Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Abstract
The study of the Gulf of Cadiz on the basis of multichannel seismic profiles and wells illustrates the stratigraphy and
tectonics. The evolution of the southern Iberian margins was more complex than in most North Atlantic margins since
it entailed several phases of rifting, convergence and strike-slip motions. Three main tectonic provinces surround the
internal zones of the Gibraltar Arc orogenic belt. These include in the Iberian margin of the Gulf of Cadiz the flysch
units of the Campo de Gibraltar complex, the Betic External Zones, and the Neogene basins of the Guadalquivir Valley.
Fault-bounded blocks of flysch and Subbetic units crops out over large areas of the southeastern Iberian shelf. The
basement of the northwestern area, in contrast, is represented by the Paleozoic rocks of the Hercynian massif of Iberia.
Half-graben structures determined the main structural trends of the margin during the Mesozoic, which were affected by
inversion structures during the Neogene compressional stages. The Mesozoic and lower Cenozoic units are best observed
in wells and seismic profiles from the northern area. These units are either obscure below a thick olistostrome deposit
or are absent in most of the rest of the Gulf of Cadiz. Seven lithoseismic units from Triassic to Upper Oligocene and
another seven Neogene and Quaternary units are identified based on the relationship to the depositional sequence and the
emplacement of the olistostrome. The first tectonic phase was characterized by a passive margin, which was controlled by
the development of half-graben extensional structures and carbonate platforms. This evolution comprises the Mesozoic
and early Cenozoic. Ocean-spreading in the North Atlantic induced extensional tectonics, which deformed the Cretaceous
syn-tectonic post-Aptian deposits. Increased amounts of terrigenous materials were supplied to the margin from Aptian
to Albian times, controlling depositional patterns, while terrigenous siliciclastic facies replaced the Jurassic carbonate
platforms. From Middle Eocene to Early Miocene the margin was influenced by the relative motions of Iberia and Africa
and the development of the Alpine orogeny. The IberianAfrican boundary in the Gulf of Cadiz experienced transpression
and the Mesozoic basins probably underwent subduction. The emplacement of an olistostrome took place in the Gulf of
Cadiz towards the Central Atlantic basin plains during the Tortonian. The end of the olistostrome emplacement during the
Late Miocene coincides with accelerated tectonic subsidence, while thick progradational and aggradational depositional
sequences were developed. The occurrence of closely juxtaposed regions of compression and extension during the Miocene
may reflect the westwards progression of the Gibraltar Arc mountain front over a subducting thinned Tethys crust. When
the motion between Iberian and Africa was NS to NNWSSE oriented, the migration of the arcuate mountain front into
the eastern Gulf of Cadiz is attributed to a mechanism of collision induced delamination of the mantle lithosphere. In
Corresponding
0025-3227/99/$ see front matter 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 0 2 5 - 3 2 2 7 ( 9 8 ) 0 0 1 3 9 - X
10
contrast to the BeticRif belts, however, there is no geophysical evidence to postulate that continental collision took place
in the Gulf of Cadiz during the Cenozoic. 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: continental margin evolution; plate boundary tectonics; Gulf of Cadiz; central North Atlantic; Gibraltar Arc
1. Introduction
The Atlantic margins of Iberia have received
much attention during the last two decades, thus
providing significant geological information to enlarge the present understanding of the evolution of
the North Atlantic and the development of passive
margins (Tankard and Balkwill, 1989; Lister et al.,
1991). Atlantic margins evolved over a hundred million years, starting with an early Mesozoic period
of rapid rift propagation into the North Atlantic and
the spreading of Iberia and the Grand Banks in
the Early Cretaceous (Srivastava et al., 1990a). The
margins along North America became recognized as
Atlantic-type passive margins and they underwent
significant postrift thermal subsidence that resulted
in the deposition of a seaward-thickening terrace
wedge, which in places is more than 10 km thick
(e.g., margins of eastern Canada; Keen et al., 1990).
The conjugate passive margins of the eastern North
Atlantic, however, indicate the presence of an apparent asymmetry in their structure and evolutionary
paths and the comparatively thin postrift cover reveals a wide variety of tectonic types (e.g., Atlantic
margins of Iberia; Boillot et al., 1989; Wilson et al.,
1989).
