Cretaceous to Neogene structural evolution of the Lampedusa Shelf (Pelagian Sea, Central Mediterranean) |
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| Authors: | Luigi Torelli Mario Grasso Glauco Mazzoldi Davide Peis Davide Gori |
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| Institution: | Istituto di Geologia, Universitàdi Parma, Viale delle Scienze 78, 43100 Parma, Italy;;Istituto di Geologia e Geofisica, Universitàdi Catania, Corso Italia 55, 95129 Catania, Italy;;Canada Northwest (CNW) Italiana SpA, Lungotevere Flaminio 76, 00192 Roma, Italy |
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| Abstract: | Studies of multichannel seismic reflection profiles, calibrated with borehole data, have been carried out in the Tunisian shelf surrounding the islands of Lampione and Lampedusa, in order to define the Mesozoic-Cenozoic stratigraphie and structural evolution of this sector of the Pelagian foreland. The stratigraphy and subsidence history show a subsiding Upper Jurassic carbonate platform buried, by syn- and post-rift neritic to deep marine siliciclastics, marls and limestones of Neocomian-early Eocene age. Thick Middle-Upper Eocene shallow-water carbonates (Halk el Menzel Fm.), lie unconformably over the deep-water sediments and exhibit progradational geometries.
Messinian evaporites are confined to the deepest parts of the Neogene basins and Plio-Quaternary sediments are widespread over the area. Several unconformities affect the stratigraphic column and have been interpreted as related to compressive events during Late Cretaceous-early Tertiary times. These compressive events produced uplift, folding and reverse faulting, trending about NW-SE and partly reactivating Lower Cretaceous extensional structures. The uppermost regional unconformity indicates widespread emergence and erosion during Oligocene and Miocene tintes and was probably related to a younger compressional phase. A strong Upper Miocene-Quaternary extension event also affected the area, characterized by WNW-ESE trending normal faults, parallel to faults flanking the main grabens of the Sicily Strait rift zone. Since the Messinian, the structural evolution of the area has been controlled by rift-related processes which triggered crustal extension in the Pelagian foreland. |
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