6.11 - Tectonic Models for the Evolution of Sedimentary Basins
In this chapter we review the formation and evolution of sedimentary basins in their lithospheric context. To this purpose, we follow a natural laboratory approach, selecting some well-documented basins of Europe. We begin with a brief outline of the evolution of tectonic modeling of sedimentary basin systems since its inception in the late 1970s. We subsequently review key features of the tectonics of rifted and compressional basins in Section 6.11.2. These include the classification of extensional basins into Atlantic type, back-arc, syn- and postorogenic rifts. This is followed by a discussion of thermal thinning of the lithosphere, doming and flood basalts, aspects of particular importance to volcanic rifted margins. We discuss the record of vertical motions during and after rifting in the context of stretching models developed to quantify rifted basin formation. The finite strength of the lithosphere has an important effect on the formation of extensional basins. This applies both to the geometry of the basin shape as well as to the record of vertical motions during and after rifting. We also address the tectonic control on post-rift evolution of extensional basins. The concept of strength of the lithosphere has also important consequences for compressional basins. The latter include foreland basins as well as basins formed by lithospheric folding.
We next focus on thermomechanical aspects of sedimentary basin formation in the context of large-scale models for the underlying lithosphere. We highlight the connection between the bulk rheological properties of Europe’s lithosphere and the evolution of some of Europe’s main sedimentary basins.
We investigate thermomechanical controls on continental breakup and associated basin migration processes using the NW European margin as a natural laboratory. We specifically address relationships between rift duration and extension velocities, thermal evolution, and role of mantle plumes and melts. This is followed by a brief discussion of compressional reactivation and its consequences for postrift inversion, borderland uplift and denudation.
We further develop the treatment of polyphase deformation of extensional basins taking the Black Sea Basin as a natural laboratory. We concentrate on rheological controls on basin formation affecting its large-scale basin stratigraphy and rift shoulder dynamics. We also discuss the role of intraplate stresses and lithospheric strength evolution during the postrift phase and consequences for neotectonic reactivation of the Black Sea basin system.
We give an overview on the interplay of extension and compression in the Pannonian–Carpathian basin system of Central Eastern Europe. We begin with a review of temporal and lateral variations in lithospheric strength in the region and its effects on late-stage basin deformation. This is followed by summary of models proposed for the development of the Pannonian–Carpathian system. We also present results of three-dimensional (3-D) modeling approaches investigating the role of 3-D distributions of load and lithospheric strength in orogenic arcs. In doing so, we focus on implications of these models for a better understanding of polyphase subsidence in the Carpathian foredeep.
For our discussion of lithospheric folding as a mode of basins formation, and for the interplay between lithosphere and surface processes in a compressional setting, we have selected the lberian microcontinent, located within the Africa–Europe collision zone. We review constraints on vertical motions, present-day stress regime and interaction between surface transport and vertical motions for Iberia at large. This is followed by a more detailed treatment of tectonic controls on drainage systems using the Ebro basin system of NE Iberia as a natural laboratory.
Finally, we draw general conclusions and addresses future perspectives.
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Volcanoclastic and epiclastic diagenesis of sandstones associated with volcano-sedimentary deposits from the upper Jurassic, Lower cretaceous, Paraná Basin, southern Brazil
2023, Journal of South American Earth SciencesThe opening of South Atlantic Ocean produced an immense volume of lava that covered an active aeolian system during Lower Cretaceous. The contact of Botucatu Formation sandstones with the Serra Geral volcanic flows generated a variety of volcano-sedimentary features and deposits. During volcanism, the temperature contrast between lava and wet or water-saturated sediments formed volcanoclastic features and related sedimentary deposits. In moments of magmatic quiescence, epiclastic deposits were generated due to the return of sedimentation. Volcanoclastic deposits include volcanic breccias with sandy matrix, and epiclastic deposits include conglomerates and conglomeratic sandstones with intraclasts. Quantitative petrography of the sandy matrix samples of these deposits was analyzed, in order to discuss the paragenesis of volcano-sedimentary interactions. Regular burial diagenetic processes were discussed for epiclastic sandstones and contact diagenesis processes for volcanoclastic sandstones. The original composition of volcanoclastic and epiclastic sandstones is heterogeneous. However, the main difference between them is the presence of textural fluidization indicators found in the volcanoclastic sandstones, along the lava-sediment interface. These textural characteristics indicate that the unconsolidated sediments were probably wet or saturated in water during the interaction with the volcanic flow. Epiclastic sandstones have infiltrated clays and neoformed smectites as their main diagenetic constituent due to alteration of available volcanic lithoclasts. For volcanoclastic sandstones, the formation of opal, chalcedony and megaquartz cements through burial is unlikely, due to the intergranular volume occupied by these cements, indicating near-surface early diagenetic conditions. Therefore, the mechanisms of dissolution and repreciptation of the siliceous fluids, incorporated in the system, formed mainly the chalcedony cementation. Furthermore, zeolite cementation, which occurs along the lava-sediment contact, is another important indicator of contact diagenesis for volcanoclastic sandstones. During telodiagenesis, the formation of secondary porosity by dissolution of volcanic lithoclasts and detrital K-feldspar grains was of great importance in volcanoclastic and epiclastic sandstones.
