Chapter 9

Structural Geological Analysis

of the High Atlas (Morocco):
Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt
Alessandro Ellero, Giuseppe Ottria, Marco G. Malus and Hassan Ouanaimi
Additional information is available at the end of the chapter
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/50071

1.Introduction
TheHighAtlasofMorocco,representingthesouthernmostelementofthePerimediterrane
an Alpine belts, is a typical example of intracontinental belt (Mattauer et al., 1977). It was
formed within the North African plate during convergence of the African and European
platesduringtheCenozoic(Deweyetal.,1989;Gomezetal.,2000).Likeotherintracontinen
talmountainbelts,theHighAtlasshowsadoublesenseofvergenceandacomplexevolu
tionoftimingandsequenceofthrusting.
Many studies have emphasized the role of the inversion tectonics in the evolution of the
High Atlas system (Proust, 1973; Jacobshagen et al., 1988; Giese and Jacobshagen, 1992;
Laville and Piqu, 1992; Beauchamp et al., 1996, 1999; Mustaphi et al., 1997; Hafid, 2000).
Thrust and fold structures would resulted from the reactivation (inversion), caused by the
Cenozoic compressional events, of the preexisting extensional faults associated with the
TriassicLiassicAtlasicrifting.
Inthiscontextseveralauthorsconsideredstrikeslipfaultingasanimportantcomponentof
the Alpine evolution of the High Atlas belt (Mattauer et al., 1977; Fraissinet et al., 1988;
Froitzheimetal.,1988;LavilleandPiqu,1991,1992;Moreletal.,2000;Piquetal.,2002).
However,morerecentstudies(FrizondeLamotteetal.,2000;Teixelletal.,2003,2005;Arbo
leyaetal.,2004;Ayarzaetal.,2005;Missenardetal.,2006)havebeenaimedtothedefinition
ofthegeodynamicmodelfortheAlpineevolutionoftheHighAtlasbelt.Asaconsequence
structuralstudieshavebeenperformedwithinaregionalscalegeodynamicpurecompres
sionalframework,neglectingthekinematicmeaningofdata.Therefore,despitethefactthat
thegeometriesofdeformationstructuresarelocallywellknown,thedetailsofAlpinestruc

2012 Ottria et al., licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the
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230 Tectonics Recent Advances

tural evolution of the High Atlas belt, particularly kinematic information, are still poorly
known.
In this contribution we present the results of a structural and kinematic study we have
carried out in Morocco along a transect crossing the Western High Atlas and along the
southernmarginoftheCentralHighAtlasintheTinerhirBoumalnearea,twokeysectorsof
theHighAtlasbelt.Amainobjectiveofthispaperistoestablishthepossiblerelationships
between the described structures to better understand the general processes of
intracontinentalmountainbuildingthathaveconstructedtheHighAtlasbelt.
Our structural and kinematic study, suggesting main transpressional imbricate systems,
indicatesthatstrikeslipmovementsplayedanimportantroleinthedeformationevolution
of the High Atlas fold and thrust belt. We propose that the main Alpine deformation of
HighAtlasbeltwastranspressionalincharacter,withefficientkinematicstrainpartitioning
focussingthestrikeslipcomponentalongpreexistingmajorfaults.Thepotentialinfluence
ofpreexistingtectonicboundariesonweaknessandevolvingtectonicfabricsonkinematic
strainpartitioningcanbethereforeemphasized.

2.Regionalgeology
TheHighAtlasrepresentsthehighestmountainbeltofMorocco,withpeaksofover4000m
a.s.l. (Mt. Toubkal, 4165 m), crossing the country along the SWNE direction from the
AtlanticOceantoAlgeriaforalengthofabout2000km(800kminMorocco)andawidth
rangingfromabout50kmto100km,framedbetweentheMesetadomains(MoroccoMeseta
andOranMeseta)tothenorth,andthenorthernboundaryoftheWestAfricanCraton(Anti
Atlasbelt)tothesouth(Figure1).
TheHighAtlasfoldandthrustbeltisformedbyaPrecambrianandPaleozoicbasementand
aMesozoicCenozoicsuccession.ThepreMesozoicbasementisexposedinseveralinliersof
the High Atlas, forming the most elevatedareas of the Western High Atlas. The Mesozoic
successions, mostly Jurassic in age, crop out almost exclusively in the Central High Atlas
and the Atlantic basin south of Essaouira (Figure 1). The Cenozoic deposits, substantially
absentalongthebeltaxis,characterizetheHighAtlasboundarieswiththeplainswherethe
Neogeneformationsdeposited.
In the Western High Atlas, the Precambrian basement crops out mostly in the Ouzellarh
Block, being composed by metamorphic rocks and granitoids topped by late Precambrian
volcanics.ThePaleozoicsuccessionrangesfromLowerCambriantoCarboniferousanditis
mostlycharacterizedbyclasticrocksdeformedduringtheVariscanorogeny.Inparticular,
theLateViseanEarlyWestphaliantectonicevent(MainVariscanPhase;Michardetal.2008
andreferences)producedtightfoldsassociatedwithmetamorphismandgraniteintrusions.
These folds show NESW to NS axes and subvertical to generally Edipping axial planes
(western vergence) and developed a pervasive axial plane cleavage. ThePT conditions of
metamorphism did not exceeded lowgrade greenschistfacies conditions during the main
Variscanfolding,exceptintheregionsclosetothegraniteintrusions(Michardetal.,2008).

Structural Geological Analysis of the High Atlas (Morocco): Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt 231

HowevertheVariscanstructuralpatternisdominatedbyENEWSWtoNESWmajordex
tralfaultzones(e.g.TizinTest,Medinat,Erdouz)whichbrokeuptheWesternHighAtlas
into several structural blocks (Proust et al., 1977; Ouanaimi and Petit, 1992; Houari and
Hoepffner, 2003; Hoepffner et al., 2005). A recent paper (Dias et al., 2011) emphasises the
occurrence of WNWESE sinistral shear zones, already documented by Fraissinet et al.
(1988), in the framework of conjugated fault systems with the ENEWSW dextral shear
zonesdevelopedduringthemainVariscanphase.

Figure 1. SchematicstructuralmapofMoroccowithlocationofFigures2and6(modifiedafterHafidet
al.,2006andMichardetal.,2008).SAF:SouthAtlasFault;NAF:NorthAtlasFront;TnTFs:TizinTest
Faultsystem;JeT:JebiletThrust;A:Agadir;C:Casablanca;F:Fes;G:Gibraltar;M:Marrakech;O:Oujda;
R:Rabat;T:Tinerhir.

