constituted by a bipartite succession reflect-
ing the encroachment of Apenninic sedimentation and
deformation patterns upon the Adriatic Foreland (fig. 1).
Its lower part comprises Mesozoic through Paleogene
evaporitic-carbonatic-marly deposits of foreland affinity.
This Umbro-Marchean Sequence outcrops extensively in
the Umbro-Marchean Apennines. In its Jurassic portion,
conspicuous lateral facies and thickness variations reflect
synsedimentary extensional faulting.
The overlying Umbro-Romagnan Sequence consists
of essentially Neogene terrigeneous clastics which accu-
mulated in a migratory foredeep system associated with
the propagating Apenninic orogeny.
Fig. 2 - Geologic scheme of the Inner Ridge of the Umbro-Marchean
Apennines between Scheggia and Serra S. Abbondio, showing traces
of cross-sections of figs. 3 and 6.
– Schema geologico della Ruga interna dell’Appennino umbro-marchi-
giano tra Scheggia e Serra S. Abbondio, con ubicazione delle sezioni
delle figg. 3 e 6.
At the base of the Umbro-Marchean Sequence are the
Upper Triassic Burano Anhydrites of more than a kilom-
eter thickness which represent the principal detachment
level of the sedimentary cover (SELLI, 1952). They have
been encountered in the Burano 1 well just NW of the
area studied in detail (MARTINIS & PIERI, 1964). The over-
lying platform carbonates of the Upper Triassic to Lower
Jurassic Calcare Massiccio attain a thickness of about 750
meters.
The upper part of the Umbro-Marchean Sequence
consists of more or less thin-bedded Lower Jurassic
through Paleogene calcareous-marly pelagics with a com-
plessive thickness in basinal sections of more than a
kilometer. Limestones prevail in relatively competent
intervals of commonly several hundreds of meters thick-
ness, while marly lithotypes define the intervening less
competent levels. The resulting litho-structural multi-
layer comprises the Lower Jurassic Corniola; the Bosso
Formation with the soft Lower Jurassic Rosso Ammonit-
ico and the Middle Jurassic Posidonia Limestones; the
Middle to Upper Jurassic Diasprini Limestones; the
Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous Maiolica; the soft
Middle Cretaceous Fucoid Marls; the Calcareous Scaglia
composed of the Upper Cretaceous Scaglia Bianca, the
Upper Cretaceous to Upper Paleocene Scaglia Rosata and
the Upper Paleocene to Middle Eocene Scaglia Rossa; the
 FAULT REACTIVATION IN THE M. NERONE-M. CATRIA ANTICLINE 201

Fig. 3 - Sections across the southern portion of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline and the northern portion of the M. Cucco Anticline. Traces
are indicated in fig. 2.
– Sezioni attraverso la porzione meridionale dell’Anticlinale di M. Nerone-M. Catria e la porzione settentrionale dell’Anticlinale di M. Cucco.
Ubicazione in fig. 2.

soft Marly Scaglia with the Middle to Upper Eocene Sca-
glia Variegata and the Upper Eocene to Lower Miocene
Scaglia Cinerea; and the Lower Miocene Bisciaro. Thin
nodular deposits of the Bugarone Formation represent
the condensed equivalents of the Jurassic pelagics on syn-
sedimentary highs.
The Umbro-Romagnan Sequence comprises a tripar-
tite turbidite suite with a relatively incompetent prototur-
biditic lower portion of Middle Miocene Schlier marls.
The overlying Middle to Upper Miocene orthoturbiditic
Marnoso-arenacea Formation and the Upper Miocene
kataturbiditic M. Vicino Formation consist of marls alter-
nating with sandstones.
The structural pattern of the Umbro-Marchean Apen-
nines is characterized by more or less continuous ridges
composed of anticlines which to a variable degree over-
ride the adjoining synclinal zones to the NE. The inner of
the two main ridges consists of brachyanticlines arranged
systematically in a right-hand en-échelon pattern with
«zig-zag» linkage (SCARSELLA, 1951; LAVECCHIA & PIALLI,
1980; LAVECCHIA, 1981; DEIANA & PIALLI, 1994). More or
less oblique discontinuities bounding the brachyanticlinal
bodies are not uncommon. A more continuous anticlinal
structure instead defines the outer main ridge.
The Umbro-Romagnan terrains SW of the inner main
ridge are completely decoupled from their Umbro-Mar-
chean substratum as a parautochthonous thrust sheet.
The onset of thin-skinned contractional tectonics in
the Umbro-Marchean-Romagnan Zone is generally attri-
buted to incipient buckling, whereby the Calcare Massic-
cio acted as the dominant member of the detached multi-
layer which conditioned fold geometries and dimensions
(LAVECCHIA, 1981). As demonstrated experimentally by
BLAY et alii (1977), such a process generates en-échelon
arrays of brachyanticlines. With continued shortening,
progressive failure of the Calcare Massiccio in anticlinal
cores determined stepped thrusting which, in the case of
the inner main ridge of the Umbro-Marchean Apennines,
prevented the coalescence of brachyanticlines into a more
continuous structure. Flats typically developed in the rel-
atively weak marly portions of the cover, namely the
Rosso Ammonitico, the Fucoid Marls, the Marly Scaglia,
and the basal portion of the Neogene clastic foredeep wed-
ges such as the Schlier. The further evolution of the anti-
202 C. CHILOVI ET ALII

