Triassic continental rifting of Pangaea: direct evidence from the Alpujarride carbonates, Betic Cordillera, SE Spain

Martı́n-Rojas, Iván; Somma, Roberta; Delgado, Francisco; Estévez, Antonio; Iannace, Alessandro; Perrone, Vincenzo; Zamparelli, Valeria

doi:10.1144/0016-76492008-091

“…This ocean was unrelated to the oceanic systems represented by the Dinarides and Hellenides ophiolites, which developed eastward and concomitant with active subduction processes. This hypothesis is not based only on ophiolite investigations, but is supported by facies analyses and paleontological studies of coeval sedimentary sequences (Tendero et al [39]; Lemoine et al [43]; Lagabrielle et al [44]; Principi et al [77]; Perez-Lopez and Perez-Valera [94]; Critelli et al [95]; Hanne et al [96]; Martin-Rojas et al [97]; Somma et al [98]; Zaghloul et al [99]). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

The Betic Ophiolites and the Mesozoic Evolution of the Western Tethys

Puga

¹

,

Federico

²

,

Nieto

³

et al. 2017

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Abstract:The Betic Ophiolites consist of numerous tectonic slices, metric to kilometric in size, of eclogitized mafic and ultramafic rocks associated to oceanic metasediments, deriving from the Betic oceanic domain. The outcrop of these ophiolites is aligned along 250 km in the Mulhacén Complex of the Nevado-Filábride Domain, located at the center-eastern zone of the Betic Cordillera (SE Spain). According to petrological/geochemical inferences and SHRIMP (Sensitive High Resolution Ion Micro-Probe) dating of igneous zircons, the Betic oceanic lithosphere originated along an ultra-slow mid-ocean ridge, after rifting, thinning and breakup of the preexisting continental crust. The Betic oceanic sector, located at the westernmost end of the Tethys Ocean, developed from the Lower to Middle Jurassic (185-170 Ma), just at the beginning of the Pangaea break-up between the Iberia-European and the Africa-Adrian plates. Subsequently, the oceanic spreading migrated northeastward to form the Ligurian and Alpine Tethys oceans, from 165 to 140 Ma. Breakup and oceanization isolated continental remnants, known as the Mesomediterranean Terrane, which were deformed and affected by the Upper Cretaceous-Paleocene Eo-Alpine high-pressure metamorphic event, due to the intra-oceanic subduction of the Jurassic oceanic lithosphere and the related continental margins. This process was followed by the partial exhumation of the subducted oceanic rocks onto their continental margins, forming the Betic and Alpine Ophiolites. Subsequently, along the Upper Oligocene and Miocene, the deformed and metamorphosed Mesomediterranean Terrane was dismembered into different continental blocks collectively known as AlKaPeCa microplate (Alboran, Kabylian, Peloritan and Calabrian). In particular, the Alboran block was displaced toward the SW to occupy its current setting between the Iberian and African plates, due to the Neogene opening of the Algero-Provençal Basin. During this translation, the different domains of the Alboran microplate, forming the Internal Zones of the Betic and Rifean Cordilleras, collided with the External Zones representing the Iberian and African margins and, together with them, underwent the later alpine deformation and metamorphism, characterized by local differences of P-T (Pressure-Temperature) conditions. These Neogene metamorphic processes, known as Meso-Alpine and Neo-Alpine events, developed in the Nevado-Filábride Domain under Ab-Ep amphibolite and greenschists facies conditions, respectively, causing retrogradation and intensive deformation of the Eo-Alpine eclogites.

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“…Both this basin and the present Cantabrian margin were lined or occupied by submerged carbonate platforms until the end of the Mid-Jurassic (Curnelle et al, 1982). The Balearic Islands lay to the east of the Iberian massif as part of an extensive carbonate platform; forming basin-and-platform topography that stretched west to the South of Portugal where the Algarvian Shelf is now correlatable to the Pre-Betic domain (Garcia-Hernandez et al, 1980;Olóriz, 2000;Martin-Rojas et al, 2009).…”

Section: Palaeogeographymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Menorca, Adapted from Colom and Escandell, 1962;Dercourt et al, 1986 ;Ziegler, 1990;Puga et al, 1993;Aurell et al, 2000;Vera, 1998;Olóriz, 2000;Golonka, 2007;Martin-Rojas et al, 2009. on the other hand maintained a shallow-platform environment.…”