232 Tectonics Recent Advances

The Mesozoicsuccession of the High Atlas belt started with the Late PermianTriassic red
beds(conglomerates,sandstones,siltstonesandmudstones),unconformablyrestingonthe
LowerPaleozoicrocksoronthePrecambrianbasement.Thesecontinentaldeposits(Fabuel
Perez et al., 2009) represent the detrital infilling of basins developed during the Late
PermianTriassic Atlasic prerifting phase when the Variscan shear zones were reactivated
asnormalandstrikeslipfaults.Thepreriftdepositsarecappedbytholeiiticbasaltflowsof
theCAMP(CentralAtlanticMagmaticProvince)thatprovideabsoluteagesofabout200Ma
corresponding to the TriassicJurassic transition (Fiechtner et al., 1992; Knight et al, 2004;
Marzolietal,2004).
TheoverlyinglimestonesanddolomitesrepresentthetransgressiveLowerLiassicplatform.
WithintheLiassicthetransitionfrommassivecarbonatestoalayeredsequenceofmarlsand
limestones indicates a platformbasin boundary documenting the progressive disruption
and drowning of the Liassic platform (Jossen and FilaliMoutei, 1992). The Upper Liassic
Lower Dogger (from Toarcian to Bajocian) are varicolored marls and reefal limestones
underlying Bathonian red sandstones and silty shales pointing to a continental
sedimentation (e.g. Ellouz et al., 2003). The Cretaceous is characterized by red sandstones
and conglomerates (Infracenomanian; Gauthier, 1957) evolving to platform white
limestones ofCenomanianTuronian age which mark a global transgression to thescale of
the entire Atlas domain (Ettachfini and Andreu, 2004). During the Upper Cretaceous
Paleogene the sedimentation is mainly continental and lacustrine with minor marine
bioclasticlimestonesofEoceneage(MarzoqiandPascal,2000).
The Neogene continental deposits, occurring above a regional unconformity, resulted
essentially from the syndeformation erosion of the mountain belt (MiocenePliocene
molasses).
ThepostJurassicdepositswhichprobablyformedarathercontinuouscoveroverlyingthe
High Atlas and the surrounding areas (Meseta and Anti Atlas domains) are now exposed
mainlyintheareasborderingnorthwardandsouthwardtheHighAtlas(Haouz,Soussand
Ouarzazate basins), while they have been largely eroded into the High Atlas being pre
servedonlyinfewlimitedoutcrops.
TheAlpine(Atlasic)tectonicevolutionoftheHighAtlasfoldandthrustbelthasbeengen
erallyconsideredtobecharacterizedbyatleasttwomaindeformationstepsspanninginage
fromLateEocenetoOligoceneMioceneandfromPliocenetoEarlyQuaternary,respectively
(Gorler,1988;Jacobshagenetal.,1988;GieseandJacobshagen,1992;FrizondeLamotteetal.,
2000;ElHarfietal.,2001,2006;Missenardetal.,2007).TesonandTeixell(2006)documented
arathercontinousthrustingatthesouthernborderoftheHighAtlas(Boumalnearea)active
from the Oligocene to the Pliocene. Nevertheless Quaternary tectonics, deforming alluvial
terraces,hasbeenalsodocumented(e.g.Moreletal.,2000;Sebrieretal.,2006;CerrinaFeroni
etal.,2007;Delcaillauetal.,2010).
The presentday seismicity along the marginal zones of the High Atlas testifies that the
orogenicmovementsarestillactive.

Structural Geological Analysis of the High Atlas (Morocco): Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt 233

The tectonic style characterizing the High Atlas is mainly thickskinned, as the basement
wasinvolvedinthecompressionaldeformation(e.g.FrizondeLamotteetal.,2000;Teixell
etal.,2003;ElHarfietal.,2006).However,thestructuresofthesouthernborderhavebeen
interpreted as evolved within a thinskinned style of deformation (e.g. Beauchamp et al.,
1999;Bennamietal.,2001;Teixelletal.,2003).
The limits that bound, to the north and to the south, the High Atlas orogenic system are
representedbytwotectoniclineamentsofregionalimportance.
Inparticular,thenorthernboundaryoftheWesternHighAtlasisrepresentedbyacomplex
systemofthrustsandhighanglefaultsthatdividesthemainrangefromtheHaouzPlain.
The northern border of the Central High Atlas belt is marked by a Nverging thrust,
associated with strikeslip faults, that finds its westernward extension with the thrust that
subtendsandboundsnorthwardtheJebiletrange(Figure1).Onthecontrary,thesouthern
boundaryoftheCentralHighAtlasmatchestheSouthAtlasFaultZone(RussoandRusso,
1934), a major tectonic feature extending from Morocco, where the High Atlas belt is
juxtaposedtotheAntiAtlas,toTunisia(Braceneetal.,1998).IntheWesternHighAtlasthe
South Atlas Fault Zone corresponds to the western termination of the Tizi nTest Fault
system.

3.Thestudiedsectors
Wehavefocusedourstudyintwoselectedsectorscorrespondingtothesouthernboundary
of the Central High Atlas in the TinerhirBoumalne area and to the Western High Atlas
transectbetweenIminTanouteandTaroudantregion(Figure1).
In these sectors, the occurrence of MesozoicCenozoic deposits allowed to describe the
geometryandkinematicsofthemainAlpinestructuresanddefinetheagesofthetectonic
events that characterize the polyphase deformation of the High Atlas borders. The
availabilityofindustryseismicdata,discussedinearlierpapers(e.g.Mustaphietal.,1997;
Hafidetal.,2006;Sebrieretal.,2006),providedfurtherusefulinformation.
Inparticular,thestructuralstudyoftheTinerhirBoumalneareaisimportantintheunder
standingofthekinematicsinducedbytheSouthAtlasFaultZone.TheWesternHighAtlas
isaprivilegedsectorwhereitispossiblethestudyoftheentiremountainbeltalongarela
tivelyshorttransect(about50km)betweenitsnorthernandsouthernboundaries,thatisto
sayfromtheIminTanouteFaulttotheTizinTestFaultZone.
Actually, whereas the Imi nTanoute Fault is located at the northern boundary of the
WesternHighAtlasatthemarginoftheHaouzPlain,fromastructuralpointofviewitdoes
notrepresentthenorthernbeltfrontastheJebiletrange,northofMarrakech(Figure1),must
beconsideredaspartoftheHighAtlasitself(Hafidetal.,2000,2006;Michardetal.,2008).
Nevertheless,alongtheWesternHighAtlastransectitispossibletoacquirenewdataabout
the characterization of fault and thrustfold systems evolving from northern to southern
vergencescrossingthebeltfromnorthtosouth.

