Messinian to Quaternary shortening structures in the Palomares marginpreliminary results from the TOPOMED-GASSIS seismic survey (AlgeroBalearic basin, Western Mediterranean)
- F. Giaconia 1
- G. Booth-Rea 1
- C.R. Ranero 2
- E. Gràcia 2
- M.G. Vendrell 2
- C. Lo Iacono 2
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1
Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra
info
- 2 B-CSI, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar-CSIC, Centre Mediterrani d’Investigacions Marines i Ambientals
ISSN: 1576-5172
Year of publication: 2012
Issue Title: VIII Congreso Geológico de España, Oviedo, 17-19 de julio, 2012.
Issue: 13
Pages: 1591-1594
Type: Article
More publications in: Geotemas (Madrid)
Abstract
The Palomares margin (Algero-Balearic basin, Western Mediterranean) has been interpreted either as a strike-slip structure or as an extensional margin, although it strikes sub-perpendicular to the present NW-SE shortening stress field and GPS geodetic displacement data. In order to refine the structure of the Palomares margin we shot a deep seismic reflection line and a 3.5 kHz multi parametric echo sounder profile parallel to the present shortening direction. The seismic line shows a fault propagation fold that affects the Neogene volcanic basement forming the Abubacer volcanic-igneous ridge. The thrust has a SE-wards sense of displacement, folding and uplifting the northwestern fault block. Between the Abubacer anticline and the coast line a basin occurs in a syncline filled by a Messinian to Plio-Pleistocene syn-tectonic sedimentary infill. The multi parametric echo-sounder profile evidences anticlines and synclines affecting the Quaternary sediments both to the NW and to the SE of the hangingwall syncline. These data suggest a pure shortening tectonic regime for the Palomares margin producing the Abubacer anticline and associated thrust. These structures started to develop in the Messinian as indicated by the syn-tectonic features observed in the sedimentary sequence.