Contractional salt tectonics and role of pre-existing diapiric structures in the Southern Pyrenean foreland fold-thrust belt (Montsec and Serres Marginals)

Triassic Keuper evaporites have long been recognized as the main detachment level for thrusting in the Pyrenean fold-thrust belts. The deformed Late Cretaceous-Eocene foreland basin of the Southern Pyrenees has structures and stratal geometries that can be interpreted as related to salt tectonics (e...

ver descrição completa

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autores: Burrel Garcia, Laura|||0000-0001-5036-5866, Teixell, Antonio|||0000-0002-7423-6361
Formato: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Recursos:Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ddd.uab.cat:321154
Acesso em linha:https://ddd.uab.cat/record/321154
https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1144/jgs2020-085
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palavra-chave:Boada
Oblique synclines of Sant Jordi
Rubió and Montsonís
Descrição
Resumo:Triassic Keuper evaporites have long been recognized as the main detachment level for thrusting in the Pyrenean fold-thrust belts. The deformed Late Cretaceous-Eocene foreland basin of the Southern Pyrenees has structures and stratal geometries that can be interpreted as related to salt tectonics (e.g. unconformities, rapid thickness variations, long-lived growth fans and overturned flaps), although they have been overprinted by shortening and thrusting. Based on field observations and published maps, we build new structural cross-sections reinterpreting two classic transects of the Southern Pyrenees (Noguera Ribagorçana and Noguera Pallaresa river transects). The sequential restoration of the sections explores the variations in structural style, addressing the role of halokinesis in the tectonic and sedimentary development. In the Serres Marginals area, we propose that salt pillows and diapirs started developing locally during the Mesozoic pre-orogenic episode, evolving into a system of salt ridges and intervening synclines filled with early synorogenic sediments. Rapid amplification of folds recorded by widespread latest Cretaceous-Paleocene growth strata is taken as marking the onset of contractional folding in the area. During Pyrenean compression, folding mechanisms transitioned from dominantly halokinetic to a combination of buckling and differential sedimentary loading. Squeezing of salt diapirs and thrust welding occurred as salt ridges were unroofed. We provide new field observations that lead to a reinterpretation of the regional structural development and contribute to the debate about the role of salt tectonics in the Pyrenees.