A team of scientists determined that the Iberian Peninsula You could be experiencing a slow clockwise (clockwise) rotational motion. The finding, recently published in the scientific journal ‘Gondwana Researchis the result of a detailed investigation into the current distribution of tectonic forces between Iberia and the northwest of the African continent.
This phenomenon occurs due to the tensions accumulated by the convergence between the Eurasian and African plates, a geodetic and seismic process that continues to shape the relief and activity of the region.
A complex and oblique tectonic system
The study explains that the convergence between the Eurasian and African plates It does not occur linearly, but obliquely with respect to the southwestern margin of the Iberian Peninsula. This geometric configuration, added to the heterogeneity of the local geological structure, is the main factor that favors the potential rotation of the continental mass.
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The region functions as a dynamic mosaic where fragments of oceanic and continental crust of different ages and mechanical properties interact, which unevenly distributes the accumulated energy.
Satellite technology and high resolution seismology
To reach these conclusions, the researchers combined two terrestrial and space data analysis methodologies:
Earthquake focal mechanisms: tools that identify how underground rocks fracture during an earthquake, revealing the type of stress acting deep in the crust.
GNSS data (Global Navigation Satellite Systems): high-precision measurements capable of recording millimeter displacements on the Earth’s surface.
The crossing of these variables allowed the creation of maps of tectonic stress and surface deformation with a higher resolution level than any previous record in the western Mediterranean area.
Tectonic response by sectors
The research divided the region into four main sectors to assess its response to pressure between Africa and Eurasia. In the Atlantic sector, tensions are transmitted directly between both plates. On the other hand, towards the east – in the Gibraltar, Alboran and Algerian-Balearic sectors – the energy is absorbed by areas where the Earth’s crust is thinner, such as the Alboran domain, the Gibraltar arc and the Tell mountain range.
Likewise, tectonic activity was detected in internal areas far from plate boundaries. Although their horizontal deformation is low, they register activity due to regional compression and vertical tensions.
The scientific article contextualizes these movements within a long-term geological cycle that began after the fragmentation of the supercontinent Pangea and the consequent opening of the Atlantic Ocean. This extensive historical process was responsible for the formation of major geographical structures such as the Pyrenees, the Atlas mountains and the Gibraltar arch.
Today, the continuing approach between Eurasia and Africa continues to actively transform the western Mediterranean through a combination of compressional forces, lateral fault displacements, and seismic activity.
The authors conclude that the integration of seismic and geodetic data It is essential to map and predict the current behavior of tensions in regions composed of multiple cortical blocks in direct interaction.