Geometry and kinematic of post-Aquitanian brittle deformation in the Alpujárride rocks and their relation with the Alpujárride/Nevado-Filábride contact.

An extensional britt/e detachment with a top-to-the-west directed movement exists between the Alpujarride and Nevado-FiIabride Complexes (Betic Cordilleras): The Mecina Detachment Fault. Extensional duplexes and thinning of Alpujarride rocks are originated by a set of Iow angle normal faults in the hanging wall of this detachment. The Mecina Extensional System, including those faults, was active from Burdigalian till early Tortonian. We propose that the Mecina Extensional System would participate in the thinning of the South Iberian Peninsula continental crust