Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Diapiric activity affecting Late Pliocene to Pleistocene sediments under a tectonic compressive regime: an example from the Western Iberian Margin (Srª da Vitória beach, central Portugal)

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Iberian Geology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The structural evolution of a folded and faulted Upper Pliocene to Lower Pleistocene sedimentary unit exposed at the coastal cliffs of Srª da Vitória beach was studied. This sequence is wedged between the S. Pedro de Moel diapir, to the north, and the Pombal–Leiria–Nazaré fault zone, to the south, providing striking evidence of neotectonic activity in the Western Iberian Margin and of its role in the triggering of halokinesis. Several deformational events were recognised, related to a regional NW–SE compression that activated halokinesis of underlying Triassic to Lower Jurassic (Hettangian) silty clays and gypsiferous marls. The combined effects of the compression and of the triggered halokinesis generated a NW-verging asymmetric syncline affecting the studied sedimentary unit, where strain was partially accommodated by faulting and crenulation in micaceous horizons of the sandy deposits. This deformation represents the local accommodation on the sedimentary cover of transpression along the S. Pedro de Moel fault, which was intruded by the Triassic to Hettangian evaporitic marls and silty clays, and reactivated with left-lateral reverse movement. This regional fault prolongs offshore, being parallel to other NE–SW trending faults that are located near the upper reach of the Nazaré submarine canyon, reinforcing the evidence for neotectonic activity on this major fault system of the Portuguese Atlantic margin.

Resumen

Se ha estudiado la evolución estructural de una unidad sedimentaria plegada y fallada del Plioceno superior a Pleistoceno expuesta en los acantilados costeros de la playa de Srª da Vitória. Esta secuencia se encuentra localizada entre el diapiro de S. Pedro de Moel, al norte, y la zona de falla de Pombal - Leiria - Nazaré, al sur, y proporciona una muy buena evidencia de actividad neotectónica en el margen ibérico occidental y de su papel en la activación de halocinesis. Se reconocieron varios eventos de deformación, relacionados con una compresión NW-SE regional que activó la halocinesis de arcillas limosas y margas yesíferas subyacentes del Triásico a Jurásico Inferior (Hettangiense). Los efectos combinados de la compresión y de la halocinesis desencadenada generaron un sinclinal asimétrico con vergencia hacia el NW que afecta a la unidad sedimentaria estudiada, donde la deformación fue parcialmente acomodada por fallamiento y crenulación en horizontes micáceos de los depósitos arenosos. Esta deformación representa la acomodación local en la cobertera sedimentaria de la transpresión a lo largo de la falla de S. Pedro de Moel que, a su vez, ha sido intruida por las margas evaporíticas y las arcillas limosas del Triásico al Hettangiense, y reactivada con movimiento inverso lateral izquierdo. Esta falla regional se prolonga hacia el offshore, siendo paralela a otras fallas NE-SW que se ubican cerca del cañón submarino de Nazaré, lo que refuerza la evidencia de actividad neotectónica en este importante sistema de fallas del margen atlántico portugués.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

adapted from Cachão 1989; Ramos and Cunha 2004; Ramos 2008)

Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alves, T. M., Manuppella, G., Gawthorpe, R. L., Hunt, D. W., & Monteiro, J. H. (2003). The depositional evolution of diapir- and fault-bounded rift basins: Examples from the Lusitanian Basin of West Iberia. Sedimentary Geology, 162, 273–303. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0037-0738(03)00155-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alves, T. M., Moita, C., Cunha, T., Ullnaess, M., Myklebust, R., Monteiro, J. H., et al. (2009). Diachronous evolution of Late Jurassic–Cretaceous continental rifting in the northeast Atlantic (West Iberian Margin). Tectonics. https://doi.org/10.1029/2008tc002337.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbosa, B. P. (1983). As argilas especiais de Barracão - Pombal. Prospecção, sondagens e cálculo de reservas. Estudos, Notas e Trabalhos do Serv. Fom. Mineiro, 25(3–4), 193–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benedetti, M. M., Haws, J. A., Funk, C. L., Daniels, J. M., Hesp, P. A., Bicho, N. F., et al. (2009). Late Pleistocene raised beaches of coastal Estremadura, central Portugal. Quaternary Science Reviews, 28, 3428–3447.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borges, J. F., Fitas, A. J. S., Bezzeghoud, M., & Teves-Costa, P. (2001). Seismotectonics of Portugal and its adjacent Atlantic area. Tectonophysics, 337, 373–387.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabral, J. (1995). Neotectónica em Portugal Continental. Memórias do Instituto Geológico e Mineiro, 31, Lisboa.

