Periadriatic Seam - Tectonics and Geology

Tectonics and Geology

Within the Eastern Alps, the line marks the border between the Central Eastern Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps. In the Western Alps it forms the division between the southern Apulian foreland and the central crystalline zones of the Alps.

Continental collision is still going on, with the Apulian and European plates still converging. Movement along the Periadriatic Seam is the cause for the earthquake zone between Vienna and Friuli. Meanwhile, the central zones of the Alps are rising too, causing vertical slip along the fault. The result is the set of major faultzones collectively named Periadriatic Seam. The uplift caused violent erosion of the young orogen, which led to the formation of the Hohe Tauern window. At several regions a heavy uplift of the Central Alps by some kilometers took place, and also a shift of more than 50 km.