Section: The Balearic Islandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sedimentology of a Middle Jurassic Base-of-Slope environment, Cutri Formation, Mallorca

Kettle¹

2016

Journal of Iberian Geology

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The Cutri Formation's type location exposed in the NW of Mallorca, Spain, has previously been described and further interpreted as a base-of-slope carbonate apron. Incorporating new field and laboratory analysis this paper enhances this interpretation. From this analysis, it can be shown without reasonable doubt that the Cutri Formation was deposited in a carbonate base-of-slope environment on the palaeowindward side of a Mid-Jurassic Tethyan platform. Key evidence such as laterally extensive exposures, abundant deposits of calciturbidtes and debris flows amongst hemipelagic deposits strongly support this interpretation.Keywords: calcilturbidite, debrite, Bositra, Jurassic, Mallorca, base-of-slope apron Resumen La Formación Cutri, en su localidad tipo en el noroeste de Mallorca (España), ha sido previamente interpretada como un posible prisma de talud carbonático. Esta interpretación es ratificada y pormenorizada en este trabajo con la incorporación de nuevos datos de campo y de laboratorio. El análisis realizado muestra que la Formación Cutri se depositó en la base del talud, en el lado de un ambiente carbonato de base de la pendiente a barlovento de una plataforma carbonatada tetisiana del Jurásico Medio. Esta interpretación está apoyada por extensos afloramientos de gran continuidad lateral, abundantes niveles de calciturbidtas y debris-flows entre los depósitos hemipelágicos.Palabras clave: calcilturbidita, debrita, Bositra, Jurásico, Mallorca, prisma de base de talud carbonático Journal of Iberian Geology 42 (1) 2016: [95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106][107][108][109][110][111][112]

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“…The Balearic Islands appear to have become more tectonically active during the late Early Jurassic. This is suggested by the initiation of deep water deposition and the expansion of the shallow waters at the expense of the EbroCatalonian Massif (Colom and Escandell, 1962;Martin-Rojas et al, 2009).…”

Section: The Balearic Islandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stratigraphy, sedimentology and structure of the Numidian Flysch thrust belt in northern Tunisia

Riahi

¹

,

Soussi

²

,

Boukhalfa

³

et al. 2010

Journal of African Earth Sciences

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The Cutri Formation's type location exposed in the NW of Mallorca, Spain, has previously been described and further interpreted as a base-of-slope carbonate apron. Incorporating new field and laboratory analysis this paper enhances this interpretation. From this analysis, it can be shown without reasonable doubt that the Cutri Formation was deposited in a carbonate base-of-slope environment on the palaeowindward side of a Mid-Jurassic Tethyan platform. Key evidence such as laterally extensive exposures, abundant deposits of calciturbidtes and debris flows amongst hemipelagic deposits strongly support this interpretation.Keywords: calcilturbidite, debrite, Bositra, Jurassic, Mallorca, base-of-slope apron Resumen La Formación Cutri, en su localidad tipo en el noroeste de Mallorca (España), ha sido previamente interpretada como un posible prisma de talud carbonático. Esta interpretación es ratificada y pormenorizada en este trabajo con la incorporación de nuevos datos de campo y de laboratorio. El análisis realizado muestra que la Formación Cutri se depositó en la base del talud, en el lado de un ambiente carbonato de base de la pendiente a barlovento de una plataforma carbonatada tetisiana del Jurásico Medio. Esta interpretación está apoyada por extensos afloramientos de gran continuidad lateral, abundantes niveles de calciturbidtas y debris-flows entre los depósitos hemipelágicos.Palabras clave: calcilturbidita, debrita, Bositra, Jurásico, Mallorca, prisma de base de talud carbonático Journal of Iberian Geology 42 (1) 2016: [95][96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106][107][108][109][110][111][112]

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Triassic continental rifting of Pangaea: direct evidence from the Alpujarride carbonates, Betic Cordillera, SE Spain

Cited by 48 publications

References 53 publications

The Betic Ophiolites and the Mesozoic Evolution of the Western Tethys

The Betic Ophiolites and the Mesozoic Evolution of the Western Tethys

Sedimentology of a Middle Jurassic Base-of-Slope environment, Cutri Formation, Mallorca

Stratigraphy, sedimentology and structure of the Numidian Flysch thrust belt in northern Tunisia

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