The Rif Chain (Northern Morocco) in the Late Tortonian‐Early Messinian Tectonics of the Western Mediterranean Orogenic Belt: Evidence From the Tanger‐Al Manzla Wedge‐Top Basin

Abstract

During the Neogene, the Western Mediterranean subduction-related orogen developed under differing modes and senses of subduction, resulting in the formation of the Apennines, Maghrebides, Rif, and Betics. In this work, we present the Neogene kinematic evolution of the Rif, based on literature data and new results from structural-stratigraphic analyses and biostratigraphic investigations carried out in the External Zone of the Rif. We analyzed three stratigraphic sections: Dar Zhirou, Saf Lahmame, and Seguedla. The results of these analyses allow us to reconstruct a wide Tortonian-Messinian wedge-top basin in the Tanger-Al Manzla area, when the leading edge of the Rif was at the frontal thrust of the Prerif. The presence of this wedge-top basin points to a Tortonian-Messinian compressional deformation that affected a wide area of the Rif, including the Prerif, Mesorif, and Intrarif. The late Miocene compressional deformation that affected the Mesorif and Intrarif occurred as out-of-sequence thrusting, due to renewed compressional tectonics in the internal zone of the chain triggered by the collision of the Rif accretionary wedge with the North African Margin. In the Neogene evolution of the Western Mediterranean subduction-related orogen, the late Miocene was a major pulse in the interplay between African and European plates, as evidenced by the increase in migration rates of some segments of the circum-Mediterranean fold-and-thrust belt, the out-of-sequence thrusting in the Rif, as well as the occurrence of late Miocene imbricate thrust structures in oceanic fracture zones of the African Plate (Central Atlantic Ocean).

Tectonic control on the palaeogeographic evolution of thrust‐top basins at the active margin of the Guadalquivir Basin (central Betic Cordillera, S Spain)

“…These basins form an arcuate outline between the Rif fold-andthrust orogenic front to the north and the Atlas to the south (Bargach et al, 2004;Roldán et al, 2014). As in the Guadalquivir foreland basin, several wedge-top basins evolved linked to the tectonically active Rif front during the late Tortonian-early Messinian interval (Abbassi et al, 2020;Achalhi et al, 2016;Di Staso et al, 2010;Roldán et al, 2014;Targhi et al, 2023). All these basins experienced tectonic shortening due to compression during the Late Miocene as indicated by the presence of unconformities and numerous synsedimentary deformation structures (Bargach et al, 2004;Chalouan et al, 2014;Roldán et al, 2014).…”

“…All these basins experienced tectonic shortening due to compression during the Late Miocene as indicated by the presence of unconformities and numerous synsedimentary deformation structures (Bargach et al, 2004;Chalouan et al, 2014;Roldán et al, 2014). The compressive tectonic regime led to the emersion and closure of the Rifian Corridors around the Tortonian-Messinian boundary, 7-7.2 Ma (Capella et al, 2018;Tulbure et al, 2017) or during the early Messinian (Abbassi et al, 2020;Achalhi et al, 2016;Chalouan et al, 2014;Di Staso et al, 2010;Targhi et al, 2023).…”

The Numidian sand event in the Burdigalian foreland basin system of the Rif, Morocco, in a source-to-sink perspective

“…Accumulate thickness-age diagram with the comparison of the final thickness with the results of the original accumulate thickness of the pre-and syn-orogenic deposits after decompaction, by using the porosity change method (Bond et al, 1983). For detailed lithologies and successions: the Tanger Unit is after Zaghloul et al (2005), Chalouan et al (2008), Abbassi et al (2020), Personal commun., 2020; the Ketama Unit is after Durand-Delga and Olivier (1988); the Beni Ider Unit is after Durand-Delga and Olivier (1988), Zaghloul et al (2007), and this work; the Tisiren Unit is after Durand-Delga et al (1999); and the Predorsalian Unit is after Olivier (1988), Durand-Delga andMaaté (2003), and this work. Table S1.…”

Seismo‐Tectonic Model for the Southern Pre‐Rif Border (Northern Morocco): Insights From Morphochronology

“…Overshadowed by the large Lisbon Earthquake in the historical archives (e.g., Blanc, 2009), the precise date of the Fès-Meknès Earthquake is unclear, with Spanish and Portuguese sources referring to a shock on November 18, which could be interpreted as an aftershock of the Lisbon Earthquake (Pereira de Sousa, 1919;Roux, 1934;Vogt, 1984), whereas Arab sources document it on November 27, with an epicentral intensity of VIII that was restricted to the Saïss Region (Moratti et al, 2003;Poujol et al, 2017). (modified after Gimeno-Vives et al, 2020;Suter, 1980;Chalouan et al, 2008), and showing the period of activity of the main boundary thrusts (after Abbassi et al, 2020). The open box and the red line locate the map shown in Fig.…”

“…Figure 2. (a) Structural map of the main tectonic units composing the Rif Mountains in northern Morocco (modified afterChalouan et al, 2008;Gimeno-Vives et al, 2020;Suter, 1980), and showing the period of activity of the main boundary thrusts (afterAbbassi et al, 2020). The open box and the red line locate the map shown in Figure3aand the crustal-scale cross-section shown in Figure4a, respectively.…”