The Miocene Pakhna Formation, southern Cyprus and its relationship to the Neogene tectonic evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean

Eaton, S.; Robertson, Alastair H. F.

doi:10.1016/0037-0738(93)90026-2

Cited by 109 publications

(171 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The ophiolite comprises a complete suite of intrusive (ultramafics gabbro, diabase) and extrusive (basalt) lithologies. It is overlain by a Late Cretaceous to Miocene, predominantly deep-water, pelagic carbonate succession (Lefkara Formation), deep to shallow-marine sequences (Pakhna Formation;Robertson, 1976;Eaton and Robertson, 1993). Pliocene deposition was ini- tially fine-grained marine (Nicosia Formation), then shallow-marine (Kakkaristra Formation), to fluvial (Apalos Formation) in the upper Pliocene (McCallum, 1989;McCallum andRobertson, 1990, 1995a; Table 1).…”

Section: Regional Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Limassol Forest differs from the Troodos, further north, in that it was deformed by south-vergent thrusting during the early Miocene, so that intrusive ophiolite rocks such as gabbro and ultramafics were exposed at high structural levels (Eaton, 1987;Eaton and Robertson, 1993), and later transgressed by late Miocene shallowwater carbonates (Follows, 1990;Follows et al, 1996). These cover sediments were finally removed in the early to middle Pleistocene.…”

Section: Paleocurrent and Clast Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pleistocene fanglomerate deposition related to uplift of the Troodos Ophiolite, Cyprus

Poole¹,

Robertson²

1998

Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program

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The Pleistocene Fanglomerate Group of the southern part of Cyprus exemplifies coarse alluvial clastic deposition within a zone of focused tectonic uplift, related to collision of African and Eurasian plates, as documented by Ocean Drilling Program Leg 160. During the Pleistocene, the Troodos ophiolite was progressively unroofed, resulting in a near-radial pattern of coarse clastic sedimentation. The Pleistocene Fanglomerate Group depositionally overlies Pliocene marine sediments. Along the southern margin of the Troodos Massif the contact is erosional, whereas along its northern margin a regressive fan-delta (Kakkaristra Fm.) intervenes.The Pleistocene Fanglomerate Group is subdivided into four units (termed F1−F4), each of which were formed at progressively lower topographic levels. A wide variety of alluvial units are recognized within these, representing mainly high-energy coarse alluvial fans, channel fans, braidstream, and floodplain environments. A near-radial sediment dispersal pattern away from Mt. Olympos is indicated by paleocurrent studies, based on clast imbrication.Provenance studies indicate relatively early unroofing of the ophiolite, but with only minor localized erosion of ultramafic rocks from the Mt. Olympos area. Clasts of erosionally resistant lithologies, notably ophiolitic diabase and Miocene reefrelated limestone, are volumetrically over-represented, relative to friable basalt and early Tertiary pelagic carbonate sediments.The younger Fanglomerate Group units (F3 and F4) can be correlated with littoral marine terraces previously dated radiometrically at about 185−219 ka and 116−134 ka, respectively. However, the earlier (F1 and F2) Fanglomerate Group units can, at present, be dated only as early to middle Pleistocene.The principle variables that affected deposition of the Pleistocene Fanglomerate Group as a whole are tectonic uplift isostatic effects, glacio-eustatic sea-level change, short-and long-term climatic change, and lithology. However, the dominant control was tectonic uplift that apparently peaked during early and middle Pleistocene time. Aggradation of fluvial sediments (F1 and F2) took place at times of relative sea-level high with associated terrace formation. This was followed by downcutting during periods of relative sea-level fall when surface uplift continued.The dominant control on the younger (F3 and F4) units was glacio-eustatic sea-level change, during a time when littoral marine sediments accumulated, and rates of surface uplift may have decreased. Finally, the Holocene alluvial deposition was also affected by anthropogenic effects, notably deforestation.

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Section: Regional Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Paleocurrent and Clast Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Pleistocene fanglomerate deposition related to uplift of the Troodos Ophiolite, Cyprus

Poole¹,

Robertson²

1998

Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program

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“…Recent biostratigraphical work by Krasheninnikov and Kaleda (1994) suggest that the chert is mainly within the lower Eocene part of the succession. Marked shallowing and onset of more muddy hemipelagic deposition ensued, giving rise to the Miocene Pakhna Formation (Eaton and Robertson, 1993). The early Tertiary pelagic deposition varies markedly in thickness and facies around different parts of the Troodos ophiolite.…”

Section: Southern Cyprusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Antalya region submergence was accompanied by deposition of carbonate breccias that are interpreted to have been shed from active fault scarps (Robertson, 1993). At the end of the Cretaceous, tectonic deformation associated with the emplacement of ophiolites affected many parts of the northern periphery of the Eastern Mediterranean, including southern Turkey and Syria (Robertson and Woodcock, 1980;¼engör and Yilmaz, 1981).…”

