Nubia-Eurasia Relative Motion

Several major features of the Plio-Quaternary deformation pattern in the whole Mediterranean region suggests a SSW-NNE convergence between Nubia and Eurasia. This motion trend is also indicated by the reconstructions of the Nubia-Eurasia relative motion in the last 25 My. However, that kinematics is not confirmed by the results of Global Kinematic Models (GKM) which indicate a roughly SE-NW trend. It is suggested that this discrepancy may be due to the fact that GKM are computed without taking into account two microplates (Morocco and Iberia) that may not move in close connection with the major plates. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that the decoupling zones between the two proposed microplates and the major plates are affected by significant seismotectonic activity. It is shown that the proposed SSW-NNE Nubia-Eurasia convergence trend can reproduce, within experimental uncertainties, the constraints used by GKM models, if the four-plate mosaic is adopted.