Building the Albanides by deep underplating: insights from low-temperature thermochronology and 3D thermokinematic modeling

Located in the central-eastern Mediterranean, the Albanides are a subduction orogen formed by the accretion of slices of continental lithosphere scraped off the upper plate during the eastward subduction of Adria. This subduction has promoted NE-SW shortening that started in the Late Cretaceous and continues to the present. Despite advancements in geophysical studies, aimed at understanding and illuminating the deep structures, the dynamics of crustal accretion within the subduction zone remain challenging. We investigate the recent crustal thickening of the Albanides and explore the relationship between deep-seated structures and surface deformation by employing low-temperature thermochronology and 3D thermokinematic modeling of a seismically constrained crustal section. Our results reveal a latest Miocene-Pliocene rejuvenation of the orogenic system marked by pulses of 3-4 km of exhumation, likely driven by a deep-seated thrust system. These findings provide important insights into the timing and kinematics of orogenic building processes, highlighting the interaction between deep underplating and surface geology in the Albanides, and contributing to our understanding of Mediterranean plate kinematics.