Active and transcurrent margins in the North Atlantic are rarer and the best examples are located
along the plate boundaries of Iberia, where primary horizontal motions occurred since the Mesozoic (Dewey et al., 1989). Horizontal motions along
strike-slip systems were important in the northern
Iberia margin of the Bay of Biscay, which also became an active margin during the Paleogene due to
the relative motions of Iberia and Eurasia (Boillot et
al., 1989; Garca-Mondejar, 1989; Srivastava et al.,
1990b).
The tectonic evolution in the Gulf of Cadiz was
also more complex than in most North Atlantic margins since it entailed several phases of extension,
convergence and strike-slip motions. Understanding
the geological evolution of the Gulf of Cadiz mar-
11
Fig. 1. Geological setting and simplified bathymetry of the Gulf of Cadiz and surrounding areas. Legend: 1 D Hercynian Massif; 2
D BeticRifean Internal Zones; 3 D dorsal complex; 4 D flysch units; 5 D Meso- and Intrarifean units; 6 D Prerifean units; 7 D
Betic External Zones; 8 D Mesozoic paleomargins of IberiaAfrica; 9 D Guadalquivir olistostrome units; 10 D Neogene basins; 11 D
olistostrome front; 12 D seismic foci; COB D oceancontinent boundary. Bathymetry in meters.
elements. These data allow the geometry of the structures and the tectonic processes that occur around the
boundary between Iberia and Africa to be identified.
The expression of the westernmost segment of the
Alpine orogenic belts and its influence on the development of the Gulf of Cadiz is also analysed. The
objective of this study is to provide new information
for a better understanding of the evolution of continental margins in a complex tectonic setting located
near plate boundaries.
2. Methodology
The Spanish continental margin of the Gulf of
Cadiz has been intensively explored by oil companies, thus providing a dense network of multichannel
seismic (MCS) profiles (Delaplanche et al., 1982;
12
Fig. 2. Simplified bathymetric chart of the Gulf of Cadiz. Contour interval is 100 m with additional contours at 50 m. The grid of
multichannel seismic (MCS) profiles and location of commercial wells analysed for this study is shown. Solid lines with numbers
indicate MCS profiles displayed in Figs. 5 and 6.
3. Geological setting
3.1. Breakup of Pangea and the Mesozoic margins
Plate kinematic solutions indicate that during the
Triassic the area of the Gulf of Cadiz was part of the
Tethys-related rift systems, when Permo-Carboniferous fracture zones became tensionally reactivated
(Ziegler, 1989). The breakup of Pangea resulted in
Triassic rifting and the development of the margins
of southern Iberia and northern Africa (Heymann,
1989). Late Triassic basic volcanism was associated
with this rifting and is represented by hydroclastic eruptions of basic volcanic rocks in the Cadiz
margin. Post-volcanism tectonic extension initially
13
14
A. Maldonado et al. / Marine Geology 155 (1999) 943
Fig. 3. Geographic chart showing the regional tectonic setting of the study area. The distribution of the present major lithospheric structures and their relationship with the
distribution of deep earthquakes is depicted. Earthquake location obtained from the Instituto Geografico Nacional database. A schematic paleotectonic map of the area during
the Late JurassicEarly Cretaceous is shown in the small inset. The data of oceanic structures is modified from Ryan et al. (1973), Mauffret et al. (1989), Morley (1992),
Sartori et al. (1994). O.C. D Oceanic crust; C.C. D continental crust. Explanation in the text.
15
16
A. Maldonado et al. / Marine Geology 155 (1999) 943
Fig. 4. Lithologic logs of commercial wells. Stratigraphic units and horizons drilled by the wells and total depth are indicated. Main unconformities and stratigraphic
correlation between the wells are also shown. Arrows indicate emplacement of the olistostrome and thrust structures (note that this representation is not a geological
section). See Fig. 2 for location of wells. Discussion in text.
17
18
Fig. 5. Representative MCS profiles and interpretative line drawing showing representative cross-sections of the northern Gulf of Cadiz. Discussion in the text. See Fig. 2 for location.
pp. 1920
pp. 2122
Fig. 5 (continued).