234 Tectonics Recent Advances

3.1.CentralHighAtlas(TinerhirBoumalnearea)
3.1.1.Geologicalsetting
The study area corresponds to the NESW trending zone, from Boumalne and Tinerhir,
betweentheCentralHighAtlastothenorth,andtheEasternAntiAtlas(SaharanCraton)to
the south (Figures 1 and 2). The geological setting is characterized by the eastern
terminationoftheOuarzazatebasin,atopographiclowwheremostoftheMiocenePliocene
and Quaternary deposits sedimented. It represents the physiographic separation between
CentralHighAtlasandEasternAntiAtlasbelts.IntheTinerhirarea,wheretheOuarzazate
basin ends, the two belts face each other, being separated only by the CretaceousEocene
succession.
The structural pattern of the southern boundary of the Central High Atlas between
BoumalneandTinerhirisdominatedbythehighanglefaultsbelongingtotheSouthAtlas
FaultsystemshowinganoveralldirectionofaboutN70E.InparticulartheSouthAtlasFault
mainzonecorrespondstoastrikeslipfaultthatjuxtaposesanorthernblockrepresentedby
the Central High Atlas belt s.s. and a southern block characterized by the Mesozoic
CenozoicsuccessionunconformablyoverlappingthePaleozoicbasementoutcroppingnorth
theProterozoicrocksoftheJebelSaghro.TheMesozoicCenozoicsuccessionofthesouthern
block is deformed by a southverging foldthrust system that affects also the underlying
Paleozoicbasement.Thelatterisformedbyterrigenousclasticswithsubordinatecarbonate
sedimentsranginginagefromLowerCambriantoCarboniferous(ViseanNamurian).The
Paleozoic succession is characterized by a polyphase deformation consistent with the Late
Carboniferous Variscan evolution (Michard et al., 1982; Hoepffner et al., 2006; Cerrina
Feroni et al., 2010). Nevertheless, a postVariscan tectonics, connected with the Cenozoic
Atlasicorogeny,hasbeendocumentedintheEasternAntiAtlas(Malusetal.,2007).
In the Tinerhir area, the MesozoicCenozoic succession which unconformably overlies the
PaleozoicbasementischaracterizedbyabasalunitformedbyUpperCretaceouscontinental
conglomerates and sandstones (Infracenomanian) which directly overlaps the Paleozoic
and Proterozoic basement (Figure 2). The pebbles of the conglomerates are formed by
Precambrian and Paleozoic rocks of the Anti Atlas domain; the basal unconformity sealed
thestructuresgeneratedbytheVariscandeformation.
Above the Infracenomanian deposits the succession evolves upward toUpper Cretaceous
Eocene mainly marine deposits which can be subdivided in many lithostratigraphic units
(Figure2B).Theoverlyingdepositsconsistofredpelitesandfinesandstoneswithgypsum
lensesandintercalationsofsandstonesandconglomerates(e6e7);thislagoonalcontinental
successioncorrespondstotheHadidaAitOuglifformationwhichhasbeenreferredtothe
UpperEoceneEarlyOligocene(ElHarfietal.,2001).
The uppermost part of the MesozoicCenozoic succession is characterized by a very thick
(up to more than 700 m) MiocenePliocene formation constituted by polygenic
conglomerateswithpebblesofPrecambriantoPaleogenerocks.Itisdepositedinanalluvial
fan environment evolving to shales and lacustrine limestones and to alluvial fan

Structural Geological Analysis of the High Atlas (Morocco): Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt 235

conglomerates mainly composed by Jurassic limestone clasts. The MiocenePliocene

depositsliesunconformablyoverallthepreviousformationscomprisingthe

Figure 2. A:GeologicalmapoftheTinerhirBoumalnearea(simplifiedafterHindermayeretal.,1977,
andMilhi,1997.)indicatingthegeologicalcrosssectionsofFigure3.SAF:SouthAtlasFault.B:
LithostratigraphyofgeologicalcrosssectionsinFigure3.

JebelSaghroPrecambrianrocks(outsidethearearepresentedinthegeologicalmapofFigure
2A).TheMiocenePliocene basalcontact representsaregionalunconformityasthe Miocene
PliocenedepositsdirectlyoverlapalsotheMiddleJurassicrocksbelongingtothestratigraphic
successionoftheCentralHighAtlas,northoftheSouthAtlasFaultzone(Figure2B).

236 Tectonics Recent Advances

Figure 3. GeologicalcrosssectionsthroughtheSouthAtlasFaultzonebetweenTinerhirandBoumalne
(locationinFigure2).Insections11and22stereonetdiagrams(Equalareaprojection,lowerhemi
sphere)representpolestobedding(yellowcircles:normalbeds;bluecircles:overturnedbeds),and
measuredfoldaxes(yellowtriangles);theaxesareindicated(redsquares).Insections33and44
stereonetdiagramsrepresentfaultplanesandstriae.

The Central High Atlas succession exposed in the study area consists of Triassic red silt
stones, sandstones and basalts evolving upward to LiassicDogger mainly massive lime
stonesanddolostonesandvaricoloredmarls,locallywithgypsum(Figure2B).

3.1.2.Structuregeometryandkinematics
The geologicalstructural data collected in the field allowed to produce four crosssections
thatdescribethegeometryandkinematicofthemainstructuresoccurringatthesouthern
marginoftheCentralHighAtlasbetweenBoumalneandTinerhirvillages(Figure3).
TheoutstandingstructureistheSouthAtlasFaultzonealongwhichthemainlyLowerJu
rassic rocks of the Central High Atlas succession are juxtaposed to the CretaceousEocene
successionoftheAntiAtlasblock.ThemainfaultzoneischaracterizedbyNESWtrending
highanglefaultplanesdisplayinghorizontaltoobliqueslickensidesthatindicateanoverall
dextraldisplacement(Figure4A).Thekinematicanalysisallowedtoobtaintwopalaeostress
tensorsbyinversionofthefaultdatacollectedalongtheSouthAtlasFaultzonenorthwestof
Tinehrir(Figure5).TheImarirenesiteofmeasurementevidencesanhomogeneouspopula
tion of NESW dextral strikeslip faults compatible with a strikeslip palaeostress tensor
with a subhorizontal maximum compression 1 axis directed roughly EW. The dextral

Structural Geological Analysis of the High Atlas (Morocco): Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt 237

strikeslip faults collected at Ait Snane are conjugated with NNWSSE sinistral strike slip
faults. This fault system is consistent with a strike slip palaeostress regime (subvertical
intermediatecompressionaxis2)andasubhorizontal1axisshowingaNNWSSEdirec
tion(Figure5).ThisstrikesliptensoriskinematicallycompatiblewiththeENEWSWtrend
inginversefaultsoccurringinthesamesiteofmeasurement.

Figure 4. GeometricalandkinematicfeaturesalongtheSouthAtlasFaultzoneintheTinerhir
Boumalnearea.A:MainSouthAtlasFaultplanecorrespondingtotheLowerJurassicrockwall.
Thedirectionoftheredarrowcorrespondstothemovementofthemissingblock,indicatingadextral
senseofmovement.B:ThrustsurfaceaffectingtheQuaternarydeposits.Thethrustplaneischaracter
izedbythesamedirectionoftheSouthAtlasFaultzonewithatoptotheSouthsenseofmovement.C:
HectometrescalesouthvergentfolddevelopedinLowerJurassicrocks
oftheHighAtlasdomain.D:Hectometrescalesouthvergentfolddeveloped
intheUpperCretaceousEocenesuccessionoftheAntiAtlasdomain.

Thrust folds are structures characterizing also the deformation pattern of the study area,
affecting the Jurassic rocks and the Upper CretaceousEocene succession, as well as the
MiocenePliocene deposits and the Quaternary terrace gravels (Figures 3 and 4B). The
thrusts are directed about ENEWSW (~ N70E), broadly parallel to the South Atlas Fault
zone, dipping toward NNW of 3040. The fault surfaces display downdip slickenside
striationsindicatingatoptotheSsenseofmovement.Theresultingpalaeostresstensorsare

238 Tectonics Recent Advances

consistent with pure compressive tectonic regimes with subhorizontal 1 axes directed
NNWSSEasshownintheAitArbiandSidiAliOuBourkstations(Figure5).

Figure 5. Geologicalsketchmapwithstressinvertionresults(TENSORprogram;Delvaux,1993).Stere
ograms(Schmidtnet,lowerhemisphere)withtracesoffaultplanes,observedsliplinesandslipsenses;
theprincipalstressaxes(S1,S2,S3)andtypeofstresstensorarereported.

