Dent Blanche klippe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Geology of the Alps |
|---|
 |
| Tectonic subdivision |
| Penninic nappes |
| Austroalpine nappes |
| Southern Alps |
| Formations & rocks |
| Geological structures |
|
Aarmassif | Dent Blanche klippe | Engadine window | Flysch zone | Giudicárie line | Greywacke zone | Hohe Tauern window | Molasse basin | Penninic thrustfront | Periadriatic Seam | Ivrea zone | Lepontin dome | Rechnitz window | Rhône-Simplon line | Sesia unit |
| Paleogeografic terminology |
| Briançonnais microcontinent |
| Piemont-Liguria Ocean |
| Apulian or Adriatic plate |
The Dent Blanche klippe is a geologic klippe in the Pennine Alps. The klippe consists of rocks from the Sesia unit (which is also called Dent Blanche-Sesia unit) that were thrusted over the autochthon Penninic nappes. The Sesia unit is sometimes considered to be part of the Austroalpine nappes.
The klippe is named after the mountain Dent Blanche, which is formed by the klippe. The most famous outcrop of the klippe is the Matterhorn, which is made of a loose piece of the Sesia unit laying on top of Penninic rocks of the Monte Rosa group. Because of this it is sometimes said that the Matterhorn came from Africa (the Austroalpine nappes are originally pieces of the African tectonic plate, or more precisely of the Apulian plate which is a sub-plate of the African plate).
