Geodynamic Significance of Stacking Lower Cambrian Sequences Units in the Western Anti-Atlas

Mohammed Benssaou; Lhassan M’barki; Abdelkrim Ezaidi; Mohamed Abioui

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15

| Peer-Reviewed

Geodynamic Significance of Stacking Lower Cambrian Sequences Units in the Western Anti-Atlas

Mohammed Benssaou, Lhassan M’barki, Abdelkrim Ezaidi, Mohamed Abioui

Published in International Journal of Materials Science and Applications (Volume 6, Issue 3)

Received: 18 January 2017 Accepted: 8 March 2017 Published: 8 May 2017

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

In the Anti-Atlas the lower Cambrian succession was traditionally considered as a post-rift series. Recently the Western Anti-Atlas appears to be affected by an early Cambrian rifting process. In the Igherm area (Western Anti-Atlas), this succession is represented by an alternating carbonate and siliciclastic facies reflecting several sedimentary environments. The vertical stacking of these facies define four Composite-Sequences constituted, each one, by two or more transgressive-regressive sedimentary cycles. The differential and progressive extensional tectonic events seem to be the main control on the genesis and on the vertical stacking transgressive-regressive sedimentary cycles. The accommodation space is generated by a strong tilting related to syn-rift tectonics. The lack of lowstand system tracts and other erosive features, suggests the occurrence of platform drowning just below the falling sea level stage. So stratigraphic stacking of the Lower-Cambrian strata exposed in the Igherm area, constitutes the response to the rifting process in the Anti-Atlas and consequently a probably fragmentation indicator of a neoproterozoic Gondwana.

Published in	International Journal of Materials Science and Applications (Volume 6, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15
Page(s)	142-147
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Lower-Cambrian, Anti-Atlas, Composite Sequence, Tectonic

