Mesozoic tectono-sedimentary evolution of Rocca Busambra in western Sicily

Facies (2009) 55:115–135 DOI 10.1007/s10347-008-0156-2

O R I G I N A L A R T I CL E

Mesozoic tectono-sedimentary evolution of Rocca Busambra in western Sicily Luca Basilone

Received: 10 January 2008 / Accepted: 26 June 2008 / Published online: 25 July 2008 © Springer-Verlag 2008

Abstract The Rocca Busambra ridge in western Sicily is a shallow to pelagic Meso-Cenozoic carbonate structural unit of the Sicilian Chain with a variety of tectono-sedimentary features. Palaeofaults, unconformities (buttress unconformity, onlap, downlap), a network of neptunian dykes with several inWlling generations, several large hiatuses, diVerent facies and lateral facies changes, and erosional submarine and subaerial surfaces are observed. Detailed Weldwork and structural analyses have indicated the occurrence of fault planes with diVerent orientations. These data, combined with facies studies and physical-stratigraphy analyses, allow for the distinction of diVerent depositional regions. A lateral change from an open-marine carbonate platform with a stepped fault margin (located in the westernmost sector) to a deeper basinal depositional setting in the east, in the context of an upper slope scalloped margin and base-of-slope systems with talus breccias, is envisaged here. Extensional to transtensional tectonic pulses punctuated the sedimentary evolution during Early Toarcian, Late Jurassic, Early Cretaceous, Late Cretaceous, and Early Miocene times. The collected data show that most fault planes have preserved their original orientations throughout the reactivation processes. The reconstructed Meso-Cenozoic tectono-sedimentary evolution is closely related to the late syn-rift and post-rift tectonic evolution of the Tethyan continental margin.

L. Basilone (&) Dipartimento di Geologia e Geodesia, Palermo University, via ArchiraW 20-22, 90123 Palermo, Italy e-mail: [email protected]

Keywords Synsedimentary tectonics · Buttress unconformity · Pelagic carbonate platform and plateau facies associations · Structural setting · Western Sicily

Introduction Carbonate rocks deposited along rifted continental margins display a wide variety of sedimentary facies and geometrical relationships. The submarine topographical highs capped by a thin condensed pelagic sequence, resulting from the Early Jurassic break-up of the original carbonate platforms (Jenkyns 1970a), were deWned as “Pelagic Carbonate Platforms” (Catalano et al. 1977; Catalano and D’Argenio 1978). This concept has been further developed by Santantonio (1993, 1994), who Wrst proposed depositional facies and tectonic models. Alternatively, the term plateau is preferred by some authors (among them Jenkyns 1971, 1980) to deWne a drowned platform that accumulates pelagic deposits. Tectonic control of the pelagic sedimentation is largely consistent with the well-known syn-rift and initial post-rift phases that aVected the Tethyan continental margins during the Jurassic period, which is well documented by the classic papers of Wendt (1969, 1971), Jenkyns (1970a, 1971), Bernoulli and Jenkyns (1974), Castellarin et al. (1978), Catalano and D’Argenio (1978, 1982a, b), Eberli (1988), and Alvarez (1990). Most of these authors based their ideas on surveys of Triassic and Jurassic rocks of the Southern Alps, Apennines, and western Sicily. The Jurassic–Cretaceous pelagic carbonate platform rock successions, pertaining to the Trapanese domain (Catalano and D’Argenio 1978, 1982a), which are widely outcropping in central-western Sicily (Fig. 1a), have been studied by (Wendt (1963, 1965, 1969, 1971), Jenkyns

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(1970b, 1971), Di Stefano and Mindszenty (2000), Di Stefano et al. (2002a, b), Martire et al. (2000, 2002), Martire and Bertok (2002), and Santantonio (2002). Most of these authors suggested Jurassic evolution of the peritidal carbonate platform to a basin-swell system connected by escarpments. The Rocca Busambra is part of the Meso-Cenozoic shallow marine and pelagic carbonate platform system and pertains to the Trapanese palaeogeographic domain (Fig. 1a). Condensed sedimentation and great facies variability of the Jurassic–Cretaceous deposits are the most signiWcant features of this area (Christ 1958, 1960; Tamajo 1960; Wendt 1963, 1965, 1969; Catalano and D’Argenio 1982a; Cecca and Pochettino 2000; Martire et al. 1998 in Agate et al. 1998a; Basilone 2007). Some tectono-sedimentary features of the Jurassic–Cretaceous succession have been previously illustrated by various authors in the westernmost sector (Piano Pilato region) of the Rocca Busambra ridge (Wendt 1971; Giunta and Liguori 1975; Mascle 1973, 1979; Gullo and Vitale 1986; Longhitano et al. 1995; Martire et al. 2002; Martire and Bertok 2002; Bertok and Martire 2004). Wendt (1971) Wrst recognized some synsedimentary tectonic features (e.g., neptunian dykes and normal palaeofaults) in the westernmost side of Rocca Busambra (Rocca Argenteria and Pizzo Nicolosi) and assigned them to preEarly Toarcian time. Bertok and Martire (2004) brieXy summarized the history of changes in the palaeotopography and the palaeotectonic signiWcance of the Jurassic pelagites deposited on the top and the Xanks of the pelagic carbonate platform. Martire et al. (2002) invoked normal faults and gravitational sliding (sensu Winterer et al. 1991 and Winterer and Sarti 1994) to explain the angular unconformity between Rosso Ammonitico and peritidal limestones. Di Stefano et al. (2002a, b) described, in the adjacent Monte Kumeta ridge, (located 20 km to the northwest,

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Fig. 1 a Distribution of the Jurassic–Cretaceous Trapanese pelagic carbonate platform rock successions in central-western Sicily. b Tectonic map of the central Mediterranean (modiWed from Catalano et al. 2000). 1 Corsica-Sardinia; 2 CalabroKabilian Arc, “internal” Flysch sequences, ophiolites; 3 Maghrebian–Sicilian-South Apennine Chain and deformed foreland; 4 undeformed foreland (Tunisia, Hyblaean Plateau, Apulia); 5 Areas with extension; 6 Plio-Quaternary volcanism

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Fig. 1a) vertical and lateral relationships of the recognized lithofacies and Wrst suggested a “platform escarpment” system where the pelagic lithofacies deposited on a stepped surface, displaced by repeatedly reactivated basinward-dipping normal faults. Main aim Of the several Mesozoic pelagic carbonate platform successions in western Sicily, the Rocca Busambra section is one of the best representatives of Mesozoic continental margin sedimentation and tectonics. Despite the complex structural setting of the Rocca Busambra ridge (Mascle 1979; Catalano et al. 1998, 2004), its Meso-Cenozoic succession appears most suitable to depict major tectono-sedimentary events. The main aim of the present paper is to illustrate, with the use of a detailed geological map, stratigraphic and tectonic features of the Triassic–Miocene carbonate succession along the entire Rocca Busambra ridge and to relate facies geometry to tectonic features that were active during the Meso-Cenozoic.

Geological framework The Sicily Chain, part of the Maghrebian–Apennine system (Fig. 1b), resulted from the piling-up of tectonic units derived from the deformation of some original palaeogeographic domains that developed during the Meso-Cenozoic interval in the Sicilian sector of the African continental margin. Their tectonic emplacement took place during the Miocene–Early Pleistocene time interval. It is commonly assumed that there was a S–SE thrust propagation (Catalano and D’Argenio 1978; Catalano et al. 2000) accompanied by clockwise rotations (Channel et al. 1990; Oldow et al. 1990) and strike-slip (or transpressive) movements (Ghisetti and Vezzani 1984; Oldow et al. 1990).