  • Cabral, J. (2012). Neotectonics of mainland Portugal: State of the art and future perspectives. Journal of Iberian Geology, 38, 71–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cabral, J., & Ribeiro, A. (1988). Carta Neotectónica de Portugal Continental, Escala 1:1.000.000. Serv. Geol. de Portugal, Lisboa.

  • Cachão, M. A. (1989). Contribuição para o estudo do Pliocénico marinho português (Sector Pombal-Marinha Grande). Micropaleontologia, Biostratigrafia. MSc Dissertation, University of Lisbon.

  • Cachão, M. A. (1990). Posicionamento biostratigráfico da jazida pliocénica de Carnide. Gaia, 2, 11–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carvalho, J., Matias, H., Torres, L., Manupella, G., Pereira, R., & Mendes-Victor, L. (2005). The structural and sedimentary evolution of the Arruda and Lower Tagus sub-basins, Portugal. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 22, 427–453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2004.11.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cloething, S., Burov, E., Beekman, F., Andeweg, B., Andriessen, P. A. M., García-Castellanos, D., et al. (2002). Lithospheric folding in Iberia. Tectonics, 21, 1041–1067.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cloetingh, S., Ziegler, P. A., Beekman, F., Andriessen, P. A. M., Matenco, L., Bada, G., et al. (2005). Lithospheric memory, state of stress and rheology: Neotectonic controls on Europe’s intraplate continental topography. Quaternary Science Reviews, 24, 241–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunha, P. P. (1992a). Estratigrafia e sedimentologia dos depósitos do Cretácico Superior e Terciário de Portugal Central, a leste de Coimbra. PhD Dissertation, University of Coimbra.

  • Cunha, P. P. (1992b). Establishment of unconformity-bounded sequences in the Cenozoic record of the western Iberian margin and syntesis of the tectonic and sedimentary evolution in central Portugal during Neogene. First Congress R.C.A.N.S.—Atlantic General Events During Neogene (Abstracts), pp. 33–35. Lisbon.

  • Cunha, P. P. (1996). Unidades litostratigráficas do Terciário da Beira-Baixa (Portugal). Comunicações do Instituto Geológico e Mineiro, 82, 87–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunha, P. P., Barbosa, B., & Pena dos Reis, R. (1993). Synthesis of the Piacenzian onshore record, between the Aveiro and Setúbal parallels (Western Portuguese margin). Ciências da Terra, 12, 35–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunha, P. P., Martins, A. A., Daveau, S., & Friend, P. F. (2005). Tectonic control of the Tejo river fluvial incision during the late Cenozoic in Ródão—central Portugal (Atlantic Iberian border). Geomorphology, 64, 271–298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunha, P. P., Martins, A. A., & Gouveia, M. P. (2016). As escadarias de terraços do Ródão à Chamusca (Baixo Tejo) – caracterização e interpretação de dados sedimentares, tectónicos, climáticos e do Paleolítico/The terrace staircases of the Lower Tagus River (Ródão to Chamusca)—characterization and interpretation of the sedimentary, tectonic, climatic and Palaeolithic data. Estudos do Quaternário, 14, 1–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunha, P. P., Pais, J., & Legoinha, P. (2009). Evolução geológica de Portugal continental durante o Cenozóico – sedimentação aluvial e marinha numa margem continental passiva (Ibéria ocidental). Proceedings 6th Symposium on the Atlantic Iberian Margin, December, pp. 1–5, 2009, Univ. Oviedo, Spain, pp. xi–xx.