References

[1]	Geyer, G et Landing, E (1995). The Cambrian of the Moroccan Atlas regions. In Morocco’ 95, the Lower-Middle Cambrian standard of Western Gondwana, Beringeria special issue 2, Wurzburg, 7-46.
[2]	Choubert, G (1963). Histoire géologique du Précambrien de l'Anti-Atlas. Notes et Mém Serv Géol du Maroc, 162, 352 p.
[3]	Mitchum R M, John C and Van Wagoner (1991). High-frequency sequences and their stacking patterns: sequence-stratigraphic evidence of high-frequency eustatic cycles. Sedimentary Geology, 70, pp. 131-160.
[4]	Van Wagoner J. C, Mitchum R. M., Campion K. M. and Rahmanian, V. D. (1990). Siliciclastic sequence stratigraphy in well logs, cores and outcrops: concepts for hight resolution correlation of time and facies. American Association of petrolieum geologists, Methods in exploration series. 7, 55p.
[5]	Logan, B. W., Hoffman, P. et Gebellin, C. D. (1974). Algal mats, cryptagal fabrics and structures, hamelin pool, western Australia. The americain assoc. of petro. Geol. Memoire, n° 22,141-194.
[6]	Glumac, B. et Walker, R. G. (1997). Selective dolomitization of cambrian microbial carbonate deposits: a key to mechanisms and environments of origin. Palaios, volume 12.2, 98-110.
[7]	Aigner, T. et Reineck, H. E. (1982). Proximality trends in modern storm sands from the Helgoland Bight (North sea) and their implications for basin analysis. - Sencken Bergiana Maritina, 14, p. 183-185.
[8]	Kennard, J. M. and James, N. P. (1986). Thrombolits and stromatolits: Two distinct types of microbial structures. Palaios, 1, 492-503.
[9]	Benssaou et Hamoumi (2004). Les microbialites de l’Anti-Atlas occidental (Maroc): marqueurs stratigraphiques et témoins des changements environnementaux au Cambrien inférieur. C. R. Géosciences 336:109-116.
[10]	Javier Alvaro J., Debrenne, F., (2010): The geat Reef complex: An early Cambrian subtropical fringing belt that bordered West Gondwana. Palaeogeography, Palaecology, 204, 120-132.
[11]	Claussen S., Javier Alvaro J., Zamora S., (2014): Replacement of benthic communities in Low Neoprterozoic-Cambrian subtropical – to – temperate rift basins High Atlas and Anti-Atlas, Morocco, Journal of African Earth Sciences 98, 72-93.
[12]	Bondon, J. et Neltner, R. L. (1933). Sur la série cambrienne des plateaux du Draa (Sud marocain) et la présence de Géorgien dans cette série. C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, t. 197, 170.
[13]	Hupé P., (1955) - Indices d'une phase tectonique salaïrienne dans l'Anti-Atlas marocain. C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, 241, 244-246.
[14]	Ouanaimi, H. (1988) - Evolution sédimentaire et tectonique de la partie orientale du massif ancien du Haut-Atlas (Maroc). -Thèse, Univ. Montpelier-II, 402p.
[15]	Bouda, A., Choubert, G. et Faure-Muret, A. (1979). Essai de stratigraphie de la couverture sédimentaire de l'Anti-Atlas: Adoudounien-Cambrien inférieur. Notes et Mem. Serv. Géol. Maroc, n° 271, 95 p.
[16]	McNaughton R., Dalrymple R. W., and Narbornne G. M. (1997). Multiple orders of sea-level change in an earliest Cambrian passive-margin succession, Mackenzie Mountains, Northwestern Canada. Journal of Sedimentary Research, vol. 67, n° 4, pp. 622-637.
[17]	Embry A. F. et Johansen E. P. (1992). T-R sequence stratigraphy, facies analysis and reservoir distribution in the uppermost Triasic-Lower Jurassic succession, western Sverdrup Basin, Arctic Canada in: Vorren T. O., Bergsager, E., Dahl-Stamnes, Q. A, Holter E. Johansen, B., Lend T. B. (Eds), ArcticGeology and Petrolum potential. Norwegian Petrolum Society Spec. Publ.2, Elseiver, Amsterdam, pp. 121-146.
[18]	Embry, A. F. (1993). Transgressive-regressive (T-R) sequence analysis of the Jurassic succession of the Sverdrup Basin, Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Can. J. Earth Sci. 30, 301-320.
[19]	Embry A. F. (1995). Sequence boundaries and sequence hierarchies: problems and proposals. In: Steel, R. J., Felt, V. L., Johansen E. P., Mathieu, C. (eds), Sequence Stratigraphy on the Northwest Eurpean Margin. Norwegian Petroleum Society Spec. Publ. 5, Elseiver, Amsterdam, pp. 1-11.
[20]	Catuneanu O, Willis A. J, et Miall A. D. (1998). Temporal significance of sequences boundaries. Sedimentary Geology, 121, pp. 157-178.
[21]	Catuneanu O, Abreu V, Battacharaya J. P, Blum M. D, Dalrymple, R. W, Erikson, P. G., Fielding, C. R., Fisher W. L, Galloway, J. E, Jordan R., Kendall G. G. ST. C., Maanda B, Martinsen O. J, Miall A. D., Neal J. E, Nummedal D, Pumar L, Posamentier, H. W., Pratt B. R, Sarg J. F., Shanely K. W., Steel R. J., Strasser A, Tucker, M. E., Wink C. (2009): Towards the standarizing of sequence stratigraphy, Earth-Science Revieus, 92, 1-33.
[22]	Benssaou et Hamoumi (1999). L’Anti-Atlas occidental du Maroc: remplissage sédimentaire d’un bassin d’un bassin de type rift au Cambrien inférieur. Revue Géologie Méditerranéenne, tome XXVI, n° 3-4, pp. 259-279.
[23]	[21] Benssaou et Hamoumi (2003). Le Graben de l’Anti-Atlas occidental (Maroc): Contrôle tectonique de la paléogéographie et des séquences au Cambrien inférieur. C. R. Géosciences 335: 297-305. Doi 10.1016/S 1631-0713(03) 00033-6.
[24]	Burkhart M., Cartig S., Helg U. et al. (2006): Tectonics of the Anti-Atlas of Morocco. C. R. Géosciences, 338, 11-24, doi: 10. 1016Lj crte 2005.11.012.
[25]	A Soulaimani, A Michard, H Ouanaimi, L Baidder, Y Raddi, O Saddiqi, EC Rjimati (2014): - Late Ediacaran–Cambrian structures and their reactivation during the Variscan and Alpine cycles in the Anti-Atlas (Morocco), Journal of African Earth Sciences 98, 94-112.
