Some issues regarding the central Mediterranean neotectonics

The complex morphology of the Mediterranean region has originated from the long-lasting plate convergence between Africa and Eurasia. This plate convergence has been active since the late Cretaceous, with the subsequent continental collision, from the Eocene, there was an early subduction of the oceanic lithosphere. The uncertainties in palaeo-reconstructions make the long-term evolution of the Mediterranen region highly debated; however, even when GPS horizontal velocity measurements are available, the understanding of Mediterranean neotectonics is also affected by uncertainties. In a highly complex tectonic setting, such as the central Mediterranean, even accurate measurements are often not sufficient to resolve this ambiguity. The tectonics of the plate boundary between Africa and Europe in the Sicilian-Calabrian region; the nature of the deformation observed within the Adriatic region and the possible occurrence of one, or more platelets are examples of neotectonic settings still open for debate. Without attempting a comprehensive critical review of the neotectonics of the Mediterranean, this contribution aims at discussing some aspects mainly relevant to Italy and the surrounding regions.