Subsidence analysis by mean of DeGloT software: Application to the key-case of the Miocene-Quaternary Crotone Basin (Calabria, S. Italy)
2022, Marine and Petroleum GeologyThe present work deals with the application of subsidence analysis to the Crotone Basin through the application of a software written ad-hoc by using the. NET framework. The application of this software called Decompaction Glorious Trend (DeGloT) has been tested on a case study along the Ionian coastal plain of Calabria, in the Crotone Basin, Southern Italy. The study area includes the stratigraphic infill of the Neogene to Quaternary Crotone Basin as an example of a thick stratigraphic succession deposited within a progressive changing nature of subsiding region. Because of regional tectonic events, this area is characterized by a complex geological and evolutionary history recorded in this sedimentary basin. The Crotone Basin experienced an alternation of uplift and subsiding processes. We used DeGloT software for the subsidence analysis, by using well controlled dataset from a large number of well log for hydrocarbon exploration and stratigraphic and structural architecture from both surface seismic profiles and outcrop occurrence.
A description of the software logic and several examples of its usage are provided. The historical evolution of the subsidence analysis and the essential theorical information are summarized in order to understand the requested input and the resulting output of the software.
Even if the software was designed for the Crotone Basin, it can be used for applicability to other sedimentary basins.
Hyperextension and polyphase rifting: Impact on inversion tectonics and stratigraphic architecture of the North West Shelf, Australia
2022, Marine and Petroleum GeologyRestoration of interpreted 2D deep seismic lines across Australia's North West Shelf indicates that rifting style changed significantly during multiple phases of extension and continental breakup. Early phase rifting during the Neo-Proterozoic and Early Paleozoic, characterised by low-angle detachment faults, crustal-scale necking and hyperextension of the crust (Metamorphic Core Complex Mode), was localised over pre-existing Proterozoic orogenic belts formed adjacent to major cratonic blocks. Subsequent extensional events in the Late Paleozoic and Mesozoic reactivated these low-angle rift fault systems. However, a series of narrow rift basins (Narrow Rift Mode), bound by high-angle normal faults that cut into the upper mantle, also began forming due to changes in the rheological architecture of the lithosphere following previous extension, crustal thinning and post-rift cooling. Wide rift mode extension, wherein extensional deformation was distributed over broad areas, may have occurred prior to, or in conjunction with, the development of more localised narrow rifts (dual mode rifting) in areas such as the Northern Carnarvon and Browse basins. Extensional deformation progressively localised into the narrow rift basins, which in some cases, matured into seafloor spreading centres during breakup, typically outboard of the major low-angle detachment fault systems. The resulting general structural architecture evolution is consistent with several other hyperextended margins from around the world.
The rift events were punctuated by periods of thermal sag, often in conjunction with pulses of compressional deformation associated with plate-scale tectonic events. Structural restoration of 2D regional seismic lines shows a marked difference in the way the different polyphase rift basin elements responded to shortening. Low-angle detachment faults were relatively well oriented for reactivation under compression, leading to the development of inversion anticlines and associated convergent unconformities towards the inboard basin margin. In contrast, high-angle normal fault systems associated with the pre-existing narrow rift basins were poorly oriented for reactivation during compression and tend to be characterised by minor wrench/flower structures, generally with relatively limited uplift and erosion on the basin margins. Regional in-plane compressional stresses also worked in combination with vertical loading due to thermal decay to downwarp the lithosphere, forming broad rapidly subsiding synclinal basins above axes of the pre-existing rift basins. The evolving structural architecture developed during the compressional events had significant impacts on the associated sequence stratigraphic architecture.
