Late Oligocene-early Miocene sedimentary evolution of the foreland basins in the Sicilian mobile belt: the example of the Peloritani area

In the northeastern corner of Sicily (Peloritani Mountains) thin bodies of hercynian crystalline basement, covered by Meso-Cenozoic veneers of sedimentary rocks, represent the highest and innermost Africa-vergent group of thrust units of the Sicilian Belt. The Peloritani tectonic edifice consists of a set of prevalently middle- to high-grade crystalline rocks (so-called Fondachelli Unit, Mandanici Unit and Aspromonte Unit) and thrusts over a thin tectonic wedge made of prevalently Mesozoic to Tertiary sedimentary covers overlying pre-Triassic low-grade metamorphic rocks (Longi-Taormina Unit). The tectonic bodies of the Peloritani thrust system are overlain by thick clastic sequences of late Oligoceneearly Miocene age (the so-called Stilo-Capo d'Orlando Formation). Previous work has pointed out the 'molassic' character of these clastic sequences, which postdate the main deformation phase of the Peloritani belt, started during Oligocene time. New structural data on the crystalline and sedimentary terrains, sedimentological analysis of the outcropping Oligo-Miocene foreland clastic deposits and their geometric relationships with the substrate, make it possible to recognize the syn-tectonic character and the timing of deformation of these basin-fill deposits, which are expressed by prograding clastic fans in the active margin of a foreland-foredeep system. This system has progressively been involved in the accretion of the Sicilian Belt and migration during the early Miocene towards the more external areas represented by the Sicilide sector. Seen in this light, three different lithological units have been distinguished to prdvide a framework for a review of the palaeotectonic significance of the overall Oligo-Miocene terrigenous covers of the Peloritani Thrust belt     

Oligocene-to-Early Miocene depositional and structural evolution of the Calabria–Peloritani Arc southern terrane (Italy) and geodynamic correlations with the Spain Betics and Morocco Rif

The Calabria–Peloritani Arc southern terrane is a stack of crystalline basement nappes, some of them provided with a widely outcropping Alpine sedimentary cover, sealed by clastics of the Stilo–Capo d’Orlando Formation (SCOF). New field observations in the Stilo area lead to define a Pignolo Formation as a sedimentary cycle predating the emplacement of the uppermost nappe (Stilo Unit) of the tectonic pile. It includes the well-known Lithothamnium and larger foraminifers bearing calcarenites, previously interpreted as a basal member of the SCOF. The biostratigraphic revision of both formations, together with recently published data about other preorogenic deposits, point to a stacking of the whole terrane between the Aquitanian and the middle–late Burdigalian. A comparison between the sedimentary cycles characterising the Calabria–Peloritani southern terrane during the Oligocene–Early Miocene and those almost coeval of the Betic–Rifian internal units highlights their quite similar evolution. Thus it is reliable that both the orogenic belts originated from contiguous paleogeographic realms. These considerations confirm that the present western Mediterranean Chains were originally segments of a continuous orogenic belt disrupted by the opening of the Balearic and Tyrrhenian basins.     

西藏中部尼玛—荣玛地区逆冲推覆构造特征

尼玛—荣玛地区位于羌塘盆地中段,发育大量的逆冲推覆构造体系。尼玛以北主要发育自北向南运动的逆冲推覆构造体系,导致中央隆起带和班公—怒江构造带的岩石地层组合、三叠系和侏罗系地层逆冲在红层之上,其中北羌塘盆地侏罗系地层越过中央隆起,在南羌塘盆地发育滑脱构造并形成薄皮逆冲推覆构造及大型逆冲岩席;尼玛以南主要发育自南向北运动的逆冲推覆构造体系,造成侏罗—白垩系、白垩系岩石组合逆冲在红层之上。逆冲推覆构造普遍控制了红层盆地的生长,并被中新世湖相沉积角度不整合覆盖。逆冲推覆构造活动时代为早白垩世晚期至古近纪,其中中央隆起和班公—怒江构造带最早经历了早白垩世晚期—晚白垩世的抬升,随后整个研究区经历了古近纪的构造抬升,分别与新特提斯洋板片的北向俯冲以及印度—拉萨地块陆陆碰撞存在动力学相关;中新世以来的东西向伸展构造则导致局部差异抬升。逆冲推覆构造破坏了早期油气成藏,但同时伴生的断褶系统也促进地层增厚和有机质成熟,为二次生烃提供了有利的构造圈闭条件,桑列勒以及尼玛一带背斜圈闭是有利的油气靶区。     