Fig. 6. Representative MCS profiles and interpretative line drawing showing representative cross sections of the southern Gulf of Cadiz. Discussion in text. See Fig. 2 for location.
pp. 2324
pp. 2526
Fig. 6 (continued).
gers with the olistostrome (Fig. 5). The thickness decreases uniformly northwards from the olistostrome
front, where it reaches 300 m. The top of the unit
is affected by overthrust faults of the olistostrome,
whereas below it is delaminated or eroded. There
are local progressive and angular unconformities and
some small depressions on top of the olistostrome,
which may be filled by this unit. Most of these deposits developed during the emplacement of the olistostrome and were also affected by later residual
movements of thrusting and backthrusting. The olistostrome masses reaching the Gulf of Cadiz eroded
the underlying deposits and formed a detrital basal
unit (Fig. 5). This unit is equivalent to the Betica
group that is described by the oil industry in the Gulf
of Cadiz (Riaza and Martnez del Olmo, 1996). The
Betica group appears intensively deformed in front
of the olistostrome mass, developing wedge-shaped
geometries.
Unit M2 drilled at 14991757 m in well B3
consists of plastic grey clays with an abundance of
glauconite and pyrite (Fig. 4). The lower boundary
of these deposits is the BFU reflector on top of the
Atlantida group, while the upper boundary is also
an erosional unconformity interpreted as a sequence
boundary.
4.2.3. Olistostrome unit
The olistostrome unit is seismically identified by
chaotic, high-amplitude reflectors with diffractions
and hyperbolic reflections. The lower boundary is a
strong high amplitude reflector dipping southwards
from the olistostrome front and becoming obscure
below the olistostrome body (Figs. 4 and 5). The
overthrusting took place through low-angle planes
observed as high-amplitude reflectors within the
chaotic olistostrome body. The front is configured
into several wedges involving the syn-sedimentary
deposits of Unit M2. The youngest deposits, of
Messinian age, are also slightly affected by overthrusting movements. The angular unconformities
observed within the depositional sequences are the
results of the kinematics of the wedge-shaped thrusting. Overthrusting also occurred within the body
of the olistostrome, developing a relief in the upper boundary which involves the overlying deposits.
Slope facies were deposited in front of the active
overthrusting, while they merge northwestwards into
27
28
Fig. 7. Isobath chart to the top of the olistostrome and syn-olistostrome M2 unit in the central area of the Gulf of Cadiz (Middle Miocene
to recent).
29
Fig. 8. Simplified tectonic chart of the central sector of the Gulf of Cadiz. Symbols legend: 1 D fault; 2 D normal fault; 3 D reverse
faults; 4 D anticline; 5 D syncline; 6 D diapir; 7 D well.
30
31
Fig. 9. Synthesis of lithoseismic units based on well data and MCS profiles of the Gulf of Cadiz. Subsidence rates calculated using
backstripping methods are indicated. Main tectonic events and relative motions of Iberia and Africa are correlated with the timing of
development of the main lithoseismic units. See Fig. 4 for thickness of units in the wells and description of lithoseismic units. Discussion
in text.
was under transpression. Finally, the end of the olistostrome emplacement in the Gulf of Cadiz coincides
with an accelerated subsidence of the margin, which
becomes essentially passive although modified by
the active compression between Iberia and Africa.
6.1. The initial passive margin
The breakup of Pangea and Triassic rifting initiated the margins of southern Iberia, where extensive
red beds, limestones and evaporites were deposited
(units TR1 and TR2). During the Early Jurassic,
carbonate platforms developed in the Gulf of Cadiz
(Unit LJ), which were part of the Tethys realm
together with the roughly EW-oriented southern
32
this time the eastward jumping of the Tagus spreading axis to its present location in the North Atlantic
also occurred (Mauffret et al., 1989).
Ocean-spreading in the North Atlantic induced
extensional tectonics in the Gulf of Cadiz, which deformed the Cretaceous syn-tectonic post-Aptian deposits (Fig. 9). Increased amounts of terrigenous materials were supplied to the margin from the Aptian
to the Albian, controlling depositional patterns in the
Gulf of Cadiz margin, and terrigenous siliciclastic
facies replaced the Jurassic carbonate platforms. The
half-graben of the Gulf of Cadiz became reactivated
and filled with a large variety of facies (Unit LK2),
with a greater proportion of terrigenous deposits than
in previous units (Fig. 4). The deposits became more
extensive and onlapped structural highs.
