Petrogenesis and Geodynamics in Italy

In this chapter, the main petrological, geochemical and structural characteristics of the individual magmatic provinces will be summarised, and the most widely accepted hypotheses on the geodynamic processes responsible for magmatism will be discussed. 

The Aeolian arc is formed by calc-alkaline, high-K calc-alkaline and shoshonitic rocks, with some slightly undersaturated potassic alkaline lavas similar to the KS rocks from central Italy. Three sectors have been 

The Sardinia Province contains a wide variety of rocks, ranging from subalkaline to Na alkaline and nephelinitic, and from mafic to felsic. Most rocks have relatively unradiogenic Sr and Pb isotopic signatures, resembling EMI mantle compositions. A few outcrops from southern Sardinia have isotopic and trace element signatures very close to the rocks of the Sicily Province. Plio-Quatemary volcanism in Sardinia overlies Oligo-cene-Miocene arc-type tholeiitic to calc-alkaline volcanism. 

Italian magmatism, is inadequate to explain the complexity of Italian rocks and may lead to incorrect conclusions. 

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Appleton JD (1972) Petrogenesis of potassium-rich lavas from the Roccamonfina Volcano, Roman Region, Italy. J Petrol 13 425-456 Arana V, Barberi F, Santacroce R (1974) Some data on the comendite type-area of S. Pietro and S. Antioco islands, Sardinia. Bull Volcanol 38 725-736 Argnani A, Savelli C (1999) Cenozoic volcanism and tectonics in the southern Tyrrhenian Sea space-time distribution and geodynamic significance. Geodynamics 27 409-432... 

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