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The chain sector of the study area (Fig. 2a), located immediately north-east of the town of Corleone (centralwestern Sicily), is characterized by: (a) imbricated slices of a pelagic carbonate platform (Trapanese tectonic units); (b) a wedge of basinal carbonate thrust sheets (Sicanian units) and (c) the Numidian Flysch nappe. In this tectonic frame, the Rocca Busambra tectonic unit extends about 15 km with an E–W-trending large antiform that is slightly rotated to the NW–SE on its eastern side (Pizzo Marabito). The structure is bounded by two E–W major reverse faults, with common right-handed strike-slip movements, and appears to have been pushed up to the surface (Fig. 2b). It tectonically overlies the basinal Sicanian tectonic units (the Mount Barracù unit and its subsurface continuation, Agate et al. 1998b; Catalano et al. 2000).

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In this paper, we deal with the entire Rocca Busambra ridge, whose tectonic and sedimentary features have been deeply investigated. Detailed Weldwork supported by largescale mapping and facies analysis highlighted widespread high facies variability among the Jurassic–Miocene deposits and mapped the occurrence of synsedimentary faulting (Fig. 3a). In order to investigate the lateral facies variations over the entire exposed sequence, several sections were measured along the Rocca Busambra carbonate ridge and, where possible, sampling was undertaken bed by bed. The present study is based on 12 stratigraphic and 8 tectonic sections (Figs. 4, 5). The lateral discontinuity of the stratal units requires very high precision in the recognition of geometrical relationships. Physical-stratigraphic analyses were applied along several measured and sampled sections. Sedimentological

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b Fig. 2 a Structural map of the studied region. b NNE–SSW geoseismic section, showing the relationships between the Trapanese, the Sicanian, and the Numidian Flysch tectonic units (modiWed from Agate et al. 1998a)

analyses were used to deWne the microfacies. Lithofacies were calibrated by biostratigraphic data, mostly based on detailed Jurassic ammonite biozonation (Gemmellaro 1872–1882; Gugenberg 1936; Wendt 1963, 1969), calpionellid biozonation (Alleman et al. 1971), and Cretaceous– Miocene calcareous plankton biostratigraphy (Caron 1985; Iaccarino 1985; Perch-Nielsen 1985; Fornaciari et al. 1996; Foresi et al. 2002; Sprovieri et al. 1996, 2002).

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Fig. 3 a Structural map of the Rocca Busambra ridge, displaying diVerent trending faults and their age. b Inserted map with the location of the four regions distinguished

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e g Langhian marls b (CIP) Glauconitic grainstone a (CCR) Lower Liassic peritidal b′ Campanian-Lower Maastrichtian b limestones (Inici Formation, INI) megabreccias (AMM1) a′ Upper Triassic reef dolostones (RLS) Upper Cretaceous-Eocene a pelagic limestones (AMM) SYMBOLS: Lower Cretaceous marly limestones 12 ammonoids 4 (Hybla Formation, HYB) * * 3* * crinoidal fragments Calpionellid limestones (Lattimusa. LAT) I * *67 pseudonodular textures 8 9 II * * 5 III Saccocoma limestones (BCH3) * neptunian dykes VI IV V VII Bositra limestones (BCH1) 2 km Fe-Mn nodules Crinoidal limestones (CDR) palaeokarst cavities 1-12: stratigraphic sections Fe-Mn crusts (hd) erosional surfaces I - VIII: tectonic profiles bb Rosso Ammonitico

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Fig. 4 a Measured stratigraphic sections along the Rocca Busambra ridge. b Location of the study stratigraphic sections (1–12) and the reconstructed tectonic proWles (I-VIII)

Four regions (Fig. 3b) have been diVerentiated along the Rocca Busambra ridge, which are characterized by common lithofacies associations (Table 1). Most of the main tectono-stratigraphic characteristics, such as stratal discontinuities at the scale of a few to a few hundred metres, abrupt contacts, angular stratigraphic relationships, hiatuses and gaps, condensed sequences, hardground crusts, in situ breccias, dissolution surfaces, and resedimented clastic carbonates, occur in the diVerent regions of Rocca Busambra. Neptunian dykes and normal faults of the investigated regions display diVerent tectonic orientations (Fig. 3a). In the present paper, we have largely used the terminology of Santantonio (1993, 1994) to describe the facies association recognized in the study area (Table 2).

Dataset Lithostratigraphy of Rocca Busambra The many lithostratigraphic units outcropping at the Rocca Busambra ridge are illustrated from the more ancient unit (Fig. 4): 1. Dolomitized Upper Triassic sponge-bearing reef limestones (a in sections 10–12 of Fig. 4), 30 m thick,

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cropping out in the easternmost sector of the Rocca Busambra (Pizzo Marabito region). The rock (whose facies association has not been previously described) is a boundstone with rim cement Wlling the space in between the biotic elements (Fig. 6a, b). It becomes a clast-supported breccia (a⬘ in section 12 of Fig. 4) in some places, the large subangular fragments of which derive from erosion without reworking processes (in situ breccias). The intergranular space is Wlled with a sand-sized matrix consisting of reddish radiolarian mudstone, crinoidal packstones, and eroded bedrock. Calcareous sponges (Follicatena irregularis, Panormida sp., Cheilosporites tirolensis) associated with rare corals and calcareous algae occur as primary framebuilding organisms. The Norian-Rhaetian age is conWrmed by several biostratigraphic studies carried out on similar rocks outcropping in the Palermo Mountains (Abate et al. 1977; Senowbari-Daryan 1980; Senowbari-Daryan et al. 1982; Di Stefano and SenowbariDaryan 1985) and the Monte Genuardo (Di Stefano et al. 1990). A lateral transition to the peritidal limestones of the Late Triassic Sciacca Formation is inferred from seismic stratigraphic data (Agate et al. 1998a; Catalano et al. 1998, 2000) and outcrop stratigraphic evidence from adjacent regions (Di Stefano et al. 1990). Several open neptunian dykes cut these Upper Triassic carbonates.

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Fig. 5 NNE–SSW tectonic proWles, showing the depositional setting of the diVerent regions along the Rocca Busambra ridge. For localities, see Fig. 4b

Locally, scattered resedimented oolitic grainstone (a⬙ in section 10 of Fig. 4) onlaps erosional surface carved in the dolomitized reef limestones (Fig. 6a). 2. White peritidal limestones (Inici Formation) outcrop throughout the central and western Rocca Busambra regions (b in sections 1–9 of Fig. 4). They consist of algae- and mollusc-bearing wackestone and oolitic packstone/grainstone organized in shallowing upward cycles, up to 400 m thick. Benthic foraminifera, echinoderms, rare crinoids, calcareous algae (Cayeuxia sp., Thaumatoporella parvovesiculifera (Raineri), Paleodasycladus mediterranus Pia), gastropods, pelecypods, brachiopods, and ammonites are the main fossil components. The age of these beds is constrained to the Hettangian-Sinemurian time by algae and rich ammonite fauna (Arkell 1956; Gemmellaro 1878; Gugenberg

1936). The tops of the white peritidal limestones appear to be penetrated and dissected by dense networks of neptunian dykes. These networks consist of subvertical, oblique and, sometimes, bed-parallel fractures with polyphase Wlling by Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Miocene sediments. The peritidal limestones are covered by reddish-matrix-supported in situ-breccia (b9 in section 1 of Fig. 4). The latter, 80–100 cm in thickness, consists of light pink–grey to white, dm-sized fragments of peritidal (laminar stromatolites) and shallow subtidal algal wackestone. Blackish Fe–Mn crusts (hardground) capping the top of the white peritidal limestones (Fig. 6c) outcrop only in the Piano Pilato region (c in Fig. 4); these crusts are absent in other regions. The encrusted horizon is a 15-cm-thick single bed with a tabular shape and Xat-lying to undulate laminae (Fig. 6d).

