Crustal structure beneath the Rif Cordillera, North Morocco, from the RIFSIS wide-angle reflection seismic experiment

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dc.citation.journalTitleGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystemsen_US
dc.contributor.authorGil, Albaen_US
dc.contributor.authorGallart, Josepen_US
dc.contributor.authorDiaz, Jordien_US
dc.contributor.authorCarbonell, Ramonen_US
dc.contributor.authorTorne, Montserraten_US
dc.contributor.authorLevander, Alanen_US
dc.contributor.authorHarnafi, Mimounen_US
dc.date.accessioned2015-01-08T14:55:02Zen_US
dc.date.available2015-01-08T14:55:02Zen_US
dc.date.issued2014en_US
dc.description.abstractThe different geodynamic models proposed since the late 1990s to account for the complex evolution of the Gibraltar Arc System lack definite constraints on the crustal structure of the Rif orogen. Here we present the first well-resolved P-wave velocity crustal models of the Rif Cordillera and its southern continuation toward the Atlas made using controlled-source seismic data. Two 300+ km-long wide-angle reflection profiles crossed the Rif along NS and EW trends. The profiles recorded simultaneously five land explosions of 1Tn each using ~850 high frequency seismometers. The crustal structure revealed from 2-D forward modeling delineates a complex, laterally varying crustal structure below the Rif domains. The most surprising feature, seen on both profiles, is a ∼50 km deep crustal root localized beneath the External Rif. To the east, the crust thins rapidly by 20 km across the Nekkor fault, indicating that the fault is a crustal scale feature. On the NS profile the crust thins more gradually to 40 km thickness beneath Middle Atlas and 42 km beneath the Betics. These new seismic results are in overall agreement with regional trends of Bouguer gravity and are consistent with recent receiver function estimates of crustal thickness. The complex crustal structure of the Rif orogen in the Gibraltar Arc is a consequence of the Miocene collision between the Iberian and African plates. Both the abrupt change in crustal thickness at the Nekkor fault and the unexpectedly deep Rif crustal root can be attributed to interaction of the subducting Alboran slab with the North African passive margin at late Oligocene-early Miocene times.en_US
dc.identifier.citationGil, Alba, Gallart, Josep, Diaz, Jordi, et al.. "Crustal structure beneath the Rif Cordillera, North Morocco, from the RIFSIS wide-angle reflection seismic experiment." <i>Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems,</i> (2014) American Geophysical Union: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2014GC005485.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2014GC005485en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/78903en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherAmerican Geophysical Unionen_US
dc.rightsArticle is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.en_US
dc.subject.keywordseismic profilingen_US
dc.subject.keywordWestern Mediterraneanen_US
dc.subject.keywordRif Cordilleraen_US
dc.subject.keywordcrustal structureen_US
dc.subject.keywordMoho depth variationsen_US
dc.titleCrustal structure beneath the Rif Cordillera, North Morocco, from the RIFSIS wide-angle reflection seismic experimenten_US
dc.typeJournal articleen_US
dc.type.dcmiTexten_US
dc.type.publicationpublisher versionen_US
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