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Messinian deposits and erosion in northern Tunisia: inferences on Strait of Sicily during the Messinian Salinity Crisis
Author(s) -
El EuchEl Koundi Narjess,
Ferry Serge,
Suc JeanPierre,
Clauzon Georges,
MelinteDobrinescu Mihaela Carmen,
Gorini Christian,
Safra Anissa,
Zargouni Fouad
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
terra nova
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.353
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-3121
pISSN - 0954-4879
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3121.2008.00852.x
Subject(s) - evaporite , geology , subaerial , halite , fluvial , outcrop , geochemistry , paleontology , sicilian , sedimentology , tectonics , sedimentary rock , gypsum , structural basin , linguistics , philosophy
Outcrops, offshore wells, electric logs and seismic profiles from northern Tunisia provide an opportunity to decipher the Messinian Salinity Crisis in the Strait of Sicily. Messinian deposits (including gypsum beds) near the Tellian Range reveal two successive subaerial erosional surfaces overlain by breccias and marine Zanclean clays, respectively. In the Gulf of Tunis, Messinian thick evaporites (mostly halite) are strongly eroded by a fluvial canyon infilled with Zanclean clays. The first erosional phase is referred to the intra‐Messinian tectonic phase and is analogous to that found in Sicily. The second phase corresponds to the Messinian Erosional Surface that postdates the marginal evaporites, to which the entire Sicilian evaporitic series must refer. The Western and Eastern Mediterranean basins were separated during deposition of the central evaporites.