  • Cunha, P. P., & Pena dos Reis, R. (1995). Cretaceous sedimentary and tectonic evolution of the northern sector of the Lusitanian Basin (Portugal). Cretaceous Research, 16, 155–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Custódio, S., Dias, N. A., Carrilho, F., Góngora, E., Rio, I., Marreiros, C., Morais, I., Alves, P., & Matias, L. (2015). Earthquakes in western Iberia: improving the understanding of lithospheric deformation in a slowly deforming region. Geophysical Journal International, 203, 127–145. https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggv285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davison, I., Insley, M., Harper, M., Weston, P., Blundell, D., McClay, K., et al. (1993). Physical modelling of overburden deformation around salt diapirs. Tectonophysics, 228, 255–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Vicente, G., Cloetingh, S., Van Wees, J. D., & Cunha, P. P. (2011). Tectonic classification of Cenozoic Iberian foreland basins. Tectonophysics, 502(1–2), 38–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2011.02.007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Vicente, G., & Vegas, R. (2009). Large-scale distributed deformation controlled topography along the western Africa–Eurasia limit: Tectonic constraints. Tectonophysics, 474, 124–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freire de Andrade, C. (1937). Os Vales Submarinos Portugueses e o Diastrofismo das Berlengas e da Estremadura. Lisboa: Memórias dos Serviços Geológicos de Portugal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haws, J. A., Benedetti, M. M., Funk, C. L., Bicho, N. F., Daniels, J. M., Hesp, P. A., et al. (2010). Coastal wetlands and the Neanderthal settlement of Portuguese Estremadura. Geoarchaeology: An International Journal, 25(6), 709–744.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • I.G.M. (1992). Carta Geológica de Portugal na escala 1:500.000. Lisboa: Instituto Geológico e Mineiro.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopes, F. C., Pereira, A., & Mantas, V. M. (2012). Mapping of salt structures and related fault lineaments based on remote-sensing and gravimetric data: The case of the Monte Real salt wall (onshore west-central Portugal). AAPG Bulletin, 96(4), 615–634.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lopes, F. C., Pereira, A., & Vicente, A. (2007). Recognizing salt-structures on the basis of geophysical and remote sensing data: The case of Monte Real salt-structure (onshore west-central Portugal). Proceedings Book, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, Barcelona, Spain, July 23–27, 2007.

  • Miller, K. G., Kominz, M. A., Browning, J. V., Wright, J. D., Mountain, G. S., Katz, M. E., et al. (2005). The Phanerozoic record of global sea-level change. Science, 310(1), 293–1298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, K. G., Mountain, G. S., Wright, J. D., & Browning, J. V. (2011). A 180-million-year record of sea level and ice volume variations from continental margin and deep-sea isotopic records. Oceanography, 24(2), 40–53. https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2011.26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mougenot, D. (1988). Geologie de la Marge Portugaise. PhD dissertation, University of Paris VI.

  • Pais, J., Cunha, P. P., Pereira, D., Legoinha, P., Dias, R., Moura, D., Brum da Silveira, A., Kullberg, J. C., & González-Delgado, J. A. (2012). The Paleogene and Neogene of Western Iberia (Portugal). A Cenozoic record in the European Atlantic domain. Springer briefs in Earth sciences, 1st ed. (vol. 1). Berlin: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22401-0.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Pena dos Reis, R. (1983). A sedimentologia de depósitos continentais. Dois exemplos do Cretácico superior-Miocénico de Portugal. PhD dissertation, University of Coimbra.

  • Pereira, R., & Alves, T. M. (2011). Margin segmentation prior to continental break-up: A seismic–stratigraphic record of multiphased rifting in the North Atlantic (Southwest Iberia). Tectonophysics, 505, 17–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2011.03.011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ramos, A. M. (2008). O Pliocénico e o Plistocénico da Plataforma Litoral entre os Paralelos do Cabo Mondego e da Nazaré. PhD dissertaion, University of Coimbra.

  • Ramos, A., & Cunha, P. P. (2004). Facies associations and palaeogeography of the Zanclean–Piacenzian marine incursion in the Mondego Cape—Nazaré area (onshore of central Portugal). 23rd IAS Meeting of Sedimentology, Abstracts book, p. 227.

  • Ramos, A., Cunha, P. P., Cunha, L., Gomes, A., Lopes, F. C., Buylaert, J.-P., et al. (2012). The River Mondego terraces at the Figueira da Foz coastal area (western central Portugal): Geomorphological and sedimentological characterization of a terrace staircase affected by differential uplift and glacio-eustasy. Geomorphology, 165–166, 107–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen, E. S., Lomholt, S., Andersen, C., & Vejbæk, O. V. (1998). Aspects of the structural evolution of the Lusitanian Basin in Portugal and the shelf and slope area offshore Portugal. Tectonophysics, 300, 199–255. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-1951(98)00241-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ribeiro, P. (1998). Estudo de deformações tectónicas plio-quaternárias no bordo meridional da estrutura diapírica de S. Pedro de Moel (Vale de Paredes - Marinha Grande). MSc dissertation, University of Lisbon.

