Introduction

A major part of the Alpine orogen consists of pre-Mesozoic basement units which recorded a polyphase tectonic and metamorphic evolution. The Austroalpine Basement to the south of the Tauern Window is subdivided into four lithological groups (Fig.1). Between the southern margin of the Central Tauern Window and the major faults of the Periadriatic Lineament and towards the hangingwall one can distinguish the (1) Northern-Defereggen-Petzeck Group (NDPG); (2) Durreck Muscoviteschist Group (DMG); (3) Defereggen Group (DG) and the (4) Thurnthaler Phyllite Group (TPG) (Schulz and Bombach 2003). (more…)