Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

New overview of the neotectonic and seismotectonic studies in Tunisian domains

  • iCAGE 2016
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The Tunisian domain is formed following the convergence between Nubia and Eurasia which is responsible for folding and still active faulting. We used 62 earthquake focal mechanisms to constrain the present stress field of the Tunisian domain. The results show that the tectonic regime is compressional with a dominant direction NW-SE maximum horizontal principal stress direction. The focal depth distribution indicates that Northern Tunisia is an area of convergence with a thin crust and a shallow Moho. However, in the central and southern Atlas, the presence of focal mechanisms with strike-slip faulting shows that this zone is a deep seismogenic area with a thick crust.These results are consistent with the neotectonic and seismotectonic stress field determined by other studies. The neotectonic deformations of Tunisia are like the past deformations guided by the convergence between the African and the Eurasian plates.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbes C (2004) Structuration etévolutions tectono-sédimentairesmésozoïques etcénozoïquesassociées aux accidents reghmatiques à la jonction des margestéthysienne et nord-africaine (Chaînenord-sud, Tunisiecentrale). Thèseen Sciences, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar II

  • Bahrouni N, Bouaziz S, Soumaya A, Ben Ayed N, Attafi K, Houla Y, El Ghali A, Rebai N (2013) Neotectonic and seismotectonic investigation of seismically active regions in Tunisia: A multidisciplinary approach. J Seismol 18:235–256. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10950-013-9395-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben Ayed N, Zargouni F (1990) Carte sismotectonique de la Tunisie à l’échelle 1/1000 000. Fondation Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique, Tunisia

    Google Scholar 

  • Billi A, Faccenna C, Bellier O, Minelli L, Neri G, Piromallo C, Presti D, Scrocca D, Serpelloni E (2011) Recent tectonic reorganization of the Nubia–Eurasia convergent boundary heading for the closure of the western Mediterranean. Bull Soc Geol Fr 182:279–303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bouaziz S, Barrier E, Soussi M, Turki MM, Zouari H (2002) Tectonic evolution of the northern African margin in Tunisia from paleostress data and sedimentary record. Tectonophysics 357:227–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boussiga H (2008) Géophysiqueappliquée aux sériespaléogènes du Sahel de Tunisie.Tectonique de socle, halocinèseet implications pétrolières. Thèseen Sciences Géologiques, Université Tunis El Manar

  • Buforn E, Bezzeghoud M, Udias A, Pro C (2004) Seismic sources on the Iberia-African plate boundary and their tectonic implications. Pure Appl Geophys 161:623. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-003-2466-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burg JP, Célérier B, Chaudhry NM, Ghazanfar M, Gnehm F, Schnellmann M (2005) Fault analysis and paleostress evolution in large strain regions: methodological and geological discussion of the southeastern Himalayan fold-and-thrust belt in Pakistan. J Asian Earth Sci 24:445–467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2003.12.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caire A (1970) Tectonique de la Méditerranéecentrale. Ann Soc Géol Nord XC 90:307–346

    Google Scholar 

  • Carminati E, Wortel M, Spakman W, Sabadini R (1998) The role of slab detachment processes in the opening of the western–central Mediterranean basins: Some geological and geophysical evidence. Earth Planet Sci Lett 160:651–665

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Célérier B (1988) How much does slip on reactivated fault plane constrain the stress tensor ? Tectonics 7:1257–1278. https://doi.org/10.1029/TC007i006p01257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Célérier B (2008) Seeking Anderson’s faulting in seismicity: A centennial celebration. Rev Geophys 46:1–34. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007RG000240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Célérier B, Etchecopar A, Bergerat F, Vergely P, Arthaud F, Laurent X (2012) Inferring stress from faulting: From early concepts to inverse methods. Tectonophysics 581:206–219. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2012.02.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Agostino N, Selvaggi G (2004) Crustal motion along the Eurasia-Nubia plate boundary in the Calabrian arc and Sicily and active extension in the Messina Straits from GPS measurements. J Geophys Res 109:B11402. https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JB002998

  • D’Agostino N, Avallone A, Cheloni D, D'Anastasio E, Mantenuto S, Selvaggi G (2008) Active tectonics of the Adriatic region from GPS and earthquake slip vectors. J Geophys Res 113:19