祁连山中段门源盆地新构造运动的阶段划分

门源盆地是祁连山中段的山间盆地, 南北边缘均为断裂控制, 发育古近系白杨河组、第四纪冰碛物和冰水堆积物。地层变形、地貌发育和断裂活动分期的差异显示新生代以来门源盆地经历了4个构造运动阶段。新生代最早的构造运动开始于渐新世中期(约30MaB.P.), Ⅰ级夷平面解体, 盆地断陷形成并接收了白杨河组砂砾石沉积。第二阶段始于渐新世末期-中新世初(约23MaB.P.), 盆地结束了沉降过程, 白杨河组褶皱变形, 这一过程持续至中更新世初期。第三阶段始于中更新世中期(约460ka B.P.), 新的边界断裂形成, 盆地再次断陷, 堆积了厚度大于400m的冰碛或冰水堆积物, 边缘断裂强烈活动, 这一过程持续到晚更新世晚期(约30ka B.P.)。最新阶段始于30ka B.P., 盆地和两侧的山地整体抬升, 盆地面由此前的加积过程转变为侵蚀切割过程, 北缘断裂的活动由含走滑分量的逆冲性质转变为走滑性质, 但走滑速率明显降低。      

藏北可可西里盆地老第三纪沉积物源区分析及其高原隆升意义

可可西里盆地位于昆仑山和唐古拉山之间 ,是青藏高原腹地最大的第三纪沉积盆地 ,对于研究青藏高原早期隆升和地壳短缩过程具有重要作用 .盆地保存的始新世—渐新世早期风火山群和雅西措群主要由碎屑岩和泥岩组成 ,厚度为 5 45 2 .8m .碎屑岩的物源区分析表明 ,风火山群主要来自于南部的唐古拉造山带二叠—三叠纪地层 ,而雅西措群主要来自于南部的唐古拉、白日榨加和黑石山 -高山造山带 ,剥蚀深度加大至石炭—二叠纪地层 .它们的沉积演化过程是盆地南部造山带老第三纪构造隆升持续加强的结果 ,表明在雅西措群沉积时期青藏高原北部已经隆升至一定的高度 .     

西昆仑-塔里木盆地盆-山结合带的中、新生代变形构造及其动力学

西昆仑—塔里木盆地盆-山结合带可划分为西昆仑北带和塔里木地块南缘拗陷带(塔南拗陷带)两个构造单元,后者由塔西南拗陷带和塔东南断陷带两部分组成。西昆北带分别以库地—喀什塔什断裂和西昆北冲断裂与西昆中带和塔里木地块南缘拗陷带相隔。盆-山构造经历了长期、叠次的形成、演化过程,但不同时期、不同层次的变形构造具有极大的统一性,总体表现为以西昆中断裂(其主体为库地—喀什塔什断裂)为根带,以北向逆冲扩展作用为主导,向北至塔南拗陷带腹部,逐渐转化为以垂直向上的构造伸展作用为主导。塔南拗陷带的逆冲断裂与具强烈深层流变组构的西昆北逆冲断裂属统一地球动力学系统中不同构造层次的成分,前者是后者向浅层脆性应变域扩展的产物。导致盆-山构造形成的驱动力来自昆仑构造带以南的持续、强烈的北向逆冲扩展作用,至少在塔南拗陷带的前早更新统地层分布区不存在塔里木地块自北向南俯冲的直接证据。西昆仑—塔里木盆地南缘的造盆、造山作用过程可简单地归纳为三个形成演化阶段:晚侏罗世—早白垩世的快速隆升和快速拗陷(沉降)期、晚白垩世—古近纪的深层拆离-缓慢隆升和均匀拗陷(沉降)期和新近纪至今的挤压-急剧隆升和强烈拗陷(沉降)期。造盆、造山作用的动力学过程表明,中—上新世是造盆造山作用机制发生重大转折时期,早更新世末的构造运动基本上奠定了西昆仑—塔里木盆地南缘的盆-山构造格架。     