Fig. 4 - Frontal geometry of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline in the Balza dell’Aquila, 2 km ESE of M. Catria (summit in background).
The top of the main cliff face corresponds to the contact between the Calcare Massiccio and the overlying Corniola. A N-S trending dextral
strike-slip fault is situated at the base of the cliff. The upper cliff in the background is formed by Calcare Massiccio bounded by another
N-S trending dextral strike-slip fault. The lower cliff instead consists of the intensely sheared Maiolica of a frontal thrust slice.
– Assetto frontale dell’Anticlinale di M. Nerone-M. Catria nella Balza dell’Aquila, 2 km ESE di M. Catria (cima in secondo piano). La sommità della
parete principale coincide con il contatto tra il Calcare Massiccio e la sovrastante Corniola. Alla base della parete è una faglia trascorrente destrale
con direzione N-S. La parete superiore in secondo piano è costituita dal Calcare Massiccio ed è sempre bordata verso E da una faglia trascorrente
destrale con direzione N-S. La parete inferiore invece è formata dalla Maiolica, intensamente deformata, di una scaglia tettonica frontale.

clinal structures mainly resulted from fault-propagation
folding. On a regional scale, the pattern of Neogene short-
ening shifted gradually toward the Adriatic Foreland.
STRUCTURAL SETTING OF THE SOUTHERN PORTION
OF THE M. NERONE-M. CATRIA ANTICLINE
The NW-SE trending M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline is
a faulted asymmetrical NE-vergent box-shaped element of
the inner main ridge of the Umbro-Marchean Apennines
(CENTAMORE et alii, 1975; BARCHI et alii, 1989). The lat-
eral decrease in structural magnitude at its southern
extremity between M. Catria and M. Motette coincides
with an increase in magnitude of the northern portion of
the overriding M. Cucco Anticline (figs. 2 and 3). This
attests to a mechanism of more or less distributed strain
transfer. The main body of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anti-
cline is bounded by a prominent NNE-SSW trending dex-
tral strike-slip fault. This Corno di Catria Fault dissects
the anticlinal crest and forelimb to join the thrust front of
the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline as an oblique primary
tear fault (cf. DAHLSTROM, 1970). However, it does not
represent a true transfer fault since it does not connect
with the thrust front of the M. Cucco Anticline.
In the vicinity of the Corno di Catria Fault, several
approximately N-S trending dextral strike-slip faults dis-
sect the backlimb and crestal zone to join the frontal fore-
limb of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline (fig. 4). The
effects of this fault system on the regularity of the main
anticlinal body appear to fade northward (figs. 5 and 6).
The most significant feature is the Bocca della Porta-Valle
delle Prigioni Fault which extends to the periclinal clo-
sure of the structure in front of the M. Cucco Anticline.
At the level of the top of the Maiolica, the structural
pattern appears more regular than the deeper outcropping
one (fig. 7). Apart from the rather abrupt lateral closure of
the broad crestal zone of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline
in correspondence with the Corno di Catria Fault, the dex-
tral strike-slip faults merely give rise to bland folding.
The deformation pattern suggests that slivers of the M.
Nerone-M. Catria Anticline were forced northward out of
the way by the overriding M. Cucco Anticline. Accordingly,
the advance of the latter to some extent took place out-of-
 FAULT REACTIVATION IN THE M. NERONE-M. CATRIA ANTICLINE 203

SCAGLIA

Fig. 5 - Geologic map of the southern portion of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline.
– Carta geologica della porzione meridionale dell’Anticlinale di M. Nerone-M. Catria.

