Offshore evidence of polyphase erosion in the Valencia Basin (Northwestern Mediterranean): Scenario for the Messinian Salinity Crisis

The morpho-tectonic setting of the Southeast margin of Iberia and the adjacent oceanic Algero-Balearic Basin

“…1A and 2A) were fluvially eroded to create "badland" topography. It is at this time that evaporites were deposited in the deep basins (Clauzon et al, 2011;García et al, 2011;Lofi et al, 2005;Maillard et al, 2006;Rouchy and Caruso, 2006;Ryan, 1978;Ryan and Cita, 1978). Possibly it was at this time that the scarp east of the ramp was mantled by volcanic sediments, but we have no data to verify this.…”

Synchronous onset of the Messinian evaporite precipitation: First Mediterranean offshore evidence

“…Similarly, seismic profiles reveal a post-evaporitic erosion surface, regarded as the Top BU Erosive Surface (e.g. Acosta et al, 2004;Driussi et al, in press;Maillard et al, 2006). Onshore and offshore paleontological data corroborate the erosion by indicating that the overlying marls were deposited during the early Pliocene (Corbi et al, 2010).…”

“…Therefore their relative age cannot be established. Although BU facies resemble the ones of the Upper Unit (UU) from the Valencia basin (Lofi et al, 2011;Maillard et al, 2006), their current isolation prevents reliable correlations with the UU (Acosta et al, 2004;Driussi et al, in press).…”

Messinian Salinity Crisis deposits widespread over the Balearic Promontory: Insights from new high-resolution seismic data

“…3), which is characterized by two to four strong parallel high-amplitude reflectors, and by the absence of the MU, except in its deepest part northeast of the volcanic ridge at DSDP Site 12, (Mauffret, 1976;Field and Gardner, 1991). This unit consists essentially of gypsum, anhydrite and dolomitic marl (DSDP Site 122, Leg 13, Hsü et al, 1973aHsü et al, , 1973b, and is correlated laterally with the UU of the deep Liguro-Provençal Basin (Maillard et al, 2006). In the Valencia basin, the UU is bracketed by erosion surfaces at the top and base (Escutia and Maldonado, 1992;Maillard et al, 2006, Fig.…”