Stratigraphy of the Neogene-Quaternary Pulpi Basin, provinces Murcia and Almeria (SE Spain)

Abstract

Within the mainly clastic sediments of the Neogene-Quaternary Pulpi Basin several transgressions are recognized: a Late Burdigalian, a Langhian, a Late Langhian-Serravalian, a Tortonian, an Early Messinian, and an Early Pliocene transgression. Each of these transgressions is preceded by either a phase of structural deformation, erosion, a hiatus and/or by deposition of red-bed sediments. No evaporitic Messinian sediments are exposed; at the southwestern border of the Pulpi Basin, however, an erosional and slightly angular unconformity is present between marine Late Messinian marls and fine-grained marine Early Pliocene deposits. Evidence is provided for considerable horizontal displacements along the sinistral 'Aguilon' wrench-fault which disrupts the Sierra Cabrera and the Sierras de Almagrera-Almenara, during Serravalian, Tortonian, and Messinian times. In and since the Pliocene only minor faulting occurred. During the Pliocene-Pleistocene regression a conglomeratic massflow dominated shallow-marine fan-delta prograded from the north to the south in the Pulpi Basin. In the adjacent Vera Basin this delta system it was subsequently divided in a westerly direction.