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Braided stream and flood plain architectures: the Rio Vero formation, Spanish Pyrenees

Braided stream and flood plain architectures: the Rio Vero formation, Spanish Pyrenees
Braided stream and flood plain architectures: the Rio Vero formation, Spanish Pyrenees
Early- to middle-Miocene fluvial sandstones of the Rio Vero Formation were studied, in an area around the town of Barbastro, south central Pyrenees Spain. The outstanding quality of outcrops in this area allows a three-dimensional study of architectural elements.
Six architectural elements are recognised, described in detail, and interpreted from three key localities. Seven main lithofacies were identified and sub-divided into gravelly, sandy and fine-grained lithofacies. The architectural elements and lithofacies have been combined with a hierarchy of depositional bounding surfaces to fully interpret the evolution of the depositional system at the meso- and macro-scale. Not only the different architectural elements and lithofacies of the complete braided fluvial system, but also the lateral variation of the architectural elements were emphasised in this study. Differential tectonic movements, seasonal climate change, and their effect on vertical and lateral evolution of the area were the main control on basin sedimentation, channel interconnection, palaeocurrent patterns, and consequently the fluvial architecture.
The presence of lateral ramp anticlines caused the fluvial system to be laterally restricted, with the main channel-belts being located in the areas of highest subsidence and lowest topography. Intervening topographic highs acted as both flood plains and lateral barriers between the main channel systems. The proposed depositional model comprises broad, low-sinuosity, perennial, but seasonal moderate-energy streams. The sandstone architecture is dominated by channel-fill and sheet sands, and associated simple and more complex bars. Adjacent to the main channel-belts fine-grained sandstones, siltstones and immature paleosols occur.
The along-strike relationship between major fluvial systems and their outlets into a foreland basin has important implications for the infill of the basin and the modelling of fluvial systems along mountain belt fronts.
Architectural element analysis, Braided rivers, Miocene, Pyrenees, Spain
0037-0738
229-260
Jones, S.J.
3560c31c-fd86-4031-bbfe-417de21e0d86
Frostick, L.E.
b93ff3e8-56f9-429a-a66b-ca196e83268b
Astin, T.R.
5e5a163d-19b8-42ec-8b5a-2f87cef476c3
Jones, S.J.
3560c31c-fd86-4031-bbfe-417de21e0d86
Frostick, L.E.
b93ff3e8-56f9-429a-a66b-ca196e83268b
Astin, T.R.
5e5a163d-19b8-42ec-8b5a-2f87cef476c3

Jones, S.J., Frostick, L.E. and Astin, T.R. (2001) Braided stream and flood plain architectures: the Rio Vero formation, Spanish Pyrenees. Sedimentary Geology, 139 (3-4), 229-260. (doi:10.1016/S0037-0738(00)00165-2).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Early- to middle-Miocene fluvial sandstones of the Rio Vero Formation were studied, in an area around the town of Barbastro, south central Pyrenees Spain. The outstanding quality of outcrops in this area allows a three-dimensional study of architectural elements.
Six architectural elements are recognised, described in detail, and interpreted from three key localities. Seven main lithofacies were identified and sub-divided into gravelly, sandy and fine-grained lithofacies. The architectural elements and lithofacies have been combined with a hierarchy of depositional bounding surfaces to fully interpret the evolution of the depositional system at the meso- and macro-scale. Not only the different architectural elements and lithofacies of the complete braided fluvial system, but also the lateral variation of the architectural elements were emphasised in this study. Differential tectonic movements, seasonal climate change, and their effect on vertical and lateral evolution of the area were the main control on basin sedimentation, channel interconnection, palaeocurrent patterns, and consequently the fluvial architecture.
The presence of lateral ramp anticlines caused the fluvial system to be laterally restricted, with the main channel-belts being located in the areas of highest subsidence and lowest topography. Intervening topographic highs acted as both flood plains and lateral barriers between the main channel systems. The proposed depositional model comprises broad, low-sinuosity, perennial, but seasonal moderate-energy streams. The sandstone architecture is dominated by channel-fill and sheet sands, and associated simple and more complex bars. Adjacent to the main channel-belts fine-grained sandstones, siltstones and immature paleosols occur.
The along-strike relationship between major fluvial systems and their outlets into a foreland basin has important implications for the infill of the basin and the modelling of fluvial systems along mountain belt fronts.

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More information

Published date: 2001
Keywords: Architectural element analysis, Braided rivers, Miocene, Pyrenees, Spain

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 1251
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/1251
ISSN: 0037-0738
PURE UUID: 54fc948a-dd7d-4426-a4d5-cdb5e1195ac0

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Date deposited: 07 Apr 2004
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 04:42

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Contributors

Author: S.J. Jones
Author: L.E. Frostick
Author: T.R. Astin

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