Pliocene-Pleistocene growth of the Rio Ebro margin, northeast Spain: A prograding-slope model

Geological Society of America Bulletin
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Abstract

Pliocene-Pleistocene marine deposits overlying Messinian evaporites off northeast Spain are composed of five distinct seismic facies. These facies are interpreted to represent deposition in five adjacent settings: distal (isolated) basin, basin plain, base of slope,slope, and shelf. Contrary to previous studies, a submarine-fan style of deposition is not evident. Distal-basin deposits are characterized by thin, wavy, parallel beds draping the sea floor. Basin-plain deposits are similar but also have flat-lying beds and some low-relief channels. Base-of-slope deposits are dominated by stacked, overlapping, elongate channel/levee deposits that have concave-upward bases and convex-upward tops. Slope sequences are thick accumulations of overbank deposits laterally interrupted by large upward-climbing canyon fill. The shelf component is composed of overlapping and stacked delta lobes.

The composite sediment body is a prograded, upward-shallowing, offlap sequence initiated and controlled by the influx of terrigenous sediment from the Rio Ebro during the Pleistocene. This style of deposition is common in the rock record, and our model may be more appropriate as a modern analogue for some rocks than are conventional shelf-canyon-fan models of margin sedimentation.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Pliocene-Pleistocene growth of the Rio Ebro margin, northeast Spain: A prograding-slope model
Series title Geological Society of America Bulletin
DOI 10.1130/0016-7606(1990)102<0721:PPGOTR>2.3.CO;2
Volume 102
Issue 6
Year Published 1990
Language English
Publisher Geological Society of America
Description 13 p.
First page 721
Last page 733
Country Spain
Other Geospatial Ebro River, Gulf of Valencia, Mediterranean Sea
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