Fault-Block Platform Evolution between Late Cretaceous and Early Miocene along the Margin of the Latium-Abruzzi Carbonate Platform (Southern Prenestini Mountains, Central Apennines, Italy)

Since the origin of the carbonate platform concept, the reconstruction of the geometry and the evolution of the margin has been an intriguing topic. The Latium-Abruzzi platform is one of the largest shallow water domains of the Central Apennines, however, the reconstruction of the geometry and evolution of its margin has been classically problematic because the latter has been erased by the out-of-sequence Olevano-Antrodoco thrust system. The investigated area is placed in the Prenestini Mountains, the southernmost portion of the Sabina Domain, where a Cretaceous to Neogene carbonate succession, ascribed the Latium-Abruzzi platform margin, crops out. Stratigraphic and facies analyses showed a Late Cretaceous extensional stage that produced two main fault-block platforms, respectively, South Eastern Prenestini and South Western Prenestini platforms, developed westward of the large Latium-Abruzzi Platform domain. In these platforms, during the Paleocene-Eocene interval, pelagite deposition coincides with the ma