Evolution of the Iberian Massif as deduced from its crustal thickness and geometry of a mid-crustal (Conrad) discontinuity

Ayarza, Puy; Martínez Catalán, José Ramón; Martínez García, Ana; Alcalde, Juan; Andrés, Juvenal; Simancas, José Fernando; Palomeras, Immaculada; Martí, David; DeFelipe, Irene; Juhlin, Chris; Carbonell, Ramón

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-1515-2021

Articles | Volume 12, issue 7

https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-1515-2021

© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Special issue:

The Iberian Massif in the frame of the European Variscan...

https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-1515-2021

© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 12, issue 7

Research article

|

06 Jul 2021

Research article |

| 06 Jul 2021

Evolution of the Iberian Massif as deduced from its crustal thickness and geometry of a mid-crustal (Conrad) discontinuity

Puy Ayarza, José Ramón Martínez Catalán, Ana Martínez García, Juan Alcalde, Juvenal Andrés, José Fernando Simancas, Immaculada Palomeras, David Martí, Irene DeFelipe, Chris Juhlin, and Ramón Carbonell

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Final revised paper (published on 06 Jul 2021)
Preprint (discussion started on 07 Oct 2020)

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment

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RC1: 'Review of the paper', Anonymous Referee #1, 26 Nov 2020
- AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Puy Ayarza, 05 Feb 2021
RC2: 'Referee's Report (RWHB)', Rob Butler, 06 Jan 2021
- AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Puy Ayarza, 05 Feb 2021

Peer-review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision

AR by Puy Ayarza on behalf of the Authors (05 Mar 2021) Author's response Author's tracked changes Manuscript

ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (07 Mar 2021) by Irene Bianchi

RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (04 May 2021)

Suggestions for revision or reasons for rejection

Second review of the paper: “Evolution of the Iberian Massif as deduced from its crustal thickness and geometry of a mid-crustal (Conrad) discontinuity”
by Puy Ayarza, José Ramón Martínez Catalán, Ana Martínez García, Juan Alcalde, Juvenal Andrés, José Fernando Simancas, Immaculada Palomeras, David Martí, Irene DeFelipe, Chris Juhlin, Ramón Carbonell submitted to Solid Earth open-access journal.

Major comments

The manuscript concentrates on the reinterpretation of normal incidence seismic data along seismic profiles in the Iberian Massif, Pyrenees Peninsula, with the aim to present crustal evolution of the Iberian Massif as the westernmost exposure of the European Variscides based on two discontinuities – Moho and Conrad. The authors reprocess normal incidence data along 6 profiles and interpret them together with data along one WA profile. In the revised version of the manuscript, the authors accepted some recommendations and improved the text and figures which swept the misunderstandings related to data processing and justification of discussed features. They consistently referred to individual crustal reflectors and documented them in figures. The goal of the paper is now more clearly stated and with the explanation provided it is more justified by the text and figures. I also appreciate tectonic settings provided on top of the interpreted sections as well as improved introductory Figure 1 which all together helped to comprehend the evolution of the Iberian Massif presented in the manuscript. On the other hand, the paper is still very extensive, with lots of references (~143), and not easy to read. I already suggested some shortening and reduction of references in my previous review, so that I leave the decision on these aspects with the editor. I understand, that the topic is extensive with so many re-processed profiles which tempts to discuss many features. However, in my view, the main goal of the paper as now clearly stated is the crustal thickness and the existence of mid-crustal discontinuity, so that more focusing would be beneficial. Also, technical improvement of English with some proof-reading needs to be done before publishing.

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ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (05 May 2021) by Irene Bianchi

AR by Puy Ayarza on behalf of the Authors (17 May 2021) Author's response Author's tracked changes Manuscript

ED: Publish as is (19 May 2021) by Irene Bianchi

ED: Publish as is (27 May 2021) by Federico Rossetti (Executive editor)

AR by Puy Ayarza on behalf of the Authors (28 May 2021) Manuscript

Short summary

Vertical incidence seismic profiling on the Iberian Massif images a mid-crustal-scale discontinuity at the top of the reflective lower crust. This feature shows that upper- and lower-crustal reflections merge into it, suggesting that it has often behaved as a detachment. The orogen-scale extension of this discontinuity, present in Gondwanan and Avalonian affinity terranes into the Iberian Massif, demonstrates its relevance, leading us to interpret it as the Conrad discontinuity.