Abstract. The evolution of intraplate orogens is still poorly understood. Yet, it is of major importance for understanding the Earth and plate dynamics, as well as the link between surface and deep geodynamic processes. The French Massif Central is an intraplate orogen with a mean elevation of 1000 m, with the highest peak elevations ranging from 1500 to 1885 m. However, active deformation of the region is still debated due to scarce evidence either from geomorphological or geodetic and seismologic data. We focus our study on the southern part of the Massif Central, known as the Cévennes and Grands Causses, which is a key area to study the relationship between the recent geological deformation and landscape evolution. This can be done through the study of numerous karst systems with trapped sediments combined with the analysis of a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM). Using the ability of karst to durably record morphological evolution, we first quantify the incision rates. We then investigate tilting of geomorphological benchmarks by means of a high-resolution DEM. We finally use the newly quantified incision rates to constrain numerical models and compare the results with the geomorphometric study. We show that absolute burial age (10Be∕26Al on quartz cobbles) and the paleomagnetic analysis of karstic clay deposits for multiple cave system over a large elevation range correlate consistently. This correlation indicates a regional incision rate of 83 +17/-5 m Ma−1 during the last ca. 4 Myr (Pliocene–Quaternary). Moreover, we point out through the analysis of 55 morphological benchmarks that the studied region has undergone a regional southward tilting. This tilting is expected as being due to a differential vertical motion between the northern and southern part of the studied area. Numerical models show that erosion-induced isostatic rebound can explain up to two-thirds of the regional uplift deduced from the geochronological results and are consistent with the southward tilting derived from morphological analysis. We presume that the remaining unexplained uplift is related to dynamic topography or thermal isostasy due to the Massif Central Pliocene–Quaternary magmatism. Integrating both geochronology and morphometrical results into lithospheric-scale numerical models allows a better understanding of this intraplate–orogen evolution and dynamic. We assume that the main conclusions are true to the general case of intraplate deformation. That is to say, once the topography has been generated by a triggering process, rock uplift is then enhanced by erosion and isostatic adjustment leading to a significant accumulation of mainly vertical deformation.

Burial ages, ghost-rocks and karst network structure. Insights from the Vis canyon (Southern France

Abstract. The evolution of intra-plate orogens is still poorly understood. Yet, this is of major importance for understanding the Earth and plate dynamic, as well as the link between surface and deep geodynamic processes. The French Massif Central is an intraplate orogen with a mean elevation of 1000 m, with the highest peak elevations ranging from 1500 m to 1885 m. However, active deformation of the region is still debated due to scarce evidence either from geomorphological or geophysical (i.e. geodesy and seismology) data. Because the Cévennes margin allows the use of karst sediments geochronology and morphometrical analysis, we study the vertical displacements of that region: the southern part of the French Massif-Central. Geochronology and morphometrical results, helped with lithospheric-scale numerical modelling, allow, then, a better understanding of this intraplate-orogen evolution and dynamic. Using the ability of the karst to durably record morphological evolution, we first quantify the incision rates. We then investigate tilting of geomorphological benchmarks by means of a high-resolution DEM. We finally use the newly quantified incision rates to constrain numerical models and compare the results with the geomorphometric study. We show that absolute burial age (10Be/26Al on quartz cobbles) and the paleomagnetic analysis of karstic clay deposits for multiple cave system over a large elevation range correlate consistently. This correlation indicates a regional incision rate of 83.4 +17.3/−5.4 m Ma−1 during the last ca 4 Myrs (Plio-Quaternary). Moreover, we point out through the analysis of 55 morphological benchmarks that the studied region has undergone a regional southward tilting. This tilting is expected as being due to a differential vertical motion between the north and southern part of the studied area. Numerical models show that erosion-induced isostatic rebound can explain up to two-thirds of the regional uplift deduced from dating technics and are consistent with the southward tilting obtain from morphological analysis. We presume that the remaining part is related to dynamic topography or thermal isostasy due to the Massif Central plio-quaternary magmatism.

<p>Although more and more processes are discussed and discovered on the genesis and evolution of cave systems, the tiered karsts are often explained by a control of the base level evolution. In this classical model, the horizontal galleries are explained by a stability of the base level elevation. To the contrary, the shafts and network segments with steep slopes are related to incision periods with a base level lowering.</p><p>We use Terrestrial Cosmogenic Nuclide Geochronology to estimate burial ages of alluvium trapped in several caves of the Larzac plateau in Southern France. All the samples are collected in horizontal cave levels, sometimes located between steeper segments. Some caves are opened in river gorge walls, while others are located below the Larzac plateau not farther than 5km away from the river gorges.</p><p>The burial ages for the caves opening in the gorges are consistent with the incision rates given for the area and could be interpreted using the classical model. However, the cave within the plateau show a horizontal level with alluvium deposited 200m above the caves in the gorge with the same burial ages (~1 Myr). Since then, new shafts have been opened without alluvium and are hydrologically connected to the river by deeper[jfr1]  hypogenic galleries. The cave morphologies and the geochronological data suggest that the classical model fails to explain the horizontal levels in cave below the plateau. We postulate that the geometry of the caves in these limestone and dolomite plateaus are related to a previous period of ghost-rock and alteration roots formations. Without the opening of an efficient connection between this primokarst and the valley, no alluvium can flow through the cave. Therefore, we think that our burial ages constrain the emptying of the ghost-rocks leading to the genesis of the cave where water and possibly alluvium can flow through. Furthermore, these new finding explain why the horizontal levels in the caves are not clearly related to horizontal markers in the surface geomorphology and why large shafts (>100m) exist in the area without evidences of long periods of base level stability followed by large drop of the regional base level.</p><div> <div> <div> </div> </div> </div>