P. Schmoldt, PhD - MTNet - DIAS

7.3. Tajo Basin and central Spain
Fig. 7.11.: a–b) geodynamic scheme and cross-section of the subsurface beneath Betic Cordillera and Alboran Domain proposed by
Rosell et al. [2010], wherein the dashed line denotes the coast line and the red line A-A’ indicates the location of the transects b) and
c). c) shows a projection of the model onto the collocated transect of the 3D inversion model by Rosell et al. [2010]. d) Seismic
velocity distribution of the same region inferred from a 3D seismic tomography study by Amaru [2007], with the location of the
seismic velocity–depth profile and the transects c) and d) shown in the inset as red and white line respectively. The dashed yellow line
shows the approximate location of b) and c) whereas the yellow dot and the dashed white line indicate the location of the conductivity
anomaly and the area of asthenospheric intrusion proposed by Rosell et al. [2010]. IC: Iberian Crust, AC: Alboran Crust (Internal
Betics and Alboran Sea), LC: Ligurian Crust, ILM: Iberian Lithospheric-Mantle, ALM: Alboran Lithospheric-Mantle, LLM: Ligurian
Lithospheric-Mantle, AS: Asthenosphere. Projection of the results by Rosell et al. [2010] onto a velocity–depth transect shows that
anomaly is located on top of the region with relatively high velocity associated with the slab.
set of the Betics–Iberian collision [Andeweg, 2002]. To its south the Manchega Plain,
representing the southern region of the Tajo Basin, comprises Quaternary aeolian sediments
covering a substratum made up of the terraces of the alluvial systems of the Guadiana
and the Júcar rivers [Rebollal and Pérez-González, 2008]. Further south, outside
the Tajo Basin, the Campo de Montiel, a region of low-lying hills of Mesozoic carbonates,
formed during Jurassic – Triassic times may constitute the southernmost part of the
Iberian Ranges adjacent to the Betic Cordillera (Sec. 7.2) [Aurell et al., 2002; Gutierrez-
Elorza et al., 2002]. Hence, the Jurassic strata of Iberian Range and Campo de Montiel
are potentially connected below the Manchega Plain forming the base of the overlying
younger layers [Aurell et al., 2002, Fig. 11.7, p. 225].
The Iberian Range (also referred to as Iberian Chain in English and Sistema Ibérico
or Cordillera Ibérico in Spanish literature) is a NW-SE orientated intraplate mountain
range formed as consequence of pre-Alpine sedimentary Basin inversion [Tejero and Ruiz,
2002] due to the Pyrenean Orogeny [de Vicente and Vegas, 2009]. The Range was one
of the few regions of the eastern Iberian Peninsula rising above sea level in pre-Cenozoic
times [Andeweg, 2002]. After very limited deformation during the Late Oligocene, the
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