Northwestwardthisthrustsystemlinkstothehighanglefaults(SouthAtlasFaultsystem)
displayinganoverallasymmetricalpositiveflowerstructuregeometry(Figure3).
Thethrustsystemisassociatedwithafoldsystemcharacterizedbyanticlinesandsynclines
showing steeply dipping axial planes; the fold axes, generally showing subhorizontal
plunging,trendfromN70EtoaboutEW,againsubparalleltotheSouthAtlasFaulttrend
(Figure4Cand4D).Thefoldasymmetryindicatesasouthwardvergence.Thesubvertical
limbsofthefoldsareoftenaffectedbythrustfaultsthatcutofftheanticlinesynclinehinge
zones(Figure3).
The analysis of the geological crosssections indicates that the deformation is not
homogeneously distributed in the study area: deformation zones constituted by folds and
thrustsaremoredevelopedclosetotheSouthAtlasFaultzone,whilemovingtotheSEthe
deformationdecreasesgeneratingmorespacedopensynclineandanticlinefolds.
The geometrickinematic analysis suggests that thrusting and folding can be linked to the
development of contemporaneous strikeslip faulting in a complex polyphase tectonic
evolution. In fact, the relationships of the MiocenePliocene deposits that unconformably
sealedthefoldstructuresoftheUpperCretaceousEocenesuccession,andthedeformation
affecting the Quaternary deposits indicate two distinct tectonic phases characterizing the
AlpineevolutionofthesouthernboundaryoftheCentralHighAtlasbelt.

Structural Geological Analysis of the High Atlas (Morocco): Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt 239

3.2.WesternHighAtlas
ThestudiedsectoroftheWesternHighAtlasdevelopsbetweenIminTanoutevillageand
Menizlavillage(SEofArgana),atthenorthernlimitoftheSoussPlain(Figure6).

Figure 6. SchematicstructuralmapoftheWesternHighAtlaswithlocationofFigures7and9(modi
fiedafterHollardetal,1985).1:Quaternary;2:Neogene;3:Eocene;4:Cretaceous;5:Jurassic;6:Permi
anTriassic,7:Carboniferous;8:Ordovician,SilurianandDevonian;9:Cambrian;10:VariscanGranites.
InTF:IminTanouteFault;SekF:SeksaouaFault;MedF:MedinatFault;TzMF:TiziMaachouFault;IkaF:
IkakernFault;TnTFs:TizinTestFaultsystem;WAFZ:WesternAtlasicFaultZone.

Thecentralpartofthebeltisformedbya10kmthickPaleozoicsuccession,mostlyrepre
sented by the Cambrian metasediments (sandstones, schists and greywackes). East of the
WesternAtlasicFaultZone(CorneandDestombes,1991),amajorNStrendingCambrian
tectonic lineament (Figure 6), the Lower Cambrian succession is characterized by volcano
detriticschistswithconglomeraticlensesoverlyingacomplexofschistswitharkoses,volca
nodetriticandcalcareousintercalations.ThePaleozoicsuccessionevolvesuptoOrdovician
sandstones and to SilurianDevonian units respectively composed of black/reddish schists
andsandstonesandconglomerateswithlensoflimestones.
The Carboniferous formations are restricted to the Ida Ou Zal basin in the southwestern
sector of the Western High Atlas (Figure 6). It is composed by 1800 m thick succession of
conglomerates followed by sandstones, pelites, coal seams and argillaceous sandstones
alternatingwithdolomiticcalcareouslayers(DeKoning,1957).Thesuccessionwasaccumu

240 Tectonics Recent Advances

latedduringStephanianAutuniantimespaninthisbasinwhichhasbeeninterpretedasa
Late Variscan basin created along a strikeslip fault system in a transextensional regime
(Saber et al., 2001). The StephanianAutunian deposits of the Ida Ou Zal basin were de
formedbyafoldingphasewithEWtoESEWNWaxialdirectiondevelopedinatranspres
sionaltectonicregime(Saberetal.,2001).Amorecomplextectonicevolutionhasbeenpro
posed by Qarbous et al. (2003) consisting in superimposed folding and faulting defor
mations in alternating compressional and extensional regimes. The last deformation stage,
connected to the Alpine tectonics, produced the reactivation of the ENEWSW faults as
reversefaultsinthecontextofaroughlyNScompression.
The western boundary of the Western High Atlas is characterized by the Upper Permian
Triassic deposits (sandstones and siltstones) whose outcrops are limited to a NNESSW
trending basin (Argana Corridor). This basin evolves westward to the AgadirEssaouira
basin where the MesozoicCenozoic succession developed. The Argana Corridor deposits
areaffectedbyanetworkofENEWSW,NESWandWNWESEfaults(Tixeront,1974)that
extendeastwardcuttingthePaleozoicbasement.
The MesozoicCenozoic succession characterizes also the northern and southern marginal
sectorsoftheWesternHighAtlas,respectivelynorththeIminTanouteFaultatthemargin
with the Haouz Plain and south the Tizi nTest Fault system at the margin with the Souss
Plain.TheSoussPlain,whichactedastheHighAtlasforelandbasinduringthe Cenozoic,
constitutesanEWorienteddepressionseparatedfromtheOuarzazatebasinbytheSiroua
highplateau(Figure1).
TheHaouzPlain,onthecontrary,isinterpretedasanintramountainbasinlocatedbetween
theJebiletandtheHighAtlas(Michardetal.,2010)andcharacterizedbyMiocenePliocene
molassedeposits.
Inthefollowingparagraphswewilldiscussseparatelythestructuralgeologyoftwosectors
of the Western High Atlas, respectively the Imi nTanoute area (northern sector) and the
Menizlaarea(southernsector).

3.2.1.Northernboundary(IminTanouteFault)
The geological setting of the northern sector (Imi nTanoute area) is characterized by the
contact between the Paleozoic basement and the MesozoicCenozoic succession which de
velopsnorthwardintheHaouzPlain.ThiscontactcorrespondstotheIminTanouteFault,a
majorfaultzoneshowinganaboutN70direction(Figure7).However,ESEofIminTanoute
villagetheunconformableoverlapoftheJurassicsuccession,startingwithpurpleconglom
erates and sandstones, above the Paleozoic rocks is preserved. This unconformity is well
visiblealsoatthemapscaleforthestrongdiscordancebetweenthesubhorizontalJurassic
bedsandthePaleozoicsuccession.Thelatterdisplaysasubverticalattitude,resultedfrom
theVariscantectonicswhichproducedNSdirectedfoldsassociatedwithapervasivesub
verticalcleavage.Further,thisareaischaracterizedbyaNStrendingthrust,connectedto
theWAFZ,thatduplicatedthePaleozoicsuccessionwithaneastvergence.

Structural Geological Analysis of the High Atlas (Morocco): Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt 241

InthePaleozoicsuccessiontheLowerMiddleCambrianschistsandgreywackesevolvesto
schists and schists with quartzite bars of Ordovician age. The Paleozoic succession ends
with Silurian black/reddish schists and Devonian sandstones and conglomerates with lens
oflimestones.

