New stratigraphic data, lithostratigraphic correlations and fault kinematic analysis are used to discuss 12 the basin geometry and sedimentation patterns of the northeastern Tunisia during Cretaceous times. 13 Significant facies and thickness variations are deduced along the northeastern Atlas of Tunisia. The 14 NW-SE 80 km-long regional correlation suggests a high sedimentation rates associated with irregular 15 sea floor. The fault kinematic analysis highlights N-S to NE-SW tectonic extension during early 16 Cretaceous. During Aptian-Albian times, an extensional regime is recognized with NE-SW tectonic 17 extension. The Cenomanian-Turonian fault populations highlight a WNW-ESE to NW-SE extension, 18 and, Campanian-Maastrichtian faults illustrate NW-SE extension. The normal faulting is associated to 19 repetitive local depocenters with a high rate of sedimentation as well as abundant syntectonic 20 conglomeratic horizons, slump folds and halokinetic structures. The sequences correlation shows 21 repetitive local depocenters characterizing the basin during early Cretaceous times. All the above 22 arguments are in favor of basin configuration with tilted blocks geometry. This geometry is shaped by 23 major synsedimentary intra-basin listric normal faults, themselves related to the extensional setting 24 of the southern Tethyan paleomargin, which persisted into the Campanian-Maastrichtian times. The 25 results support a predominant relationship between tilted blocks geometry and sedimentation rather 26 than E-W "Tunisian Through" as it was previously accepted.

This paper presents the first comprehensive, non-exhaustive, study of the genetic relationship between slump folds and the synsedimentary paleoslope during Cretaceous time in northern Tunisia. Slump folds occur mainly in the Cretaceous marl-dominated lithofacies, which exposes numerous slump folds structures. In addition, fault kinematic analysis is conducted to define the paleostress fields and the stress states characterizing the Cretaceous extension that triggers soft-sediment deformation and slumping. The MAM and the APM methods are used to deduce the paleoslope in several localities. The calculated values of paleoslope trend derived from MAM and APM methods precise the variation of the paleoslope trend during Cretaceous times in northern Tunisia. This paleoslope is ~NW-dipping during Berriasian, ~SSW-dipping during Valanginian, ~NW-dipping during the Barremian and ~N-to ~NNE or ~S-to ~SSW-dipping during Aptian-Albian period. The results of the back-tilted fault diagram show a ~North to ~Northeast-trending tectonics extension. The back-tilting of Cenomanian slump axis and poles of axial planes (MAM and APM methods) give close results with ~Southward or ~Northwarddipping paleoslope. The restored fault diagrams show ~North to ~Northeast-trending extension during Cenomanian times. Coniacian-Santonian marls deposits seal all the gravity-driven deformation structures. North Tunisian area exposes evidences for abundant soft-sediment deformation and slumping atop a northward facing submarine slope, which was probably dominant from the Early Cretaceous to Santonian with ~North-South tectonic extension related to the Southern Tethyan rifted continental margin evolution.

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