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Vertical transition from ramp to rimmed shelf: example of the Turonian carbonate platforms in Central Tunisia

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Abstract

The Gattar and Bireno carbonate platforms developed in Central Tunisia during early and middle Turonian, respectively. Most previous geological works consider these carbonate platforms as rimmed shelves, that developed up on a substratum arranged into a series of blocks bounded by major E–W faults. The present work aims through field observation and facies record microscopic analysis to show that the Gattar platform was not a rimmed platform as mentioned in previous works but it rather matches with a homoclinal ramp whereas the Bireno platform consists of a proper rimmed shelf. Based on the sequence stratigraphy principles, it will be shown that each of these two platforms is made of a carbonate succession that developed during the highstand of a third order eustatic cycle. The Gattar carbonate ramp is overlain by the Annaba member marls that accumulated during the following trangressive cycle. On the top of the marls accumulations, the Bireno platform rudist shoal occured during the following highstand separating between an outer shelf to the north and an inner shelf to the south. The vertical transition from the Gattar ramp to the Bireno rimmed shelf seems to have been most controlled by sea-level changes and local paleotopography rather than the play of active faults and resulting tilted blocks, as reported in the previous works.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Water, Energy and Environment Laboratory, National Enginering School, Road Soukra km 4, B.P 1170, 3064, Sfax, Tunisia

    C. Chaabane, H. Haj Ali, M. Zidi & J. Touir

  2. University Of Sfax, Faculty of Sciences of Sfax, Road Soukra km 3.5, B.P 1171, 3064, Sfax, Tunisia

    E. Jaillard

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  1. C. Chaabane
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  2. H. Haj Ali
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  3. M. Zidi
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13146_2021_744_MOESM1_ESM.tif

Pl. 1: Microscopic observation of carbonate deposit facies of Gattar platform in Central Tunisia: (A) Microbialites rich in ostracods, (B) microbialites with birds eyes, (C) and (D) limestone rich in benthic fauna, (E) bioclastic limestone with benthic and planktonic foraminifera (annelids), (F) limestone with planktonic foraminifera and calcisphers (TIF 82442 KB)

13146_2021_744_MOESM2_ESM.tif

Pl. 2: Microscopic observation of carbonate deposit facies of Bireno platform in Central Tunisia: (A) Microbialites, (B) desiccation breccias, (C) limestone with evaporitic noduls, (D) evaporitic noduls associated to geopetal sediments (TIF 51236 KB)

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Chaabane, C., Haj Ali, H., Zidi, M. et al. Vertical transition from ramp to rimmed shelf: example of the Turonian carbonate platforms in Central Tunisia. Carbonates Evaporites 37, 2 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-021-00744-3

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