Figure 7. GeologicalmapofthenorthernboundaryoftheHighAtlasintheIminTanoutearea(modi
fiedafterDuffaud,1981).1:Quaternary;2:Miocene;3:Eocene;4:Paleocene;5:UpperCretaceous;6:
CenomanianTuronian;7:LowerCretaceous;8:Jurassic;9:Devonian;10:Ordovician;11:MiddleCam
brian;12:LowerCambrian;13:normalbeds,14:overturnedbeds;15:verticalbeds;16:foldaxes,ver
genceisindicated;17:mainfoliationinPaleozoicrocks;18:mainfaults;19:secondaryfaults;
20:tectonicboundaries.InTF:IminTanouteFault;SekF:SeksaouaFault.Atthetopleftofthefigure
stereogram(Schmidtnet,lowerhemisphere)withtracesoffaultplanes,observedsliplinesandslip
senses.Theprincipalstressaxes(S1,S2,S3)andtypeofstresstensorareindicated.

The postJurassic Mesozoic succession of the Imi nTanoute area begins with Lower
Cretaceous marine deposits (yellow and reddish marls, limestones and sandstones with

242 Tectonics Recent Advances

gypsumofBarremianFIGURE8age)followedbyathickCenomanianTuroniansequence
formed by grey and red marls with anhydrite and by Senonian red and white sandstones
with lumachellic limestones and white marlstones. The overlying Maastrichtian
conglomerates and phosphatic sandy marls and limestones were deposited above an
unconformity and evolved up to the PaleoceneEocene reddish sandstones and brown
marls.SlightlynorthoftheIminTanoutevillage,upto20mthickwhiteconglomerateswith
limestone and chert pebbles, considered to be Oligocene in age, are also documented
unconformably overlapping the Eocene succession (Zuhlke et al., 2004). Nevertheless the
main unconformity inside the Cenozoic succession corresponds to the basal contact of the
Mioceneconglomeratesandsandstones(molassicdeposits)thatrestdirectlyabovedifferent
levels of the Upper CretaceousEocene succession, sealing the thrusting and folding
deformationofthefirsttectonicphaseoftheWesternHighAtlasbelt.

Figure 8. GeometricalandkinematicfeaturesalongthenorthernboundaryofHighAtlasintheImi
nTanoutearea.A:PanoramicviewofthenorthvergentfoldingintheCretaceoussuccessionassociated
tothedextralsenseofmovementoftheIminTanouteFault.B:Detailofafaultplane(MiddleCambri
an)bearingobliqueslickenlineswithadextralstrikeslipmovement.Thedirectionoftheredarrow
correspondstothemovementofthemissingblock.C)ShearzonedevelopedintheLowerCretaceous
rocksalongtheIminTanouteFault.D:KilometerscalenorthvergentfolddevelopedinCretaceous
Paleogenesuccessions,characterizedbyasecondaryfoldwithrabbiteargeometry.Thedeformedstrata
areunconformablyoverlainbytheMioceneclasticdeposits.

Inthestudyarea,thegeologicalstructuresattheWesternHighAtlasnorthernbordercanbe
observed along a natural crosssection directed roughly NS (Figure 8A). The Cambrian
metamorphic rocks are juxtaposed to the Cretaceous sedimentary sequences along the Imi
nTanouteFault.AsliceofJurassicrocksisalsoisolatedinsidethefaultzone.Thefoliation
attitude of the Cambrian metasandstones and metapelites, that normally shows a sub

Structural Geological Analysis of the High Atlas (Morocco): Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt 243

vertical NS direction, close to the fault zone suffered a virgation produced by the fault
activity becoming subparallel to thefault itself and showing a northward high angle dip
ping (Figure 7). North the Imi nTanoute Fault, the Lower Cretaceous red marlstones and
sandstones belong to the southern vertical limb of a synclineanticlinesyncline system
showing northward vergence. This folding system involved the entire MesozoicCenozoic
succession of the Imi nTanoute area up to the PaleoceneEocene deposits, as can be ob
served northwest the Houdjanene village (Figure 8D) where the Turonian limestones evi
dence a spectacular secondary fold that can be interpreted as a rabbitear fold (Narr &
Suppe 1994; Missenard et al., 2007). In the Houdjanene crosssection the subhorizontal
(slightlydipping)MioceneconglomeratesareunconformableabovethesubverticalPaleo
ceneEocenebeds(limestonesandsandstones).
The overall axial direction of the described fold system is directed subparallel to the Imi
nTanouteFault,i.e.N70Easevidencedalsobythespatialarrangementofthebeddingdata
collectedintheCretaceousEocenesuccession(Figure7).
ThekinematicdatacollectedalongthemainfaultzoneoftheIminTanouteFaultindicatea
maindextralstrikeslipmovement(Figure8Band8C)consistentwithastrikesliptectonic
regimedisplayingasubhorizontalWNWESEdirectedmaximumcompressionaxis,where
theassociatedroughlyEWdirectednormalfaultsarecompatibletoo(Figure7).
In the Cambrian metasandstones a population of NNESSW directed dextral strikeslip
faultshavebeenalsocollected,beingcompatiblewithadifferentpalaeostresstensorwhere
thesubhorizontalaxisisdirectedENEWSW.

3.2.2.Southernboundary(TizinTestFaultsystem)
ThePaleozoicsuccessionoftheMenizlaareaischaracterizedbytheoccurrenceoftheUpper
CarboniferousdepositsoftheIdaouZalbasin.UnlikethenorthernboundaryoftheWest
ern High Atlas, the MesozoicCenozoic succession starts with the Lower Cretaceous red
sandstonesdirectlyoverlyingtheOrdovicianrocksoutcroppingintwosmallinliersnorthof
Addouz(Figure9).TheupperpartofthesuccessionischaracterizedbytheMaastrichtian
YpresianphosphateseriesandbytheMiocenePliocenecontinentaldeposits.
TheMesozoicCenozoicsuccessionatthesouthernboundaryoftheWesternHighAtlaswas
deformed by southward verging fold systems comprehensively formed by two wide anti
clinesseparatedbyawidersyncline.Thesubvertical,locallyreversed,southernmostlimb
of the southern anticline represents the margin with the Quaternary deposits of the Souss
Plain.
Forthemainobjectofourstudy,weanalyzedtherelationshipsbetweenthefoldingstruc
turesandtheTizinTestFaultsystemintheareaofTafrawtane(Figures9and10).Themain
fault that juxtaposes the Cambrian rocks with subvertical principal foliation to the Upper
Cretaceous deposits is a subvertical dextral strikeslip fault directed about EW. The rela
tive kinematic data allow defining a strikeslip palaeostress tensor with a subhorizontal
NWSEtrending1axis(Figure9).

244 Tectonics Recent Advances

Figure 9. GeologicalmapofthesouthernboundaryoftheHighAtlasintheMenizlaarea(modifiedafter
Choubert,1957andTixeront,1974).1:Quaternary;2:MiocenePliocene;3:Eocene;4:Paleocene;5:Upper
Cretaceous;6:CenomanianTuronian;7:Jurassic;8:UpperTriassic;9:MiddleTriassic;10:Permian
Triassic;11:Carboniferous;12:Devonian;13:Silurian;14:Ordovician;15:MiddleCambrian;16:Lower
Cambrian;17:VariscanGranites;18:Mainfaults;19:TectonicBoundaries;20:Directionoftectonic
transport.ArgF:ArganaFault;BigF:BigoudineFault;IfeF:IferdFault;TirF:TirkouFault;TnTFs:Tizi
nTestFaultsystem.Stereograms(Schmidtnet,lowerhemisphere)withtracesoffaultplanes,observedslip
linesandslipsensesarereportedfortheIferd,MenizlaandTirkouFaultsandforTizinTestFaultsystem
intheTafrawtanearea.Theprincipalstressaxes(S1,S2,S3)andtypeofstresstensorareindicated.

