12 Basin Evolution and Sediments
Contents (Overview)
12.1 Rift Basins................................................................................................
543
12.2 Continental Margin and Slope Basins......................................................
561
12.3 Mega-Rifting and Mesozoic Sediments in Europe (Overview)...............
571
12.4 Intracontinental Sag Basins .....................................................................
574
12.5 Deep-Sea Trenches, Forearc, Backarc and Retroarc Basins....................
579
12.6 Remnant and Foreland Basins..................................................................
606
12.7 Collision-Related Basins..........................................................................
622
12.8 Pull-Apart Basins.....................................................................................
630
12.9 Basin-Type Transitions (Polyphase Basins).............................................
637
12.1 Rift Basins
12.1.1 General Introduction to Basin Evolution
12.1.2 Rift Basins: Structural Styles and
Other General Aspects
12.1.3 Sediments of Rift Basins
General Aspects
Facies Models for Asymmetrie Rift Basins
12.1.4 Examples ofYoung Rift Zones
12.1.5 Older Rift Zones
12.1.6 Rift Basins along Continental Margins
North Atlantic
General Trends
Other Rifted Continental Margins
12.1.7 Summary (Rift Basins)
12.1.1 General Introduction to Basin Evolution
Basin evolution is a very broad interdisciplinary and
complex topic in earth sciences. To study and understand . basin evolution, the co operation of geophysicists, structural geologists, stratigraphers, and sedimentary geologists is needed. In addition, petroleum
geologists contribute considerably to our knowledge
about basin evolution. Having in rnind the fact that
some hundred to thousand sedimentary basins, young
and ancient, exist all over the world, it is obvious that
even aseries of volumes would be required to describe the most important evolutionary trends of all
these basins. Many basins have been studied in some
detail, and it is evident that each basin has some
characteristic, individual features. In other words, the
evolution of a certain sedimentary basin can never be
described adequately by an idealized type basin. On
the other hand, a limited number of type basins is
needed for a better understanding of the true nature
of the basin under investigation. In the following, the
structural styles of idealized type basins, their evolution with time, and in particular their sediment fills
are discussed. A number of examples from various
regions may supplement the application of the model
basins.
A relatively simple tectonic basin classification
and other aspects of basin classification have been
introduced in Chap. 1. In this chapter we mainly follow the classification of Sect. 1.2 with some modifications. The processes controlling basin subsidence,
including the subsidence history of some basin types,
are discussed in Chap. 8 (see also Sect. 11.6).
More information on the tectonics of sedimentary basins is
found in some monographs and textbooks (e.g. Price 1989;
Allen and Allen 1990; Busby and Ingersoll 1995) and in
many special articles and volumes of international joumals
(e.g. Tectonophysics v. 215, 226, and 300; AAPG Memoirs; Journal of Geophysical Research, series B; Basin Research; Marine and Petroleum Geology).
12.1.2 Rift Basins: Structural Styles and
General Aspects
Rift basins are very common in the modem world
and in the ancient record. They occur on all continents as well as on thinned continental crust beneath
the sea. Y oung rift basins are mostly narrow and topographically expressed as grabens, partly filled with
water andlor sediment. Older, so-called failed rift
Contents (Overview)
12.1 Rift Basins................................................................................................
543
12.2 Continental Margin and Slope Basins......................................................
561
12.3 Mega-Rifting and Mesozoic Sediments in Europe (Overview)...............
571
12.4 Intracontinental Sag Basins .....................................................................
574
12.5 Deep-Sea Trenches, Forearc, Backarc and Retroarc Basins....................
579
12.6 Remnant and Foreland Basins..................................................................
606
12.7 Collision-Related Basins..........................................................................
622
12.8 Pull-Apart Basins.....................................................................................
630
12.9 Basin-Type Transitions (Polyphase Basins).............................................
637
12.1 Rift Basins
12.1.1 General Introduction to Basin Evolution
12.1.2 Rift Basins: Structural Styles and
Other General Aspects
12.1.3 Sediments of Rift Basins
General Aspects
Facies Models for Asymmetrie Rift Basins
12.1.4 Examples ofYoung Rift Zones
12.1.5 Older Rift Zones
12.1.6 Rift Basins along Continental Margins
North Atlantic
General Trends
Other Rifted Continental Margins
12.1.7 Summary (Rift Basins)
12.1.1 General Introduction to Basin Evolution
Basin evolution is a very broad interdisciplinary and
complex topic in earth sciences. To study and understand . basin evolution, the co operation of geophysicists, structural geologists, stratigraphers, and sedimentary geologists is needed. In addition, petroleum
geologists contribute considerably to our knowledge
about basin evolution. Having in rnind the fact that
some hundred to thousand sedimentary basins, young
and ancient, exist all over the world, it is obvious that
even aseries of volumes would be required to describe the most important evolutionary trends of all
these basins. Many basins have been studied in some
detail, and it is evident that each basin has some
characteristic, individual features. In other words, the
evolution of a certain sedimentary basin can never be
described adequately by an idealized type basin. On
the other hand, a limited number of type basins is
needed for a better understanding of the true nature
of the basin under investigation. In the following, the
structural styles of idealized type basins, their evolution with time, and in particular their sediment fills
are discussed. A number of examples from various
regions may supplement the application of the model
basins.
A relatively simple tectonic basin classification
and other aspects of basin classification have been
introduced in Chap. 1. In this chapter we mainly follow the classification of Sect. 1.2 with some modifications. The processes controlling basin subsidence,
including the subsidence history of some basin types,
are discussed in Chap. 8 (see also Sect. 11.6).
More information on the tectonics of sedimentary basins is
found in some monographs and textbooks (e.g. Price 1989;
Allen and Allen 1990; Busby and Ingersoll 1995) and in
many special articles and volumes of international joumals
(e.g. Tectonophysics v. 215, 226, and 300; AAPG Memoirs; Journal of Geophysical Research, series B; Basin Research; Marine and Petroleum Geology).
12.1.2 Rift Basins: Structural Styles and
General Aspects
Rift basins are very common in the modem world
and in the ancient record. They occur on all continents as well as on thinned continental crust beneath
the sea. Y oung rift basins are mostly narrow and topographically expressed as grabens, partly filled with
water andlor sediment. Older, so-called failed rift