The units of the Gulf of Cadiz recorded a change
in the depositional style during the Late Cretaceous,
which may also reflect the change in the tectonic
regime and the shifting of the AGFZ boundary between Eurasia and Africa to the Bay of Biscay,
when Iberia became attached to Africa (Fig. 9). The
deposits are very irregularly distributed and depict
significant facies variations (Unit UK-UE). The volcanic intrusions of southern Portugal occurred during
this time, probably reflecting thinning of the crust,
and extensional normal faults were favoured along
the Hercynian fractures. Basement subsidence curves
derived from well B1 show strong increases of tectonically induced subsidence between 90 and 70
Myr (Fig. 10). Shallow-carbonate platforms, however, may have continued in existence until the
Maastrichtian within this tectonic regime.
6.2. The transpressive margin and olistostrome
emplacement
The Upper EoceneLower Oligocene deposits in
the Gulf of Cadiz are very reduced or absent, reflecting the compressional regime along the AGFZ
initiated at chron 18 (Figs. 4 and 9). Extensive areas
of erosion show uplifted blocks that developed during the generalized compressional regime, which induced inversion tectonics of the previous half-graben
structures. Hayes et al. (1972) have also suggested a
regional post-Early Eocene unconformity marked by
a reduction in the depositional rate above the structural highs of the AmpereCoral Patch seamounts.
33
Fig. 10. Tectonic subsidence curves using backstripping methods for representative wells of the Gulf of Cadiz. Main tectonic events in
the evolution of the gulf are indicated. Wells are arranged approximately from north (well B1) to south (well C1). Discussion in text.
34
Fig. 11. Interpretative cross-section of a SSE to NNW profile along the Spanish margin of the Gulf of Cadiz showing the main tectonic
elements. MCS profiles used for the profile are projected over the cross-section.
35
Fig. 12. Sea-level curve (modified from Haq et al., 1987), depositional sequences and tectonic subsidence rates in m=Myr from the
Middle Miocene to present showing the rapid increase in subsidence due to foredeep subsidence in front of the olistostrome mass. Early
Pliocene higher rates are interpreted as extensional collapses. Lithoseismic units: pre-olistostrome Unit M1, LanghianSerravalian, lower
Tortonian; syn-olistostrome Unit M2, upper Tortonian; Unit M3, Messinian; Unit P1, Lower Pliocene; Unit P2, Upper Pliocene; units
PQ, Upper PlioceneQuaternary. BFU D Basal Foredeep Unconformity interpreted in MCS profiles.
36
Fig. 13. Geographic chart of the study area showing regional tectonic reconstruction and present tectonic setting of the Gulf of Cadiz,
highlighting the westwards motion of the Alboran Domain and the development of the Alpine Gibraltar Arc thrust belt. Timing of the
trust: A D Oligocene (?)Aquitanian; B D Early Miocene; C D late Tortonian; D D Late Pliocene to present. Arrows indicate main
direction of compressional stress. Discussion in text. Partly modified from Royden (1993).
37
38
A. Maldonado et al. / Marine Geology 155 (1999) 943
Fig. 14. Interpretative cross-sections showing a geodynamic model for the Gulf of CadizAlboran Domain from Early Miocene to present. Lithospheric delamination
facilitated the coeval development of accretionary wedges and extensional collapse in the Alboran Sea. (A) Westward motion and collision of the Alboran Domain from
the mid-Oligocene to early Burdigalian. The Betic and Rif belts and the Gibraltar Arc are generated as pop-up structures. Relict or active subduction of the Eurasian plate
was inherited from the Cretaceous and early Cenozoic. (B) Progressive lithospheric delamination of the African plate as a consequence of the emplacement of the Alboran
Domain induced extensional collapse of the Alboran Sea after the Burdigalian. From the Langhian to late Tortonian several accretionary wedges migrated westwards
on the attenuated passive Eurasian margin. (C) Westwards motion of the Alboran Domain ceased during the late Messinian and NWSE-oriented convergence between
AfricaIberia took place. Lateral westwards ejection of material is a consequence of this convergence between the Late Miocene and present. Extensional collapse and
inversion structures are coeval in the Alboran Sea. The deformation along the AGFZ is transferred eastwards through the thinned Iberian plate into the Betic and Rif belts.
