The impact of syn- and post-extension prograding sedimentation on the development of salt-related rift basins and their inversion: Clues from analogue modelling

Various studies have demonstrated the intrinsic interrelationship between tectonics and sedimentation in salt-related rift basins during extension as well as during their inversion by compression. Here, we present seven brittle-ductile analogue models to show that the longitudinal or transverse progradation of sediment filling an elongate extensional basin has a substantial impact on the growth of diapirs and their lateral geometrical variations. We use five extensional models to reveal how these prograding systems triggered diapir growth variations, from proximal to distal areas, relative to the sedimentary source. In the models, continuous passive diapir walls developed, after a short period of reactive-active diapiric activity, during syn-extensional homogeneous deposition. In contrast, non-rectilinear diapir walls grew during longitudinal prograding sedimentation. Both longitudinal and transverse post extensional progradation triggered well-developed passive diapirs in the proximal domains, whereas incipient reactive-active diapirs, incipient roller-like diapirs, or poorly developed diapirs were generated in the distal domains, depending on the modelled sedimentary pattern. Two models included final phases of 6% and 10% shortening associated with basin inversion by compression, respectively, to discriminate compressional from purely extensional geometries. With the applied shortening, the outward flanks of existing diapir walls steepened their dips from 8 degrees-17 degrees to 30 degrees-50 degrees. Likewise, 6% of shortening narrowed the diapir walls by 32%-72%, with their fully closing (salt welds) with 10% of shortening. We compare our results with the distribution of salt walls and minibasins of the Central High Atlas diapiric basin in Morocco, which was infilled with a longitudinally prograding mixed siliciclastic and carbonatic depositional sequence during the Early-Middle Jurassic with a minimum thicknesses of 2.5-4.0 km. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Jurassic rifting to post-rift subsidence analysis in the Central High Atlas and its relation to salt diapirism

The subsidence evolution of the Tethyan Moroccan Atlas Basin, presently inverted as the Central High Atlas, is characterized by an Early Jurassic rifting episode, synchronous with salt diapirism of the Triassic evaporite-bearing rocks. Two contrasting regions of the rift basin - with and without salt diapirism - are examined to assess the effect of salt tectonics in the evolution of subsidence patterns and stratigraphy. The Djebel Bou Dahar platform to basin system, located in the southern margin of the Atlas Basin, shows a Lower Jurassic record of normal faulting and lacks any evidence of salt diapirism. In contrast, the Tazoult ridge and adjacent Amezra¿ı basin, located in the centre of the Atlas Basin, reveals spectacular Early Jurassic diapirism. In addition, we analyse alternative Central High Atlas post-Middle Jurassic geohistories based on new thermal and burial models (GENEX 4.0.3 software), constrained by new vitrinite reflectance data from the Amezra¿ı basin. The comparison of the new subsidence curves from the studied areas with published subsidence curves from the Moroccan Atlas, the Saharan Atlas (Algeria) and Tunisian Atlas show that fast subsidence peaks were diachronous along the strike, being younger towards the east from Early-Middle Jurassic to Late Cretaceous. This analysis also evidences a close relationship between these high subsidence rate episodes and salt diapirism

Origin of the coloured karst fills in the neogene extensional system of ne iberia (Spain)

Karst fills from the onshore Penedès Basin and offshore València Trough display red, pink, orange and ochre colours. Their Mössbauer spectra indicate that Fe3+ contained in goethite is the dominant species in reddish-pink fills, whereas Fe2+ contained in dolomite and clays is more dominant in the orange and ochre ones. The lower δ 13C values and higher 87Sr/86Sr ratios of the karst fills with respect to their host carbonates can reflect the input of soil-derived CO2 and an external radiogenic source into the karst system. This geochemical composition, together with the non-carbonate fraction of the fills, consists of authigenic and transported illite, illite-smectite interlayers, as well as kaolinite, chlorite, pyrite, quartz, ilmenite, magnetite, apatite and feldspar, account for a mixed residual-detrital origin of fills. This polygenic origin agrees with that of the terra rossa sediments described worldwide. The different colours of karst fills are attributed to fluctuations in the water table, which control the Eh/pH conditions in the karst system. Thus, reddish colours reflect low water table levels and oxidising episodes, and orange and ochre ones reflect high water table levels and more reducing episodes. The greenish colours of fills could be related to fluctuations in the Fe3+/Fe2+ ratio