  • Ribeiro, P., & Cabral, J. (1998). Study of Plio-Quaternary tectonic deformations on the Southern side of S. Pedro de Moel diapiric structure (Vale de Paredes-Marinha Grande). Actas do V Congresso Nacional de Geologia (Resumos alargados). Comunicações do Instituto Geológico e Mineiro, 84(I), D-73–D-76.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ribeiro, A., Cabral, J., Baptista, R., & Matias, L. (1996a). Stress pattern in Portugal mainland and the adjacent Atlantic region, West Iberia. Tectonics, 15(2), 641–659.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ribeiro, A., Kullberg, M. C., Kullberg, J. C., Manupella, G., & Phipps, S. (1990). A review of Alpine tectonics in Portugal: Foreland detachment in basement and cover rocks. Tectonophysics, 184, 357–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ribeiro, A., Silva, J. B., Cabral, J., Dias, R., Fonseca, P., Kullberg, M. C., et al. (1996a). Tectonics of the Lusitanian Basin. Final Report, Proj. MILUPOBAS, Contract No. JOU-CT94-0348, ICTE/GG/GeoFCUL, Lisbon.

  • Siddall, M., Chappell, J., & Potter, E.-K. (2006). Eustatic sea level during past interglacials. In F. Sirocko, et al. (Eds.), The climate of past interglacials (pp. 75–92). Amsterdam: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siddall, M., Rohling, J., Thompson, W. G., & Waelbroeck, C. (2008). Marine isotope stage 3 sea level fluctuations: Data synthesis and new outlook. Reviews of Geophysics, 46, RG4003. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007rg000226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva, C. M. (2001). Gastrópodes pliocénicos marinhos de Portugal. Sistemática, Paleoecologia, Paleobiologia, Paleobiostratigrafia. PhD dissertation, University of Lisbon.

  • Srivastava, S. P., Roest, W. R., Kovacs, L. C., Oakey, G., Le’vesque, S., Verhoef, J., et al. (1990). Motion of Iberia since the Late Jurassic: Results from detailed aeromagnetic measurements in the Newfoundland Basin. Tectonophysics, 184, 229–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, R. C. L., Hiscott, R. N., Willis, M. G., & Gradstein, F. M. (1989). The Lusitanian Basin of West Central Portugal: Mesozoic and Tertiary tectonic, stratigraphy and subsidence history. In A. J. Tankard, & H. Balkwill (Eds.), Extensional tectonics and stratigraphy of the North Atlantic Margins (Vol. 46, pp. 341–361). Tulsa: AAPG Memoir.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zbyszewski, G. (1959). Étude Structurel de L’Aire Typhonique de Caldas da Rainha. Serv. Geol. Portugal, Mem. 3, Lisboa.

Download references

Acknowlegements

This study was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia through projects UID/GEO/50019/2013 (IDL), UID/Multi/00611/2013, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006922 (CITEUC), ReNATURE (Centro 2020, Centro-01-0145-FEDER-000007) and UID/MAR/04292/2013 (MARE). The authors wish to thank Prof. Jonathan A. Haws (Dep. Anthropology, Univ. Louisville) for the collaboration on the field survey, and Ricardo Ramalho (IDL, Univ. Lisbon) for the detailed review of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Dom Luiz, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal

    J. Cabral

  2. CITEUC, University of Coimbra, Almas de Freire, Sta. Clara, 3040-004, Coimbra, Portugal

    P. Ribeiro & A. Ramos

  3. Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory, University of Coimbra, Almas de Freire, Sta. Clara, 3040-004, Coimbra, Portugal

    P. Ribeiro

  4. Department of Earth Sciences, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Pedro P. Cunha

Authors
  1. J. Cabral
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. Ribeiro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Ramos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Pedro P. Cunha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Cabral.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cabral, J., Ribeiro, P., Ramos, A. et al. Diapiric activity affecting Late Pliocene to Pleistocene sediments under a tectonic compressive regime: an example from the Western Iberian Margin (Srª da Vitória beach, central Portugal). J Iber Geol 44, 431–445 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41513-018-0073-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41513-018-0073-3

Keywords

Palabras clave

Search

Navigation