A detached, SE-dipping fragment of lithosphere is sinking under the Alboran Domain. Explanation in text.
Eurasian Hercynian crust, whereas the 25 km thickness observed just eastwards of the arc may structurally represent the Alboran Domain (Medialdea et
al., 1986). Tomographic images of the upper mantle
in the Alboran Domain show, in addition, a region
of anomalous positive seismic velocity (Blanco and
Spakman, 1993; Seber et al., 1996b). The isolated
seismic source at 640 km depth and the anomalous
velocity distribution have been attributed to a fragment of subducted lithosphere detached from the
surface (Blanco and Spakman, 1993; Seber et al.,
1996b).
We speculate that the sinking fragment may correspond to a portion of the Jurassic thinned and probably oceanic lithosphere developed during the Tethys
drifting episode and that was slowly subducted in the
area of the Alboran Domain, probably beginning in
the Eocene as Iberia became an independent plate
(Fig. 14). When the NS- to NNWSSE-oriented
motion between Iberia and Africa generated continental collision during the Middle Miocene, extension in the Alboran Sea and migration of the arcuate
mountain front towards the Gulf of Cadiz could be
attributed to a mechanism of collision-induced delamination of the continental mantle lithosphere (cf.
Docherty and Banda, 1995; Seber et al., 1996a). The
Miocene subduction would have been preceded by
the delamination process of asymmetric, thickened
lithospheric mantle, similar to the mechanism proposed for the Tyrrhenian BasinCalabrian Arc by
Channel and Mareschal (1989). From the Miocene
to recent, the Tethys lithosphere would have become
delaminated from the thick continental lithosphere
and subducted deeper in the mantle, generating the
600 km deep seismicity observed in the western
Alboran Domain.
We propose that transpression in the Gulf of
Cadiz was initiated at chron 18, when Iberia became an independent plate and the relative motion
of Africa was N to NE directed (Fig. 9). Most of
the Tethys gap in the area was probably obliterated
between chron 18 and chron 6c, when Iberia was
an independent plate and the Alboran Domain was
emplaced westward over the AfricanIberian suture
(Figs. 9 and 14). In contrast to the BeticRif belts,
there is no geophysical evidence to postulate that
continental collision took place in the Gulf of Cadiz.
The continental crust decreases steadily in thickness
39
from the Iberian Peninsula, while there is a significant increase in sediment thickness towards the Gulf
of Cadiz (Medialdea et al., 1986). The lithosphere
thickness, in addition, is thinner in the Gulf of Cadiz
than in the continental margin off Morocco (Mueller
and Kahle, 1993; Seber et al., 1996b). The eastwards
dip of the deep earthquake mechanisms attributed to
the delaminated lithosphere suggest that the initial
subduction may has been of the Iberian Tethys crust
below Africa, while the present dynamics in the Gulf
of Cadiz indicate underthrusting of the African plate
below Iberia (Fig. 14).
8. Conclusions
The deposits of the Gulf of Cadiz Iberian margin
have recorded the complex geodynamic evolution
of the IberianAfrican boundary. Extensional processes involving rifting and spreading took place
from the Triassic breakup of Pangea until the Late
Cretaceous as a consequence of transtensional movements between the Eurasian and African plates. The
westwards propagation of the Tethys rift and seafloor spreading created an EW-trending, probably
oceanic, seaway between Iberia and Africa.
Ocean-spreading in the North Atlantic induced
additional extensional tectonics in the Gulf of Cadiz,
which deformed the syn-tectonic post-Aptian deposits. Half-graben structures became reactivated.
There was a modification in the depositional style
during the Late Cretaceous, maybe in response to
the change in the tectonic regime due to the shifting of the AGFZ boundary between Eurasia and
Africa to the Bay of Biscay, when Iberia became attached to Africa (Fig. 9). The volcanic intrusions of
southern Portugal indicate thinning of the crust and
extensional faults along ancient Hercynian fractures.
