Late Variscan Magmatic Evolution of the Alpine Basement

Abstract

After having experienced the Variscan orogenic episodes, the pre-Mesozoic Alpine basement was subjected to large-scale shearing effects accompanying lithosphere distensional thinning, ``Basin and Range''-like tectonics and high geothermal regimes. As a result of intrusion of mantle-derived magmas and induced crustal anatexis, almost all pieces of basement within the Alpine chain display contrasting magma associations.