Seismic imaging of Late Miocene (Messinian) evaporites from Western Mediterranean back-arc basins

Cin, Michela Dal; Ben, Anna Del; Mocnik, Arianna; Accaino, F.; Geletti, R.; Wardell, N.; Zgur, F.; Camerlenghi, Angelo

doi:10.1144/petgeo2015-096

Cited by 33 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 37 publications

(75 reference statements)

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“…The velocity of the 1,000 m-thick lower part is 4,245 m/s. The two parts correspond nicely to seismic facies units UU and MU described above, and the velocity difference matches the lithological difference between mainly gypsum (above) and halite (below) (Dal Cin et al, 2016). There is an important variability of the velocity found in MU, with peaks of 4,950 m/s.…”

Section: Velocity Analyses and Units' Thicknesssupporting

confidence: 75%

“…In the Western Mediterranean, a laterally continuous succession of the three seismo-stratigraphic units LU-MU-UU, ~2.5 km thick, can be correlated across thousands of kilometres in the Algero-Balearic and Provençal basins with a fairly constant distribution (e.g. Dal Cin et al, 2016).…”

Section: Motivation Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We interpret the seismic layering as a reflection of a lithologic layering, possibly including a thin upper salt layer within the gypsum and anhydritedominated UU. Thin halite layers within UU have been identified in high-resolution seismic data on the Western Mediterranean basins (Dal Cin et al, 2016;Geletti et al, 2014).…”

Section: Site-specific High-resolution Markersmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seismic markers of the Messinian salinity crisis in the deep Ionian Basin

Camerlenghi¹,

Ben

Hübscher

et al. 2020

Preprint

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We conduct the seismic signal analysis on vintage and recently collected multichannel seismic reflection profiles from the Ionian Basin to characterize the deep basin Messinian evaporites. These evaporites were deposited in deep and marginal Mediterranean sedimentary basins as a consequence of the "salinity crisis" between 5.97 and 5.33 Ma, a basin-wide oceanographic and ecological crisis whose origin remains poorly understood. The seismic markers of the Messinian evaporites in the deep Mediterranean basins can be divided in two end-members, one of which is the typical "trilogy" of gypsum and clastics (Lower Unit -LU), halite (Mobile Unit -MU) and upper anhydrite and marl layers (Upper Unit -UU) traced in the Western Mediterranean Basins. The other end-member is a single MU unit subdivided in seven sub-units by clastic interlayers located in the Levant Basin. The causes of these different seismic expressions of the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC) appear to be related to a morphological separation between the two basins by the structural regional sill of the Sicily Channel. With the aid of velocity analyses and seismic imaging via prestack migration in time and depth domains, we define for the first time the seismic signature of the Messinian evaporites in the deep Ionian Basin, which differs from the known end-members. In addition, we identify different evaporitic depositional settings suggesting a laterally discontinuous deposition. With the information gathered we quantify the volume of evaporitic deposits in the deep Ionian Basin as 500,000 km 3 ± 10%. This figure allows us to speculate that the total volume of salts in the Mediterranean basin is larger than commonly assumed. Different depositional units in the Ionian Basin suggest that during the MSC it was separated from the Western Mediterranean by physical thresholds, from the Po Plain/Northern Adriatic Basin, and the Levant Basin, likely reflecting different hydrological and climatic conditions. Finally, the evidence of erosional surfaces and V-shaped valleys at the top of the MSC unit, together with sharp evaporites pinch out on evaporite-free pre-Messinian structural highs, suggest an extreme Messinian Stage 3 base level draw 2 | EAGE CAMERLENGHI Et AL. | 5 EAGE CAMERLENGHI Et AL. 6 | EAGE CAMERLENGHI Et AL. 10 | EAGE CAMERLENGHI Et AL. | 21 EAGE CAMERLENGHI Et AL.