Tectonically induced, basement subsidence curves
show a strong increase in subsidence between 90 and
70 Ma (Fig. 10).
Iberia became an independent plate at chron 18
(Srivastava et al., 1990a,b). The relative motion between Africa and the Gulf of Cadiz was small between chrons 18 and 13, but since then a significant amount of shortening has occurred in the area
(Fig. 9). Transpression and subduction of the Tethys
thinned crust, probably in a southward direction be-
40
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the cooperation of Captain, officers and crew of the B=O Hesperides during the
HE-91-3 cruise. We are indebted to Drs. Cecilio
Quesada and Jesus Galindo-Zaldivar for helpful suggestions which improved the interpretation discussed
in the manuscript. We also thank Jesus Rodero and
Laura Perez of the Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de
la Tierra for discussions and help with the figures.
The initial funding for this study was provided by
the Joint Committee of Science and Technology of
the U.S. Spain Treaty of Friendship (Project CCA
8309=47). Financial support was also provided by
Comision Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnologa
(CICYT) of Spain by an Accion Especial. This
study was finalized within the framework of a Joint
Project no 125=94 of the ITGE=CSIC.
References
Andrieux, J., Fontbote, J., Mattauer, M., 1971. Sur un mode`le
explicatif de lArc de Gibraltar. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 12,
191198.
Antunes, M.H.T., Civis, J., Pais, C.J., Sierro, F.J., Gonzalez-Delgado, J.A., Flores, J.A., Valle, M.F., 1990. El Neogeno del
Algarve (Portugal) y de la Cuenca del Guadalquivir (Espana).
Actas Paleontol. (Univ. Salamanca) 68, 6573.
Argus, D.F., Gordon, R.G., Demets, C., Stein, S., 1989. Closure
of the AfricaEurasiaNorth America plate motion circuit and
tectonics of the Gloria fault. J. Geophys. Res. 94, 55855602.
Balanya, J.C., 1991. Estructura del dominio de Alboran en la
parte norte del arco de Gibraltar. Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. Granada,
210 pp.
Balanya, J.C., Garca-Duenas, V., 1987. Les directions structurales dans le Domaine dAlboran de part et dautre du
Detroit de Gibraltar. C. R. Acad. Sci. 304 (II), 929933.
Blanco, M.J., Spakman, W., 1993. The P-wave velocity structure
of the mantle below the Iberian Peninsula: evidence for subducted lithosphere below southern Spain. Tectonophysics 221,
1334.
Blankenship, C.L., 1992. Structure and palaeogeography of the
External Betic Cordillera, southern Spain. Mar. Pet. Geol. 9,
256264.
Boillot, G., Mougenot, D., Girardeau, J., Winterer, E.L., 1989.
Rifting processes on the West Galicia Margin, Spain. In:
Tankard, A.J., Balkwill, H.R. (Eds.), Extensional Tectonics
and Stratigraphy of the North Atlantic Margins. Am. Assoc.
Pet. Geol. and Can. Geol. Found. AAPG Mem. 46, 363378.
Boski, T., Moura, D., 1994. The Neogene and Quaternary stratigraphy in Central Algarve. A critical review and new proposals.
1 Simposio sobre la Margen Continental Iberica Atlantica, pp.
78 (abstract).
Bouillin, J.P., Durand-Delga, M., Olivier, P., 1986. BeticRifian
and Tyrrhenian Arcs: Distinctive features, genesis, and development stages. In: Wezel, F.C. (Ed.), The Origin of Arcs.
Elsevier, Amsterdam, Vol. 21, pp. 281304.
Buforn, E., Udas, A., 1991. Focal mechanism of earthquakes in
the Gulf of Cadiz, south Spain and Alboran Sea. In: Mezcua,
J., Udas, A. (Eds.), Seismicity, Seismotectonics and Seismic
Risk of the IberoMaghrebian Region. Instituto Geografico
Nacional, Madrid, pp. 2940.
Buforn, E., Udas, A., Colombas, M.A., 1988a. Seismicity,
source mechanisms and tectonics of the AzoresGibraltar
plate boundary. Tectonophysics 152, 89118.
Buforn, E., Udas, A., Mezcua, J., 1988b. Seismicity and focal
mechanisms in south Spain. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 78,
20082024.
Cachao, M., Silva, C.M., 1992. Neogene palaeogeographic evolution of Algarve basin (Southern Portugal): a two step model.
Preliminary data. GAIA Spec. Vol. 4, 3942.
Campillo, A., Maldonado, A., Mauffret, A., 1992. Stratigraphic
and tectonic evolution of the western Alboran Sea: Late
Miocene to recent. Geo-Mar. Lett. 12, 165172.