Multidisciplinary characterization of diapiric basins integrating field examples, numerical and analogue modelling: Central High Atlas Basin (Morocco)

[eng] The complexity of the interplay between tectonics and sedimentation increases when salt tectonics is involved because of the ductility of salt and its ability to flow. Discrimination between extensional tectonics and salt-related processes is problematic; especially where salt-related rift basins were inverted as occurred in the Central High Atlas in Morocco. The aim of the present work was to analyse and understand the dynamics of the Central High Atlas diapiric basin during the Early Jurassic rift and subsequent post-rift periods using a multidisciplinary workflow integrating fieldwork, analogue models and subsidence and thermal numerical modelling. Two regions were examined to assess the effects of salt tectonics in the evolution of the basin; the Djebel Bou Dahar platform-basin system represented the fault domain of the rift basin where diapiric activity was not described and the Tazoult-Amezraï area and Imilchil diapiric province corresponding to the unstable domain of the basin characterised by the presence of diapiric salt ridges and minibasins. Results from analogue models highlighted the intrinsic interrelation between extension, diapirism and sedimentation that characterised the diapiric domain of the Central High Atlas. Longitudinal and transverse sedimentary progradations and their timing had a strong impact in the migration of ductile layers, in the growth of diapirs and in their lateral structural variations; triggering well-developed passive diapirs in the proximal domains and incipient reactive diapirs or poorly developed roller-like and passive diapirs in the distal domains of the sediment source. Analogue models including post-diapiric compression fairly reproduced the observed structure in the studied areas. Modelling with 6% and 10% of shortening, slightly lower than the Atlas one, produced the progressive close-up of the two flanks of salt walls and their final welding as well as the steepening of their outward flanks, with dips increasing from 8o-17o prior to compression to 30o-50o after compression. Subsidence curves varied depending on the analysed localities of the rift basin. Djebel Bou Dahar showed long-term and low-rate tectonic and total subsidence (0.06 and 0.08 mm yr-1, respectively). The roughly parallel evolution of both total and tectonic subsidence curves indicates the main extensional tectonic influence on subsidence pattern, as corroborated by the syndepositional activity of the outcropping Sinemurian-Pliensbachian normal faults. In the unstable domain, Amezraï minibasin centre showed tectonic and total subsidence rates between 0.06-0.32 and 0.19-0.98 mm yr-1, rates one order of magnitude higher than in the Djebel Bou Dahar. These subsidence rates were up to two-fold their equivalent rates in the Tazoult salt wall (0.01-0.27 and 0.09-0.74 mm yr-1). In the Imilchil diapiric province lateral shifts of the main subsiding depocenters were recorded during Toarcian to Callovian times (tectonic and total subsidence rates up to 0.23 and 0.90 mm yr-1). The subsidence of the unstable domain was caused by the combination of normal fault extension and salt withdrawal from beneath the minibasins during rifting, being the salt-related subsidence predominant during the post-rift and masking the expected subsidence pattern for a rift-post rift transition. For the first time, 27 new vitrinite reflectance data were used to build the thermal evolution and associated geohistory of the Central High Atlas. Thermal models, with heat flows of 105 mW/m2 (from 189 to 140 Ma) followed by 60 mW/m2 and 70 mW/m2 (from 189 to 182.7 Ma) followed by 60 mW/m2, pointed to a post-Middle Jurassic evolution characterised by long-term and low-rate subsidence and an overburden between 1200-2400 m on the Tazoult-Amezraï area. The comparison of subsidence curves from this study with Saharan Atlas and Tunisian Atlas showed that peak of subsidence in these salt-related domains became younger to the east.[cat] La discriminació entre processos associats a tectònica extensiva i a tectònica salina es problemàtica; especialment en conques diapíriques extensives invertides com és el cas del Alt Atles Central de Marroc (CHA). L’objectiu d’aquesta tesis és analitzar i entendre els processos que interaccionaren a la conca diapírica del CHA durant el rift Juràssic i el subseqüent període post rift, utilitzant una metodologia multidisciplinària que integra treball de camp, models analògics i models numèrics. S’han estudiat dos dominis de la conca: no diapiric i diapiric (diapirisme durant el Juràssic Inferior i Mitjà). Els models analògics mostren que progradacions longitudinals i transversals i el moment quan s’inicien tenen un gran impacte en la migració dels nivells dúctils, en el mode de creixement diapiric i les seves variacions laterals. Els models amb compressió post-diapírica mostren que dita compressió produeix la reducció progressiva de l’amplada de les estructures diapíriques fins al seu tancament complet, així com a un increment dels cabussaments dels flancs com s’ha observat a les zones d’estudi. Les corbes de subsidència varien segons el domini analitzat. El domini no diapiric es caracteritza per un període llarg de baixes taxes de subsidència tectònica i total (0.06 i 0.08 mma-1). El domini diapiric registra taxes de subsidència tectònica i total fins a un ordre de magnitud majors que en el domini no diapiric (0.23 i 0.90 mma-1) i una migració dels depocentres subsidents. La subsidència del domini diapiric s’interpreta, durant el rift Juràssic Inferior, com una combinació d’activitat de falles normals i migració salina, sent aquesta darrera la predominant durant la fase post-extensiva i emmascarant el patró de subsidència esperat en un estadi de transició rift-post rift. Per primera vegada, es presenta la geohistòria de la part central del CHA. Els models tèrmics emprats per a la seva construcció, avaluats amb 27 noves dades de reflectància de vitrinites de la zona d’estudi, suggereixen una evolució post-Juràssic Mitjà caracteritzada per un període llarg de baixa subsidència que hauria enterrat la regió entre 1200-2400 m, en comptes de una complexa historia que inclouria diversos esdeveniments d’exhumació com s’ha enregistrat en altres zones del Alt Atles Marroquí