Actually,themainfaultzoneischaracterizedbyasliceofPermianTriassicredsandstones
interposedbetweentheCambrianandtheCretaceousrocksthatarealsoaffectedbyasouth
vergingthrustthatrootsintothemainsubverticalfaultplane.

Structural Geological Analysis of the High Atlas (Morocco): Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt 245

The Upper Cretaceous marls and limestones are affected by complex, disharmonic, fold
structures showing a general southward vergence. As a result bedding is variable in
orientationbutitgenerallystrikesENEWSW,subparalleltothemaindirectionoftheTizi
nTest Fault system; bedding dips follow the fold structures, being progressively steeper
approachingthefaultzone.TheaxisofthefoldsystemisdirectedaboutN70E,subparallel
totheTizinTestFaultsystemdirection,showingaslighteastwardplunging.

Figure 10. PanoramicviewofthesouthvergingfoldingintheUpperCretaceousassociatedtothe

dextralsenseofmovementoftheTizinTestFaultsystemintheTafrawtanezone.

However, from a structural point of view, the most important feature occurring in the
MenizlaareaistheTizinTestFaultsystemandinparticularthewesterncomponentofthis
major tectonic lineament consisting of different anastomizing branches, the main three of
which(MenizlaFault,TirkouFault,IferdFault;Baudonetal.,2012)havebeenstudiedwith
moredetail(Figure9).
StartingfromthemarginwiththeSoussPlain,thesouthernmostfaultistheMenizlaFault
characterized by strikeslip movements associated with mostly southverging thrusts sub
tendingsubverticallimbsoffoldsthatdeformedtheCarboniferousrocks.Inparticular,the
MenizlaFaultdevelopeddextralstrikeslipfaultingalonghighangleplanesdirectedabout
EW. The relative palaeostress tensor indicates a maximum compression directed WNW
ESE (Figure 9); in this tectonic context obliquenormal faults can be also compatible and
someofthesehavebeendetected.
Moving toward the north, the first main fault is the Tirkou Fault showing a direction
varyingfromEWtoNESW.ThestructuralanalysiswasperformedwheretheTirkouFault
trends ENEWSW between the Carboniferous deposits and the Devonian dolostones and
shows a very thick (300400 m) fault zone cutting off a slice of PermianTriassic red
sandstones (Figure 9). The mesoscale observations evidenced that the Tirkou Fault is
characterizedbyfoldslinkedtothedevelopmentofdoublevergingthrustsystemsthatroot
in subvertical fault planes comprehensively describing a positive flower structure (Figure
11A,C).Foldstylesvaryfromstructureswithroundedhingestokinklikeorchevronfolds
with steeply dipping axial planes. On average, the fold axes trend subparallel to the
directionoftheTirkouFaultzone(~N100E)withshallowplunging.Thefoldlimbsarecut

246 Tectonics Recent Advances

byinterlinkedfaultsproducingimbricatezones;thefaultarrayassociatedwiththesefolds
provided striations indicating inverseoblique displacement. As a consequence, the SSE
dipping and the NNWdipping thrusts display roughly north and south vergences
respectively. The occurring subvertical faults are characterized by nearly horizontal
slickensides showing dextral displacements (Figure 11B). The fault data collected for the
strikeslipfaultsoftheTirkouFaultzoneindicateadominantENEWSWfaultdirectionand
allow to obtain a palaeostress tensor characterized by a subvertical 2 axis and sub
horizontal 1 and 3 axes oriented N110E and N10E respectively (Figure 9). Within the
obtainedpalaeostresstensor,ESEWNWdirectednormalfaults,suchasthatobservablein
Figure11A,canbealsocompatible.

Figure 11. GeometricalandkinematicfeaturesalongthesouthernboundaryofHighAtlasinthe

TirkouFaultzone.
A:MesoscalepositiveflowerstructuredevelopedintheCarboniferoussuccession.Thisstructureis
characterizedbydoublevergingthrustsystemsthatrootinsubverticalfaultplanes,associatedtothe
developmentofdoublevergingfoldsthattrendsubparalleltothefaults.
B.Detailofafaultplanebearingobliqueslickenlineswithadextralstrikeslipmovement(Carbonifer
ous).Thedirectionoftheredarrowcorrespondstothemovementofthemissingblock.
C.ShearzonedevelopedintheCarboniferousrockswithtoptothesouthsenseofmovement.

Likewise,theIferdFaultisoutlinedbydoublevergingstructureswithinanoveralldextral
strikeslip fault zone, locally juxtaposing Silurian rocks and PermianTriassic deposits
(Figure9).TheflowerstructuresthatcharacterizetheIferdFaultzonearewelldevelopedin
the Silurian schists consisting of a series of anastomosing convexupward reverse faults

Structural Geological Analysis of the High Atlas (Morocco): Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt 247

which steepen progressively at depth into subvertical strikeslip faults. The reverse faults
are directed about EW steeply dipping toward N and S and display opposite senses of
shear,thatissouthwardand northwardrespectively(Figure12A).Theinversionofstrike
slip fault data has resulted in a palaeostress tensor similar to that obtained for the Tirkou
Fault (Figure 9). In the Ifern Fault zone the possible development of normal faults, due to
the permutation of 1 and 2 axes, has been documented by the occurrence of curved
striationsonasinglefaultplanesuggestingadextralobliquetoobliquenormalmovement
(Figure12B).

Figure 12. GeometricalandkinematicfeaturesalongthesouthernboundaryofHighAtlasintheIferd

Faultzone.A.Anastomosingreversefaultsrootprogressivelyatdepthintosubverticalstrikeslip
faultsintheSilurianschists(positiveflowerstructure).Thereversefaultsarecharacterizedbyopposite
sensesofshear.B.Faultplanebearingcurvedslickenlinessuggestingthetransitionfromdextral
obliquetoobliquenormalmovement.

3.2.3.Themajorfaultsoftheinnerbeltsectors
IntheWesternHighAtlas,betweentheTizinTestFaultsystemandtheIminTanouteFault,
other two major faults, cutting both the Paleozoic basement and the overlying Permian
Triassicsuccession,occur:theIkakernFaultandtheTiziMachouFault(Figure13A).
In the studied outcrops the Ikakern Fault zone is formed by nearly EW dextral strike
slip/obliquefaults(Figure13C)consistentwithapalaeostresstensorwithasubvertical2
axis and subhorizontal 1 and 3 axes directed WNWESE and NNESSW respectively
(Figure 13A). Several thrust faults associated to the main fault zone have been observed,
showingnorthandsouthvergences.
TheTiziMachouFaultshowsadextralmapscaleoffsetevidencedbythedisplacementof
theWesternAtlasicFaultZone.Howeverthesenseofshearalongindividualfaultscanbe
rarely deduced at the outcrop scale since kinematic indicators are only sporadically pre
served.Thekinematicallydefinedstructuressuggestapredominanceofhighangledextral
obliquefaultsclusteredalongtwotrends:NNESSWandNESW(Figure13Aand13B).In
addition,fewaboutEWnormalfaultsoccur,showingmoderatesouthdipping.