琼东南盆地南部隆起带新生界沉积体系及其构造-沉积演化

新特提斯洋的弧后扩张导致古南海消亡与新南海扩张,西沙、中沙等微陆块从华南陆缘分离,使琼东南盆地形成并持续沉降。琼东南盆地南部隆起带崖城组沉积期以填平补齐为特征,主要发育近物源的扇三角洲-浅海陆棚沉积体系,物源主要来自松南低凸起和南部隆起剥蚀区。陵水组-梅山组沉积期,由于构造沉降叠加全球海平面上升使海侵扩大,南部隆起带主要发育浅海陆棚沉积,仅在西沙(永乐)隆起发育孤立碳酸盐台地(生物礁)。琼东南盆地及其南部隆起带新生代的构造-沉积演化是在古南海消亡与新南海扩张导致盆地持续沉降的构造背景下完成的,并叠加了全球海平面显著下降对滨海-浅海陆棚剥蚀夷平的强烈影响。     

Latest Miocene to Quaternary horizontal and vertical displacement rates during simultaneous contraction and extension in the Southern Apennines orogen, Italy

Foreland contraction and hinterland extension in the Southern Apennines orogen of Italy produced a complex spatial and temporal pattern of vertical and horizontal displacement. Remarkably, Late Miocene to mid-Pleistocene foreland migration of the contractional front at ∼16 mm yr⁻¹ was not accompanied by uplift and the frontal thrust belt remained at or below sea level. Only following a mid-Pleistocene reduction in horizontal displacement did the frontal thrust belt and foreland begin uplift at ∼0.5 mm yr⁻¹, a rate that increased to ∼1 mm yr⁻¹ after 125 ka. Although the extensional hinterland experienced net subsidence during formation of the Tyrrhenian basin, an extensional transition zone adjacent to the frontal thrust belt records sustained uplift at ∼0.3 mm yr⁻¹. The interaction of preexisting crustal structure and deep tectonic processes resulted in time-integrated displacement rates suggesting steady-state deformation for periods of 10⁶ years. Displacement rate changes were abrupt and occurred over intervals of 10⁵ years or less.     

新生代酒西盆地沉积特征及其与祁连山隆升关系的研究

酒西盆地普遍缺失上白垩统-始新统,在渐新世晚期开始接受沉积,并形成厚约3．9km的中下第三系一第四系河流相沉积约,不整合覆盖于下白垩统上。渐新统火烧沟组仅在盆地北部出露,往盆地南部尖灭,古流向向南,其物源区应在北部,可能和阿尔金断裂的活动有关。白杨河组全盆均有分布,北祁连山中也有沉积。山中-盆内沉积相由山麓相转变为河湖相,变化明显;古流向大致向北,说明当时祁连山开始隆升,成为白杨河组的物源区。对酒西盆地中、新生界的重矿物进行了系统分析,白杨河组重矿物绝对含量的脉动增加明显,显示白杨河组沉积物源发生变化,原因可能是北祁连山开始隆升,酒西盆地的沉积物源由北转向南侧的祁连山。重矿物的相对含量以及ATi,GZi和ZTR特征值也指示了白杨河组时期矿物成熟度低,构造活动强烈,可能对应着北祁连山的开始隆升。     

New constraints to the geodynamic evolution of the southern sector of the Calabria–Peloritani Arc (Italy)Nouvelles données sur l'évolution géodynamique du secteur méridional de l'Arc Calabro-Péloritain (Italie)

New studies have been carried out on the Tertiary of the Stilo Unit, the uppermost of the Calabria–Peloritani Arc southern sector, and the Stilo–Capo d'Orlando Formation, sealing the whole nappe stack. The Tertiary terrains linked to the Mesozoic cover of the Stilo Unit consist of the lowermost Oligocene Palizzi Formation and the Late Rupelian–Aquitanian Pignolo Formation. The possibility that they deposited before the emplacement of this unit as the highest tectonic sheet of the sector is suggested. The base of the Stilo–Capo d'Orlando Formation resulted of Burdigalian age in both type areas. This interpretation, together with the existing and new data, allows proposing an age close to the Aquitanian–Burdigalian boundary for the stacking of the whole Calabria–Peloritani Arc southern sector. To cite this article: G. Bonardi et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 423–430.     

