Aptian-Albian boundary in Central Southern Atlas of Tunisia: New tectono-sedimentary facts

The Aptian-Albian boundary preserves one of the most important events in Central-Southern Atlas of Tunisia, which belongs to the Southern Tethyan margin. A major sedimentary break was recorded between Early Aptian and Albian series in Bouhedma-Boudouaou Mountains. This major hiatus probably linked t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Journal of African earth sciences (1994) Vol. 132; pp. 27 - 36
Main Authors:	Ghanmi, Mohamed Abdelhamid, Barhoumi, Amine, Ghanmi, Mohamed, Zargouni, Fouad
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Elsevier Ltd 01-08-2017
Subjects:	Aptian-Albian boundary Bouhedma-Boudouaou Central Southern Atlas Conglomerate Southern Tethyan margin Tectono-sedimentary Central Southern Atlas Bouhedma-Boudouaou Aptian-Albian boundary Southern Tethyan margin Conglomerate Tectono-sedimentary
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Summary:	The Aptian-Albian boundary preserves one of the most important events in Central-Southern Atlas of Tunisia, which belongs to the Southern Tethyan margin. A major sedimentary break was recorded between Early Aptian and Albian series in Bouhedma-Boudouaou Mountains. This major hiatus probably linked to the ‘’Austrian phase’’ and to the Aptian and Albian ‘’Crisis'’ testify a period of major tectonic events. In this paper, field observations on the Mid-Cretaceous stratigraphy combined with seismic profile interpretation were used for the first time to characterize the Aptian-Albian boundary in Central-Southern Atlas of Tunisia. Our new results reveal that Aptian-Albian boundary marks a critical interval not only in Maknassy-Mezzouna orogenic system but also in the Tunisian Atlas. Furthermore, Aptian-Albian series outcrop is marked by the important sedimentary gaps as well as a dramatic thickness change from West to East and predominately from North to South. This is linked to the extensional tectonic features which characterize all the Central-Southern Atlas of Tunisia. •Aptian – Albian boundary marks an important event in Central-Southern Atlas of Tunisia.•Aptian – Albian boundary is testified by metric conglomeratic bed and Hard Ground surfaces.•E-W and N-S trending faults are well dominated and generate a geometry of tilted blocks.•Aptian – Albian discontinuity is interpreted to be related to regional extensional event.
ISSN:	1464-343X 1879-1956
DOI:	10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2017.04.030