sequence. The identified mechanism of lateral strain distri-
bution is comparable to the extrusion of material sideways
in front of a rigid die which indents a plastic body (cf. TAP-
PONNIER et alii, 1982; RATSCHBACHER et alii, 1991).
JURASSIC STRUCTURES AND THEIR EFFECT
ON THE NEOGENE DEFORMATION PATTERN
The crestal zone of the southern portion of the M.
Nerone-M. Catria Anticline displays an accentuated Juras-
sic palaeotopography with elongate highs of Calcare Mas-
siccio (fig. 8). Sedimentary by-pass margins are repre-
sented by exhumed fault scarps similar to those identified
in other segments of the Umbro-Marchean Apennines
(BICE & STEWART, 1985; ALVAREZ, 1989; 1990; GALDENZI,
1990). Sedimentary dykes subparallel to the inferred Juras-
sic faults are not uncommon in the vicinity of escarpments.
The highs are partly mantled by the condensed Jurassic
deposits of the Bugarone Formation. In particular the Cor-
niola bordering these highs contains prominent detrital
intercalations as well as slumps and slides whose sense of
emplacement complies with the inferred palaeoslopes.
The most significant feature is a narrow NNW-SSE
trending high which is exposed in the Balze degli Spicchi
between M. Catria and Corno di Catria (fig. 6, section A-A’).
Thickness variations of the Jurassic pelagics suggest a total
palaeotopographic relief of about 250 meters. Thus, the
basinal Corniola and Bosso Formation grade into thin nod-
ular deposits of the Bugarone Formation while the overly-
ing Diasprini Limestones and Maiolica are markedly redu-
ced in thickness. The eastern margin of the Balze degli
Spicchi High roughly coincides with the Bocca della
Porta-Valle delle Prigioni Fault. Its western margin instead
is less regular and displays several minor escarpments
which have only partly been affected by Neogene shearing
(fig. 9).
East of the Balze degli Spicchi High, local thinning
and onlapping geometries of the basinal Corniola charac-
terize minor Jurassic highs whose eastern margin typi-
cally coincides with approximately N-S trending dextral
strike-slip faults of Neogene age. Less prominent escarp-
ments define the western margin of these features.
The Corno di Catria Fault marks the southeastern
margin of a more pronounced NNE-SSW trending Juras-
204 C. CHILOVI ET ALII

Fig. 6 - Sections across the southern portion of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline. Traces are indicated in fig. 2.
– Sezioni attraverso la porzione meridionale dell’Anticlinale di M. Nerone-M. Catria. Ubicazione in fig. 2.
 FAULT REACTIVATION IN THE M. NERONE-M. CATRIA ANTICLINE
Fig. 7 - Structure map of the top of the Maiolica in the southern por-
tion of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline. Thrust faults have barbs
on hangingwall. Contours in meters a.s.l.
– Assetto strutturale al top della Maiolica nella porzione meridionale
dell’Anticlinale di M. Nerone-M. Catria. Triangolini indicono il corpo
superiore dei sovrascorrimenti. Contours in metri slm.
sic high characterized by thin nodular deposits of the
Bugarone Formation as lateral equivalents of the basinal
Corniola and Bosso Formation. The not exposed western
margin of this Corno di Catria High presumably is less
abrupt and not affected by Neogene shearing.
The Jurassic basinal deposits between the Balze degli
Spicchi High and the Corno di Catria High are less thick
than in the surrounding true basinal realm. Accordingly,
the Jurassic geometry characterizing the southern portion
of the crestal zone of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline can
be regarded as a broad rise composed of two highs which
diverge northward to enclose an articulated depression.
The identified palaeotopography is essentially defined by
NNW-SSE and NNE-SSW trending discontinuities. These
represent the main trends of the general pattern of E-W
Jurassic extension recognized in various segments of the
Umbro-Marchean Apennines (COOPER & BURBI, 1986; ALVA-
REZ, 1989; 1990; GALDENZI, 1990; DEIANA & PIALLI, 1994,
BARCHI et alii, 1996). Note that the NNW-SSE trend also
characterizes the margins of a minor Jurassic high discern-
ible at the frontal hinge of the M. Cucco Anticline between
M. Motette and Coldipeccio. The third regional trend of
WNW-ESE discontinuities is not evident in the area of study.
The way in which the Jurassic extensional fabric con-
ditioned the pattern of Neogene contractional shearing of
the Umbro-Marchean Apennines has received surprisingly
little attention in recent literature. Identified or hypothe-
sized effects include differential shortening induced by the
absence of weak potential detachment levels on ancient
highs (COSENTINO, 1986) and the reactivation of normal
205
faults as reverse faults (COOPER & BURBI, 1986), as tear
faults (DEIANA & PIALLI, 1994), and as normal faults (CA-
LAMITA et alii, 1998). Passive behaviour of Jurassic features,
instead, was documented by BARCHI et alii (1996).
TAVARNELLI (1996) emphasized the control of approx-
imately N-S trending normal faults of supposedly Late
Cretaceous to Paleogene age on the pattern of Neogene
contractional shearing in the southern part of the Umbro-
Marchean Apennines. These faults, which compare with
the Jurassic ones from a structural point of view, appar-
ently constituted the mechanical inhomogeneities in the
detached sedimentary cover which determined the forma-
tion of thrust ramps.
The Jurassic reliefs of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anti-
cline, besides the ones identified in the study area, comprise
the lozenge-shaped M. Acuto High between the basinal
realms of M. Catria and M. Petrano (GALDENZI, 1990), and
the broad M. Nerone High, which is situated near its north-
western closure (ALVAREZ, 1989; 1990). All these features
are situated in the crestal zone of the structure. Thereby,
they follow a rule which seems to apply to the Umbro-Mar-
chean Apennines in general. This suggests that folding to
some extent was conditioned by the presence of more or
less aligned heterogeneities of Jurassic origin. Accordingly,
the control exerted by the rigid Calcare Massiccio on the
spacing of incipient buckle folds should be considered at
the scale of chains rather than individual brachyanticlines.
The coincidence in the study area of the more signif-
icant identified Jurassic discontinuities with dextral
strike-slip faults of Neogene age attests to a precise role
of the former. The reactivation of the NNE-SSW trending
Corno di Catria Fault as a primary tear fault relates direc-
tly to the emplacement of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anti-
cline. Apparently, it was suitably located to accommodate
the lateral decrease in fold magnitude near the periclinal
closure of the structure.
The strike-slip reactivation of the remainder of the
array of approximately N-S trending discontinuities
instead must have taken place subsequently to accommo-
date the lateral strain distribution in front of the advanc-
ing M. Cucco Anticline.
CONCLUSIONS
The role of pre-existent discontinuities in the evolution
of thin-skinned fold-and-thrust belts depends on their
orientation and distribution relative to the general pattern
of contractional shearing. As exemplified by the southern
portion of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline, discontinu-
ities at a relatively small angle to the shortening direction
can be reactivated as tear faults accommodating differen-
tial shearing within a thrust sheet. The reactivation of dis-
continuities at a higher angle to the shortening direction
instead may allow the lateral distribution or transfer of
strain in response to localized space problems. The latter
are particularly likely to occur at obstacles to thrust prop-
agation inherent to an out-of-sequence deformation pat-
tern. In terms of constraints for analog modeling, this
mechanism relies on the absence of lateral confinement.
In general, an ancient fault pattern trending at a rel-
atively low angle to the direction of shortening appears
more likely to determine major lateral variations in struc-
tural geometry compared to one at a higher angle to the
direction of shortening.
206 C. CHILOVI ET ALII

