Absolute dating helps to define the age and duration of orogen building. Here we present new U–Pb ages of syn-faulting calcites collected in the northern foreland basin of the Pyrenees. The studied area underwent deformation during the Eocene growth of the belt. This orogenic growth is considered to have persisted until the Late Oligocene, after which post-orogenic processes prevailed. Microstructural analysis coupled with U–Pb dating of syn-faulting calcite confirms the well-known NW-SE to N–S main shortening stage of the Pyrenean orogen during the Eocene (from 48.7 ± 2.2 to 43.2 ± 5.3 Ma). But our data further reveal NE-SW shortening during the Miocene, ca. 16 Ma ago, that has never been seen in the northern Pyrenean foreland. We propose that this tectonic phase, now identified on both sides of the Pyrenean Belt, is a consequence of a stronger coupling between Africa, Iberia and Europe at this time.

中文翻译：

---

比利牛斯山的缩短何时结束？从同断层方解石的 U-Pb 年代学洞察（Corbières 地区，法国）

绝对年代学有助于确定造山带建造的年龄和持续时间。在这里，我们展示了在比利牛斯山脉北部前陆盆地收集的同断层方解石的新 U-Pb 年龄。研究区在带始新世生长过程中经历了变形。这种造山运动被认为一直持续到渐新世晚期，之后造山运动盛行。微观结构分析加上同断层方解石的 U-Pb 测年证实了始新世期间比利牛斯造山带众所周知的 NW-SE 到 N-S 主要缩短阶段（从 48.7 ± 2.2 到 43.2 ± 5.3 Ma）。但我们的数据进一步揭示了中新世期间 NE-SW 缩短，ca. 16 马前，那是在比利牛斯山脉北部前陆从未见过的。我们认为，现在在比利牛斯带两侧发现的这个构造阶段是此时非洲、伊比利亚和欧洲之间更强耦合的结果。