Lyell Collection
Geological Society, London, Special Publications
Lyell Centre  |   Lyell Collection  |   Subscriptions   |   Geological Society  |   Email alerts  |   Online bookshop  |   Help

Keywords:
Author:
Advanced search>>
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Robertson, A. H. F.
Right arrow Articles by Woodside, J. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
GeoRef
Right arrow GeoRef Citation
Geological Society, London, Special Publications; 1998; v. 131; p. 243-271;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.SP.1998.131.01.16
© 1998 Geological Society of London

Structural, Tectonic and Sedimentary Issues

Collision-related break-up of a carbonate platform (Eratosthenes Seamount) and mud volcanism on the Mediterranean Ridge: preliminary synthesis and implications of tectonic results of ODP Leg 160 in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

A. H. F. Robertson1

1 Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK

K.-C. Emeis, C. Richter, M.-M. Blanc-Valleron, I. Bouloubassi, H-J. Brumsack, A. Cramp, G. J. Di Stefano, R. Flecker, E. Frankel, M. W. Howell, T. R. Janecek, M.-J. Jurado, A. E. S. Kemp, I. Koizumi, A. Kopf, C. O. Major, Y. Mart, D. F. C. Pribnow, A. Rabaute, A. P. Roberts, J. Rullkötter, T. Sakamoto, S. Spezzaferri, T. S. Staerker, J. S. Stoner, B. M. Whiting & J. M. Woodside

Drilling of the Eratosthenes Seamount south of Cyprus documented incipient collision of the African and Eurasian plates. The oldest sediments recovered, mid?-Cretaceous shallow-water limestones, are overlain by Upper Cretaceous to Lower Oligocene pelagic carbonates, with several hiatuses. Following uplift, a carbonate platform was established in the Miocene; Eratosthenes was then below eustatic sea level during the Messinian desiccation crisis. The platform subsided to bathyal depths during the Lower Pliocene, associated with localized breccia deposition. Further subsidence occurred in Late Pliocene-early Quaternary, coeval with strong surface uplift of southern Cyprus. Subsidence and break-up of Eratosthenes was achieved by a combination of flexural loading and normal faulting. In addition, the Milano and Napoli mud volcanoes were drilled on the northern flank of the Mediterranean Ridge accretionary complex, south of Crete. A mainly extrusive, sedimentary origin is indicated. Multiple debris flows include clasts of sandstone and limestone of at least partly Miocene age. Both mud volcanoes are dated as {tau}1 Ma old and have been active episodically. Hydrocarbon gas is associated with both mud volcanoes, while methane hydrates (clathrates) exist locally at Milano. The driving force of mud volcanism is overpressuring caused by incipient plate collision. Messinian evaporites may have acted as a localized seal. Material escaped through a zone of backthrusting against rigid Cretan crust to the north.





This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Geological Society, London, Special PublicationsHome page
A. H. F. Robertson
Formation of melanges in the Indus Suture Zone, Ladakh Himalaya by successive subduction-related, collisional and post-collisional processes during Late Mesozoic-Late Tertiary time
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2000; 170: 333 - 374.
[Abstract] [PDF]