The Italian peninsula
across the Mediterranean Sea is part of the tectonic plate
boundary - the accommodation zone -- between the Eurasian
and the African plates, which continue to move closer to each
other. This motion controls the long-term evolution of the
boundary, but recent geologic changes suggest a more rapid
tectonic event superimposed on the slow motion of the big
plates and localized to the Apennine arc. This signature event
of the Italian peninsula is most dramatically manifested in
the current deformation along the Calabrian portion of the
arc and is the main focus of this project.