滇西兰坪盆地古近系构造—沉积演化与成矿关系

兰坪中新生代盆地因堆积了巨量金属而倍受关注,盆地内沉积岩容矿贱金属矿床矿体的就位与印—亚大陆碰撞挤压和扬子古陆与滇藏古陆拼接碰撞而引起的盆地内部及周缘变形密切相关.古近纪充填序列特征及物质聚集分布规律显示,盆地总体上处于挤压构造背景下,其构造—沉积演化可划分为古新世—早始新世挤压拗陷和晚始新世—渐新世挤压走滑两个阶段.盆地演化过程中形成的控矿构造有挤压—拗陷—褶皱构造和区域大规模挤压走滑断裂构造,这些构造变形可以是容矿构造,也可以是导矿构造.古近世中期碰撞挤压拗陷阶段(55~41 Ma),形成了兰坪盆地西部拗陷褶皱推覆带内的脉状Cu矿床和富隆厂等脉状Cu-Ag-Pb-Zn矿床(48~49 Ma);晚期挤压走滑阶段(40~26 Ma)形成兰坪盆地东部逆冲推覆带内河西—三山Pb-Zn(-Ag-Sr)矿床和金顶超大型Pb-Zn矿(-34 Ma).兰坪盆地成矿与盆地构造—沉积演化显示出很好的耦合关系.     

唐河—栗园—泌阳断层的几何学和运动学特征——兼论桐柏造山带与泌阳凹陷的盆—山关系

唐河—栗园—泌阳断层位于南襄盆地泌阳凹陷南部,是分隔泌阳凹陷与桐柏造山带的伸展拆离型控凹边界断裂,其几何学和运动学特征对分析泌阳凹陷的形成演化过程和研究泌阳凹陷与桐柏造山带的盆—山关系均具有重要意义。本文以区域露头、岩石测年、地震、钻井分层资料为基础,精细刻画断层的几何学特征,恢复其运动学过程并探讨泌阳凹陷与桐柏造山带的盆—山关系。根据断层走向、倾向和距离—位移曲线,将断层分为西段、中段、东1段和东2段,各段的断面形态、滑脱深度、沉积地层均有差异;认为断层是一个复杂曲面,可由3个横向轴面和3个纵向轴面分割为15个等倾角区。根据演化复原,认为断层西段在晚白垩世开始活动,中段在玉二段沉积期开始活动,东1段在玉一段沉积期开始活动,东2段在大仓房组沉积期开始活动,整体呈现由西向东逐渐活化扩展的趋势。断面及上盘地层旋转程度在中段最大,向两侧减弱;后期隆升剥蚀强度在中段最弱,东段次之,西段最强。前晚白垩世,泌阳凹陷基底与桐柏造山带经历了相似的构造演化过程;晚白垩世—始新世,泌阳凹陷扬子板块向华北板块俯冲碰撞后岩石圈拆沉的地幔热流作用,早期NW-SE向逆冲断裂反转沉降形成凹陷雏形,盆—山关系具耦合特征;渐新世以来,受太平洋板块向欧亚大陆俯冲碰撞的弧后拉张作用,凹陷沉降—沉积逐渐受NE-SW向断裂控制,盆—山关系具脱耦特征。     

鄂尔多斯地块南缘构造演化及其对盆地腹部的构造—沉积分异的效应

鄂尔多斯地块南缘处在盆地与秦岭造山带之间这一盆—山结合的过渡部位,由于构造位置的特殊性,自古生代以来其构造及沉积面貌与盆地腹部地区存在较大差异,具体表现在：1）早古生代沉积开始早、结束晚;2）晚古生代沉积开始晚;3）印支期西南部发生局部坳陷沉降;4）燕山晚期盆地南部强烈抬升（远高于盆地东部的同期抬升）;5）喜马拉雅期渭河地区快速沉陷与渭北隆升。盆地南部经历了3次大的构造格局转换：一是晚古生代末—印支期西南部“由隆到坳”的构造转换;二是印支期末—燕山期主体构造走向由北西—南东向到南北向的转换（构造转向）;三是燕山期末—喜马拉雅期渭河地区由强烈隆升到快速沉降的转换（构造反转）。盆地南部在不同时期所表现出的与盆地本部的不同耦合特征均根源于区域大地构造背景的差异：1）早古生代处于活动大陆边缘构造环境;2）海西期—印支期受古特提斯洋开裂—闭合的影响;3）燕山期受古太平洋板块俯冲的影响;4）喜马拉雅期受印度板块俯冲与太平洋板块俯冲的共同制约。鄂尔多斯地块南缘经历强烈伸展与造山过程,引起了其与盆地腹部的构造—沉积分异。     

Unravelling provenance from Eocene–Oligocene sandstones of the Thrace Basin,North‐east Greece

