MUD DIAPIRS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN RIDGE: SEDIMENTOLOGICAL AND MICROPALEONTOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE MUD BRECCIA ...

• Main Authors: STAFFINI, FABIO, SPEZZAFERRI, SILVIA, AGHIB, FULVIA
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia (Research In Paleontology and Stratigraphy) 2017
• Subjects: Stratigraphy; Accretionary prism; Mud diapirism; Mediterranean Ridge; Mud Breccia.; Planktonic foraminifera
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.13130/2039-4942/8908; http://riviste.unimi.it/index.php/RIPS/article/view/8908

Two recent sea-going expeditions showed that mud diapirism is a common feature in the accretionary wedge of the Mediterranean Ridge, but unlike in other prisms, it is well expressed exclusively in the most elevated areas of the Ridge. Three diapiric fields were discovered on the Mediterranean Ridge and informally called, from west to east, Pan di Zucchero, Prometheus 2 and Olimpi. They are located on the crestal part of the Mediterranean Ridge between Creta and the Cirenaic Promontory. Sedimentological, micropaleontological, and mineralogic investigations were performed on the mud breccia recovered in 15 cores raised during cruises BAN88 and BAN89. The sedimentological analyses allowed to recognize several sedimentary facies which are suggestive of different emplacement processes: 1) three massive facies are indicative of intrusion; 2) three organized facies are indicative of submarine extrusion and probably reworking. The micropaleontological study based on planktonic foraminifera and calcareous ... : Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia (Research In Paleontology and Stratigraphy), V. 99, N. 2 ...