Fig. 8 - Jurassic elements of the southern portion of the M. Nerone-M. Catria Anticline. Major Neogene features are shown for reference.
– Elementi giurassici della porzione meridionale dell’Anticlinale di M. Nerone-M. Catria. Le principali strutture neogeniche sono indicate per
riferimento.
 FAULT REACTIVATION IN THE M. NERONE-M. CATRIA ANTICLINE
Fig. 9 - Synthetic meridianal equal-area lower-hemisphere projection
of structural data from a synsedimentary fault scarp slightly reacti-
vated by Neogene dextral shearing. Western margin of minor Juras-
sic high of Balze degli Spicchi, 2.5 km S of M. Catria.
– Proiezione equi-areale sintetica (emisfero inferiore) di dati struttura-
li di una scarpata di faglia sinsedimentaria leggermente riattivata come
trascorrente destrale neogenica. Bordo occidentale dell’alto giurassico
delle Balze degli Spicchi, 2.5 km S di M. Catria.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Research was carried out in the context of the project «Mechan-
ical simulation of tectonic deformations» operated by Agip, I.F.P.,
S.N.E.A. (P) and Total C.F.P. Prof. G. Pialli headed a team of the
Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Perugia which
conducted part of the fieldwork. This comprised F. Brozzetti, M.
Lemmi, A. Motti and G. Polidori. Especially M. Menichetti, presently
at the Institute of Geodynamics and Sedimentology of the University
of Urbino, and S. Galdenzi were helpful by sharing their knowledge
on the area of study. Exchange of ideas with B. Colletta (I.F.P.), H.
Lecanu (S.N.E.A.(P)) and A. Mosconi (Agip) is also acknowledged.
We are grateful to Agip’s Prof. L. Mattavelli, former Vice-President
Geological Studies and Laboratories, and L. Anelli, former Manager
Structural Geology, for their support.
Permission to publish was granted by ENI S.p.A.-Agip through
R. Prato, Vice-President Exploration Projects and Services, L. Bertelli,
Manager Geological and Geophysical Corporate Services and M.
Sella, Manager Structural Geology and Basin Modelling.
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