New sandstone petrology and petrostratigraphy provide insights on Palaeogene (Middle Eocene to Oligocene) clastics of the Thrace Basin in Greece, which developed synchronously with post‐Cretaceous collision and subsequent Tertiary extension. Sandstone petrofacies are used as a tool to unravel complex geodynamic changes that occurred at the southern continental margin of the European plate, identifying detrital signals of the accretionary processes of the Rhodope orogen, as well as subsequent partitioning related to extension of the Rhodope area, followed by Oligocene to present Aegean extension and wide magmatic activity starting during the Early Oligocene. Sandstone detrital modes include three distinctive petrofacies: quartzolithic, quartzofeldspathic and feldspatholithic. Major contributions are from metamorphic basement units, represented mostly by low to medium‐grade lithic fragments for the quartzolithic petrofacies and high‐grade metamorphic rock fragments for the quartzofeldspathic petrofacies. Volcaniclastic sandstones were derived from different volcanic areas, with a composition varying from dominantly silicic to subordinate intermediate products (mainly rhyolitic glass, spherulites and felsitic lithics). Evolution of detrital modes documents contributions from three key source areas corresponding to the two main crystalline tectonic units: (i) the Variegated Complex (ultramafic complex), in the initial stage of accretion (quartzolithic petrofacies); (ii) the Gneiss–Migmatite Complex (quartzofeldspathic petrofacies); and (iii) the Circum‐Rhodope Belt. The volcaniclastic petrofacies is interbedded with quartzofeldspathic petrofacies, reflecting superposition of active volcanic activity on regional erosion. The three key petrofacies reflect complex provenance from different tectonic settings, from collisional orogenic terranes to local basement uplift and volcanic activity. The composition and stratigraphic relations of sandstones derived from erosion of the Rhodope orogenic belt and superposed magmatism after the extensional phase in northern Greece provide constraints for palaeogeographic and palaeotectonic models of the Eocene to Oligocene western portions of the Thrace Basin. Clastic detritus in the following sedimentary assemblages was derived mainly from provenance terranes of the Palaeozoic section within the strongly deformed Rhodope Massif of northern Greece and south‐east Bulgaria, from the epimetamorphic units of the Circum‐Rhodope Belt and from superposed Late Eocene to Early Oligocene magmatism related to orogenic collapse of the Rhodope orogen. The sedimentary provenance of the Rhodope Palaeogene sandstones documents the changing nature of this orogenic belt through time, and may contribute to a general understanding of similar geodynamic settings.     

新疆北部古生代构造演化的几点认识

最近的地质调查和研究资料揭示,新疆北部古生代存在"三块两带"的构造格局,并经历了复杂的洋陆转换过程。地质、地球物理和碎屑锆石年龄结果显示,准噶尔盆地南部应存在一个至少发育前震旦系的古老陆块;初步认为东准噶尔北自额尔齐斯构造带东南的玛依鄂博地区至南部的卡拉麦里构造带南界,整体为一增生杂岩体,西准噶尔自额尔齐斯构造带南缘至谢米斯台南缘亦为一增生杂岩体。提出新疆北部加里东运动表现为准噶尔-吐哈陆块、中天山陆块群、伊犁地块等拼合形成哈萨克斯坦板块的一部分。从新疆北部泥盆系建造组合和沉积环境演变视角,探讨了早古生代形成的哈萨克板块北部洋盆从早泥盆世开始,至晚泥盆世拼合,洋盆经历了逐渐变浅直至消亡的演化过程。结合区域地质调查资料,提出南天山为一巨大的增生杂岩体,代表了哈萨克斯坦板块与塔里木板块最后增生拼合的位置,亦是古亚洲洋在中国境内最后闭合的位置,闭合的时限为早石炭末期。在以上认识的基础上,提出新疆北部晚古生代构造演化的"三块两带"基本框架:即在统一哈萨克斯坦板块形成后,自北而南依次存在西伯利亚板块、哈萨克斯坦板块、塔里木板块及其间的准噶尔洋盆和南天山洋盆。晚泥盆世哈萨克斯坦板块与西伯利亚板块完成增生拼贴;早石炭世末,塔里木板块与西伯利亚-哈萨克斯坦联合板块完成增生拼贴,古亚洲洋结束洋陆转换;晚石炭世至早二叠世,新疆北部进入后碰撞伸展至大陆裂谷演化阶段。     

