El Sistema de Fallas Extensionales de La Axarquia (Sierras de Tejeda y La Almijara, Cordilleras Béticas)

Abstract

The faults of La Axarquia Extensional System show a listric geometry. They cut across the uppermost alpujarride units and strongly contribute to the NW-SE mountain trend defined by the Tejeda-Almijara sierras. The main fault can be followed for over 30 km, the hanging wall being displaced toward the SW or WSW. The Venta de Palma tectonic unit, which belong to La Axarquia Extensional System, is an arched wedge-shaped unit decreasing its thickness in the direction of the hanging wall relative movement. The tectonic omission caused by the basal fault of the Bentomiz unit is over 3500 m. From mapping criteria and the study of minor structures the internal structure of the Venta de Palma unit is inferred. It consists of (parts of) recumbent folds which were dismembered during the brittle extension. Faults of La Axarquia Extensional System have been active since the Tortonian to Quaternary times