Cretaceous-Eocene compression in the central Southern Alps (N Italy) inferred from 40Ar/39Ar dating of pseudotachylytes along regional thrust faults

▶ Pseudotachylytes occur along regional thrusts in the central Southern Alps (cSA). ▶ Pseudotachylytes postdate Alpine mylonites and D3 folds in the basement. ▶ 40Ar/39Ar dating of pseudotachylytes gives two age clusters: 80-68 Ma and 55-43 Ma. ▶ Late Cretaceous represents a minimum age for the onset of Alpine deformation in cSA. ▶ This may be related to the “EoAlpine” event in the Austroalpine of the Eastern Alps.