Cloeting, S., van der Beek, P.A., van Rees, D., Roep, T.B.,
Biermann, C., Stephenson, R.A., 1992. Flexural Interaction
and the dynamics of Neogene extensional basin formation in
the AlboranBetic region. Geo-Mar. Lett. 12, 6675.
Comas, M.C., Garca Duenas, V., Jurado, M.J., 1992. Neogene
41
Garca-Mondejar, J., 1989. Strike-Slip subsidence of the BasqueCantabrian basin of Northern Spain and its relationship to
AptianAlbian opening of Bay of Biscay. In: Tankard, A.J.,
Balkwill, H.R. (Eds.), Extensional Tectonics and Stratigraphy
of the North Atlantic Margins. Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol. and Can.
Geol. Found. AAPG Mem. 46, 395411.
Garca-Navarro, E., Fernandez Rodrguez, C., Castro, A., 1994.
The volcanics of Ayamonte at the Atlantic margin of Huelva.
GAIA Spec. Vol. 9, 99102.
Geel, T., Roep, T.B., Ten Kate, W., Smit, J., 1990. Early
middle Miocene stratigraphic turning points in the Alicante
Region (SE Spain): Reflections of western Mediterranean plate
tectonic reorganizations. Sediment. Geol. 75, 223239.
Goy, J.L., Zazo, C., Silva, P.G., Lario, J., Bardaj, T., Somoza,
L., 1995. Evaluacion geomorfologica del comportamiento neotectonico del Estrecho de Gibraltar (Zona Norte) durante el
Cuaternario. IV Coloquio Internacional sobre el Enlace Fijo
del Estrecho de Gibraltar, Sevilla, pp. 111122.
Grimison, N.L., Chen, W.P., 1986. The AzoresGibraltar plate
boundary: focal mechanisms, depths of earthquakes and their
tectonic implications. J. Geophys. Res. 91, 20292047.
Haq, B.U., Hardenbol, J., Vail, P.R., 1987. Chronology of fluctuating sea-levels since the Triassic. Science 235, 11561167.
Hayes, D.E., Pimm, A.C. et al., 1972. Init. Rep. DSDP XIV, 975
pp.
Heymann, M.A.W., 1989. Tectonic and depositional history of
the Moroccan continental margin. In: Tankard, A.J., Balkwill,
H.R. (Eds.), Extensional Tectonics and Stratigraphy of the
Northern Atlantic Margins. Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol. and Can.
Geol. Found. AAPG Mem. 46, 323340.
Horvath, F., Berckhemer, H., 1982. Mediterranean back-arc
basins. In: Berckhemer, H., Hsu, K. (Eds.), Alpine Mediterranean Geodynamics. Am. Geophys. Union 7, 141173.
IGME, 1987. Contribucion de la exploracion petrolfera al
conocimiento de la Geologa de Espana. Instituto Geologico
Minero de Espana, Madrid, 465 pp.
ITGE, 1998. Mapa geologico de la plataforma continental espanola y zonas adyacentes. E. 1:200.000. Memoria y Hoja No.
86 y 86E. Golfo de Cadiz. Instituto Tecnologico Geominero
de Espana, Madrid (in litt.).
Jabaloy, A., Galindo-Zaldvar, J., Gonzalez-Lodeiro, F., 1992.
The Mecina extensional system: its relation with the PostAquitanian piggy-back basins and the palaeostresses evolution
(Betic Cordilleras, Spain). Geo-Mar. Lett. 12, 96103.
Keen, C.E., Loncaravic, B.D., Reid, I., Woodside, J., Haworth,
R.T., Williams, H., 1990. Tectonic and geophysical overview.
In: Keen, M.J., Williams, G.L. (Eds.), Geology of the Continental Margin of Eastern Canada, Geology of Canada. Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Vol. 2, pp. 3185.
Klitgord, K.D., Schouten, H., 1986. Plate kinematics of the Central Atlantic. In: Vog, P.R., Tucholke, B.E. (Eds.), The Western
North Atlantic Region. (The Geology of North America, Vol.
M.) Geol. Soc. Am., Boulder, CO, pp. 351377.
