Tectonic
Signatures in a Ripidly Opening Rift: the Giant
Gilbert Delta Systems of the Corinth Rift, Greece
Ford, Mary1, Sebastien Rohais2, Nicolas Backert3, Fabrice Malartre4, Edward A. Williams5
(1) Nancy School of Geology, France, Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France (2) Institut Francais du Petrole,
92506 Rueil Malmaison Cedex, France (3) CRPG, Vandoeuvre
lès Nancy, (4) ENSG-G2R, Vandoeuvre
les Nancy, (5) CRPG, Vandoeuvre les Nancy, France
A new mapping of the central south coast
of the Corinth Gulf shows that the syn-rift Plio-Pleistocene
succession can be up to 3km thick and comprises 3 stratigraphic
groups. The Lower Group is dominently alluvial,
showing eastward transition into lacustrine deposits.
The Middle Group is alluvial to deep water, containing giant Gilbert Deltas up
to 800m thick that prograded predomiinantly
northward. The Upper Group records sporadic and local sedimentation during late
uplift of the south coast. Sedimentation was controlled by 7 major E-W normal
fault arrays on which displacement was distributed in a complex fashion. The
youngest and currently active faults are clustered along the south coast and
below the Gulf itself. We present detailed internal stratigraphic
architecture and facies distributions of 4 of the
Giant Gilbert Deltas (Kerinitis, Vouraikos,
Evrostini, Ilias)
that were deposited in the hangingwalls of active
normal faults. We discuss the relative roles of the principal controlling
parameters, namely tectonics and climate.