    Google Scholar 

  • Dercourt J, Zonenshain LP, Ricou LE, Kazmin VG, Le Pichon X, Knipper AL Grandjacquet C, Sbortshikov IM, Geyssant J, Lepvrier C, Pechersky DH, Boulin J, Sibuet JC, Savostin L A, Sorokhtin O, Westphal M, Bazhenov ML, Lauer JP, Biju-Duval B (1986) Geological evolution of the Tethys belt from the Atlantic to the Pamirs since the Lias. Tectonophysics 123:241-315

  • Devoti R, Ferraro C, Gueguen E, Lanotte R, Luceri V, Nardi A, Pacione R, Rutigliano P, Sciarretta C, Vespe F (2001) Geodetic control on recent tectonic movements in the central Mediterranean area. Tectonophysics 346:151–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dewey JF, Helman ML, Turco E, Hutton D, Knott SD (1989) Kinematics of the western Mediterranean. In: Coward MP, Dietrich D, Park RG (ed) Alpine Tectonics, special publication of the Geological Society of London 45, pp 265–283

  • Domzig A, Yelles K, Le Roy C, Déverchère J et al (2006) Searching for the Africa–Eurasia Miocene boundary offshore western Algeria (MARADJA’03 cruise). CR Acad Sci Paris 338:80–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekström G, Dziewonski AM, Maternovskaya NN, Nettles M (2005) Global seismicity of 2003: Centroid-moment tensor solutions for 1087 earthquakes. Phys Earth Planet Inter 148:327–351

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faccenna C, Mattei M, Funiciello R, Jolivet L (1997) Styles of back-arc extension in the Central Mediterranean. Terra Nova 9:126–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frizon De Lamotte D, Saint Bezar B, Bracene R, Mercier E (2000) The two main steps of the atlas building and geodynamics of the western Mediterranean. Tectonics 19:740–761

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frizon de Lamotte D, Leturmy P, Missenard Y, Khomsi S, Ruiz G, Saddiqi O, Guillocheau F, Michard A (2009) Mesozoic and Cenozoic vertical movements intheatlas system (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia): An overview. Tectonophysics 475:9–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frohlich C (1992) Triangle diagrams: Ternary graphs to display similarity and diversity of earthquake focal mechanisms. Phys Earth Planet Inter 75:193–198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gabtni H, Jallouli C, Mickus K, Zouari H, Turki MM (2005) Geophysical constraints on the location and nature of the north Saharan flexure in southern Tunisia. Pure Appl Geophys 162:2051–2069

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gharbi M, Masrouhi A, Espurt N, Bellier O, Amari EA, Ben Youssef M, Ghanmi M (2013) New tectono-sedimentary evidences for Aptian to Santonian extension of the cretaceous rifting in the northern Chotts range (southern Tunisia). J Afr Earth Sci 79:58–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2012.09.017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gharbi M, Bellier O, Masrouhi A, Espurt N (2014) Recent spatial and temporal changes in the stress regime along the southern Tunisian atlas front and the Gulf of Gabes: New insights from fault kinematics analysis and seismic profiles. Tectonophysics 626:120–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gharbi M, Espurt N, Masrouhi A, Bellier O, Amari A (2015) Style of Atlassic tectonic deformation and geodynamic evolution of the southern Tethyan margin, Tunisia. Mar Pet Geol 66:801–816

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gomez F, Allmendinger R, Barazangui M, Er-Raji A, Dahmani M (1998) Crustal shortening and vertical strain partitioning in the middle atlas mountains of Morocco. Tectonics 17:520–533

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gràcia E, Dañobeitia J, Vergés J, Bartolomé R, Córdoba D (2003) Crustal architecture and tectonic evolution of the Gulf of Cadiz (SW Iberian margin) at the convergence of the Eurasian and African plates. Tectonics. https://doi.org/10.1029/2001TC901045

  • Gueddiche M, Ben Ayed N, Mohammadioun G, Mohammadioun B, El Ghali A, Chekhma H, Diament M, Dubois J (1998) Etude sismotectonique de laTunisienord-orientale. Bull Soc Geol Fr 169:789–796