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Buttress unconformities, marine onlap InWlling and aggrading Ammonites, calpionellids, radiolarians, calcareous plankton

Jurassic deposits, eroded Lower Liassic peritidal lmst and Upper Triassic reef lmst

Onlap, buttress Lower Liassic peritidal unconformities, lmst and condensed downlap with erosion pelagic facies association Pinch-out, talus Ammonites, brachiopods, belemnites, pelagic crinoids, calcareous plankton (Late Cretaceous and Miocene)

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Table 2 Comparison of the diVerent terminology used to describe facies associations (facies ass.) in the Jurassic–Cretaceous pelagic carbonate platform successions by multiple authors Santantonio 1993, 1994

Martire et al. 2002

This paper

Condensed pelagic facies ass.

Normal succession

Condensed pelagic facies ass.

Composite pelagic facies ass.

Anomalous succession

Reworked pelagic facies ass.

>50 m Pelagic

White lime mudstone, nodular marly lmst, gray mudstone and marls

5–50 m

Normal and resedimented pelagic facies ass.

Resedimented Pelagic matrix supported breccias and megabreccias

Lower Liassic peritidal lmst, Upper Triassic reef lmst with eroded and/or faulted beds Buttress unconformities, downlap Lenticular, draping Reworked bioclasts of pelagic crinoids, benthic foraminifera, ammonites, belemnites (mostly Malm) and calcareous plankton (Late Cretaceous-Eocene and Early Miocene) Pink and reddish packstone–grainstone, grey ammonite Xoatstone, white pelagic reworked Xoatstone Reworked pelagic

10–30 m

Lower Liassic peritidal lmst capped by Fe–Mn crusts Onlap, paraconformity Massive, tabular Ammonites, brachiopods, pelagic bivalves (Bositra sp.), radiolarians, (mostly Dogger), pelagic crinoids (mostly Malm) calpionellids (Tithonian) 0.5–5 m Fossiliferous reddish lime wackestone, pink and white nodular marly lmst, white mudstone/wackestone Condensed pelagic

Thickness Texture and lithology Facies associations

Table 1 Details of the facies associations recognized along the Rocca Busambra ridge

Substrate type Lower boundary Geometries

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Fossil contents

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Resedimented facies ass. Basinal pelagic facies ass.

A regional unconformity marks the top of the Inici Formation, which is overlain by pelagic ammonitic and Bositra limestones or crinoidal limestones. 3. Crinoidal limestones (d in sections 3, 4, and 8 of Fig. 4), which consist of red to white massive grainstone/packstone, 50–80 cm thick, at places encrusted by Fe–Mn layers; its top surface is also capped by blackish Fe–Mn crusts (Fig. 6c), which, in turn, are crossed by thin Wssures Wlled with dark-colored Fe–Mn oxides. At Pizzo Marabito, red crinoidal grainstone (d in section 10 of Fig. 4) has been preserved in narrow gullies. Crinoid ossicles and plates (Pentacrinus sp.), benthic foraminifera, and micritized grains are abundant. These deposits which sporadically crop out only in the Piano Pilato region as Wllings of neptunian dykes, have been dated as Toarcian by Wendt (1963, 1971) on the basis of their ammonite content. 4. The “Rosso Ammonitico” beds, grouped in the Buccheri Formation (Patacca et al. 1979), consist of: (a)Bositra limestones (e in Fig. 4, BCH1 in Fig. 6c): reddish brown to grey wackestone/packstone (Fig. 6e) with ammonites, radiolarians, fragment of thinshelled pelagic bivalves (Bositra buchi), few fragments of thick-shelled molluscs, often Mn-coated (Fig. 6f), and local laminitic stromatolites, a few metres thick. They mostly outcrop in the Piano Pilato region. This lithofacies is easily recognized by the dark dm-sized nodules that are encrusted by ferromanganese oxides (Wendt 1963; Jenkyns 1970c, 1971) and by the interlayered cm-sized dark Fe–Mn crusts (Fig. 6g). These deposits were dated as Bathonian–Early Kimmeridgian on the basis of the widespread ammonite association (Wendt 1965; Wendt 1969; Cecca and Pochettino 2000). (b)Saccocoma limestones (f in Fig. 4, BCH3): red to grey pelagic crinoids- and Aptychus-bearing grainstone/packstone (Fig. 6h, i), a few metres thick. They outcrop in the Piano Pilato, Pirrello and Pizzo Marab-

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Fig. 6 Pizzo Marabito region. a Dolomitized Upper Triassic sponge-bearing boundstone (A) followed upwards by oolitic grainstone (B). The boundary between the two lithofacies is an erosional surface. b The same facies as above showing cement (X) Wlling the space in between sponge elements. c Jurassic condensed succession at Piano Pilato. INI Lower Liassic peritidal limestones, CDR Toarcian crinoidal limestones, BCH1 Bositra limestones, hd Fe-Mn crusts from the Piano Pilato region with pinnacles morphology at the top of the peritidal limestones. d Bulbous and laminated Fe–Mn crust; intraformational microbreccias are dispersed, indicating in situ erosional processes. e Wackestone with ammonites, radiolarians, Aptychus, and thin-shelled fragments of the Bositra limestones. Piano Pilato region. f The same facies as above with Fe–Mn crusts and Mn-coated bioclasts. g Fe–Mn nodules and dark crusts (white arrows) of the Bositra limestones. Piano Pilato region. h Pseudonodular lithofacies of the Upper Jurassic Saccocoma limestones. Piano Pilato region. i Upper Jurassic reworked facies with Saccocoma sp., Aptychus, echinoid fragments, benthic foraminifera. Piano Pilato region

ito regions. These deposits contain abundant pelagic crinoid ossicles (Saccocoma sp.), echinoids fragments, brachiopods, belemnites, benthic foraminifera (Protopeneroplis striata Weynschenk), Globochaete sp., Aptychus sp., radiolarians, and ammonites. Based upon these occurrences, these deposits are dated to the Late Kimmeridgian–Early Tithonian time interval (Wendt 1969) This unit consists of two main lithofacies. The Wrst is a nodular to pseudonodular condensed thin-bedded wackestone– packstone, with Fe–Mn crusts (widely outcropping at Piano Pilato) and pink radiolarian- and ammonite-bearing mud-

stone alternated with reddish–pink crinoidal grainstone to packstone, with Fe–Mn oxide-impregnated Aptychus fragments (Pizzo Marabito region). The second one is a thickbedded, tabular and massive reworked grainstone–packstone, outcropping along the entire ridge. This lithofacies at the Pirrello region displays: graded and parallel laminated massive crinoidal coarse grainstone (5 m thick) with internally encrusted microcavities and sedimentary dykes Wlled by Xat-lying and cross-laminated white to pink mudstone (f⬘ in section 6 of Fig. 4) and grey massive Xoatstone that is 2 m thick with large (dm-sized) reworked ammonites (f⬙ in section 6 of Fig. 4). At the Pizzo Marabito region it appears as a belemnite-bearing reddish reworked Xoatstone inter-

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layered with pseudonodular pink calcareous marls (f⬙⬘ in section 12 of Fig. 4). 5. Pink to white thin bedded cherty limestones (Lattimusa, g in sections 4 and 10–12 of Fig. 4). They outcrop in the Pizzo Marabito (1–15 m thick) and Piano Pilato regions (few metres). At Pizzo Marabito the thin-bedded cherty nodular mudstone–wackestone are laterally replaced by layered intraformational pebbly mudstone and resedimented bioclastic breccias. The samples contain calcareous nannoplankton (Nannoconus steinmanni), radiolarians, belemnites, ammonites and calpionellids of the Calpionella, Calpionellopsis, and Calpionellites biozones (Alleman et al. 1971). Based upon these contents, the limestones were dated to Late Tithonian–Early Valanginian time. 6. Marly calcareous and calcilutites with intercalations of intraformational bioclastic (Aptychus and mollusc fragments) Xoatstone (Hybla Formation, h in sections 10– 12 of Fig. 4). They outcrop in the Pizzo Marabito region (up to 50 m thick). Based upon the presence of nannofossils (Lithraphidites spp., Nannoconus cfr. steinmannii, Micrantholithus obtusus) and planktonic foraminifera (Globigerinelloides algerianus (Cushman and Ten Dam), G. ferreolensis (Moullade), Hedbergella spp., Ticinella spp.), these deposits are assigned to the Aptian–Albian time interval. 7. White and red pelagic limestones (Amerillo Formation, i in Fig. 4). These limestones (1–50 m thick) consist of planktonic foraminifera-bearing wackestone (Fig. 7a, b). The presence of planktonic foraminifera (Rotalipora appenninica White, Globotruncana ventricosa (White), G. gr. linneiana, Turborotalia cerroazulensis (Toumarkine and Bolli), Globigerinatheka sp.) and calcareous nannofossils (Quadrum gothicum, Microrhabdulus decoratus DeXandre, Prediscosphaera sp., Ericsonia formosa (Haq), Reticulofenestra sp., Coccolithus pelagicus Wallich, Discoaster cf. bisectus) suggests that the limestones encompass the Cenomanian– Lower Maastrichtian and the Middle–Late Eocene time intervals. No Palaeocene deposits have been detected. The pelagic deposits outcrop widely along the entire ridge. 8. Calcareous megabreccias, embedded into Amerillo Formation pelagic limestones, outcrop in the Pirrello and Rocca Busambra peak regions (j in sections 8–9 of Fig. 4). The megabreccia is a rudstone–Xoatstone (Fig. 7c, d) that consists of subrounded cobbles and boulders, which derive from the break-up of the Upper Triassic–Jurassic peritidal and pelagic deposits. The fossil content found in the matrix of the megabreccia is largely composed of plankton foraminifera (Globotruncana ventricosa, G. gr. linneiana) and calcareous

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nannoplankton (Quadrum gothicum, Microrhabdulus decoratus, Prediscosphaera sp.) pointing out a Campanian–Lower Maastrichtian age (see also Catalano and D’Argenio 1982a; Gullo and Vitale 1986). 9. Glauconitic globigerinid-bearing yellow-green packestone/grainstone (k in sections 1, 2, and 5 of Figs. 4 and 7e). The lithofacies (not described previously), which are 5–30 m thick, pertain to the Calcareniti di Corleone formation and unconformably overlie older Mesozoic deposits (Fig. 7f). The fossil content, largely planktonic foraminifera (Globigerinoides spp., Praeorbulina sp.), comprised of the Globigerinoides trilobus and Praeorbulina glomerosa s.l. biozones (Iaccarino 1985), suggests that the deposits originated in the Burdigalian–Early Langhian age. These lithofacies outcrop in the Pirrello and Piano Pilato regions where they Wll the previously formed neptunian dykes. 10. Brown and dark clayey marls with glauconite (l in sections 4 and 5 of Fig. 4, not described before) outcrop in the Piano Pilato and Pirrello regions (15–20 m thick). The occurrence of nannofossils with Sphenolithus heteromorphus (DeXandre), Helicosphaera walbersdorfensis (Muller), H. waltrans (Theodoridis), and Calcidiscus premacintyrei (Theodoridis) from the MNN5a biozone indicates a Middle–Late Langhian age (Fornaciari et al. 1996; Sprovieri et al. 1996, 2002). Facies associations The identiWed Jurassic–Miocene units of the lithostratigraphic succession can be grouped into four facies associations (Table 1). They are well localized into four regions along the Rocca Busambra ridge, and are related to speciWc tectono-sedimentary settings (Table 3). The “condensed pelagic” facies association consists of a Jurassic succession which is a few metres thick and is rich in pelagic fauna. The “condensed pelagic” facies association crops out widely in the Piano Pilato region, where it overlies the blackish laminated Fe–Mn crust horizon that caps the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones; it shows, from bottom to top (Fig. 8): (a) laterally discontinuous reddish crinoidal limestones that onlap the underlying beds (CDR); (b) thick-massive Dogger Bositra limestones (BCH1), which lies, often with onlap geometry, above the encrusted white peritidal limestones and the crinoidal limestones (INI); (c) Saccocoma limestones (BCH3) with an uneven tabular setting and a thinly bedded and nodular to pseudonodular texture (Fig. 6h) that paraconformably overlies the Bositra limestones (Fig. 8). The facies association, also, occurs at Pizzo Marabito region, where the Dogger Bositra limestones (e in section 10 of Fig. 4) onlaps and abuts, in buttress uncon-

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Fig. 7 a Wackestone with globotruncanids and intraclasts; Upper Cretaceous pelagic limestones (Amerillo formation). Piano Pilato region. b Pelagic limestones of the Amerillo formation with Middle–Late Eocene planktonic foraminifera assemblage. Pirrello region. c Upper Cretaceous carbonate megabreccias with white angular elements of Lower Liassic peritidal limestones (INI) welded in the pink Upper Cretaceous pelagic limestones. Rocca Busambra-peak region. d Rudstone– Xoatstone with Lower Liassic peritidal limestones (pl) and pelagic Rosso Ammonitico (ra) elements welded in the Upper Cretaceous globotruncanids wackestone. Rocca Busambra-peak region. e Lower Miocene “reworked pelagic” facies that consists of globigerinid packstone– grainstone with glauconite (g). Piano Pilato region. f Paraconformity stratigraphic contact between Lower Miocene glauconitic wackestone (CCR) and in situ breccia lithofacies of the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones; glauconitic deposit sills are present. Rocca Argenteria, Piano Pilato region

Table 3 Morphologic details of the tectono-stratigraphic systems recognized along the Rocca Busambra ridge

Tectono-sedimentary systems

Morphology

Facies association

Timing

Stepped margins

Stepped slope

Condensed pelagic, reworked pelagic

Late Jurassic

Horst and graben

Swell and basin

Condensed pelagic pelagic and resedimented

Late Cretaceous

Scalloped margins

Eroded and concave surface

Reworked pelagic

Late Cretaceous

Base of slope

Faulted basinal margin

Resedimented

Late Cretaceous

Depositional slope

Gently sea bottom dips

Pelagic

Late Jurassic

formity (sensu Davis and Reynolds 1996), the faulted Upper Triassic reef limestones. The “reworked pelagic” facies association is represented by a Jurassic–Miocene pelagic succession, which is 5–30 m thick and is characterized by coarse textures and internal erosional surfaces (Fig. 9). The Upper Jurassic graded and parallel laminated massive crinoidal coarse grainstones are unconformably overlain by Upper Creta-

ceous light brown and white intraformational Xoatstone and pebbly mudstone (i⬘ in section 7 of Fig. 4 and AMMa in Fig. 9) and, locally, Lower Miocene glauconitic grainstone (CCR in Fig. 9). As shown in Fig. 9, this facies association unconformably overlies, in buttress unconformity, the faulted platform subhorizontal beds and downlaps, with common erosion, the “condensed pelagic” facies association. The fossil content consists of abundant

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Regional examples Piano Pilato region

Fig. 8 Schematic stratigraphic section reconstructed in the Piano Pilato region. INI Lower Liassic peritidal limestones, CDR crinoidal limestones. The Jurassic “condensed pelagic” facies association consists of BCH1 Bositra limestones, BCH3 Saccocoma limestones, and hd ferromanganese crusts. The “reworked pelagic” and “resedimented” facies associations consist of BCH3 and breccias (br); they abut, in buttress unconformity, the faulted INI beds and downlap the Jurassic “condensed pelagic” facies and the INI

Fig. 9 Schematic stratigraphic section (not to scale) reconstructed in the Pirrello region, showing the stratigraphic relationships between the “reworked pelagic” facies associations and the platform-carbonate substrate. INI lower Liassic peritidal limestones, BCH1 Bositra limestones (“condensed pelagic” facies); “reworked pelagic” facies association consists of BCH3 Saccocoma limestones, AMMa reworked pelagic limestones (Amerillo formation), CCR globigerinid grainstone

pelagic crinoids, fragments of belemnites, ammonites, gastropods, and benthic and planktonic foraminifera. The facies association outcrops at the Piano Pilato, Pirrello, and Pizzo Marabito regions. The “resedimented” facies association consists of breccias and/or megabreccias (Fig. 7c, d) interlayered into the Upper Jurassic, Upper Cretaceous, Middle–Upper Eocene, and Lower Miocene pelagic deposits of the Piano Pilato, Pirrello, and Rocca Busambra peak regions. The white angular clasts are mostly derived from fragmentation of the Lower Liassic white peritidal limestones. The “pelagic” facies association consists of white to grey cherty mudstone–wackestone, marls, and calcilutites with rich calcareous plankton content. This Jurassic–Cretaceous facies association unconformably overlies the Upper Triassic–Lower Jurassic carbonate platform substrate or onlaps the “reworked pelagic” facies association.

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The region of Piano Pilato, located at the westernmost side of Rocca Busambra (Fig. 3b), and uphill continuing into the minor reliefs of Rocca del Drago, Rocca Argenteria, and Pizzo Nicolosi, is characterized by a Jurassic “condensed pelagic” facies association, unconformably followed by the Upper Cretaceous “pelagic” and by the Lower Miocene “reworked pelagic” facies associations. The succession rests unconformably above the subhorizontal beds of the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones. In this region Martire et al. (in Agate et al. 1998a, Martire and Bertok 2002 and Martire et al. 2002) illustrated two diVerent kinds of successions in some Weld stops (Santantonio 2002). “Normal” Inici Formation-Rosso Ammonitico succession, where the two lithostratigraphic units are superposed in paraconformity (through a thick Fe–Mn oxide crust), and “anomalous” succession, where an angular unconformity is between the Inici Formation and overlying pelagic Upper Jurassic Rosso Ammonitico or Upper Cretaceous–Paleogene Scaglia sediments (see Table 2 for comparison). Several, south dipping, largely subvertical (60–80° steep) WNW–ESE-oriented palaeofaults (with some metres of downthrow) cut the Liassic carbonate platform deposits (tectonic proWles I–IV in Figs. 5 and 10). These features are either fault planes (Fig. 11) or morphotectonic scarps that are sealed by Middle to Upper Jurassic “reworked pelagic” and “resedimented” facies associations that lie with a buttress unconformity against the hanging-wall scarp of the fault plane (tectonic proWles II and III in Figs. 5 and 11). The western side of Piano Pilato (Pizzo Nicolosi) shows several WNW–ESE faults (Fig. 3a) that cut the Jurassic substrate, giving rise to a horst and graben setting; the morphotectonic depressions (Fig. 12a, b) incised in the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones are Wlled by a 40-m-thick package of Upper Cretaceous “pelagic” facies association. The depressions are bound by subvertical and antithetic fault planes that originate the Pizzo Nicolosi and Rocca Ramusa graben structures (Figs. 12 and 13 and tectonic proWle II in Fig. 5). Their downthrow increases as it moves northward. The Upper Cretaceous “pelagic” facies association directly onlaps the Jurassic Xoor of the depressions (Fig. 13a), crops out, in buttress unconformity, against the subvertical walls (Figs. 12c and 13b) and drapes the horst structures with both onlap and downlap relationships (Fig. 13c). Several interpretations have been suggested for the “Pizzo Nicolosi canyon” (Giunta and Liguori 1975). It is considered to be a tectonic structure bounded by normal Mesozoic faults by Wendt (1971). On the basis of the observed geometries Gullo and Vitale (1986) and Catalano

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Fig. 10 a Panoramic view of the southern slope of Piano Pilato, showing stepped faults and palaeoscarps; INI lower Liassic peritidal limestones; J Jurassic deposits. b Geological map of the area

and D’Argenio (1990), suggest that it is a half-graben structure. Longhitano et al. (1995), who explained the festoon geometry of the pelagic inWlling sediments, state that it is a negative Xower due to left-hand strike-slip movements. Lastly, it is described as a graben structure due to Upper Cretaceous transtensional faulting by Martire and Montagnino 2002. These interpretations remain unproven conjectures since collection of Weld mesoscopic data in this area is very diYcult. At the southern scarp of Piano Pilato, a half-graben structure bounded by an E–W and WNW–ESE fault plane outcrops (Fig. 3a). The faults cut the subhorizontal beds of Lower Liassic peritidal limestones and are sealed by Lower Miocene glauconitic “reworked pelagic” facies association (tectonic proWles III, IV, and V in Fig. 5); basal breccias, with angular to subrounded lithoclasts of Lower Liassic peritidal limestones embedded into Lower Miocene yellowish glauconitic packstone, are present. On the southern side of the half-graben, the Lower Miocene glauconitic “reworked pelagic” facies unconformably covers the Jurassic “condensed pelagic” facies association and is conformably followed by the Langhian marls that display maximum thickness (tectonic proWle III in Fig. 5). At Rocca Argenteria, the Lower Miocene glauconitic deposits paraconformably cover the Dogger Bositra limestones and the Lower Liassic white peritidal limestones (Fig. 7f). The former Wlls

up a tectonic network of dykes and sills that cut into the white peritidal limestones at the same site. Pirrello region This region, located in the central part of the ridge (Fig. 3b), is characterized by deeply eroded elongated channels with a subcircular cross-section of 2–3 km2 (tectonic proWles V and VI in Figs. 5 and 14) corresponding to a concave-upward erosional surface that is carved into the top of the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones. The erosional surfaces are draped by the Jurassic and/or Upper Cretaceous, Middle Eocene, and Lower Miocene “reworked pelagic” and “resedimented” facies associations (sections 5–7 in Fig. 4). The top of the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones is crosscut by neptunian dykes and cm-thick anastomosing veins Wlled with reddish or dark iron-manganese-rich carbonate mudstone. Large karst dissolution cavities Wlled by laminated siltstone and closed by coarse blocky calcite are present at the top of the subhorizontal beds. In the Pirrello region, Wssures, fault planes, and morphostructural scarps have diVerent orientations (Figs. 3a and 14): (a) large (mappable) neptunian dykes with the same orientation (Fig. 14a, b, d) are mostly Wlled by reddish Liassic crinoidal limestones and Dogger Bositra limestones.

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stones beds along a south dipping fault scarp with a few tens of metres of downthrow (tectonic proWle V in Figs. 5 and 14a, c). Rocca Busambra peak region Located to the east of Pirrello (Fig. 3b), this region has a prominent thick “resedimented” facies association that consists of massive Upper Cretaceous carbonate megabreccias. These deposits commonly overlie the Jurassic “condensed pelagic” facies association. In certain places, tabular and/or lenticular-shaped carbonate megabreccias (j section 9 of Fig. 4) abruptly onlap the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones and Wll up shallow channelled gullies (peak of Rocca Busambra, Fig. 15). The measured tectonic orientations show evidence of:

Fig. 11 Field evidence (above) and sketch (below) of the fault plane that dissected the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones (1) and Dogger Bositra limestones (2) in the Piano Pilato region. The Malm Saccocoma limestones (3) lie with a buttress unconformity against the hangingwall scarp of the fault plane and in downlap on the subhorizontal Bositra limestones of the footwall block

(b) WNW–ESE palaeofaults dissect the Jurassic “condensed pelagic” facies association and its carbonate substrate, which results in a stepped morphology. These faults are draped with Saccocoma limestones. (c) ENE–WSW fault planes dissect, with small displacement, the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones in the uphill region and are sealed by a Jurassic and Upper Cretaceous “reworked pelagic” facies association (Fig. 14a, d). (d) NNE–SSW south-easterly dipping trending faults bound the elongated channels and are unconformably draped by the Upper Cretaceous–Eocene “pelagic” and “reworked pelagic” facies (Fig. 14a, b, d). In certain places, these faults intersect the previously (Jurassic) formed WNW–ESE lineaments (Fig. 3a). (e) E–W palaeofaults cut the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones and are sealed by the strongly inclined Lower Miocene glauconitic “resedimented” and “reworking pelagic” facies associations that abut, in buttress unconformity, the subhorizontal white peritidal lime-

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(a) Subvertical ENE–WSW faults (with a few to several metres of downthrow) dissect the Lower Liassic white peritidal limestones (Fig. 15b) or the whole Jurassic “condensed pelagic” facies association (in the southernmost sector, tectonic proWle VII in Fig. 5). Consequently, the carbonate megabreccia wedge seals, as a buttress unconformity, the hanging wall block of the fault planes and downlaps, with erosion, the older (Jurassic–Cretaceous) deposits on the footwall block (tectonic proWle VII in Figs. 5 and 16). (b) ENE–WSW oriented faults (reactivated?) dissect, in turn, the carbonate megabreccias outcropping at the peak of Rocca Busambra and are sealed by Middle– Upper Eocene pelagic limestones (Fig. 15b). The latter drape the megabreccia, onlap the Lower Liassic white peritidal limestones, and abut, in buttress unconformity, the older ENE–WSW fault planes (tectonic proWle VII in Figs. 5 and 15). Pizzo Marabito region In the Pizzo Marabito region, located along the easternmost side of the ridge (Fig. 3b), the succession deeply diVers from those that were previously described. An Upper Triassic reef carbonate substrate is overlain by Upper Jurassic “reworked pelagic” and uppermost Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous “pelagic” facies associations (sections 10–12 in Fig. 4). Palaeotectonic features are represented by (a) Wssures, neptunian dykes, and in situ breccias in the Upper Triassic reef limestones and (b) ENE–WSW trending pre-Upper Jurassic subvertical fault planes (Fig. 3a). These planes generated a stepped morphology and tilted the bedding (tectonic proWle VIII in Figs. 5 and 17). Consequently, the Upper Jurassic “reworked pelagic” facies association, which progressively onlaps the reef Triassic substrate,

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Fig. 12 a Graben structures at Pizzo Nicolosi. The Upper Cretaceous pelagic limestones (AMM, colored in green) abut, in buttress unconformity, the subhorizontal Lower Liassic peritidal limestones beds (INI) and the Bositra limestones (BCH1) along WNW–ESE faults, thus forming depressions with relative downthrow of more that 50 m (Rocca Ramusa and Pizzo Nicolosi grabens) and draping the horst erosional margins. b Filling of the Pizzo Nicolosi graben (eastern-side) and c view of the angular contact in buttress unconformity between the subvertical Upper Cretaceous pelagic beds and the faulted Lower Liassic platform beds; fault plane is colored in red

Fig. 13 a, b Close-up of the Rocca Ramusa graben Wlled by the Upper Cretaceous pelagic limestones (AMM, in green) that onlap the peritidal limestones on the Xoor of the graben and abut, in buttress unconformity, the subhorizontal beds of INI in the southern Xank of the structure; fault plane is the area colored in red. c Angular relationships between AMM and INI along the horst

abuts the fault planes in buttress unconformity. The planes are, in turn, sealed (Fig. 17) by uppermost Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous “pelagic” facies association. These deposits drape the tilted fault blocks of Triassic reef limestones often with downlap geometries (tectonic proWle VIII in Figs. 5 and 17).

Discussion Tectono-stratigraphic settings Based on the presented data, the following tectono-stratigraphic settings (Table 3 and Fig. 18) were recognized. Stepped fault margin systems This tectono-stratigraphic setting is easily recognizable in the Piano Pilato region. Several WNW–ESE-oriented fault

planes with small displacements (tectonic proWles III and IV in Figs. 5 and 10) produced a stepped margin morphostructural setting (Fig. 18a). The interpretation is supported by: (a) stratigraphic buttress unconformities occurring between the faulted peritidal limestones and the younger deposits, (b) subangular breccias at the fault scarps, originated from the breaking up of the faulted peritidal limestones, (c) subvertical fault planes, most of which show a homogeneous orientation (WNW– ESE), (d) the lack of isolated blocks of peritidal limestones and Jurassic megabreccias accumulation, features linked to gravitational sliding and slip processes (Winterer and Sarti 1994). The faults, formed as fractures of the top of the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones, were later reactivated during the tectonic pulses of the Kimmeridgian, the latest Jurassic, and Late Cretaceous ages. The faults maintained the same orientation during the Mesozoic, while they slightly rotated during Early Miocene tectonic events.

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Fig. 14 a The Pirrello region is characterized by scalloped margin features, showing unconformable relationships between the inWlling Upper Cretaceous pelagic limestones (colored in light green) and the faulted Lower Liassic platform beds [see detail in (b)]. Panoramic picture, showing neptunian dykes (in white), E–W and ENE–WSW palaeofault trends (colored in red), and buttress unconformity between the faulted Lower Liassic platform beds and the Upper Cretaceous pelagic limestones (in green), see picture in (c). Fault planes are in red. d Geological map of the area. INI lower Liassic peritidal limestones, BCH1 Bositra limestones, BCH3 Saccocoma limestones, AMM1 Upper Cretaceous carbonate megabreccias, AMM Upper Cretaceous–Eocene pelagic limestones, CCR Lower Miocene glauconitic grainstone (colored in yellow in the panoramic and detailed photos); CIP Langhian marls, d detritus, N neptunian bedding normal dykes, 1 synsedimentary faults, 2 post-depositional faults

The Jurassic to Cretaceous “condensed pelagic” and “reworked pelagic” facies associations are the most common lithologies. These sequences are accompanied by some long-lasting hiatuses, dated as Early Dogger and Early Cretaceous by Christ (1958) and Wendt (1963) or Palaeocene (this paper), which strongly supports the idea of a depositional setting related to the original physiographical high that later evolved into a stepped margin morphostructural setting. Martire and Bertok (2002) recognized and described some high- and low-angle surfaces at Piano Pilato, relating to the latest Jurassic normal faults. In contrast Bertok and Martire (2004) explained these surfaces and the Lower– Middle Jurassic succession displacement as being formed by gravitational slides caused by tectonic instability. They related this setting to a main master fault located in the southern side of the Piano Pilato region and now buried below the Tertiary deposits. This pattern may mark the transition from the Trapanese pelagic platform domain to the deep-water Sicanian domain. However Weld data do not support this reconstruction. As is well evidenced by geological sections (Catalano et al. 1998, 2000; Fig. 2b, this paper), the Rocca Busambra unit

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shows northward and southward carbonate-platform continuations. The adjacent Sicanian basinal deposits are incorporated in a repeated thrust sheet wedge that regionally overthrusts the Trapanese domain (Rocca Busambra tectonic unit). The “stepped margins” model is well documented in other peritidal platforms and pelagic platform domains (Bourrouilh 1981; Hurst and Surlyk 1984; Cecca et al. 1990; Santantonio 1993, 1994; the “pelagic escarpment” of Di Stefano et al. 2002a, b). Horst and graben structures Antithetic fault planes with rather large downthrows characterize the Pizzo Nicolosi area by forming two WNE–ESE parallel graben structures (Figs. 10, 11). The fault planes, cross-cutting the Jurassic morphostructures, likely represent the reactivation of older faults. The graben-like structures are Wlled by Upper Cretaceous pelagic sediments, while the horst accumulate only thin veneers of the “condensed pelagic” facies association. Along the sides of the horst structures, the small troughs, resulting from horst erosion (e.g., scalloped margins, see later), are Wlled with both

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Fig. 17 Onlap and buttress unconformity relationships between Upper Jurassic Saccocoma limestones (BCH3), calpionellid limestones (LAT), and Upper Triassic reef limestones (RLS) at Pizzo Marabito; palaeofaults are colored in dark grey Fig. 15 a View of the Rocca Busambra-peak where Upper Cretaceous–Eocene pelagic limestones (AMM) onlap Lower Liassic platform deposits (INI). b Close-up of (a) showing faulted massive Upper Cretaceous megabreccias (AMM1 and colored in light green) and upward thin Upper Cretaceous–Eocene pelagic beds that onlap and abut, in buttress unconformity, the faulted Lower Liassic peritidal limestones (fault planes colored in red)

a)

c)

b)

d)

Fig. 18 Models of the tectono-stratigraphic relationships of Rocca Busambra; a stepped fault margin system, b scalloped margin system, c base-of-slope system and tilted-fault blocks, and d depositional slope system

basins of Hungary (Galàcz et al. 1985; Galàcz 1988), the Southern Alps (Jadoul et al. 2005), the Lower Liassic Streppenosa intraplatform basin of the Hyblean region (Patacca et al. 1979; Catalano and D’Argenio 1982a, b), and the intraplatform basin of the Trapanese domain in western Sicily (Marineo basin, Catalano and D’Argenio 1982b; Catalano et al. 2000; Di Stefano et al. 2002a). Fig. 16 a View of the southern side of the Rocca Busambra-peak where Campanian-Lower Maastrichtian megabreccias (in green, AMM1) cover, in buttress unconformity, the faulted Lower Liassic platform deposits (INI, the fault plane is colored in light red) and, in downlap, the Bositra limestones (dark red, BCH1) of the footwall tilted block. b Detailed geological map of the area. INI Lower Liassic peritidal limestones, BCH1 Bositra limestones, AMM Upper Cretaceous– Eocene pelagic limestones, AMM1 Upper Cretaceous megabreccias, d detritus, e eluvium

Jurassic “reworked pelagic” and Cretaceous “pelagic” facies associations (Fig. 12a). Such a tectonic setting is well known as it occurred in both ancient and modern syn-rift systems. Good examples of this setting are reported for the Jurassic intraplatform

Tilted fault-block systems This setting is recognized along the southern scarp of the Piano Pilato and Pirrello regions, where E–W-trending tilted blocks of the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones extending for few kilometres are overlain by Lower Miocene globigerinid glauconitic grainstone and Langhian marls. They abut, in buttress unconformity, the faulted Lower Liassic beds of the hanging wall blocks and lie in onlap or downlap on the eroded Jurassic beds (peritidal limestones and Saccocoma limestones) of the footwall blocks. Along this area basin asymmetry is clearly shown by the variation of the thickness of the Lower Miocene glauconitic

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grainstone and Langhian marls. This suggests that areas of greater subsidence can be considered as half-graben structures. Similar syn-sedimentary structures are recognized and described by Eberli (1987) in the Northern Calcareous Alps, by Bertotti et al. (1993), Marchegiani et al. (1999), and Bernoulli et al. (1994) in the Southern Apennines, and in other areas by Wilson et al. (2000) and Bosence et al. (1998) among others. Scalloped margin systems This setting is recognized only for places where huge portions of Lower Liassic peritidal limestones appear to have been eroded (Fig. 18b). Spectacular features can be recognized in the Pirrello region, where a “hollow” morphology occurs. Erosional processes were active in Jurassic times along the sides of the faulted blocks. Along these marginal areas, one can envisage a sloping morphology at sites where sediment by-passing was active during the Mesozoic. The depressions are Wlled by Jurassic–Cretaceous “reworked pelagic” and pelagic facies associations whose sedimentological characters indicated an outer shelf or upper slope high-energy depositional environment adjacent to the minor sloping sectors of the pelagic platform where Jurassic “condensed pelagic” facies association developed (e.g., horst setting). This tectono-stratigraphic setting can be compared with erosional margins described by Mullins and Hine (1989) from the Bahamas, by Santantonio (1994) from the Apennines, and by Bosellini (1998) from the Calcareous Alps, where similar processes were active. The described features recall the concave-upward surfaces that were related to detachment of “scoop-shaped blocks” along surWcial listric faults (Winterer and Sarti 1994). In the study area, listric faults have not been evidenced, but downslope mass wasting by sliding processes is well documented according to the occurrence of megabreccia bodies (e.g., Rocca Busambra peak region). Base-of-slope talus systems This setting (Fig. 18c) is well represented by the Rocca Busambra peak region (Figs. 15 and 16), where the thick megabreccia bodies rest, with talus geometry, on the faulted block of the Lower Liassic peritidal limestones. The recognized faults appear to have been activated during the Late Cretaceous time interval (age of the carbonate megabreccias). Such a tectono-stratigraphic setting is well documented in ancient and modern carbonate platform margins (Mullins

