Calabrian Arc oroclinal bending: The role of subduction

Paleomagnetic data collected in the last 30 years indicate that a simple orocline model is not sufficient to describe the complex evolution of the Calabrian Arc. Present-day curvature of the Calabrian Arc is the result of a different tectonic history between the edges of the arc, namely the Southern Apennines and Sicily, and its core, the Calabria-Peloritani Domain. These differences mirror the structural architecture and deep lithospheric configuration of the Calabrian Arc, which are related to the geometry and evolution of the Ionian subduction system. In particular, the presence of lateral heterogeneities in the subducting lithosphere and the subsequent progressive decrease in width of the trench during subduction are likely the main causes of Calabrian Arc formation and of its present-day narrow tight shape.