Time, place and mode of propagation of foreland basin systems as recorded by the sedimentary fill: examples of the Late Cretaceous and Eocene retro-foreland basins of the north-eastern Pyrenees

Frédéric Christophoul (1) , Jean-Claude Soula (1) , Stéphane Brusset (1) , Brice Elibana (1) , Martin Roddaz (1) , Gilbert Bessière (1) , Joachim Déramond (1)

1 LMTG - Laboratoire des Mécanismes et Transfert en Géologie

The relationship between tectonics and sedimentary fill has been studied in two syncontractional basins of the western Corbieres (eastern North Pyrenean retro-foreland basin). The Late Cretaceous basin formed during c.10-12 Ma as a result of left-lateral transpressional deformation, and is composed of forward-younging sub-basins characterized by reworking of the forelimbs of growing fold-propagation folds. Thrust-wedge advance and cratonward migration of the platform are recorded by a deepening-upward stacking pattern indicating increased regional subsidence with a limited contribution of the submarine orogen. Tectonic quiescence and erosional unloading lasting 29-30 Ma are recorded by a shallowingupward stacking pattern, and fluvial sedimentation issued from widespread sources in the emerging inner orogen. The Early to Middle Eocene basin formed as a result of pure shortening normal to the range. The marine Early Eocene basin developed during c.2 Ma by widening of a single basin provoked by the two-step propagation of a basement duplex. This is recorded by growth-stratal patterns and coarsening-upward depositional sequences indicating the increasing contribution of the emerged orogen. The Middle Eocene continental deposits infilled two sub-basins working synchronously and were transported by alluvial fans with a provenance in the inner orogen, during decreasing thrust-wedge advance and increasing erosional unloading.

Mots clés: Foreland basin; north pyrenean; upper cretaceous; Paleocene; Eocene; tectonics; sedimentation; architecture

Domaines: Géomorphologie

Frédéric Christophoul, Jean-Claude Soula, Stéphane Brusset, Brice Elibana, Martin Roddaz, et al.. Time, place and mode of propagation of foreland basin systems as recorded by the sedimentary fill: examples of the Late Cretaceous and Eocene retro-foreland basins of the north-eastern Pyrenees. Special Publication - Geological Society of London, 2003, 208, pp.229-252. ⟨10.1144/GSL.SP.2003.208.01.11⟩. ⟨hal-00672004⟩