248 Tectonics Recent Advances

Figure 13. Kinematicdatafromtheinnerbeltsector.A.SchematicstructuralmapofFigure6.Thetwo

principalfaultzones,theTiziMaachouandIkakernFault,areevidenced,forwhichstereograms
(Schmidtnet,lowerhemisphere)withtracesoffaultplanes,observedsliplinesandslipsensesare
reported.Theprincipalstressaxes(S1,S2,S3)andtypeofstresstensorareindicatedfortheIkakern
Faultonly.B.Faultplanebearingobliqueslickenlineswithadextralstrikeslipmovementdevelopedin
theTriassicrocksalongTiziMaachouFault.Thedirectionoftheredarrowcorrespondstothemove
mentofthemissingblock.C.Faultplanebearingobliqueslickenlineswithadextralstrikeslipmove
mentdevelopedintheCambrianrocksalongIkakernFault.Thedirectionoftheredarrowcorresponds
tothemovementofthemissingblock.

Structural Geological Analysis of the High Atlas (Morocco): Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt 249

4.Discussion
The results of our field study highlight widespread Cenozoic deformation on both the
southernboundaryoftheCentralHighAtlasandonthenorthernandsouthernboundaries
of the Western High Atlas. The main deformation structures are represented by NESW
trending high angle dextral strikeslip faults and subparallel thrust faults linked together
formingasymmetricpositiveflowerstructures.Theoveralldeformationofthesestructures
is completed by fold systems associated with the fault and thrust systems and involving
mainly the MesozoicCenozoic successions. The flower structures are typical structures
developed under a transpressional tectonic regime where the deformation is partitioned
between highangle strikeslip faults and lower angle reverse faults (Wilcox et al, 1973;
Sanderson and Marchini, 1984; Tikoff and Teyssier, 1994). Large scale geometries and
mesoscaledataindicatethatreversefaultsmergeintothemainNESWorientedstrikeslip
faults. Strikeslip faults are not offset by the thrusts and vice versa, this supporting that
thrusts are genetically related to the subparallel strikeslip faults. The observed structure
relationshipssupportthereforethattheanalysedsectorsoftheHighAtlasbeltwereaffected
byatranspressionalevolutionduringtheAlpinetectonics.
AlongthesouthernboundaryofWestandCentralHighAtlasthefaultthrustfoldsystems,
belongingrespectivelytotheTizinTestFaultsystemandtheSouthAtlasFault,showclear
southwardvergences.Onthecontrary,thestructuresofthenorthernmarginoftheWestern
High Atlas are connected with the Imi nTanoute Fault activity, being characterized by
northwardvergences.
ThekinematicinversionofthecollectedfaultslipdataintheWesternHighAtlasindicates
that deformation is controlled by subhorizontal maximum and minimum stress axes,
withinastrikesliptectonicsettingwithaWNWESEdirected1axes(Figure7,9and13).
Thelackofpurecompressivetensorsisprobablyduetothegeneralscarcepreservationof
kinematic indicators on the thrust planes of the analysed outcrops. Pure compressional
stresses of NWSE direction have been sometime documented in the northern part of the
WesternHighAtlas(Amrhar,2002).
The transpressional character of deformation is confirmed by the relevant occurrence of
obliquestriationsonthefaultplanes,thusthatpurestrikeslipand/orpureinversefaultsare
relativelyfew.
TheWNWESEtrendingnormalfaults,whichhavebeencollectedwithinsometranspressional
fault zones, should be also inserted in the documented tectonic pattern of the Western High
AtlasattestingaNNESSWextensioninthelatestagesoftheCenozoicAlpineevolution.
On the contrary, palaeostress determinations from the BoumalneTinehrir area provide both
strikeslip and compressional tensors, with a quite steady subhorizontal 1 axis trending
NNWSSE.Themaximumcompression1axesobtainedfromthepalaeostresstensorsfromthe
CentralHighAtlasareconsistentwiththepalaeostressfieldsreconstructedinthesameareafor
thePlioceneQuaternarystageoftheHighAtlastectonicevolutionbyAitBrahimetal.(2002).

250 Tectonics Recent Advances

OurobservationsdocumentedaWNWESEcompressionthatwasneverdetectedbeforeas
individual phase for the Cenozoic deformation of the Western High Atlas and comes to
enrichepalaeostressevolutionoftheHighAtlas.Infact,analogousWNWESEdirectionsof
compressionhavebeenalsoevidencedbyQarbousetal.(2003)butreferredtotheCarbonif
erous (NamurianWestphalian) phase and therefore to the Variscan orogeny, and to the
Middle Permian tectonics of the Tizi nTest Fault system. As the WNWESE compression
derivedfromthefaultslipdatacollectedalongfaultzonesclearlyaffectingalsotheMesozo
icCenozoic successions at the High Atlas belt boundaries (Tizi nTest Fault system at
Tafrawtane;IminTanouteFault)wecanconsiderthiscompressionaldirectionreferableto
theAlpineorogeny.
Intheinnerbeltsectors,thefaultzonesthatdonotcuttheCretaceousEocenedepositsbut
only the Paleozoic basement and the PermianTriassic rocks show geometrickinematic
featuressimilartothoseoftheborderingfaultzones.Thereforetheyhavebeeninterpretedas
CenozoicAlpinefaults,admittingthepossiblereactivationofolderhighangleshearzones.
RegionaldataandmesostructuralanalysessuggestthesuperpositionofyoungerCenozoic
deformationonolderstructuraltrendsproducingreactivationofpreviousmajorfaultzones.
As a consequence, it is a generally shared opinion that Tizi nTest Fault system and Imi
nTanoute Fault were active since the Early Paleozoic and in turn reactivated more times
duringthesuccessivetectoniceventsuptotheAlpineCenozoicphases.
FollowingBaudonetal.(2012),alsotheotheraboutEWorientedfaultsoftheWesternHigh
Atlas(fromsouthtonorthTirkou,IferdandArganafaults;Figure9)canbeinterpretedas
faults reactivated during the Alpine transpressional phase, after deposition of the Late
Triassicdeposits.
Aboutthetimingofdeformation,theresultsofourstudydefinetwomainepisodesofde
formation separated by the basal unconformity of the MiocenePliocene molassicdeposits.
The first episode occurred postEocene time, as the Upper CretaceousEocene successions
were deformed by foldthrust systems that were sealed by the unconformable Miocene
Pliocenedeposits.
The second tectonic event deformed the MiocenePliocene deposits as well as the
QuaternarydepositsandthereforecanbeassignedtoaQuaternaryage.
WedocumentedthecompletepolyphaseevolutionintheBoumalneTinehrirarea(Central
High Atlas) whereas we have not new data about the Quaternary deformation in the
WesternHighAtlasthathasbeenalreadydocumentedbySebrieretal.(2006)intheSouss
Plain.Likewise,Quaternaryreactivationsconsistingofthrustingassociatedwithstrikeslip
faulting characterize also the northern boundaries of Western and Central High Atlas and
theHouazPlain(Moreletal.,2000).
Seismicdatasuggestthatseveralbrittlestructuresalongnorthernandsouthernmarginsof
theHighAtlasbeltarestillactive.Thefewavailablefocalsolutionsshowthatthesouthern
boundaryoftheHighAtlasischaracterizedmostlybystrikeslipfaultingandsubordinate