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Section: Velocity Analyses and Units' Thicknesssupporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Motivation Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Site-specific High-resolution Markersmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seismic markers of the Messinian salinity crisis in the deep Ionian Basin

Camerlenghi¹,

Ben

Hübscher

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…Unit 2 has also been interpreted as folded Messinian upper gypsum, deformed as a consequence of the south-westward growth of the Calabrian accretionary wedge 17 . Nevertheless, the measured PSDM seismic velocities (2.3–2.6 km s −1 ) are not compatible with the high velocity expected in gypsum layers (>3.1 km s −1 ) 18 . Unit 2 does not show internal structures indicative of the suggested folding, and its depocentre lies on top of the undeformed and laterally continuous upper gypsum (unit 3a in Fig.…”

Section: Seismic Stratigraphy Of the Western Ionian Basincontrasting

confidence: 68%

Evidence of the Zanclean megaflood in the eastern Mediterranean Basin

Micallef

Camerlenghi

García‐Castellanos

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

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The Messinian salinity crisis (MSC) - the most abrupt, global-scale environmental change since the end of the Cretaceous – is widely associated with partial desiccation of the Mediterranean Sea. A major open question is the way normal marine conditions were abruptly restored at the end of the MSC. Here we use geological and geophysical data to identify an extensive, buried and chaotic sedimentary body deposited in the western Ionian Basin after the massive Messinian salts and before the Plio-Quaternary open-marine sedimentary sequence. We show that this body is consistent with the passage of a megaflood from the western to the eastern Mediterranean Sea via a south-eastern Sicilian gateway. Our findings provide evidence for a large amplitude drawdown in the Ionian Basin during the MSC, support the scenario of a Mediterranean-wide catastrophic flood at the end of the MSC, and suggest that the identified sedimentary body is the largest known megaflood deposit on Earth.

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“…Nevertheless, in the same paper the authors report that reflectors at the base of the salt layer are often poorly defined because of the screen effect of "domes". Broadening of the data-set through time has not given rise to significantly contrasting interpretation with respect to Auzende et al [56], but some authors assert that an almost continuous series of reflectors is clearly imaged beneath diapirs [123].…”

Section: Salts In the Algerian-provençal Basinmentioning

confidence: 95%

Tracking the Serpentinite Feet of the Mediterranean Salt Giant

2018

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Interpretation of seismic profiles and results of scientific drillings in the Mediterranean subseafloor provided indication of gigantic salt deposits which rarely crop out on land, such as in Sicily. The salt giants were ascribed to the desiccation, driven by the solar energy, of the entire basin. Nevertheless, the evaporite model hardly explains deep-sea salt deposits. This paper considers a different hypothesis suggesting that seawater reached NaCl saturation during serpentinization of ultramafic rocks. Solid salts and brine pockets were buried within the serpentinite bodies being later (e.g., in the Messinian) released, due to serpentinite breakdown, and discharged at seafloor as hydrothermal heavy brines. Therefore, sea-bottom layers of brine at gypsum and halite saturation were formed. The model is applicable to the Mediterranean area since geophysical data revealed relicts of an aged (hence serpentinized) oceanic lithosphere, of Tethyan affinity, both in its western “Atlantic” extension (Gulf of Cádiz) and in eastern basins, and xenoliths from Hyblean diatremes (Sicily) provided evidence of buried serpentinites in the central area. In addition, the buoyant behavior of muddled serpentinite and salts (and hydrocarbons) gave rise to many composite diapirs throughout the Mediterranean area. Thus, the Mediterranean “salt giant” consists of several independent geobodies of serpentinite and salts.

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Seismic imaging of Late Miocene (Messinian) evaporites from Western Mediterranean back-arc basins

Cited by 33 publications

References 37 publications

Seismic markers of the Messinian salinity crisis in the deep Ionian Basin

Seismic markers of the Messinian salinity crisis in the deep Ionian Basin

Evidence of the Zanclean megaflood in the eastern Mediterranean Basin

Tracking the Serpentinite Feet of the Mediterranean Salt Giant

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