[26]	Gouiza M., Charton R., Bertotti G., Andreissen P., and Storms J. E., (2016): Post variscan evolution of Anti_Atlas belt of morocco constrained from low-temperature geochronology. Int. J. Earth Sci. (Geol Rundsh), DI 1007/s 00531-016-1325-0.
[27]	Cloetingh S. (1986). Intraplate stresses: A new mechanism for fluctuations of relative sea level. Geology, V. 14, p. 617-620.
[28]	Cloetingh S. (1988). Intraplate stresse: A tectonic cause for third-order cycles in apparent sea level. In Wilgus, C. K., et al., (eds): Sea Level Changes – An Integrated Approch, SEPM, Special Publication 42, p. 26-28.
[29]	Miall A. D. (1991). Stratiphic sequences and their chronostratigraphic correlation. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, vol. 61, N° 4, pp. 497-505.
[30]	Ito M., Nishikawa T. et Sugimoto H. (1999). Tectonic controlof high- frequency depositional sequences with durations shorterthan Milankovitch cyclicity: An example from the Pleistocene paleo-Tokyo Bay, Japan. Geology, v. 27, n° 8, p. 763-766.
[31]	Fisher A. G. (1982). Long-term climatic osscillations recordedin stratigraphy. In: Climatic in earth history. Studies in Geophysics, Nat. Academey Press, Washington DC, p. 97-104.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Mohammed Benssaou, Lhassan M’barki, Abdelkrim Ezaidi, Mohamed Abioui. (2017). Geodynamic Significance of Stacking Lower Cambrian Sequences Units in the Western Anti-Atlas. International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, 6(3), 142-147. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Mohammed Benssaou; Lhassan M’barki; Abdelkrim Ezaidi; Mohamed Abioui. Geodynamic Significance of Stacking Lower Cambrian Sequences Units in the Western Anti-Atlas. Int. J. Mater. Sci. Appl. 2017, 6(3), 142-147. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Mohammed Benssaou, Lhassan M’barki, Abdelkrim Ezaidi, Mohamed Abioui. Geodynamic Significance of Stacking Lower Cambrian Sequences Units in the Western Anti-Atlas. Int J Mater Sci Appl. 2017;6(3):142-147. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15,
  author = {Mohammed Benssaou and Lhassan M’barki and Abdelkrim Ezaidi and Mohamed Abioui},
  title = {Geodynamic Significance of Stacking Lower Cambrian Sequences Units in the Western Anti-Atlas},
  journal = {International Journal of Materials Science and Applications},
  volume = {6},
  number = {3},
  pages = {142-147},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmsa.20170603.15},
  abstract = {In the Anti-Atlas the lower Cambrian succession was traditionally considered as a post-rift series. Recently the Western Anti-Atlas appears to be affected by an early Cambrian rifting process. In the Igherm area (Western Anti-Atlas), this succession is represented by an alternating carbonate and siliciclastic facies reflecting several sedimentary environments. The vertical stacking of these facies define four Composite-Sequences constituted, each one, by two or more transgressive-regressive sedimentary cycles. The differential and progressive extensional tectonic events seem to be the main control on the genesis and on the vertical stacking transgressive-regressive sedimentary cycles. The accommodation space is generated by a strong tilting related to syn-rift tectonics. The lack of lowstand system tracts and other erosive features, suggests the occurrence of platform drowning just below the falling sea level stage. So stratigraphic stacking of the Lower-Cambrian strata exposed in the Igherm area, constitutes the response to the rifting process in the Anti-Atlas and consequently a probably fragmentation indicator of a neoproterozoic Gondwana.},
 year = {2017}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Geodynamic Significance of Stacking Lower Cambrian Sequences Units in the Western Anti-Atlas
AU  - Mohammed Benssaou
AU  - Lhassan M’barki
AU  - Abdelkrim Ezaidi
AU  - Mohamed Abioui
Y1  - 2017/05/08
PY  - 2017
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15
T2  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JF  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JO  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
SP  - 142
EP  - 147
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2327-2643
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15
AB  - In the Anti-Atlas the lower Cambrian succession was traditionally considered as a post-rift series. Recently the Western Anti-Atlas appears to be affected by an early Cambrian rifting process. In the Igherm area (Western Anti-Atlas), this succession is represented by an alternating carbonate and siliciclastic facies reflecting several sedimentary environments. The vertical stacking of these facies define four Composite-Sequences constituted, each one, by two or more transgressive-regressive sedimentary cycles. The differential and progressive extensional tectonic events seem to be the main control on the genesis and on the vertical stacking transgressive-regressive sedimentary cycles. The accommodation space is generated by a strong tilting related to syn-rift tectonics. The lack of lowstand system tracts and other erosive features, suggests the occurrence of platform drowning just below the falling sea level stage. So stratigraphic stacking of the Lower-Cambrian strata exposed in the Igherm area, constitutes the response to the rifting process in the Anti-Atlas and consequently a probably fragmentation indicator of a neoproterozoic Gondwana.
VL  - 6
IS  - 3
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Mohammed Benssaou

Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences, Agadir, Maroc
Lhassan M’barki

Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences, Agadir, Maroc
Abdelkrim Ezaidi

Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences, Agadir, Maroc
Mohamed Abioui

Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences, Agadir, Maroc

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Mohammed Benssaou, Lhassan M’barki, Abdelkrim Ezaidi, Mohamed Abioui. (2017). Geodynamic Significance of Stacking Lower Cambrian Sequences Units in the Western Anti-Atlas. International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, 6(3), 142-147. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Mohammed Benssaou; Lhassan M’barki; Abdelkrim Ezaidi; Mohamed Abioui. Geodynamic Significance of Stacking Lower Cambrian Sequences Units in the Western Anti-Atlas. Int. J. Mater. Sci. Appl. 2017, 6(3), 142-147. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Mohammed Benssaou, Lhassan M’barki, Abdelkrim Ezaidi, Mohamed Abioui. Geodynamic Significance of Stacking Lower Cambrian Sequences Units in the Western Anti-Atlas. Int J Mater Sci Appl. 2017;6(3):142-147. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15,
  author = {Mohammed Benssaou and Lhassan M’barki and Abdelkrim Ezaidi and Mohamed Abioui},
  title = {Geodynamic Significance of Stacking Lower Cambrian Sequences Units in the Western Anti-Atlas},
  journal = {International Journal of Materials Science and Applications},
  volume = {6},
  number = {3},
  pages = {142-147},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmsa.20170603.15},
  abstract = {In the Anti-Atlas the lower Cambrian succession was traditionally considered as a post-rift series. Recently the Western Anti-Atlas appears to be affected by an early Cambrian rifting process. In the Igherm area (Western Anti-Atlas), this succession is represented by an alternating carbonate and siliciclastic facies reflecting several sedimentary environments. The vertical stacking of these facies define four Composite-Sequences constituted, each one, by two or more transgressive-regressive sedimentary cycles. The differential and progressive extensional tectonic events seem to be the main control on the genesis and on the vertical stacking transgressive-regressive sedimentary cycles. The accommodation space is generated by a strong tilting related to syn-rift tectonics. The lack of lowstand system tracts and other erosive features, suggests the occurrence of platform drowning just below the falling sea level stage. So stratigraphic stacking of the Lower-Cambrian strata exposed in the Igherm area, constitutes the response to the rifting process in the Anti-Atlas and consequently a probably fragmentation indicator of a neoproterozoic Gondwana.},
 year = {2017}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Geodynamic Significance of Stacking Lower Cambrian Sequences Units in the Western Anti-Atlas
AU  - Mohammed Benssaou
AU  - Lhassan M’barki
AU  - Abdelkrim Ezaidi
AU  - Mohamed Abioui
Y1  - 2017/05/08
PY  - 2017
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15
T2  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JF  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JO  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
SP  - 142
EP  - 147
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2327-2643
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170603.15
AB  - In the Anti-Atlas the lower Cambrian succession was traditionally considered as a post-rift series. Recently the Western Anti-Atlas appears to be affected by an early Cambrian rifting process. In the Igherm area (Western Anti-Atlas), this succession is represented by an alternating carbonate and siliciclastic facies reflecting several sedimentary environments. The vertical stacking of these facies define four Composite-Sequences constituted, each one, by two or more transgressive-regressive sedimentary cycles. The differential and progressive extensional tectonic events seem to be the main control on the genesis and on the vertical stacking transgressive-regressive sedimentary cycles. The accommodation space is generated by a strong tilting related to syn-rift tectonics. The lack of lowstand system tracts and other erosive features, suggests the occurrence of platform drowning just below the falling sea level stage. So stratigraphic stacking of the Lower-Cambrian strata exposed in the Igherm area, constitutes the response to the rifting process in the Anti-Atlas and consequently a probably fragmentation indicator of a neoproterozoic Gondwana.
VL  - 6
IS  - 3
ER  -

Copy | Download