Plio–Quaternary Tectonic Activity in the Northern Nubian Belts: The Main Driving Forces

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper by Mantovani et al. presents a model for the recent movements and deformation of the central-western Mediterranean. This is a new, original interpretation that can be of interest for researchers working in this part of the world or interested in plate tectonics. It can be considered as a review paper that takes into account a large number of data and interpretations from other authors. In spite that I do not agree with some of the interpretations presented by the authors, I think that they can be of interest. In my opinion, some minor modifications could improve the quality of the paper and make more understandable for a wide audience. These points can be summarized as follows:

- The authors do not give a picture of their interpretation at depth. Since the plate tectonics scenario is presented, the reader could be more aware of this if a cross-section at the crustal/lithospheric scale, N-S, E-W or both were presented in the paper, either original or modified from other authors.

- A little more discussion would be needed in terms of arguing about the convergence direction. At least in the Iberian Peninsula there is a number of papers by De Vicente and co-workers that support a NNW-SSE convergence direction, instead. A discussion on this topic would be welcome.

- Some minor features are related to the use of Early/Late (that should be used for age) and Lower/Upper (that should be kept for materials).

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

For centuries, the interplay between the Nubian plate and the blocks in the Mediterranean region has been a crucial topic of the geological community. Yet the Mediterranean region's geodynamic model is still controversially discussed. This study reviewed the Plio-Quaternary Tectonic activities in the northern Nubian belt and discussed its main driving forces.

This manuscript is generally fairly organized and not hard to follow. I recommend that the paper could be accepted after a minor revision.

1. The authors utilize the timing of the Anatolian seismic sequence since 1939 as a piece of evidence during the discussion on tectonics in the eastern-central Mediterranean region. However, the intensity and localities of seismic activities could vary significantly in a rather shorter time compared with tectonic activities. In other words, the change in intensity of seismic activities could be influenced by some coincidental features.

 

 

2. The authors need to be more specific when referring to some tectonic or structural terms. For instance, in line 13, they state that "a long fracture crossing the Ionian domain". In most cases, a structural discontinuity that extends for several hundred kilometers is termed a fault or a fault zone.

Author Response

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Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I do not understand how the authors of the MS want to study "Plio-Quaternary Tectonic Activity in the Northern Nubian" at least in the Eastern Mediterranean without the works of (there are the most principal works):

Duermeijer, C.E., Krijgsman, W., Langereis, C.G. and Ten Veen, J.H., 1998. Post-early Messinian counterclockwise rotations on Crete: Implications for Late Miocene to Recent kinematics of the southern Hellenic arc. Tectonophysics, 298, 177-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1951(98)00183-8

Reilinger, R. E., McClusky, S., Vernant, P., Lawrence, S., Ergintav, S., Cakmak, R., Ozener, H., Kadirov, F., Guliyev, I. et al.: GPS constraints on continental deformation in the Africa-Arabia-Eurasia continental collision zone and implications for the dynamics of plate interactions. Jour. of Geophysical Research, BO5411, 1‒26 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JB004051

Doubre, C., Deprez, A., Masson, F., Socquet, A., Lewi, E., Grandin, R., Nercessian, A., Ulrich, P., De Chabalier, J.-B., Saad, I., Abayazid, A., Peltzer, G., Delorme, A., Calasis, E. and Wright, T., 2017. Current deformation in Central Afar and triple junction kinematics deduced from GPS and InSAR measurements. Geophys. Jour. Intern., 208, 936-953. https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggw434

Eppelbaum, L.V., Ben-Avraham, Z., Katz, Y., Cloetingh, S., Kaban, M.: Giant quasi-ring mantle structure in the African-Arabian junction: Results derived from the geological-geophysical data integration. Geotectonics (Springer), 55, No. 1, 67-93 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016852121010052

Eppelbaum, L.V., Katz, Y.I. and Ben-Avraham, Z., 2024. The reasons for enormous accumulation of the geodynamic tension in Eastern Turkey: a multidisciplinary study. Geology, Geophysics, and Earth Science, 2, No. 2, 1-28. https://doi.org/10.58396/gges020202

 

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

English must be improved.

Author Response

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Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors,

I congratulate for prepared manuscript. This paper is an example of a very nice overview paper that in clear manner summarize all scientific findings about Northern Nubian belts.  Presented findings about area neotectonics are described clear, with all needed crucial information,  without any redundancy. I propose that this paper should be published in the present form, without need for corrections,  classified as overview paper. 

Author Response

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Reviewer 5 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The study synthesizes diverse geophysical, geological, and seismological datasets, providing a multidimensional view of the tectonic processes of the northern Nubian belts to larger-scale Mediterranean plate dynamics.

The article directly addresses gaps in understanding, such as the cause of resumed tectonic activity in the Pleistocene and meticulously explains the rotational dynamics of the Adria plate, the formation of fault systems, and the extensional and compressional regimes that define the region’s tectonic evolution.

Some interpretations, such as the influence of post-seismic relaxation from the 1939 Anatolian earthquake sequence, are based on indirect evidence and modeling, which might not fully capture the complexities of tectonic responses.

The article reads very well and the maps clearly illustrate the tectonic complexities in the northern Nubian belts and central Mediterranean.

Author Response

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Reviewer 6 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The manuscript entitled, Plio-Quaternary Tectonic Activity in the Northern Nubian 2 belts: Main Driving Forces has been reviewed thoroughly. In first glance the manuscript is very interesting and well structured. However, the english sentences are sometimes too long and complex which should be revised. My main concern is too short discussion chapter. The results chapter is ok, but discussion chapter should be improved by introducing some more discission chapters with references. furthermore the current chapter can be divided under subheadings probably division by geological ages to make it more interesting for the reader. check comments in PDF file. I recommend minor revision before acceptance and would like to see the revised submission for final approval. 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Comments on the Quality of English Language

the english sentences are sometimes too long and complex which should be revised.

Author Response

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Round 2

Reviewer 6 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper is excellent. the english language is however a bit complex and sometimes non scientific. for example the author need to learn the sections of abstract, the scientific tone, how to use it. the abstract should not start like, it is suggested that....... this is a pure non scientific approach. But this comment is just for author improvement in the future. i am still happy with the manuscript.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

The paper is excellent. the english language is however a bit complex and sometimes non scientific. for example the author need to learn the sections of abstract, the scientific tone, how to use it. the abstract should not start like, it is suggested that....... this is a pure non scientific approach. But this comment is just for author improvement in the future. i am still happy with the manuscript.