Editorial: The structure of the central Mediterranean: Insights from seismological and geophysical data

he mountain chains of the Central Mediterranean (the Apennines, the Alps, the Dinarides, the Albanides, and the Hellenides) are shaped by complex tectonics arising from the motion and collision of several microplates. Intense onshore and offshore seismic activity puts the rich cultural heritage characterising the entire region at risk. A better understanding of the lithospheric structures and knowledge of the interaction between different tectonic units is key to unraveling the processes underlying seismic activity in this area. In recent years, top-quality seismological data from several groundbreaking experiments have yielded new insight into the orogenic systems of the region (e.g., IberArray, AlpArray, and its complementary seismic experiments, or the “THALES WAS RIGHT” EU project). Similar projects are planned to cover other parts of this critical region, for example, AdriaArray, which will cover the Adria microplate and the Balkans with a dense seismological array. The four papers in this Research Topic shed light on unresolved questions about the collision and the relative motions of the Mediterranean region’s microplates. These papers use data from the aforementioned array-experiments to touch on different geodynamic aspects, from plate motion and the deformation of crust and mantle to the influence of mantle dynamics on the evolution of surface morphology.