Lajat, D., Biju-Duval, B., Gonnard, R., Letouzey, J., Winnock,
E., 1975. Prolongement dans lAtlantique de la partie externe
de lArc betico-rifain. Bull. Soc. Geol. Fr. 17, 481485.
Lister, G.S., Etheridge, M.A., Symonds, P.A., 1991. Detachment
42
models for the formation of passive continental margins. Tectonics 10 (5), 10381064.
Maldonado, A. (Ed.), 1992. Alboran Sea. Geo-Mar. Lett. Spec.
Iss. 12, 61186.
Maldonado, A., Baraza, J., Checa, A., Nelson, C.H., Barber,
J.H., Hampton, M.H., Kayen, R.E., Lee, H.J., 1989. Tectonic
framework, pattern of sedimentation, and potential environmental problems of the Cadiz Continental Margin, Spain. 28th
Int. Geol. Congr., Washington, 23, 2356.
Maldonado, A., Campillo, A.C., Mauffret, A., Alonso, B., Woodside, J., Campos, J., 1992. Alboran Sea Late Cenozoic tectonic
and stratigraphic evolution. Geo-Mar. Lett. 12, 179186.
Malod, J.A., 1982. Comparaison de levolution des marges continentales au nord et au sud de la Peninsule Iberique. Ph.D.
Thesis, Univ. Pierre et Marie Curie, 235 pp.
Malod, J.A., Mougenot, D., 1979. Lhistorie geologique neoge`ne
du golfe de Cadix. Bull. Soc. Geol. Fr. 21, 603611.
Martnez del Olmo, W., Garca Gallo, J., Leret, G., Serrano,
A., Suarez, J., 1984. Modelo Tectosedimentario del Bajo
Guadalquivir. I Congr. Esp. Geologa, Segovia, pp. 199213.
Mauffret, A., Mougenot, D., Miles, P.R., Malod, J.A., 1989.
Results from Multichannel Reflection Profiling of the Tagus
Abyssal Plain (Portugal). Comparison with the Canadian Margin. In: Tankard, A.J., Balkwill, H.R. (Eds.), Extensional Tectonics and Stratigraphy of the Northern Atlantic Margins. Am.
Assoc. Pet. Geol. and Can. Geol. Found. AAPG Mem. 46,
379393.
Mauffret, A., Pascal, G., Maillard, A., Gorini, C., 1995. Tectonics
and deep structure of the north-western Mediterranean Basin.
Mar. Pet. Geol. 12, 645666.
McKenzie, D.P., 1972. Active tectonics of the Mediterranean
region. Geophys. J. Astron. Soc. 30, 109185.
Medialdea, T., Surinach, E., Vegas, R., Banda, E., Ansorge, J.,
1986. Crustal structure under the western end of the Betic
cordillera (Spain). Ann. Geophys. 4, 457464.
Monie, P., Galindo-Zaldvar, J., Gonzalez-Lodeiro, F., Goffe, B.,
Jabaloy, A., 1991. First report on 40 Ar=39 Ar geochronology of
Alpine tectonics in the Betic Cordilleras (southern Spain). J.
Geol. Soc. London 148, 289297.
Montenat, C., Ott dEstevou, P., Masse, P., 1987. Tectonic sedimentary characters of the Betic Neogene basins evolving in a
crustal transcurrent shear zone (SE Spain). Bull. Cent. Rech.
Explor. Prod. Elf-Aquitaine 11 (1), 122.
Morley, C.J., 1992. Notes on Neogene basin history of the
Western Alboran Sea and its implications for the tectonic
evolution of the RifBetic orogenic belt. J. Afr. Earth Sci. 14,
5766.
Mougenot, D., 1988. Geologie de la marge Portugaise. Ph.D.
Thesis, Univ. Pierre et Marie Curie, 155 pp.
Mueller, S., Kahle, H.G., 1993. Crustmantle evolution, structure
and dynamics of the MediterraneanAlpine region. In: Smith,
D.E., Turcotte, D.L. (Eds.), Contributions of Space Geodesy
to Geodynamics: Crustal Dynamics. Am. Geophys. Union 23,
249298.
Nelson, C.H., Baraza, J., Maldonado, A., Rodero, J., Escutia, C.,
Barber, J., 1999. Influence of the Atlantic inflow and Mediter-
43