Internal configuration of the Levantine Basin from seismic reflection data (eastern Mediterranean)

Vidal, N.; Álvarez-Marrón, Joaquina; Klaeschen, Dirk

doi:10.1016/s0012-821x(00)00146-1

Cited by 49 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Other authors claim that the crust under the Levantine Basin is continental (Woodside, 1977;Hirsch, 1984;Hirsch et al, 1995;Vidal et al, 2000a) and argue that it was part of the Triassic African-Arabian plate system (Hirsch, 1984).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Levantine Basin—crustal structure and origin

et al. 2006

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The origin of the Levantine Basin in the Southeastern Mediterranean Sea is related to the opening of the Neo-Tethys. The nature of its crust has been debated for decades. Therefore, we conducted a geophysical experiment in the Levantine Basin. We recorded two refraction seismic lines with 19 and 20 ocean bottom hydrophones, respectively, and developed velocity models. Additional seismic reflection data yield structural information about the upper layers in the first few kilometers. The crystalline basement in the Levantine Basin consists of two layers with a P-wave velocity of 6.0-6.4km/s in the upper and 6.5-6.9 km/s in the lower crust. Towards the center of the basin, the Moho depth decreases from 27 to 22km. Local variations of the velocity gradient can be attributed to previously postulated shear zones like the Pelusium Line, the Damietta-Latakia Line and the Baltim-Hecateus Line. Both layers of the crystalline crust are continuous and no indication for a transition from continental to oceanic crust is observed. These results are confirmed by gravity data. Comparison with other seismic refraction studies in prolongation of our profiles under Israel and Jordan and in the Mediterranean Sea near Greece and Sardinia reveal similarities between the crust in the Levantine Basin and thinned continental crust, which is found in that region. The presence of thinned continental crust under the Levantine Basin is therefore suggested. A β-factor of 2.3-3 is estimated. Based on these findings, we conclude that sea-floor spreading in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea only occurred north of the Eratosthenes Seamount, and the oceanic crust was later subducted at the Cyprus Arc.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Levantine Basin—crustal structure and origin

et al. 2006

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“…Second, various ages for the opening of 36 the basin have been proposed: from Triassic or Late Permian (Freund, 1975; Garfunkel, 1998 and Stampfli 37 et al, 2002), Jurassic (Ginzburg and Guitzman, 1979) to Cretaceous (Dercourt et al, 1986). Third, some 38 difficulties arise in reconciling the kinematic models that predicts a N-S opening of the basin (Dercourt et 39 al., 1986;Stampfli et al, 2002) with tectonic structures such as Mesozoic NE-SW faults recognized in the 40 LB and along its margins (Vidal et al, 2000). 41…”

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confidence: 99%

Basin tectonics during the Early Cretaceous in the Levant margin, Lebanon

Homberg¹,

Barrier²,

Mroueh³

et al. 2009

Journal of Geodynamics

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“…This is supported by crustal thinning from 30 -35 km on the African and Arabian continents to c. 8 km below the LB overlain by a 10-14 km thick sedimentary pile of Mesozoic (and Permian?) to present age (Makris et al 1983;Ginzburg & Ben-Avraham 1987;Vidal et al 2000;BenAvraham et al 2002). The affinity of the crust below the LB is regarded either as a highly stretched continent (Woodside 1977;Hirsch et al 1995;Vidal et al 2000) or as oceanic (Makris et al 1983;Ginzburg & Ben-Avraham 1987;Ben-Avraham et al 2002).…”

Section: General Evolution Of the Levantmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…to present age (Makris et al 1983;Ginzburg & Ben-Avraham 1987;Vidal et al 2000;BenAvraham et al 2002). The affinity of the crust below the LB is regarded either as a highly stretched continent (Woodside 1977;Hirsch et al 1995;Vidal et al 2000) or as oceanic (Makris et al 1983;Ginzburg & Ben-Avraham 1987;Ben-Avraham et al 2002). Shallow-marine conditions prevailed in the basin during Triassic and Liasic times, later followed by the formation of the deep-marine basin (Bartov & Steinitz 1977;Garfunkel 1998).…”

Section: General Evolution Of the Levantmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The most common trend recognized in many places is NE-SW (Cohen et al 1990;Garfunkel 1998;Vidal et al 2000;Gardosh & Druckman 2006) but others like NW -SE structures exist as well (Garfunkel & Derin 1984;Homberg et al 2009). Kinematic models (Dercourt et al 1986;Stampfli & Borel 2002) predict a north-south opening of the basin and some difficulties arise in adaptation of these models with the local extensional fabrics of the basin and surroundings.…”

Section: General Evolution Of the Levantmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evolution of the Levant margin and western Arabia platform since the Mesozoic: introduction

Homberg

Bachmann

2010

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The Levant area comprises the offshore Levant Basin (LB) (eastern corner of the Eastern Mediterranean) as well as the adjacent continental slopes and platforms of the African and Arabian plates. This area experienced major events of the geodynamical evolution of the Middle East, such as the Late Palaeozoic-Early Mesozoic Pangea break up, the Late Cretaceous -Cenozoic closure of the Neo-Tethys and individualization of the Arabian plate, as well as a set of external factors like global sea-level and climate changes. This volume combines original data from the offshore and onshore Levant in various fields, including sedimentology, palaeontology, sequence stratigraphy, geochemistry, structural geology, stress reconstitution and geophysics (seismic lines, palaeomagnetism). All together, these multidisciplinary approaches allow the review of the development of the LB and gain a better insight on the later geological history and deformation processes of the Levant provinces.

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Internal configuration of the Levantine Basin from seismic reflection data (eastern Mediterranean)

Cited by 49 publications

References 24 publications

The Levantine Basin—crustal structure and origin

The Levantine Basin—crustal structure and origin

Basin tectonics during the Early Cretaceous in the Levant margin, Lebanon

Evolution of the Levant margin and western Arabia platform since the Mesozoic: introduction

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