Section: Southern Turkeymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At the end of the Cretaceous, tectonic deformation associated with the emplacement of ophiolites affected many parts of the northern periphery of the Eastern Mediterranean, including southern Turkey and Syria (Robertson and Woodcock, 1980;¼engör and Yilmaz, 1981). Subsequent pelagic sedimentation of early Tertiary age is very restricted in these areas, and where present, is often associated with coarse, syntectonic clastic sediment input (e.g., in the Antalya Complex; Robertson, 1993).…”

Section: Southern Turkeymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lithofacies evidence for the Cretaceous-Paleogene sedimentary history of Eratosthenes Seamount, Eastern Mediterranean, in its regional tectonic context (Sites 966 and 967)

Robertson¹

1998

Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program

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Drilling during Leg 160 penetrated an Early-Late Cretaceous and early Oligocene succession of carbonates in Hole 967E, beneath the lower northern slope of Eratosthenes Seamount. Middle Eocene pelagic carbonates were also recovered in Hole 966F, beneath the plateau area of the seamount. The base of the succession at Site 967 comprises shallow-water limestones, including coral and calcareous red algae, and occasional large foraminifers, that are interpreted as accumulations in a lagoonal setting within a carbonate platform. Neritic sedimentation ended in the upper Aptian (Lower Cretaceous) and was followed by an Upper Cretaceous pelagic carbonate succession that spans the interval from upper Cenomanian to Maastrichtian. Upper Cretaceous pelagic carbonates are locally organic rich and contain common replacement chert. In Hole 967E, Maastrichtian pelagic carbonates are unconformably overlain by lithologically similar chalks of early Oligocene age, with evidence of extensive reworking of older taxa. Minor tectonic instability is indicated by the presence of syndepositional neptunian dikes and fissures. In Hole 966F, middle Eocene pelagic chalks include reworked biota, chert, and organic-rich layers. The Eratosthenes Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene bathyal carbonates accumulated on a relatively level, submerged platform, isolated from terrigenous or gravity input. The transition from a shallow, carbonate platform to a bathyal setting (Turonian or earlier), took place before submergence of carbonate platforms in the Levant (in the Coniacian). Upper Cretaceous deposition on Eratosthenes is interpreted to have taken place seawards of a zone of high biogenic productivity that affected the Levant continental margin. Eratosthenes was also located well south of the zone of ophiolite genesis and tectonic displacement in the Upper Cretaceous. Overall, the Cretaceous and Paleogene carbonates of Eratosthenes are consistent with accumulation on an initially shallow, then submerged, carbonate platform isolated within a southern branch of the Neotethyan ocean, adjacent to the North African continental margin.

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From ocean depths to mountain tops: Uplift of the Troodos ophiolite (Cyprus) constrained by low‐temperature thermochronology and geomorphic analysis

2016

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The timing and mode of uplift of the Troodos ophiolite are constrained by low-temperature thermochronology combined with geomorphic analysis. Zircon (U-Th)/He and apatite fission track cooling ages in the Troodos plutonic sequence are all Cretaceous (83-106 Ma) and within error of published zircon U-Pb crystallization ages. This indicates early cooling of the oceanic crust and termination of spreading axis magmatism at~90 Ma. Apatite (U-Th)/He ages decrease with reconstructed crustal depths from~40 Ma near the top of the sheeted-dike complex to~4 Ma within the mantle sequence. A prominent inflection point in the age versus depth curve defines the bottom of the exhumed helium partial retention zone and records the onset of rapid exhumation of the main Troodos massif at 6 ± 2 Ma. Inverse thermal modeling supports this conclusion, indicating that the timing of uplift is earlier than previously estimated. The boundaries of the mantle sequence exposed in the core of the Troodos structure closely overlap the boundaries of a concentric zone delineated by high local relief and higher channel steepness indices, indicating differential exhumation and uplift of this area relative to its surroundings. This zone also overlaps with a prominent negative Bouguer gravity anomaly. The timing and pattern of the Troodos ophiolite uplift suggest that it is driven by serpentinite diapirism, possibly triggered by Miocene reactivation of subduction along the Cyprean Arc. The worldwide ubiquity of suprasubduction zone ophiolites may thus reflect the importance of extensive serpentinization at the overthrusting mantle wedge in obduction processes.

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The Miocene Pakhna Formation, southern Cyprus and its relationship to the Neogene tectonic evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean

Cited by 109 publications

References 19 publications

Pleistocene fanglomerate deposition related to uplift of the Troodos Ophiolite, Cyprus

Pleistocene fanglomerate deposition related to uplift of the Troodos Ophiolite, Cyprus

Lithofacies evidence for the Cretaceous-Paleogene sedimentary history of Eratosthenes Seamount, Eastern Mediterranean, in its regional tectonic context (Sites 966 and 967)

From ocean depths to mountain tops: Uplift of the Troodos ophiolite (Cyprus) constrained by low‐temperature thermochronology and geomorphic analysis

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