Gravimetric and magnetic fabric study of the Sintra Igneous complex: laccolith-plug emplacement in the Western Iberian passive margin

International Journal of Earth Sciences - The geometry and emplacement of the ~ 96 km2, Late Cretaceous Sintra Igneous complex (SIC, ca. 80 Ma) into the West Iberian passive...     

Neogene Through Quaternary Tectonic Reactivation of SW Iberian Passive Margin

Southwest Portugal, the Gulf of Cadiz and Morocco are under the potential threat of natural hazards linked to seismicity and tsunami generation. We report the results of two multi-channel seismic (MCS) surveys carried out in 1992 and 1998 along the continental margin and oceanic crust of SW Iberia. This MCS data set shows the evidence of the compressional deformation which involves both the continental and the oceanic crust of the study area. The area of deformation extends from the southern border of the Tagus Abyssal Plain to the Seine Abyssal Plain, encompassing the continental margin of SW Portugal. Most of the structures observed are probably related to a Mid-Miocene phase of Africa-Europe plate convergence. In this paper we discuss the recent advances on the identification of the tectonic structures that are still active and that may generate great earthquakes and tsunamis. The tectonic structures identified are located respectively at the Guadalquivir Bank, along the eastern border of the Horseshoe Abyssal Plain and along the southern continental slope of SW Portugal.BIGSETS Team: L. Mendes Victor, C. Corela, A. Ribeiro, D. Cordoba, J. J. Danobeitia, E. Grácia, R. Bartolomé, R. Nicolich, G. Pellis, B. DellaVedova, R. Sartori, L. Torelli, A. Correggiari, L. Vigliotti.     

Tectonic shortening and gravitational spreading in the Gulf of Cadiz accretionary wedge: Observations from multi-beam bathymetry and seismic profiling

The Gulf of Cadiz lies astride the complex plate boundary between Africa and Eurasia west of the Betic-Rif mountain belt. We report on the results of recent bathymetric swathmapping and multi-channel seismic surveys carried out here. The seafloor is marked by contrasting morphological provinces, spanning the SW Iberian and NW Moroccan continental margins, abyssal plains and an elongate, arcuate, accretionary wedge. A wide variety of tectonic and gravitational processes appear to have shaped these structures. Active compressional deformation of the wedge is suggested by folding and thrusting of the frontal sedimentary layers as well as basal duplexing in deeper internal units. There is evidence for simultaneous gravitational spreading occurring upslope. The very shallow mean surface and basal slopes of the accretionary wedge (1° each) indicate a very weak decollement layer, geometrically similar to the Mediterranean Ridge accretionary complex. Locally steep slopes (up to 10°) indicate strongly focused, active deformation and potential gravitational instabilities. The unusual surface morphology of the upper accretionary wedge includes “raft-tectonics” type fissures and abundant sub-circular depressions. Dissolution and/or diapiric processes are proposed to be involved in the formation of these depressions.     

Spatial and morphometric relationships of submarine landslides offshore west and southwest Iberia

Landslides - Submarine landslides are a ubiquitous geohazard in the marine environment and occur at multiple scales. Increasing efforts have been made during the last decade to catalogue and...     

MTD distribution on a ‘passive’ continental margin: The Espírito Santo Basin (SE Brazil) during the Palaeogene

Mass-wasting on the Brazilian margin during the Mid-Eocene/Oligocene resulted in the accumulation of recurrent Mass Transport Deposits (MTDs) offshore Espírito Santo, SE Brazil. In this paper, we use three-dimensional seismic data to characterize a succession with stacked MTDs (Abrolhos Formation), and to assess the distribution of undeformed stratigraphic packages (i.e. turbidites) with reservoir potential separating the interpreted MTDs. High-amplitude strata in less deformed areas of MTDs reflect their internal heterogeneity, as well as possible regions with a higher sand content. Separating MTDs, turbiditic intervals reach 100 ms Two-Way Travel Time (TWTT), with thicker areas coincident with the flanks of growing diapirs and areas of the basin where mass-wasting is less apparent. Turbiditic strata laterally grade into, or are eroded by MTDs, with transitional strata between MTDs and turbidites being also influenced by the presence of diapirs. MTDs show average thickness values ranging from 58 to 82 ms TWTT and constitute over 50% of Eocene-Oligocene strata along the basin slope. Low average accumulations of 58 ms TWTT in areas of high confinement imposed by diapirs suggest sediment accumulation upslope, and/or bypass into downslope areas. This character was induced by the high sediment input into the basin associated with coastal erosion and growth of the Abrolhos volcanic plateau. Our results suggest that significant amounts of sediment derive from the northwest, and were accumulated in the middle-slope region. Interpretations of (palaeo)-slope profiles led to the establishment of a model of margin progradation by deposition of MTDs, contrasting with the retrogressive erosional margins commonly associated with these settings.     

Analysis of seismic reflection data as a tool for the seismotectonic assessment of a low activity intraplate basin – the Lower Tagus Valley (Portugal)

The Lower TagusValley is located in the Lower TagusSedimentary Basin. Occurrence ofearthquakes in the area indicates thepresence of seismogenic structures at depththat are still deficiently known due to athick Cenozoic sedimentary cover. It isusually assumed that regional M = 6–7earthquakes are generated by the LowerTagus Valley fault. However, this structurehas never been characterised, and there isevidence for the presence of other faultsthat have the potential of generating largeseismic events. The hidden character ofmany of the structures in the Lower TagusBasin necessitates the use of indirectmethodologies for their study. Availableseismic reflection lines acquired for oilexploration in the Lower Tagus Valleyregion were thus examined, with emphasis onthe recognition of faults displacing theCenozoic and particularly the youngergeological units. The foreseen complexityof the basin structure was confirmed.Evidence for a continuous `Lower TagusValley fault' is absent. Instead, N-S toNNE-SSW trending, en echelon,sub-vertical and reverse faults showingsignificant post-Miocene offsets, linked bytransverse (NW-SE) faults that accommodatelarge displacements, were recognised in theseismic sections that cross the Tagusvalley. These faults range in length from10 km to a maximum of ca. 40 km, leading toan estimation of 6.2–6.9 maximum credibleearthquake magnitudes, which fall in themagnitude range of the regional historicalseismicity.