Advances in the understanding of multi-scale and coupled evolution of orogens, sedimentary basins and the underlying lithosphere
2022, Global and Planetary ChangeThe integrated understanding of processes and mechanisms driving the coupled evolution of orogens and sedimentary basins and the underlying lithosphere-mantle system, requires a multi-scale temporal and spatial approach that crosses the traditional boundaries of disciplines and methodologies. While analysing the sedimentary infill we need to account for the characteristics and variations of the exhumation, evolving topography and external forcing in the source area, and the complexity of a transport system that is often characterized by a massive unidirectional sediment influx during moments of activity at tipping points or gateways. Such an influx can often span across multiple depocenters and sedimentary basins and is conditioned by an evolving structural geometry that can migrate in time, directly related to the evolving lithospheric structure in orogens that are influenced by their inherited rheology. Depocenters can be fed from multiple directions, while having an endemic or endorheic character during key evolutionary moments. The thermal structure and its variability in continental and oceanic domains conditions the rheology and subsequent structural evolution of the orogens, subduction zones and sedimentary basins, with significant consequences for understanding societally relevant issues. Quantifying basin deposition requires analysing the sediment transport network that can often span multiple interacting orogenic and sedimentary systems, where understanding the allogenic or autogenic nature of sedimentary processes can be significantly enhanced by knowing the inherited and evolving structural and tectonic parameters. Such sedimentary quantification is important for understanding the orogenic structure and the evolution of subduction systems, that include mechanisms such as cycles of burial-exhumation, formation of highly arcuate orogens and timings of nappe stacking events. Deriving processes in orogen - sedimentary basins systems also requires testing process-oriented hypotheses by focused studies in well-known natural laboratories, such as the examples from the Pannonian-Carpathians - Alps - Dinarides system and its analogues used by the numerous contributions in the special Global and Planetary Change issue entitled Understanding the multi-scale and coupled evolution of orogens, sedimentary basins and their underlying lithosphere, whose significance is explained in our review.
Quantifying the late-to post-Variscan pervasive heat flow, central Netherlands, Southern Permian Basin
2020, Marine and Petroleum GeologyThe Southern Permian Basin is marked by significant Latest Carboniferous-Early Permian magmatism attributed to mantle plume emplacement. This intense magmatic activity is commonly assumed to have impacted the heat flow in this area. In the central Netherlands a large number of wells show evidence of magmatic activity dated as Permo-Carboniferous. In addition, high maturity values have been measured for the Carboniferous and below. Theoretical models for tectonic heat flow and maturity evolution presented in this paper show that mantle upwelling, underplating, and intrusions have a significant effect on maturity-depth trends.
Tectonic modelling of five selected wells shows that tectonic subsidence and exhumation can be correlated with a significant heat flow pulse at Latest Carboniferous-Early Permian time. This could well explain the widespread elevated maturity/depth gradient in Carboniferous rocks. Quantitative assessment of heat flow, based on a model of mantle plume emplacement, shows that mantle upwelling and underplating at the base of the crust, proposed by previous studies, provides insufficient heat flow to explain strongly elevated maturity-depth trends. In contrast, widespread Permo-Carboniferous calc-alkaline magmatism at shallow crustal levels provides a mechanism for elevated heat flow with a regional impact, consistent with observed high maturity-depth trends. The model and maturity data demonstrate that elevated maturity at shallow burial-depth levels of 500–1000 m is probably sited in the gas window during a heat pulse, occurring at Late Carboniferous times.
Interference of tectonic signals in subsurface hydrologic monitoring through gravity and GPS due to mountain building
2018, Global and Planetary ChangeGlobal Positioning System observations in the Alps have now sufficient precision to reliably observe vertical surface movement rates at the orogen scale. The geodynamic modeling of converging plate margins requires constraints on the origin of orogenic uplift, of which the two end members are pure crustal uplift and crustal thickening, respectively. Gravity change rates joint with uplift measurements allows to distinguish the two mechanisms. We use vertical uplift rates over the Alpine range and the southern foreland basin, to predict the gravity change for different geodynamic hypotheses of pure uplift and mantle inflow, or crustal thickening and isostatic Moho lowering. The sensitivity of gravity as a tool to distinguish the two mechanisms is investigated. This model differs from the predicted isostatic movements, based on the glacial history and the mantle viscosity, since the uplift is measured and not predicted. The estimate of this tectonic signal is important, when gravity change rates, as those obtained from GRACE, are interpreted exclusively in terms of hydrologic changes tied to climatic variation. It has been already shown that in some areas, as the Tibetan plateau and the Himalayas, the tectonic signal is not negligible. Here we estimate the effect of the tectonic signal for the uplift of smaller mountain ranges, as is the Alpine arc. Our results indicate that tectonic and hydrological signals superpose and we cannot ignore the tectonic signal when using GRACE to invert for the equivalent water height (EWH).