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et al. 1986; Bernoulli et al. 1990; Spence and Tucker 1997; Bosellini et al. 1993; Bosellini 1998; among others). Depositional slope This setting (Fig. 18d) is recognized at Pizzo Marabito, where a pelagic succession rests on a dissected stepped reef carbonate margin (Fig. 17). The occurrence of “reworked pelagic” and “pelagic” facies associations (Lattimusa and Hybla Formation) corresponds with a progressive drowning and deepening of the Upper Triassic reef substrate through the Mesozoic. The presence of detrital and slumping levels in the Jurassic–Cretaceous “pelagic” facies association suggests that the Pizzo Marabito region was an unstable lowangle slope depositional setting. When compared with the evolution of the nearby Rocca Busambra regions, the Jurassic–Cretaceous Pizzo Marabito succession appears to be settled in a “deeper” water depositional environment. Comparable examples of such sedimentary systems have been described in the Umbria–Marche Apennines (Farinacci 1967; Baldanza et al. 1982; Cecca et al. 1990; Santantonio 1993, 1994; Marchegiani et al. 1999). Tectono-sedimentary evolution The collected data illustrate the Meso-Cenozoic tectonosedimentary evolution of the Rocca Busambra very well. This evolution was dominated by tectonic pulses, partly coeval with the history of the African continental margin (cf. Bernoulli and Jenkyns 1974; Catalano and D’Argenio 1978). The evolution of the Rocca Busambra area can be summarized in the following steps (Table 4): 1. A Bahamian-type carbonate platform that developed during Late Triassic–Early Liassic times on the continental margin became a site of Jurassic pelagic sedimentation. Growth of the platform stopped at the end of the Sinemurian. The depositional unconformity at the top of the Triassic–Liassic shallow-water deposits of the Peri-Mediterranean region (including western Sicily) indicated the break-up and dispersal of the carbonate platforms. This event is related to the tectonic processes that generated the Tethyan Jurassic rifting (Bernoulli and Jenkyns 1974; Elmi 1977; Catalano and D’Argenio 1982b; Argiryadis et al. 1980; Bertotti et al. 1993). In the Rocca Busambra ridge, this tectonic event is documented by fractures and sedimentary dykes that aVected the top of the Liassic carbonate platform (widely known in western Sicily). 2. “Condensed pelagic” facies association of the Rocca Busambra area was deposited during the Middle Jurassic post-rift transgressive event of Tethyan margin

WSW–ENE

WSW–ENE N–S

WNW–ESE W–E

Latest Cretaceous

Middle Eocene

Early Miocene

Piano Pilato and Pirrello regions

Rocca Busambra-peak and Pirrello regions

Rocca Busambra-peak region

Piano Pilato and Pirrello regions

Piano Pilato region

WNW–ESE NNE–SSW

WNW–ESE

Earliest Cretaceous

Piano Pilato, Pirrello, and Pizzo Marabito regions

Late Cretaceous

WNW–ESE

Kimmeridgian

Entire Rocca Busambra ridge

Pizzo Marabito region

WNW–ESE

Early Toarcian

Regions of outcrop

Early Cretaceous

Faults orientation

Timing

Table 4 Timing of tectonic events recognized along the Rocca Busambra ridge

Buttress unconformity of glauconitic sandstones and Langhian marls

Megabreccia faulted and sealed by Eocene “resedimented” and “pelagic” facies associations

Megabreccia production and buttress unconformity

Buttress unconformity of Upper Cretaceous lmst

Strong thickness of Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous “pelagic” facies association

Buttress unconformity of calpionellid lmst, resediments

Tilted-fault blocks, reactivated faults

By-pass margins, tilted fault blocks

Scalloped margin, tilted fault blocks, talus breccia base of-slope and basin asymmetry

Scalloped margins, horst and graben systems

Tilted fault blocks, basin asymmetry

Local stepped fault margins and slope instability

Stepped fault margins

Break-up of the Lower Liassic peritidal lmst

Neptunian dykes Wlled with crinoidal lmst Buttress unconformity of Saccocoma lmst

Tectono-sedimentary settings

Outcrop features

Uplift, catastrophic events

Extensional post-rift, tectonic subsidence

Extensional syn-rift

Regional tectonic events

Facies (2009) 55:115–135 131

123

132

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Facies (2009) 55:115–135

(Jacquin and De Graciansky 1998) and are therefore characterized by frequent iron-manganese crusts and impregnations. During this time the entire Rocca Busambra ridge, as well as some Trapanese structures outcropping in western Sicily, were characterized by a physiography of morphostructural highs. Faults and palaeoscarps that formed in response to the pre-Kimmeridgian tectonic pulses on the Rocca Busambra and neighboring areas (e.g., Mount Kumeta, Di Stefano et al. 2002a, b) are interpreted as originating a “stepped fault margin” setting. During the latest Jurassic to Early Cretaceous times, some of the pelagic platform areas maintained their roles as structural highs (e.g., Piano Pilato, Pirrello, and Rocca Busambra peak regions) Xanked by marginal areas that rapidly subsided to basins at depths where pelagic deposits onlapped the Jurassic “stepped margins” made up of older rocks (e.g., Pizzo Marabito region). During the Late Cretaceous, the Jurassic rock pile was dismembered by faulting that reactivated previous fault planes, or generated new and diverse trending lineaments. Consequently, local intraplatform basins developed and were Wlled by pelagic carbonates (e.g., horst and graben system). The uplifting of the faulted carbonate blocks was accompanied by discharge of large amounts of detritus at the foot of the fault scarp, forming thick “resedimented” facies association sequences (e.g., base-of-slope system). In western Sicily, widespread shallow-water carbonate-derived megabreccias interlayered in the Upper Cretaceous pelagic platform and basin successions have been linked to Late Cretaceous tectonics (Catalano et al. 1991). After the Late Cretaceous, the central and western regions of Rocca Busambra maintained their role as structural highs, while the subsiding adjacent regions were Wlled by widespread pelagic deposits. During the Late Eocene time another tectonic pulse is revealed by the carbonate breccias found at the eastern sector of the Pirrello region tilted fault-blocks system. In the earliest Miocene, a new tectonic event overprinted the Meso-Cenozoic rocks of the Rocca Busambra. It produced a tilted fault-block system well preserved in the southern scarp of the Piano Pilato and Pirrello regions.

Conclusions Geological mapping, stratigraphy, sedimentology, and structural data collected in Mesozoic pelagic carbonate systems of Rocca Busambra (Western Sicily) permitted the identiWcation of: (a) distinct patterns of vertical and lateral

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facies changes in Meso-Cenozoic carbonate rocks grouped into four major facies associations; (b) distinct angular geometric relationships (buttress unconformity, onlap, downlap) between several rock bodies; (c) clear orientation trends of the Mesozoic tectonic features, such as fault planes and neptunian dykes; and (d) distinct timing of the identiWed tectonic events. Along the Rocca Busambra ridge, an articulate pelagic carbonate platform margin can be recognized on the basis of the above-described depositional settings. From NW to SE, a palaeogeographic setting can be assumed to pass from a structural high with horst and graben and stepped margins systems to depositional slope areas, throughout upper slope scalloped margins and base-of-slope environments. The tectonic features and the depositional settings in the Rocca Busambra area suggest an original pelagic carbonate-platform system. Syn-sedimentary tectonics likely played an important role in the development of this system. The tectonics is related to the syn- and post-rift phases of the Sicilian part of the Tethyan continental margin. Sedimentary evolution was driven by the tectonics that created the major unconformity geometry of the sediments from the Early Liassic, Kimmeridgian, Late Cretaceous, and Early Miocene. Acknowledgements The research was supported by grants “PRIN” 2006 and Miur (ex 60%) 2005 (resp. Prof. R. Catalano). The author is grateful to ProV. F. Jadoul, G. Mariotti, L. Montanari, A. Mindszenty, and L. Martire for their useful suggestions on an early draft of the manuscript. Special thanks are due to ProV. J. Wendt and H. Jenkyns for their useful comments to the manuscript. Prof. E. Di Stefano and Dr. S. Bonomo helped with the calcareous plankton data.

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