Pre-Quaternary orogen-parallel extension in the Southern Apennine belt, Italy

The Southern Apennine fold and thrust belt differs from other parts of the peri-Tyrrhenian orogen. In most of the peri-Tyrrhenian belt, hinterland extension is oriented at a high-angle to the orogen axis and appears to be related to rifting and formation of oceanic crust within the Tyrrhenian basin. The Southern Apennines share the late-stage development of normal faults related to the opening of the Tyrrhenian Sea, but also experienced an episode of extension parallel to the strike of the tectonic belt. The orogen-parallel extension was apparently formed in response to the increase in length of the deformed belt during arcuation. Arcuation ostensibly was related to asymmetrical rifting in the hinterland, which was greater in the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea than in areas to the north, and proportionately greater shortening in the frontal parts of the southern belt as compared to regions in the north. During arcuation, extension was spatially concentrated within structural domains and was accomplished by displacement on low-angle detachment faults cutting through a previously imbricated thrust stack. During the Miocene-Pliocene, NNW-SSE extension in the interior of the Southern Appennine belt formed coveally with ENE-WSW shortening in the foreland. Longitudinal extension ceased in the Pleistocene, when younger high-angle normal faults formed in response to the easterly migration of Tyrrhenian Sea rifting and NE-SW extension associated with lithospheric stretching.     

Distribution of Palaeozoic tectonic superimposed unconformities in the Tarim Basin,NW China: significance for the evolution of palaeogeomorphology and sedimentary response

Seismic and drilling well data were used to examine the occurrence of multiple stratigraphic unconformities in the Tarim Basin, NW China. The Early Cambrian, the Late Ordovician and the late Middle Devonian unconformities constitute three important tectonic sequence boundaries within the Palaeozoic succession. In the Tazhong, Tabei, Tadong uplifts and the southwestern Tarim palaeo‐uplift, unconformities obviously belong to superimposed unconformities. A superimposed unconformity is formed by superimposition of unconformities of multiple periods. Areas where superimposed unconformities develop are shown as composite belts of multiple tectonic unconformities, and as higher uplift areas of palaeo‐uplifts in palaeogeomorphologic units. The contact relationship of unconformities in the lower uplift areas is indicative of truncation‐overlap. A slope belt is located below the uplift areas, and the main and secondary unconformities are characterized by local onlap reflection on seismic profiles. The regional dynamics controlled the palaeotectonic setting of the Palaeozoic rocks in the Tarim Basin and the origin and evolution of the basin constrained deposition. From the Sinian to the Cambrian, the Tarim landmass and its surrounding areas belonged to an extensional tectonic setting. Since the Late Ordovician, the neighbouring north Kunlun Ocean and Altyn Ocean was transformed from a spreading ocean basin to a closed compressional setting. The maximum compression was attained in the Late Ordovician. The formation of a tectonic palaeogeomorphologic evolution succession from a cratonic margin aulacogen depression to a peripheral foreland basin in the Early Caledonian cycle controlled the deposition of platform, platform margin, and deep‐water basin. Tectonic uplift during the Late Ordovician resulted in a shallower basin which was followed by substantial erosion. Subsequently, a cratonic depression and peripheral or back‐arc foreland basin began their development in the Silurian to Early–Middle Devonian interval. In this period, the Tabei Uplift, the Northern Depression and the southern Tarim palaeo‐uplift showed obvious control on depositional systems, including onshore slope, shelf and deep‐water basin. The southern Tarim Plate was in a continuous continental compressional setting after collision, whereas the southern Tianshan Ocean began to close in the Early Ordovician and was completely closed by the Middle Devonian. At the same time, further compression from peripheral tectonic units in the eastern and southern parts of the Tarim Basin led to the expansion of palaeo‐uplift in the Late Devonian–Early Carboniferous interval, and the connection of the Tabei Uplift and Tadong Uplift, thus controlling onshore, fluvial delta, clastic coast, lagoon‐bay and shallow marine deposition. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Meso-Cenozoic geodynamic evolution of the Paris Basin: 3D stratigraphic constraints

