--> Abstract: Interplay Between Tectonics and Sedimentation in a Deep-Water ‘Mini-Basin’ Setting, Tabernas, SE Spain; #90063 (2007)

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Interplay Between Tectonics and Sedimentation in a Deep-Water ‘Mini-Basin’ Setting, Tabernas, SE Spain

 

Baudouy, Lucie1, Peter D.W. Haughton1, John J. Walsh1, Marco Patacci2 (1) University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland (2) University College Dublin, N/A, Ireland

 

Basin geometry can have a significant impact on deep-water sedimentation, particularly in tectonically-active basins or those with a mobile salt or shale substrate. The well exposed Neogene Tabernas Basin (SE Spain) was characterised by a number of oblique-slip intrabasinal faults that propagated to the palaeo-sea bed. The faults provided local ponded accommodation for gravity currents, and influenced flow routing and slope stability. The early basin fill was characterised by extensive east-facing, axial slopes into which slope channels were incised and bypassed sediment. As faults propagated to the sea bed, they bound local areas of rapid subsidence that became deeps analogous to mini-basins in which turbidity currents were preferentially trapped and fully ponded, together with mass transport complexes. The ponded turbidite sheets are either structurally truncated against faults at the mini-basin margins, onlap surrounding slopes or are involved in local unconformities reflecting progressive near fault deformation. Variations in turbidite thickness reflect bathymetry on the floor of the depressions. As activity on the intrabasinal faults waned, the local depocentres filled and turbidites onlapped beyond the area of initial fault containment onto surrounding slopes; the structure of the partially contained turbidites deposited in the expanded basin differ from those in the earlier fully contained faulted depressions. Continuing tectonic activity following healing of the mini-basin depressions resulted in particularly unstable slopes with episodic whole scale slumping, sliding and failure of the onlap wedges.

 

AAPG Search and Discover Article #90063©2007 AAPG Annual Convention, Long Beach, California