We documented the deformation in the southeastern domain of the Majella anticline (Central Apennines, Italy) to highlight timing and structural characteristics of different fracture sets affecting the outcropping Cretaceous-Miocene ramp carbonates. An isolated and inactive hypogene karst system produced by sulfuric acid (Cavallone-Bove cave system) was studied following a multidisciplinary approach. Our findings suggest that deep-rooted, sub-vertical strike-slip fault zones reaching the H₂S source rocks were the main vehicle for ascending acidic fluid flow. Linkage and intersection of these faults by splays in extensional stepovers and pre-orogenic normal faults permitted ascending fluids to reach multiple recharge points (feeders) near the paleo water-table. In proximity to the oxygenated groundwater, where H₂SO₄ was produced, lateral dissolution focused along bedding planes and zones of localized deformation (fracture clusters) characterizing the hinge of the anticline. We conclude that structural position in the anticline and large-offset, vertically extended strike-slip fault zones control the localization of efficient permeability pathways and represent first order controlling features for fluid flow in the fold-and-thrust belt. This study provides insights into the understanding of time-space evolution, geometry, and pattern of sulfuric hypogene karst systems in folded carbonates, whose prediction is critical for fractured and karstified reservoirs.

我们记录了马耶拉背斜东南部地区（意大利亚平宁山脉中部）的形变，以突出显示影响白垩纪-中新世斜坡碳酸盐岩露头的不同裂缝的时间和结构特征。遵循多学科研究方法，研究了由硫酸产生的孤立且无活性的次生岩溶岩溶系统（Cavallone-Bove洞穴系统）。我们的发现表明，到达H ₂ S源岩的深根，亚垂直走滑断层带是推动酸性流体流动的主要工具。这些断层的伸展和跨步作用与造山前的正常断层之间的联系和相交，使上升的流体能够到达古地下水位附近的多个补给点（支线）。在含氧地下水附近，其中H_产生了2 SO ₄，横向溶解集中在顺层平面和表征背斜铰链的局部变形区域（断裂簇）上。我们得出的结论是，背斜和大偏移，垂直延伸的走滑断层带中的构造位置控制着有效渗透率路径的定位，并且代表了褶皱冲断带中流体流动的一阶控制特征。这项研究提供了对折叠碳酸盐岩中含硫次生岩溶系统时空演化，几何学和模式的理解的洞见，碳酸盐岩岩溶系统的预测对裂缝和岩溶化储层是至关重要的。