3D stratigraphic geometries of the intracratonic Meso-Cenozoic Paris Basin were obtained by sequence stratigraphic correlations of around 1 100 wells (well-logs). The basin records the major tectonic events of the western part of the Eurasian Plate, i.e. opening and closure of the Tethys and opening of the Atlantic. From earlier Triassic to Late Jurassic, the Paris Basin was a broad subsiding area in an extensional framework, with a larger size than the present-day basin. During the Aalenian time, the subsidence pattern changes drastically (early stage of the central Atlantic opening). Further steps of the opening of the Ligurian Tethys (base Hettangian, late Pliensbachian;...) and its evolution into an oceanic domain (passive margin, Callovian) are equally recorded in the tectono-sedimentary history. The Lower Cretaceous was characterized by NE–SW compressive medium wavelength unconformities (late Cimmerian–Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary and intra-Berriasian and late Aptian unconformities) coeval with opening of the Bay of Biscay. These unconformities are contemporaneous with a major decrease of the subsidence rate. After an extensional period of subsidence (Albian to Turonian), NE–SW compression started in late Turonian time with major folding during the Late Cretaceous. The Tertiary was a period of very low subsidence in a compressional framework. The second folding stage occurred from the Lutetian to the Lower Oligocene (N–S compression) partly coeval with the E–W extension of the Oligocene rifts. Further compression occurred in the early Burdigalian and the Late Miocene in response to NE–SW shortening. Overall uplift occurred, with erosion, around the Lower/Middle Pleistocene boundary.     

Revised age of proximal deposits in the Zagros foreland basin and implications for Cenozoic evolution of the High Zagros

The regionally extensive, coarse-grained Bakhtiyari Formation represents the youngest synorogenic fill in the Zagros foreland basin of Iran. The Bakhtiyari is present throughout the Zagros fold-thrust belt and consists of conglomerate with subordinate sandstone and marl. The formation is up to 3000 m thick and was deposited in foredeep and wedge-top depocenters flanked by fold-thrust structures. Although the Bakhtiyari concordantly overlies Miocene deposits in foreland regions, an angular unconformity above tilted Paleozoic to Miocene rocks is expressed in the hinterland (High Zagros).

The Bakhtiyari Formation has been widely considered to be a regional sheet of Pliocene–Pleistocene conglomerate deposited during and after major late Miocene–Pliocene shortening. It is further believed that rapid fold growth and Bakhtiyari deposition commenced simultaneously across the fold-thrust belt, with limited migration from hinterland (NE) to foreland (SW). Thus, the Bakhtiyari is generally interpreted as an unmistakable time indicator for shortening and surface uplift across the Zagros. However, new structural and stratigraphic data show that the most-proximal Bakhtiyari exposures, in the High Zagros south of Shahr-kord, were deposited during the early Miocene and probably Oligocene. In this locality, a coarse-grained Bakhtiyari succession several hundred meters thick contains gray marl, limestone, and sandstone with diagnostic marine pelecypod, gastropod, coral, and coralline algae fossils. Foraminiferal and palynological species indicate deposition during early Miocene time. However, the lower Miocene marine interval lies in angular unconformity above ~ 150 m of Bakhtiyari conglomerate that, in turn, unconformably caps an Oligocene marine sequence. These relationships attest to syndepositional deformation and suggest that the oldest Bakhtiyari conglomerate could be Oligocene in age.

The new age information constrains the timing of initial foreland-basin development and proximal Bakhtiyari deposition in the Zagros hinterland. These findings reveal that structural evolution of the High Zagros was underway by early Miocene and probably Oligocene time, earlier than commonly envisioned. The age of the Bakhtiyari Formation in the High Zagros contrasts significantly with the Pliocene–Quaternary Bakhtiyari deposits near the modern deformation front, suggesting a long-term (> 20 Myr) advance of deformation toward the foreland.     

Sequence of thrusting and syntectonic sedimentation in the eastern Sub-Atlas thrust belt (Dadès and Mgoun valleys,Morocco)

A series of balanced cross-sections across the Sub-Atlas thrust belt and the northern Ouarzazate basin are used to illustrate the structural geometry and the timing of deformation at the southern front of the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. The selected area is among the best sedimentary records of mountain building of the entire orogenic system. The study of the relationships between thrusts and synorogenic continental formations enables the unraveling of kinematic sequences and the proposal of a relative chronology of deformation. Active thrusting in the area occurred in a rather continuous fashion from the Oligocene to the Pliocene, punctuated by a major erosional phase imprecisely placed in late Oligocene to early Miocene times. Detrital sedimentary facies indicate that uplift in the hinterland of the High Atlas, to the north of the Sub-Atlas belt, was taking place already by mid Eocene times, although it might have commenced locally even earlier. Within the Sub-Atlas zone, the exposed faults did not propagate in a simple piggy-back fashion but show evidence of a complex, synchronous sequence with events of fault reactivation and out-of-sequence thrusting.