    Google Scholar 

  • Guiraud R, Bosworth W, Thierry J, Delplanque A (2005) Phanerozoic geological evolution of northern and central Africa: An overview. J Afr Earth Sci 43:83–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heidbach O, Tingay M, Barth A, Reinecker J, Kurfeß D, Müller B (2010) Global crustal stress pattern based on the world stress map database release 2008. Tectonophysics 482:3–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heuberger S, Célérier B, Burg JP, Chaudhry NM, Dawood H, Hussain S (2010) Paleostress regimes from brittle structures of the Karakoram-Kohistan suture zone and surrounding areas of NW Pakistan. J Asian Earth Sci 38:307–335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2010.01.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hfaiedh M, Ben Ayed N, Dorel J (1985) Etude néotectonique et sismotectonique de la Tunisienord-orientale. Note Serv Géol Tunisie 16:41–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Hollenstein C, Kahle HG, Geiger A, Jenny S, Goes S, Giardini D (2003) New GPS constraints on the Africa-Eurasia plate boundary zone in southern Italy. Geophys Res Lett 30. https://doi.org/10.1029/2003GL017554 issn: 0094-8276

  • Imanishi K, Takeda N, Kuwahara Y, Koizumi N (2011) Enhanced detection capability of non-volcanic tremor using a 3-level vertical seismic array network, VA-net, in southwest Japan. Geophys Res Lett 38. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL049071

  • Jallouli C, Mickus K (2000) Regional gravity analysis of the crustal structure of Tunisia. J Afr Earth Sci 30:63–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jallouli C, Mickus KL, Turki MM (2002) Gravity constraints on the structure of the northern margin of Tunisia: Implications on the nature of the northern African plate boundary. Geophys J Int 151:117–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jallouli C, Mogren S, Mickus K, Turki MM (2013) Evidence for an east–west regional gravity trend in northern Tunisia: Insight into the structural evolution of northern Tunisian atlas. Tectonophysics 608:149–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khomsi S, Bédir M, Ben Jemia GM (2004) Miseenévidenceetanalysed’une structure atlasiqueennoyée au front de la chaîne alpine tunisienne. CR Geoscience 336:1293–1300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laville E, Delcaillau B, Charroud M, Dugué O, AitBrahim L, Cattaneo G, Deluca P, Bouazza A (2007) The Plio-Pleistocene evolution of the southern middle atlas faults zone (SMAFZ) front of Morocco. Int J Earth Sci 96:497–515

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Pichon X, Bergerat F, Roulet MJ (1988) Plate kinematics and tectonics leading to alpine belt formation: A new analysis. Processes in continental lithospheric deformation Geol Soc Am Spec 218:111–131

  • Mascle GH, Tricart P, Torelli L, Buillin JP, Rolfo F, Lapierre H, Monie P, Depardon S, Mascle J, Peis D (2001) Evolution of the Sardinia Channel (Western Mediterranean) : new constraints from a diving survey on Cornacya seamount of SE Sardinia. Mar Geol 179:179–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masrouhi A, Bellier O, Koyi H, Vila JM, Ghanmi M (2013) The evolution of Lansarine-Baouala salt canopy in north African cretaceous passive margin in Tunisia. Geol Mag 150:835–861

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKenzie DP (1969) The relationship between fault plane solutions for earthquakes and directions of the principal stresses. Bull Seismol Soc Am 59:591–601

  • Meghraoui M, Pondrelli S (2012) Active faulting and transpression tectonics along the plate boundary in North Africa. Ann Geophys 55. https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-4970

  • Mejri L (2012) Tectoniquequaternaire, paléosismicitéet sources sismogéniquesenTunisienord-orientale: étude de la faille d’Utique. Thèse Doc. Univ. Toulouse, pp 184

  • Meulenkamp JE, Sissingh W (2003) Tertiary palaeogeography and tectonostratigraphic evolution of the northern and southern Peri-Tethys platforms and the intermediate domains of the African-Eurasian convergent plate boundary zone. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol 196:209–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mezcua J, Martınez Solares J (1983) Seismicity of the Ibero–Maghrebian area. InstitutoGeográfico Nacional Report, Madrid

    Google Scholar 

  • Montone P, Mariucci MT, Pondrelli S, Amato A (2004) An improved stress map for Italy and surrounding regions (central Mediterranean). J Geophys Res 10. https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JB002703

  • Nocquet JM (2012) Present-day kinematics of the Mediterranean: A comprehensive overview of GPS results. Tectonophysics 579:220–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nocquet JM, Calais E (2003) Crustal velocity field of western Europe from permanent GPS array solutions. Geophys J Int 154:72–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nocquet JM, Calais E (2004) Geodetic measurements of crustal deformation in the western Mediterranean and Europe. Pure Appl Geophys 161:661–681. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-003-2468-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piqué A, Tricart P, Guiraud R, Laville E, Bouaziz S, Amrhar M, AitOuali R (2002) The Mesozoice Cenozoic atlas belt (North Africa): An overview. Geodin Acta 15:185–208

