The Ocean Basins and Margins

475 Pages·1978·19.618 MB·English

by  J. M. Ríos (auth.), Alan E. M. Nairn, William H. Kanes, Francis G. Stehli (eds.)

THE OCEAN BASINS
AND MARGINS
Volume 4B
The Western
Mediterranean
THE OCEAN BASINS AND MARGINS
Volume 1: The South Atlantic
Volume 2: The North Atlantic
Volume 3: The Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean
Volume 4A: The Eastern Mediterranean
Volume 4B: The Western Mediterranean
In preparation:
Volume 5: The Arctic Ocean
Volume 6: The Indian Ocean
Volume 7: The Pacific Ocean
THE OCEAN BASINS
AND MARGINS
Edited by
Alan E. M. Nairn and William H. Kanes
Department of Geology
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
and
Francis G. Stehli
Department of Geology
Case Western Reserve University
Qevelond, Ohio
Volume 4B
The Western
Mediterranean
PLENUM PRESS· NEW YORK AND LONDON
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publicatkm Data
Nairn, A E M
The ocean basins and margins.
Includes bibliographies.
CONTENTS: v. 1. The South Atlantic.-v. 2. The North Atlantic. v. 3. The Gulf
of Mexico and the Caribbean.- v. 4A. The Eastern Mediterranean.-v. 4B. The
Western Mediterranean.
1. Submarine geology. 2. Continental margins. I. Stehli, Francis Greenough,
joint author. II. TiUe. QE39.N27 551.4'608 72·83046
ISBN 978-1-4684-3041-7 ISBN 978-1-4684-3039-4 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4684-3039-4
© 1978 Plenum Press, New York
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1978
A Division of Plenum Publishing Corporation
227 West 17th Street, New York, N.Y. 10011
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced. stored ill a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any fonn or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying. microfllming,
recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher
CONTRIBUTORS TO TillS VOLUME
M. BoccaIetti Michel MouUade
Istituto di Geologia dell'Universita Centre de Recherche Micropaleontologique
Florence, Italy Jean Cuvillier
and Centro di Geologia dell'Appennino Laboratoire de Geologie Structurale
Florence, Italy Universite de Nice
Nice, France
P. F. BuroUet
Compagnie Fran~ise des Petroles J. M. Mugniot
Paris, France Compagnie Fran~aise des Petroles
Paris, France
A. Caire
Departement de Geologie Structurale Hugh Martyn Pedley
Universite de Paris Department of Biology and Geology
Paris, France The Polytechnic of North London
Holloway, London, U. K.
C.(;r.andjacquet
Departement de Geologie Structurale J.M. Rios
Universite Pierre et Marie Curie Lagasca 75
Paris, France Madrid, Spain
Michael Robert House J. Salaj
Department of Geology Service Geologique
The University Tunis, Tunisia
Hull, U. K. and Geologicky ustav Dionyza Stura
Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
P. Manetti
Istituto di Mineraiogia, Petrografia e P.Sweeney
Geochimica dell'Universita Compagnie Fran~aise des Petroles
Florence, Italy Paris, France
(;. Mascle Brian Waugh
Departement de Geologie Structurale Department of Geology
Universite Pierre et Marie Curie The University
Paris, France Hull, U. K.
"
CONTENTS OF VOLUME 4B
Contents of Volume 4A . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . X III
Chapter 1. The Mediterranean Coast of Spain and the Alboran Sea
J. M. Rios
I. Introduction: The Mediterranean Coast of Spain 1
II. Regional Description of the Mediterranean Coast 5
A. The Pyrenean Sector . . . . . 5
B. The Catalonian Coastal Ranges 14
C. The Iberian Ranges 18
D. The Betic Ranges . . . . . . 22
E. The Balearic Islands . . . . . 29
III. The Floor of the Western Mediterranean 32
A. Morphology and Recent Sedimentation: Generalities 33
B. Neogene Sedimentation ..... . 41
C. The Balearic Sea and Gulf of Valencia 42
D. The Alboran Sea and Islands 44
E. The Straits of Gibraltar. . . . . . . 48
F. The Origin and Structure of the Western Mediterranean 50
Acknowledgments 53
References 53
Chapter 2. The Ligurian Sea and the Adjacent Areas
Michel Moullade
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
II. Bathymetry and Submarine Morphology 69
vii
viii Contents
A. Sources of Information . . . . . . . . . 69
B. The Continental Shelf . . . . . . . . . 71
C. The Continental Slope and Continental Rise 71
D. Abyssal Plain . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
HI. Structural Framework (Continental and Island Borders) 73
A. The Crystalline Massifs and Their Sedimentary Envelopes-
The Folded Sedimentary Massifs. 73
B. The Coastal Sedimentary Basins 93
IV. Geophysical Data. . . WI
A. Seismicity 101
B. Seismic Exploration 102
C. Gravimetry. . . 107
D. Magnetism . . . 108
E. Paleomagnetism. 110
V. Complementary Data III
A. Sedimentological and Paleogeographical Data III
B. Results Based upon Geological and Morphological
Similarities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
C. Paleo biogeographical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
VI. Pre-Miocene Geological History of the Circum-Ligurian Area 113
VI I. Hypotheses on the Genesis and Evolution of the Ligurian Sea 119
A. The Origin of the Ligurian Sea. 120
B. Evolution of the Ligurian Sea 123
Acknowledgments 125
References 125
Chapter 3. The Tyrrhenian Sea and Adjoining Regions
M. Boccaletti and P. Manetti
I. Introduction . 149
II. Physiography 150
A. The Southern Tyrrhenian Sea 150
III. Structural Framework 150
IV. Natural Seismicity 153
V. HeatFlow . 154
VI. Magmatism 156
A. Eolian Islands. 156
B. Submarine Volcanoes and Ustica 158
C. Pontine Islands 158
D. Tuscan Archipelago 160
VII. Gravity at Sea 161
VIII. Magnetism 162
Contents ix
IX. Crustal Thickness. . 163
X. Seismic Stratigraphy 166
XI. Stratigraphy . . . . 174
XII. Surface Mineralogy and Sedimentology 175
XIII. Outline of the Geological Setting of Land Masses Surrounding the
Tyrrhenian Basin . . . . . . . . 176
A. Sardinia-Corsica Massif . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
B. The Italian Peninsula and Sicily . . . . . . . . . . . 177
XIV. Paleomagnetic Data on the Land Masses Surrounding the
Tyrrhenian Basin . . . . 182
A. Corsica and Sardinia. . . . . . . . . . . . 184
B. The Italian Peninsula. . . . . . . . . . . . 184
XV. Hypothesis on the Genesis of the Tyrrhenian Basin. 186
Acknowledgment 191
References 192
Chapter 4A. The Central Mediterranean Mountain Chains in the Alpine
Orogenic Environment
A. Caire
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
II. The European and African Platforms 203
III. The Various Chains and Their Character 203
A. Intracratonic Chains . . . . 203
B. Intermediate Chains . . . . . . . 204
C. Alpine, Geosynclinal Chains 204
D. Alpine Axis, Branches, and Fanlikt; Structure 205
E. Internal and External Zones, Allochthon and Autochthon 208
F. The African or Adriatic Promontory and the Eastern Alps 208
IV. Retrotectonic Analysis ................ 209
A. The Beginning of the Alpine Cycle . . . . . . . . . . 209
B. The Evolution of the Tellian Atlas Segment during the
Mesozoic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
C. Cretaceous or Paleo-Alpine Tectonics. . . . . . . . . 219
D. Evolution of the Tellian Wing during the Cenozoic . . . 219
E. Posttectonic (Tarditectonic or Neotectonic) Evolution from
the Upper Miocene to Recent . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 223
F. Special Features of the Calabro-Sicilian Arc . . . . . . .. 225
G. Outline of the Evolution of the Calabro-Sicilian Arc and the
Tyrrhenian Loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 225
H. The Two Tyrrhenian Arcs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 230
I. The Role of Lateral Movements in Alpine Tectonic Evolution 231
:r. Contents
J. Dispersion of the Kabyle-Peloritan-Calabrian Massifs 231
V. Evolution of the African Promontory 234
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Chapter 4B. The Structure of the Ionian Sea, Sicily, and
Calabria-Lueania
C. Grandjacquet and G. Mascle
PART I: THE STRUCTURE OF THE IONIAN SEA AND SICILY
I. Introduction . . 257
A. Limits . . . . . . . 257
B. Bathymetry. . . . . 259
C. Recent Sedimentation 259
II. Sicily-Southern Calabria and the Ionian Sea from Middle Pliocene
to Quaternary Times .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 260
III. The Structure of Sicily and Southern Calabria . . . . . .. 263
A. The Sicilian Foredeep from Helvetian-Tortonian to Middle
Pliocene . . . . . . . . . . 263
B. The External Sicilian Domains. . . . . . . 266
C. The Sicilian Flysch. . . . . . . . . . . . 276
D. The Peloritan Domain and Southern Calabria 279
E. Volcanism and Plutonism. . . . . . . 282
F. Interrelationship of the Sicilian Domains . . 284
PART II: THE STRUCTURE OF CALABRIA-LUCANIA
IV. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
V. TheApennineDomains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
A. The Neotectonic Foreland, or External Apulia Platform (PFs) 287
B. The Neotectonic Foredeep or Bradanic Depression . . . 289
C. The Mesotectonic Foreland or Intermediate Abruzzi-
Campania Platform (PF 291
2) • • • • • • • • • • • • •
D. The Mesotectonic Foredeep or Irpinian Basin . . . . . 292
• E. The Subbasement of the Miocene Foredeep or Irpinian Basin,
the Lagonegro-San Fele Complex . . . . . . . . . . 293
F. The Internal Apennine Margin, or Calabro-Campania
Platform (PFJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
G. The Southern Apennines before Miocene Thrusting . 298
VI. The Pre-Apennine Domains . . . 298
A. The Flysch Basin . . . . . . 300
B. The Silan Crystalline Complex . 301
C. The Ophiolite Complex. . . 303
VII. Metamorphism and Deformation . 305
Contents xi
A. Compressional Tectonics 305
B. Tensional Tectonics . 309
VIII. Plutonism and Volcanism . 309
A. Burdigalian Cherts. . . 310
B. Picrites-Teschenites-Limburgites of the Verbicaro Unit 310
C. Paleocene-Eocene Basaltic Tuffs . 310
D. Tusa Tuffites . . . . . . . 310
E. Tuffaceous Ghosts. . . . . 311
F. Massive and Pillow Dolerites 311
G. Pthanites. . . . . . . . 311
H. Massive or Pillow Diabases . 311
I. Diabases. . . . . . . . . 312
J. Middle Triassic Tuffites, Diabases, and Pillow Breccias 312
K. Middle Triassic Basic Rocks . 312
L. Carboniferous Granites 312
M. Conclusions 312
IX. Geographic and Tectonic Evolution of the Southern Apennines 313
A. Chronology of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
PART III: ATTEMPTED CORRELATION OF SICILIAN AND
CALABRIAN UNITS
X. Correlation of the External Domains 319
XI. Correlation of the Internal Domains. . . . . . . . . 321
XII. Comment on Possible Relationship with North Africa . 321
XIII. Time Correlations 322
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Chapter 5A. The Geology of the Pelagian Block: The Margins and
Basins off Southern Tunisia and Tripolitania
P. F. Burollet, J. M. Mugniot, and P. Sweeney
I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . 331
II. Physiography ......... 332
III. Geology of the Surrounding Areas. 336
A. Southern Tunisia and Tripolitania 336
B. Eastern Tunisia and the Pelagian Sea 345
IV. Structural Interpretation of the Pelagian Platform and the Ionian
Sea . . . . . . . . 351
A. The Pelagian Platform 352
B. The Ionian Sea . 353
V. Recent Sedimentation 354
References . . . . . . . 355