Dent Blanche nappe
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 nappe or Dent Blanche klippe is a geologic nappe and klippe that crops out in the Pennine Alps. The nappe is tectonostratigraphically on top of the Penninic nappes and by most researchers seen as Austroalpine.
The nappe is named after the mountain Dent Blanche, which is formed by rocks that are part of it. The most famous outcrop of the nappe is the Matterhorn, which is made of a loose piece (klippe) of Dent Blanche material lying on top of Penninic ophiolites (Zermatt-Saas zone). Because of this it is sometimes said that the Matterhorn came from Africa (the Austroalpine nappes are originally pieces of the African tectonic plate.
