Sedimentary environment and sequence stratigraphy of the Serravallian–Tortonian Saouaf Formation in the Cap Bon area (Northeastern Tunisia)
摘要
This study aims to reconstruct the sedimentary environments and establish the sequence stratigraphy of the Serravallian–Tortonian Saouaf Formation in the Cap Bon area in Northeastern Tunisia. A comprehensive geological section through the Saouaf Formation is studied in the “Port De Prince” locality, and a total of 97 samples are taken. In addition to the field observation, the different lithofacies were examined under magnifying lenses. The magnetic susceptibility signals (MS) are measured on the samples, and were used with the lithofacies analysis to interpret the sedimentary environments and establish the sequence stratigraphy. The magnetic susceptibility signals variation with the facies variation allowed locating the sequence boundaries. The Saouaf Formation displays an interbedded sandy and clayey deposits, organized into three facies associations that records depositional environments ranging from delta plain and delta front to prodelta. The sequence stratigraphy analysis allowed subdividing the Saouaf Formation into three depositional sequences separated by irregular erosion surfaces materializing the sequence boundaries. Each sequence shows a succession of parasequences, which are arranged into different systems tracts. The transgressive systems tracts (TST) mark the positive accommodation during sea-level rise, whereas the highstand systems tracts (HST) and the lowstand systems tracts (LST) indicate the negative accommodation during sea-level fall. The fluctuation of the sea-level recorded on the studied deltaic succession is confirmed by the vertical variation of the magnetic susceptibility signals (MS). In this perspective, the concepts of sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy are exploited for producing a reliable deltaic sequence stratigraphic model for the Saouaf Formation. It consists of a fluvial-dominated delta with developed distributary mouth bars.