Formation of the "Central Depression" deep marine trough (Navarre, Western Pyrenees) during the Jurassic and the Early Cretaceous

  1. E. Iriarte
  2. L.M. Agirrezabala
  3. A. Aranburu
  4. P.A. Fernández-Mendiola
  5. A.B. Quintanar-Soto
  6. J. García-Mondéjar
Journal:
Geotemas (Madrid)

ISSN: 1576-5172

Year of publication: 2000

Issue Title: V Congreso Geológico de España (Alicante, 10-14 julio 2000)

Issue: 1

Pages: 191-195

Type: Article

More publications in: Geotemas (Madrid)

Abstract

A detailed stratigraphical analysis of a part of the "Central Depression", a narrow Alpine syncline in the Basque Pyrenees bounded to the south by the Leitza fault, provides new evidence to enlarge the time of formation for its corresponding ancient deep marine trough. New stratigraphical units ranging from Early Jurassic to Cenomanian are reported. These units consist of marine resedimented breccias and siliciclastic flysch deposits related to major tectonic events in the area. These events are linked to the activity of the Leitza palaeo-fault, the main regional accident, which is considered the western continuation of the North Pyrenean fault. This is generally interpreted as the former plate boundary between Europe and Iberia. The"Central Depression" is considered as a link between Basque Cantabrian and North Pyrenean rifting realms.