Structural Geological Analysis of the High Atlas (Morocco): Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt 251

transpressional mechanisms, with the direction of the maximum compression P axes

ranging from NWSE to NS (Serpelloni et al., 2007). In particular the focal mechanism
solutionsobtainedfortheearthquakesofmagnitudeMb=5.2occurredonOctober23and30,
1992, in the Rissani region (Eastern Anti Atlas) indicate for both events a pure strike slip
faulting(Hanouetal.,2003;Bensaidetal.,2009).Theseismogeniczonehasbeeninterpreted
to be an EW trending structure that could corresponds to the South Atlas Fault and/or
associatedstructuresactivatedasadextralstrikeslipfault.However,thelargestearthquake
ever recorded within the Atlas system corresponds to the event of M=5.7 occurred on
February29,1960,whichdestroyedtheAgadircitycausing12.000victims.
Also the GPS data indicate that the deformation along the High Atlas is still active and
accommodates about 1.5 mm/year of NWSE compression related to the convergence
betweenAfricaandIberiaplates(Serpellonietal.,2007).
In addition, as more general result, we propose two regional geological crosssections
representing at the belt scale the structural patterns of Western and Central High Atlas,
performed on the basis of our field studies integrated with literature data (Figure 14)
(Hollardetal,1985;Froitzheimetal,1988;Teixelletal.,2003).

Figure 14. SimplifiedgeologicalcrosssectionsthroughWestern(AA)andCentral(BB)HighAtlas.

1:NeogeneandQuaternary;2:MesozoicandPaleogene,3:PrecambrianandPaleozoic.SAF:South
AtlasFault;NAF:NorthAtlasFront;TnTFs:TizinTestFaultsystem;JeT:JebiletThrust;InTF:Imi
nTanouteFault;TzMF:TiziMaachouFault;IkaF:IkakernFault.

252 Tectonics Recent Advances

Comprehensively, these schematic crosssections represent a possible model of Alpine

transpressional evolution for the whole High Atlas belt. The main structures are
characterized by highangle geometries and dextral strikeslip kinematics along an ENE
WSW direction. These fault zones generated also thrust planes and folds that in the inner
beltsectorsshowdoublevergencesatthemesoscalewhereasalongtheboundingareasthey
aremoredevelopedcharacterizingtheentireHighAtlasbeltbyadoublevergence,asatthe
northern margin the vergence is toward north (North Atlas Fault and Imi nTanoute Fault
zonesinAAandBBcrosssections,respectively)whileatthesouthernmarginitistoward
south(SouthAtlasFaultzoneandTizinTestFaultsysteminAAandBBcrosssections,
respectively).
TheproposedgeologicalcrosssectionsevidencealsothattheAlpinedeformationwas/isnot
limited to the High Atlas mountain range but involved/involves wider sectors. In the BB
crosssectiontheJebiletThrusthasbeeninterpretedasalowanglesurfacethatrootsintothe
highangle transpressional zone of the Imi nTanoute Fault (Figure 14) and therefore
Paleozoic basement and MesozoicCenozoic deposits of the Haouz Plain are faulted and
foldedbytheCenozoictectonicevents.AlongthesouthernboundaryoftheWesternHigh
Atlas we considered the Alpine tectonics deforming the Paleozoic rocks of the Anti Atlas
beltaswellastheSoussandOuarzazatedepositsofwhichtheyrepresentthebasement,as
alreadydocumented(Sebrieretal.,2006;Malusetal.,2007).

5.Conclusion
The field study, mainly consisting in detailed mesostructural analyses, from the Western
HighAtlastransectandtheBoumalneTinerhirregionintheCentralHighAtlas,indicatesa
majorrolefortranspressionaltectonicsintheAlpinestructuralevolutionoftheHighAtlas
belt.Inparticular,thedeformationinthestudiedregionsiscontrolledbytworegionalright
lateral fault systems (Tizi nTestSouth Atlas and Imi nTanouteNorth Atlas) and their
associatedstructuresthatinvolved,atsouth,theAntiAtlasbeltand,atnorth,theWestern
Mesetadomain(Jebiletrange).Betweenthesetwomajortectoniclineaments,a50to100km
wide region is characterized by a complex tectonic framework, dominated by strikeslip
faulting,inwhichstrongupliftandexhumationoccurred.
Kinematicmeasurementsonmajorfaultplanesandmesoscalestructuralanalysisrevealthat
the prevailing structural associations correspond to ENEWSW trending dextral strikeslip
faultsandsubparallelthrustfaults,describingtypicalpositiveflowerstructures.
In the proposed transpressional model (Figure 14) the High Atlas belt appears to have a
flowerstructurecrosssectionalgeometrywithgreateramountofthrustdisplacementalong
its northern and southern boundaries. This pattern showing doubleverging structures re
quiresadownwardextrapolationofsurfacethrustsrootingintohighanglefaultzones.
Faultanalysesandpalaeostressreconstructionssuggestthatflowerstructuresandfoldsys
temsevolvedintoarightlateraltranspressionwhichisrelatedtoadirectionofmaximum
compressionvaryingfromaboutEWtoaboutNS.

Structural Geological Analysis of the High Atlas (Morocco): Evidences of a Transpressional Fold-Thrust Belt 253

The High Atlas is a significant example of transpressional belt dominated by strain

partitioning between distinctstrikeslip andthrust faults which result from reactivation of
preexistingstructuresinheritedfromthepreAlpinecomplexevolution.
The Cenozoic reactivation occurred during two main deformation events: Late Eocene
OligoceneandPliocenePleistocene,thelatterbeingstillactive.
The High Atlas can be therefore considered an example of active transpressional belt as
definedbyCunningham(2005).
Thisstudy,althoughincomplete,furnishedinterestingresultsthatindicateasstructuraland
kinematic analyses are important methodologies and that their future development can
provide new data for the better understanding crustal architecture, history of structural
reactivation, partitioning of strain and distribution of presentday tectonic activity within
theorogens.Particularly,inthiscase,thedefinitionoftheorogenicmechanismsrepresents
themainstepforinterpretingtheoriginoftopographicelevation,theprincipalstilldebated
topicoftheHighAtlasgeology.

Authordetails
AlessandroElleroandGiuseppeOttria
CNRInstituteofGeosciencesandEarthResources,Pisa,Italy
MarcoG.Malus
DepartmentofGeologicalSciencesandGeotechnology,UniversityofMilanoBicocca,Milano,Italy
HassanOuanaimi
UniversitCadiAyyadEcoleNormaleSuprieureDpartementdeGologie,Marrakech,Morocco

Acknowledgement
This paper is dedicated to Piero Elter, outstanding geologist and our professor who died
whenwewerepreparingthefinaldraftofthemanuscript.
ThisworkwaspartlycarriedoutwithintheCNRShortTermMobilityProject2009Study
ofthestructuralgeologicalevolutionoftheHighAtlas(Morocco).

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