The Central Iberian arc: implications for the Iberian Massif El arco Centroibérico: implicaciones para el Macizo Ibérico

Variscan folds and magnetic anomalies of the Central Iberian Zone (Iberian Massif) delineate an orocline similar in size to the Ibero- Armorican arc but of opposite sense of curvature. Its core is occu- pied by the Galicia-Tras-os-Montes Zone, formed by allochthonous terranes which include the suture of the Rheic Ocean. The West-As- turian-Leonese Zone is also bent by the arc but neither the Ossa- Morena, nor the the South Portuguese zones are involved. The oro- cline, for which the name of Central Iberian arc is propossed, explains the width of the Central Iberian Zone by duplication of a strip half its present width. It also explains the structural position of the al- lochthonous terranes, and opens new insights for correlations with the rest of the Variscan belt, specially with the Armorican Massif, whose central domain may represent the continuation of the south- ern branch of the Central Iberian arc, detached by late Variscan strike- slip tectonics. The relative age of the two arcs of the Iberian Massif and the possible origin of the Central Iberian arc are discussed.