Fluid evolution from extension to compression in the Pyrenean Fold Belt and Basque-Cantabrian Basin: A review

We propose a review to discuss the large number of studies dealing with the fluid history in extensional and compressional sedimentary basins that evolved along the Iberian-Eurasian plate boundary during the full Mesozoic-Cenozoic Wilson Cycle in the Pyrenean fold belt and the Basque-Cantabrian Basin. We integrate classic and modern geochemical and geochronological datasets used in fluid studies with the current tectonic knowledge of the studied area. Late Hercynian fluid systems were dominated by Carboniferous-early Permian magmatic intrusions related to large-scale lithospheric delamination at the end of the collision, which caused the accumulation of skarns at depths of 8000–10,000 m during contact metamorphism. During the Mesozoic extension, early and widespread shallow burial dolomitization of Jurassic and Early-Cretaceous carbonates occurred at burial depths of 500–1000 m due to seawater influx. From Albian to Cenomanian, along the North Pyrenean extensional fault zone, contact metamorphism processes occurred in association with mantle-derived and deep-crustal fluids at temperatures higher than 300 °C, which interacted with Triassic evaporites and formation and marine waters and depths of 2000–3000 m. Away from this fault, fluid systems were dominated by hydrothermal dolomitization and the accumulation of Znsingle bondPb mineralization along diapir walls and faults, whereas in the less extended and proximal domains of the extensional system, fluids were formation waters at temperatures up to 150 °C. The Alpine compressional fluid history registers the increasing influence of meteoric fluids as the foreland basin became overfilled and fluid flow occurred at depths of 2.5–4 km in tectonic units detached in Triassic evaporites and of >4 km in units rooted at depth with the Paleozoic basement. Along and across strike differences in the fluid evolution of the Pyrenees are attributed to changes in the structure of the cover and basement tectonic units, the westward decrease of shortening and in the oblique directions of Upper Triassic successions, which acted as very efficient seals for deep-sourced fluids. Subvertical walls of diapirs are baffles for fluid flow, whereas fracturing and deposition of porous halokinetic successions are effective conduits. Evaporite detachments compartmentalize paleohydrological systems during tectonic deformation, although they may be breached by fluids reaching lithostatic pressures. In large evaporite-bearing provinces, fluid systems may share common patterns during successive extensional and compressional tectonic events, as documented in the Western Mediterranean Mesozoic extensional rift system. In this area, metal-bearing and deep-sourced fluids interacted with Triassic sulphates and organic matter, triggering the accumulation sulphides in rock porosity. However, more research is needed in other large-scale evaporitic provinces of different ages to identify common fluid flow patterns