    Google Scholar 

  • Pondrelli S, Piromallo C, Serpelloni E (2004) Convergence vs. retreat in Southern Tyrrhenian Sea: Insights from kinematics. Geophys Res Lett 31. https://doi.org/10.1029/2003GL019223

  • Rebaï S, Philip H, Taboada A (1992) Modern tectonic stress field in the Mediterranean region: Evidence for variation in stress directions at different scales. Geophys J Int 110:106–140. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.1992.tb00717.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roure F, Casero P, Addoum B (2012) Alpine inversion of the north African margin and delamination of its continental lithosphere. Tectonics 31. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011TC002989

  • Said A, Baby P, Dominique C, Ouali J (2011) Structure, paleogeographic inheritance, and deformation history of the southern atlas foreland fold and thrust belt of Tunisia. Tectonics 30. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011TC002862

  • Sebei K (2008) Etude Sismostratigraphique de la Plateforme de (Halk el Menzel-Akouda): RampeCarbonatée sous Contrôle de l’Eustatismeet de la Tectonique. Thèse de Doctorat, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar II

  • Sébrier M, Siame L, El Mostafa Z, Winter T, Missenard Y, Leturmy P (2006) Active tectonics in the Moroccan high atlas. Compt Rendus Geosci 338:65–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Serpelloni E, Vannucci G, Pondrelli S, Argnani A, Casula G, Anzidei M, Baldi P, Gasperini P (2007) Kinematics of the western Africa-Eurasia plate boundary from focal mechanisms and GPS data. Geophys J Int 169:1180–1200. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.2007.03367.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soumaya A, Ben Ayed N, Delvaux D, Ghanmi M (2015) Spatial variation of present-day stress field and tectonic regime in Tunisia and surroundings from formal inversion of focal mechanisms: Geodynamic implications for central Mediterranean. Tectonics. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015TC003895

  • Tajima F, Célérier B (1989) Possible focal mechanism change during reactivation of a previously ruptured subduction zone. Geophys J Int 98:301–316. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246X.1989.tb03354.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tapponnier P (1977) Evolution tectonique du systèmealpinenMéditerranée: poinçonnementetécrasementrigide-plastique. Bull SocGeol Fr 7:437–460

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tricart P, Torelli L, Argnani A, Rekhiss F, Zitellini N (1994) Extensional collapse related to compressional uplift in the alpine chain off northern Tunisia (Central Mediterranean). Tectonophysics 1:317–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Hinsbergen D, Vissers R, Spakman W (2014) Origin and consequences of western Mediterranean subduction, rollback, and slab segmentation. Tectonics 33:393–419

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vannucci G, Gasperini P (2004) The new release of the database of earthquake mechanisms of the Mediterranean area (EMMA version 2). Ann Geophys 47:307–334

    Google Scholar 

  • Wortel MJR, Goes SDB, Spakman W (1990) Structure and seismicity of the Aegean subduction zone. Terra Nova 2:554–562

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zargouni F (1984) Style etchronologie des déformations des structures de l'Atlastunisienméridional. Évolutionrécente de l'accidentSud-atlasique. CR Acad Sci Paris 2:179–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Zoback ML (1992) First- and second-order patterns of stress in the lithosphere: The World Stress Map Project. J Geophys Res 97:11703–11728. https://doi.org/10.1029/92JB00132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zouari H, Turki MM, Delteil J (1990) Nouvellesdonnées sur l'évolutiontectonique de la chaîne de Gafsa. Bull Soc Geol Fr 6:621–628

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University for funding this Research group NO. (RGP-1437-014). The authors thank also Dr. Bernard Celerier from Géosciences Montpellier, France for his help in using the software Fault and Stress Analysis and Pr. Wail Gueaieb, Ottawa University, Canada, for English correction.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, Faculty of sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, 2092, Tunis, Tunisia

    Sinda Gaieb & Chokri Jallouli

  2. Department of Geology and Geophysics, College of Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box. 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Chokri Jallouli

Authors
  1. Sinda Gaieb
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chokri Jallouli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sinda Gaieb.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Georesources & Environmental Management

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gaieb, S., Jallouli, C. New overview of the neotectonic and seismotectonic studies in Tunisian domains. Arab J Geosci 10, 506 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-3276-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-017-3276-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation