Late quaternary sedimentation in the Balearic basin

PDF
Published: Aug 1, 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/bgsg.17351
Keywords:
Late Quaternary Balearic Abyssal Plain sedimentation turbidite
Ο. ΤΣΑΛΚΙΤΖΗ
University of Athens
Γ. ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΑΚΗΣ
University of Athens
Abstract

A detailed sedimentological study has been performed on five long piston cores recovered from the Balearic Abyssal Plain, the largest plain in the Mediterranean Sea. All the cores were dominated by multiple turbidite sequences, most of them displaying pronounced upward fining. The presence of a megaturbidite bed representing a single depositional event is observed in all the cores. Biostratigraphic correlation of the interlayered pelagic beds, using a high resolution nannofossil zonal scheme, suggests that the sediments in the cores date back to 50-100kyrs BP and that the age of the megabed is less than 50kyrs BP. The sedimentation rates for the last 50kyrs (over 50cm/Kyr) are greater in the northern and central Balearic Plain as compared to the lower sedimentation rates of 40cm/Kyr in the southern margin of the plain. Sedimentation rates (9,7-13,4cm/Kyr) are significantly reduced in the time interval between 50-120kyrs. The emplacement of the megaturbidite and the minor turbidites coincide with the sea level low stands. During these periods, great part of the continental shelf was revealed and processes sush as erosion, transportation and position became more intense.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Sedimentology
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (preferably in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.

Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
ALONSO, Β., FIELD, Μ.Ε., GARDENER, J.V. & MALDONADO, Α., 1990. Sedimentary evolution of the Pliocene and Pleistocene Ebro margin, northeastern Spain. In: Nelson, C.H. and Maldonado, A. (editors), The Ebro Continental Margin, Northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Marine Geology, vol. 95, p. 313-331.
ALONSO, Β. & MALDONADO, Α., 1990. Late Quaternary sedimentation patterns of the Ebro turbidite systems (Northwestern Mediterranean): Two styles of deep-sea deposition. In: Nelson, C.H. and Maldonado, A. (editors), The Ebro Continental Margin, Northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Marine Geology, vol. 95, p. 353-377.
ALONSO, Β., CANALS, M., GOT, H. & MALDONADO, Α., 1991. Sea Valley and Related Depositional Systems in the Gulf of Lion and Ebro Continental Margins. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, vol. 75, no 7, July 1991, p. 1195-1214.
BIJU-DIVAL, B., LETOUZEY, J., MONTADERT, L., COURIER, P., MUGNIOT, J.F. & SANCHO, J., 1974. Geology of the Mediterranean Sea Basin. In: Burk, C.A. and Drake, C.L. (editors), The Geology of Continental Margin, New York (Springer-Verlas), p. 695-729.
GENSOUS, B., WILLAMSON, D. & TESSON, M., 1993. Late-Quaternary trangressive and highstand deposits of a deltaic shelf (Rhone delta, France). Spec. Pubis Int. Ass. Sediment. (1993), vol. 18, p. 183-197-211.
HSÜ, K.J., 1977. Tectonic evolution of the Mediterranean basins. In: Nairn, A.E.M., Kanes, W.H. and Stehli, FG. 742- (editors), The Ocean Basins and Margins. Plenum Pubi. Corp., New York, vol. 4A, p. 29-47.
HSÜ, K.J., MONTADERT, L., BERNOULLI, D., ΒΙΖΟΝ, G., CITA, M., ERICKSON, Α., FABRICIOUS, F., GARRISON, R., KIDD, R.B., MÉLIÈRES, F., MULLER, C. & WRIGHT, R.C., 1978. Site 371: South Balearic Basin. Initial Reports of Deep Sea Drilling Project, Malaga, Spain to Istanbul, Turkey, April-May 1975, vol. XLII, part 1, Washington, p. 29-48.
IACCARINO, S.M. & BOSSIO, Α., 1999. Paleonvironment of uppermost Messinian sequences in the Western Mediterranean (sites 974, 975 and 978).In: Proceedings of Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, vol. 161, p. 529-541.
KIDD, R.B., BERNOULLI, D., GARRISON, R.E., FABRICIUS, F.H. & MÉLIÈRES, F., 1978. Lithologie findings of DSDP LEG 42A, Mediterranean Sea. In: Hsü, K., Montadert, L., et al (editors). Initial Reports of Deep Sea Drilling Project, vol. XLII, part 1, Washington, p. 1079-1094.
LINARES, D., GONZÄLEZ-DONOSO, J.M. & F SERRANO, 1999. Paleoceanographic conditions during the Quaternary at sites 976 (Alboran Sea) and 975 (Menorca Rise) inferred from the planktonic foraminiferal assemblages: basis for a biostratigraphy. In: Proceedings of Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, vol. 161, p. 441-455.
MALDONADO, A. & STANLEY, D.J., 1979. Depositional patterns and Late Quaternary evolution of two Mediterranean submarine fans: a comparison. Marine Geology, vol. 31, p. 215-250.
MALDONADO, Α., PALANQUES, Α., ALONSO, Β., KASTENS, K.A., NELSON, C.H., O'CONNELL, S. & RYAN, W.B.F, 1985. Physiography and Deposition on a Distal Deep-Sea System: The Valencia Fan (Northwestern Mediterranean). Geo-Marine Letters (1985), vol. 5, p. 157-164.
MAUFFRET, Α., FAIL, J.P., MONTADERT, L., SANCHO, J. & WINNOCK, E., 1973. North-western Mediterranean sedimentary basin from seismic reflection profile. Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull, vol. 57, p. 2245- 2262.
MONACO, A. & MEAR, Y, 1981. Sedimentary sequences on the north-west Mediterranean margin during the Late Quaternary: a dynamic interpretation. In: Stow, D.A.V. and Piper, D.J.W. (editors), Fine-grained Sediments: Deep-water Prosses and Facies. Geol. Soc. London Sp. Pubi, vol. 15, p. 115-125.
NELSON, C.H. & MALDONADO, Α., 1988. Factors Controlling Patterns of Ebro Turbidite Systems, Mediterranean Sea. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, vol. 72, no. 6, p. 698-716.
PIERRE, C, BELANGER, P., SALIÈGE, J.F, URRUTIAGUER, M.J. & A.MURAT, 1999. Paleoceanography of the Western Mediterranean during the Pleistocene: oxygen and carbon isotope records at site 975. In: Proceedings of Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, vol. 161, p. 481-541.
ROTHWELL, R.G., THMSON, J. & KAHLER, G., 1998. Lowsea-level emplacement of a very large Late Pleistocene 'megeturbidite' in the western Mediterranean Sea. Nature, vol. 392, 377-380.
SHIPBOARD SCIENTIFIC PARTY OF MARION DUFRESNE CRUISE 81, 1995. Cruise Report: Mediterranean Giant Piston Coring Transect. MAST II PALAEOFLUX Programme, Marseille, France-Limassol, Cyprus (17th January-9th February, 1995), p. 117.
STANLEY, D.J., 1977. Post-Miocene depositional patterns and structural displacement in the Mediterranean. In: Nairn, A.E.M., Kanes, W.H. and Stehli, FG. (editors), The Ocean Basins and Margins. Plenum Pubi. Corp., New York, vol. 4A, p. 77-150.
STANLEY, D.J., McCOY, F.W. & DIESTER-HAASS, L., 1974. Balearic Abyssal Plain: an example of modern basin plain deformation by salt tectonism. Marine Geology, vol 17, p. 183-200.
TESSON, M., ALLEN, G.P. & RAVENNE, C, 1993. Late Pleistocene shelf-perched lowstand wedges on the Rhône continental shelf. Spec. Pubis Int. Ass. Sediment. (1993), vol. 18, p. 183-196.
TORRES, J., SAVOYE, B. & COCHONAT, P., August 1995. The effects of Late Quaternary sea-level changes on the Rhone slope sedimentation (Northwestern Mediterranean), as indicated by seismic stratigraphy. Journal of Sedimentary Research, vol. B65, no. 3, p. 368-387.
ΤΣΑΛΚΙΤΖΗ, 0.,1997. Άνω Τεταρτογενής ιζηματογένεση βαρύτητας στην Λεκάνη των Βαλεαρίδων (Δυτική Μεσόγειος). Μεταπτυχιακή Εργασία, Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών, σελ. 153.
WEAVER, Ρ.Ρ.Ε., 1983. An integrated stratigraphy of the Upper Quaternary of the King's Trough flank area, NE Atlantic. Oceanologica Acta, vol. 6, p. 451-456.
Most read articles by the same author(s)