Review and detailed analysis of the Plio-Quaternary tectono-stratigraphic architecture and evolution of the Sicily Channel (Central Mediterranean)

Although foreland regions are often perceived as stable zones, the Sicily Channel—situated in the central Mediterranean between Sicily and Tunisia and regarded as the continental foreland of the Sicilian Maghrebian chain—reveals significant tectonic complexity. It comprises three major tectonic troughs (Pantelleria, Malta, and Linosa grabens) formed by the ongoing extension of Africa. This area includes a foreland-foredeep-chain system encompassing the Pelagian foreland, the Gela foredeep Basin, and the offshore section of the Neogene-Quaternary Sicilian-Maghrebian chain. Based on an extensive review of available literature, including previously published multichannel seismic reflection profiles and structural maps, we provide a detailed analysis of the stratigraphic architecture and key tectonic features that have influenced the Sicily Channel during the Plio-Quaternary. Furthermore, we assess the timing of these events to gain a comprehensive understanding of the region's Plio-Quaternary tectonic evolution. Our findings demonstrate that the Sicily Channel is not merely a simple rifted foreland zone but is characterized by recurrent extensional and compressional phases during the late Neogene/Plio-Quaternary. This evidence indicates that distinct tectonic regimes can coexist within a foreland area, reinforcing the idea that foreland zones actively record dynamic processes driving lithospheric deformation and are prone to tectonic reactivation