The tectonostratigraphic evolution of Cenozoic basins of the Northern Tethys: The Northern margin of the Levant Basin

Abstract

The easternmost part of the Mediterranean corresponds to a tectonically complex region which is linked with the convergence between Africa and Eurasia. The tectonostratigraphic evolution of this region is poorly constrained because of the absence of exploration wells. Cyprus is a crucial area to assess the link between the tectonic deformation and the consequent sedimentation in the Northern Levant margin. Paleogene and Neogene basins in the southern part of Cyprus record the main tectonic events related to the convergence of Africa and Eurasia. The objective of this contribution is to investigate the timing and the mechanisms of basin deformation, as well as the sedimentary infill of basins located onshore Cyprus and finally resolve how their evolution is linked to the regional geodynamic events. Based on fieldwork studies we reconstructed the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the Polis Basin and the Limassol Basin to propose a conceptual model for the evolution of the Northern Levant margin, in accordance with the main geodynamic events. It is expected that analysis of the Polis and Limassol depressions, and later comparison of them will also shed more lights on the impact of the substratum and how it is associated to the main tectonic events.

Diagnostic criteria using microfacies for calcareous contourites, turbidites and pelagites in the Eocene–Miocene slope succession, southern Cyprus

“…The collision with the Kyrenia Range in the north occurred during the Pliocene to Pleistocene (Palamakumbura & Robertson, 2018; Papadimitriou et al. , 2018).…”

Key geological characteristics of the Saida-Tyr Platform along the eastern margin of the Levant Basin, offshore Lebanon: implications for hydrocarbon exploration

“…Recent research projects, focusing on the northern part of the Levant Basin, provided substantial new data and concepts for better understanding the crustal, structural, and stratigraphic characteristics of this region, as well as its key petroleum systems (e.g. Hawie et al, 2015;Bou Daher et al, 2016;Inati et al, 2016Inati et al, , 2018Ghalayini et al, 2017aGhalayini et al, , 2017bGhalayini et al, , 2018Symeou et al, 2017;Grohmann et al, 2018;Papadimitriou et al, 2018aPapadimitriou et al, , 2018b. These studies also led to the distinction between the basin and the margins of the Levant.…”

Sedimentary response to current and nutrient regime rearrangement in the Eastern Mediterranean Realm during the early to middle Miocene (southwestern Cyprus)

“…Inconsistencies exist in the lithological description and assignment of the Oligocene-Miocene lithostratigraphy of southern Cyprus, partially owing to significant lateral gradients (Eaton and Robertson, 1993). Synthesizing the available sources (Bagnall, 1960;Hüneke et al, 2021;Kähler and Stow, 1998;Papadimitriou et al, 2018;Robertson, 1976;Robertson and Hudson, 2009) the upper part of the Lefkara Formation consists of pale to white calcareous material (marl to chalk), ranging from mudstone to packstone in texture, locally with coarse reworked material. The lower part of the Pakhna Fm is pale to white calcareous material ranging from mudstone to packstone, with local floatstone to rudstone.…”

“…In a few locations on the Mamonia Terrain (Figure 1b), as well as on the southeastern edge of the island, shallow water lower Miocene deposits are present and mapped as the Terra member of the Pakhna Formation (Follows, 1992). On the Mamonia Terrain, the formation of these shallow water regions was attributed to local highs which formed atop large thrust faults related to uplift of the Troodos Massif and the continued collision of Cyprus and the Eratosthenes block to the south (Follows et al, 1996;Papadimitriou et al, 2018). However, the specific mechanism is debated, with some arguing for a horst and graben structure (Balmer et al, 2019;Cannings et al, 2021), whereas others call for blind thrusts (Papadimitriou et al, 2018) to generate the highs the reefs developed on.…”

“…On the Mamonia Terrain, the formation of these shallow water regions was attributed to local highs which formed atop large thrust faults related to uplift of the Troodos Massif and the continued collision of Cyprus and the Eratosthenes block to the south (Follows et al, 1996;Papadimitriou et al, 2018). However, the specific mechanism is debated, with some arguing for a horst and graben structure (Balmer et al, 2019;Cannings et al, 2021), whereas others call for blind thrusts (Papadimitriou et al, 2018) to generate the highs the reefs developed on. The former would result in steep slopes while the latter in gentler slopes with piggyback basins.…”