Diagenetic evolution of a fractured evaporite deposit (Vilobí Gypsum Unit, Miocene, NE Spain)

The upper Burdigalian Vilobí Gypsum Unit, located in the Vallès Penedès half‐grabben (NE Spain), consists of a 60‐m thick succession of laminated‐to‐banded secondary and primary gypsum affected by Neogene extension in the western part of Mediterranean Sea. This Tertiary extensional event is recorded in the evaporitic unit as six fracture sets (faults and joints), which can be linked with basin‐scale deformation stages. All fractures are totally or partially infilled by four types of new gypsum precipitates showing a large variety of textures and microstructures. A structural and petrological study of the unit allows us to establish the following chronology of the fracture formation and infilling processes, from oldest to youngest: (i) S1 and S2 normal faults sets formation and precipitation of sigmoidal gypsum fibres; (ii) S3 joint set formation and growing of perpendicular fibres; (iii) S4 inverse fault development, infilled by oblique gypsum fibres and deformation of the previous fillings; and (iv) S5 and S6 joint formations and later dissolution processes, infilled by macrocrystalline gypsum cements. The fractures provided the pathway for fluid circulation in the Vilobí Unit. The oxygen, sulphur and strontium isotope compositions of the host rocks and the new precipitates in the fractures suggest clear convective recycling processes from the host‐sulphates to the fracture infillings, recorded by a general enrichment trend to heavier S-O isotopes, from the oldest precipitates (sigmoidal fibres) to the youngest (macrocrystalline cements) and to the preservation of the strontium signals in the infillings

The impact of syn- and post-extension prograding sedimentation on the development of salt-related rift basins and their inversion: Clues from analogue modelling

Various studies have demonstrated the intrinsic interrelationship between tectonics and sedimentation in salt-related rift basins during extension as well as during their inversion by compression. Here, we present seven brittle-ductile analogue models to show that the longitudinal or transverse progradation of sediment filling an elongate extensional basin has a substantial impact on the growth of diapirs and their lateral geometrical variations. We use five extensional models to reveal how these prograding systems triggered diapir growth variations, from proximal to distal areas, relative to the sedimentary source. In the models, continuous passive diapir walls developed, after a short period of reactive-active diapiric activity, during syn-extensional homogeneous deposition. In contrast, non-rectilinear diapir walls grew during longitudinal prograding sedimentation. Both longitudinal and transverse post extensional progradation triggered well-developed passive diapirs in the proximal domains, whereas incipient reactive-active diapirs, incipient roller-like diapirs, or poorly developed diapirs were generated in the distal domains, depending on the modelled sedimentary pattern. Two models included final phases of 6% and 10% shortening associated with basin inversion by compression, respectively, to discriminate compressional from purely extensional geometries. With the applied shortening, the outward flanks of existing diapir walls steepened their dips from 8 degrees-17 degrees to 30 degrees-50 degrees. Likewise, 6% of shortening narrowed the diapir walls by 32%-72%, with their fully closing (salt welds) with 10% of shortening. We compare our results with the distribution of salt walls and minibasins of the Central High Atlas diapiric basin in Morocco, which was infilled with a longitudinally prograding mixed siliciclastic and carbonatic depositional sequence during the Early-Middle Jurassic with a minimum thicknesses of 2.5-4.0 km. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved