https://doi.org/10.1130/G47944.

Manuscript received 19 February 2020

Revised manuscript received 27 May 2020
Manuscript accepted 8 July 2020

© 2020 The Authors. Gold Open Access: This paper is published under the terms of the CC-BY license.

Late Miocene contourite channel system reveals intermittent

overflow behavior
Wouter de Weger1*, F. Javier Hernández-Molina1, Rachel Flecker2, Francisco J. Sierro3, Domenico Chiarella1,
Wout Krijgsman4 and M. Amine Manar5
1
Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
2
 ristol Research Initiative for the Dynamic Global Environment (BRIDGE), University of Bristol, University Road, Bristol BS8 1SS, UK
B
3
Department of Geology, University of Salamanca, 37008, Salamanca, Spain
4
Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.021, 35008 TA Utrecht, Netherlands
5
Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), 34, Avenue Al Fadila, BP 99 Rabat, Morocco

ABSTRACT Rifian Corridor, Morocco. These channels are

Paleoceanographic information from submarine overflows in the vicinity of oceanic gate- associated with the late Miocene paleo-MOW,
ways is of major importance for resolving the role of ocean circulation in modulating Earth’s which played an important role in water-mass
climate. Earth system models are currently the favored way to study the impact of gateways exchange with the Atlantic Ocean (Seidenkrantz
on global-scale processes, but studies on overflow-related deposits are more suitable to under- et al., 2000).
stand the detailed changes. Such deposits, however, had not yet been documented in outcrop.
Here, we present a unique late Miocene contourite channel system from the Rifian Corridor REGIONAL SETTING
(Morocco) related to the initiation of Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW). Two channel The South Rifian Corridor is part of the Rif-
branches were identified consisting of three vertically stacked channelized sandstone units Betic Cordillera, an arc-shaped orogenic belt
encased in muddy deposits. Both branches have different channel-fill characteristics. Our surrounding the Alborán Sea in the western-
findings provide strong evidence for intermittent behavior of overflow controlled by tectonic most part of the Mediterranean (Fig. 1). This
processes and regional climatic change. These fluctuations in paleo-MOW intermittently marine gateway evolved in the Tortonian as a
influenced global ocean circulation. southwestward-migrating foreland basin during
the latest stage of Africa-Iberia collision (Sani
INTRODUCTION these models are not suited to simulate hydraulic et al., 2007). The main basins that recorded sedi-
Plate-tectonic reconfiguration plays a major controls of narrow gateways, generating results mentation are the Saiss-Gharb on the Atlantic
role in modifying global ocean circulation and that differ from observations (Alhammoud et al., side and the Taza-Guercif on the Mediterranean
poleward temperature gradients by opening 2010; Ivanovic et al., 2013). To reconstruct the side of the paleo–Taza Sill (Fig. 1; Capella et al.,
and closing oceanic gateways (Knutz, 2008). detailed timing and nature of changing connec- 2017a). The studied sections are situated just
Changes in the transport of saline Mediterra- tivity, a geological record is required. Critical north of the Saiss Basin, where the seafloor mor-
nean Outflow Water (MOW) to northern lati- information for reconstructing gateway over- phology contained subaqueous highs formed by
tudes are no exception, as the present-day MOW flows is most likely preserved in the sediments the Prerif Ridges (“PR” in Fig. 1; Roldán et al.,
contributes to the Atlantic Meridional Overturn- that accumulated at its exit, i.e., contourites 2014) and the imbricate wedge (Prerifian Nappe
ing Circulation by as much as 15%, increasing (e.g., Toucanne et al., 2007). in Capella et al., 2017a). The frontal part of this
the North Atlantic surface temperature by 1 °C Contourite features have been recognized in wedge forms the northern slope of the corridor,
(Rogerson et al., 2012). The occurrence of a modern and ancient sedimentary records along which consists of intraslope subbasins related
late Miocene paleo-MOW therefore likely had continental margins and in deep-water settings. to the main thrust faults.
an impact on global ocean circulation and asso- Despite growing scientific interest, these deep-
ciated climate change. Recently, Capella et al. marine systems remain relatively poorly under- SEDIMENTARY RECORD
(2019) suggested that initiation of this paleo- stood (Rebesco et al., 2014; Stow and Smillie, We identified eight facies (F1–F8) associ-
MOW contributed to both the δ13C shift and 2020), since very few ancient contourite depos- ated with hemipelagic, gravitational, and con-
global cooling. its have been identified in outcrops and cores tourite deposits (Table S1 in the Supplemental
General circulation models are regularly (Hüneke and Stow, 2008; Mutti et al., 2014). ­Material1). The Sidi Chahed section corresponds
used to reconstruct the nature of changing con- Here, we describe an unprecedented archive to “Ben Allou” studied by Capella et al. (2017a),
nectivity between oceans and seas. However, for unravelling the initial stages of MOW and while the Kirmta section is newly recognized.
the controls on overflow behavior based on Both sections are composed of three verti-
*E-mail: [email protected] two ancient contourite channels in the former cally stacked sandstone units consisting of a
1
Supplemental Material. Table S1 (facies and facies association scheme with example pictures from the outcrops). Please visit https://doi​.org/10.1130/GEOL.S.12730928
to access the supplemental material, and contact [email protected] with any questions.

CITATION: de Weger, W., et al., 2020, Late Miocene contourite channel system reveals intermittent overflow behavior: Geology, v. 48, p. XXX–XXX, https://doi​
.org/10.1130/G47944.1

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 into the Saiss Basin, generating a dense paleo-
MOW that was deflected to the right (north-
7W 6W s 5W 4W 3W northeast) by the Coriolis force.
or
1W
d
37 N
rri The main sandstone units are interpreted
Co
tic as contourite channel fills, part of an extensive
Be Study area
contourite channel system. The interaction with
Cádiz Malaga
partially incised, interstratified slump deposits
Present day (Fig. 2C), and the co-occurrence of shallow- and
36 N MOW Gibraltar Strait Alboran Sea deep-marine bioclastic and foraminiferal assem-
blages that were subsequently reworked and
accumulated within the along-slope channels
by bottom currents all serve as evidence for an
up-slope sediment source. Additional evidence
35 N of erosion and sediment supply lies in the pres-
Kirmta
paleo- ence of middle Miocene white marls (Figs. 2
MOW rn RC and 3; Sani et al., 2007) and Triassic bipyrami-
the
N or RC dal quartz of the Keuper facies (Herrero et al.,
Fig. 4
rn
he 2020), which was incorporated in the imbricate
RABAT So u t
N
34 N wedge. These sediments were sourced by both
PR
Fes AFRICA
Taza-sill down- and along-slope processes, whereas ero-
Sidi Chahed 100 km sion was induced by bottom currents.
Foraminifer assemblages, similar for both
Basins Gharb Saiss Taza-Guercif Cities Frontal part Imbricate Wedge
sites, indicate that deposition of the Sidi Chahed
Figure 1. Paleogeographic reconstruction of the late Miocene western Mediterranean (modified and Kirmta sections occurred between 7.8 and
after Capella et al., 2017a). Gray—subaqueous Prerif Ridges (PR). Red (lower) and orange (upper) 7.51 Ma (Capella et al., 2017a). Despite coeval
arrows depict Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) branches. Globe shows MOW (orange) and activity, both sections show morphological dif-
main surficial (red) and deep-water circulation patterns (blue). Map data are ©2018 Google™
ferences in channel geometry and channel fill
with topographic overlay from U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps (http://earthpoint.us/
TopoMap.aspx). related to different hydrodynamic properties
(deeply incised, narrow channels filled by 3-D
and 2-D dunes and interstratified slump deposits
c­ ompositional mix (sensu Chiarella et al., 2017) directions that are almost perpendicular to the in Sidi Chahed versus shallow, wide channels
of bioclastic (dominantly shell, echinoid, and main trends of the dunes (Figs. 2 and 3) and are filled by 2-D dunes in Kirmta). Hydrodynamic
bryozoan fragments and foraminifera) and very subparallel to the southwest-directed paleoslope. differences are also observed from the differ-
fine– to coarse-grained siliciclastic sand. These Paleodepth estimates from benthic foramin- ences in sand/marl ratios. Based on bed-form
sandstone units are encased in muddy sediments ifera indicate a physiographic domain between types (F3, F4, and F5) and their characteristics
(F1 and F2), resulting in a sand/marl ratio of 150 and 400 m water depth, equivalent to an (Table S1; Stow et al., 2009), Sidi Chahed was
0.73 for Sidi Chahed and 0.42 for Kirmta. outer shelf to upper/middle continental slope influenced by higher-velocity bottom currents
In the Sidi Chahed section, the sandstone (Capella et al., 2017a). The tectonically con- (up to 1 m s−1) compared to Kirmta (<0.5 m s−1).
units form the infill of large (roughly 500 m fined corridor and proximal location to the By comparison with the present-day MOW
wide), up to 40-m-deep incisions (Fig. 2). Sub- gateway resulted in steep margins (Longhi- through the Gibraltar gateway, the proximal
ordinate incisions (20–300 m wide) are filled tano, 2013) prone to gravitational depositional sector of the Gulf of Cádiz contourite system
(Fig. 2) by compound (up to meter-scale) three- processes. (GoCCS; Fig. 1) also has two main channels
dimensional (3-D) dunes (F5), two-dimensional occupying the middle slope at different depths
dunes (F4), and slump deposits (F6). DECODING THE PALEO-MOW due to the circulation of the lower and upper
Sandstone units in the Kirmta section are the The investigation of the Kirmta outcrop branches of the MOW (Hernández-Molina et al.,
infill of wider (>1 km) and shallower (5–15 m) allowed us, for the first time, to analyze the 2014). The similarities in geographic and depo-
incisions compared to Sidi Chahed (Fig. 3). spatial distribution and time variations between sitional setting, channel distribution, and large
These units consist of stacked 2-D dunes (up both sections. This new information enhanced morphological elements between the GoCCS
to 60 cm in thickness, F4). The two lowermost the paleogeographic reconstruction, sedimento- and the Rifian Corridor indicate that hydrody-
units are preceded by bigradational (silt- to fine logical interpretation, and understanding of the namic and feedback processes associated with
sand–sized) planar bedsets (F3) with an average hydrodynamic setting. the MOW acted in a similar way. It is envisaged
bed thickness of 10 cm and a lateral continu- Sidi Chahed and Kirmta, located 10 km that bifurcation of the paleo-MOW, similar to
ity exceeding 3 km (Fig. 3B). In both sections, apart, are situated ∼120 km west of the paleo– the flow bifurcation recognized in the Gulf of
the main sandstone intervals are bounded at the Taza Sill (Fig. 1), where they occupy a position Cadiz (Hernández-Molina et al., 2014), took
base and top by turbidites and occasionally by against the main thrust fault zone. The paleo– place in the Saiss Basin, separating the paleo-
debris-flow deposits (F7 and F8, respectively; Taza Sill was a submerged high controlling MOW into two branches that occupied differ-
Figs. 2 and 3). Atlantic-Mediterranean water exchange in the ent depths along the slope of the corridor. The
Paleocurrents, mainly measured from cross- late Miocene (Capella et al., 2017a). The system lower branch (Sidi Chahed) occupied the deeper
bedding, indicate a dominant westward direc- is thought to have acted in a similar way as the southern subbasin, and the upper branch (Kir-
tion for the Sidi Chahed and a northwestward present-day MOW at the Camarinal Sill in the mta) occupied the shallower northern subbasin
direction for the Kirmta sections (Figs. 2 and 3). Strait of Gibraltar (Baringer and Price, 1999; (Fig. 4).
Gravity-driven deposits, such as turbidite (F7) Legg et al., 2009), where Mediterranean water Studies in the GoCCS (Baringer and Price,
and slump deposits (F6), show paleocurrent was able to flow over and cascade down the sill 1999; Legg et al., 2009) have also shown that

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by guest
 Figure 2. Sedimentary
log, panoramic pictures,
and interpretations for
the Sidi Chahed section
(Morocco; 34.101566°N,
5.301466°W). Three sand
units (from old to young;
yellow, green, and red)
represent channel-fill
sequences. Rosette dia-
gram shows paleocurrent
directions. (A) Basal fill
sequence of sandstone
unit 1. (B) Typical stack-
ing pattern of facies
F4. (C) Two bedsets of
facies F4 separated by
F6. Beds below F6 show
soft-sediment deforma-
tion, and overlying beds
are erosive. Note near-
perpendicular difference
in paleocurrent direc-
tions. (D) Thin section
with mixed composi-
tional sand of facies F4,
and transported, exsolved
dolomite (Dol) rhomb.

the MOW consists of the vertical distribution CONTROLS ON OVERFLOW mittency of the paleo-MOW was controlled by
of three Mediterranean water masses (Modified The occurrence of two channel branches con- different hydrodynamic processes acting at dif-
Atlantic Water, Levantine Intermediate Water, sisting of three vertically stacked sandstone units ferent physical and time scales.
and Mediterranean Deep Water; e.g., GRIDA, encased in muddy deposits, with different chan-
2013). The bifurcation of the MOW into two nel-fill characteristics for each branch, provides Tectonic Processes
branches, upper (MU) and lower (ML) MOW strong evidence for an intermittent behavior of Two important tectonic events are recorded
(Hernández-Molina et al., 2014), is the result of the paleo-MOW during the late Tortonian. This in the late Miocene (Capella et al., 2017b):
partial mixing of intermediate and deep Medi- intermittency is also evident from (1) subordi- (1) a regional compressional event around
terranean waters. Consequently, we can infer nate erosional features that indicate migration 8.4–7.8 Ma, culminating in the emplacement
a similar vertical distribution of water masses and/or reactivation of the bottom current cores, of the imbricate wedge just before the onset of
in the Mediterranean during the late Miocene, (2) alternating changes in dune morphology and contourite deposition, and (2) the transition from
which agrees with numerical models proposed sediment characteristics, and (3) tidal signatures thin- to thick-skinned contraction, which hap-
by de la Vara et al. (2015). (Capella et al., 2017a). This indicates that inter- pened around the Tortonian-­Messinian ­boundary.

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 Figure 3. Sedimentary
log (see Fig. 2 for legend),
panoramic pictures, and
interpretations for the
Kirmta section (Morocco;
34.170855°N, 5.239288°W).
Rosette diagram shows
paleocurrent directions.
(A–B) Facies F3. (C) Sand-
stone unit 2 with tabular
cross-stratified beds (F4).
(D–E) Facies F6, with
­turbidite deposits below
uppermost sandstone unit.

Interestingly, between these two major tectonic tions. Particularly, the reconfiguration of the sill an increase in the density of Mediterranean Deep
events, a period of relative tectonic quiescence would have significantly impacted the dynamics Water and intensification of the MOW (Llave
occurred from ca. 7.8 to 7.25 Ma, coinciding of Mediterranean-Atlantic water exchange and et al., 2006). This implies that the MOW favors
with the development of the recognized con- thus the behavior of the paleo-MOW. either the upper or lower channel based on its
tourite channel system. Nevertheless, the north- density characteristics because of tectonic- and
eastward, upslope migration of the three stacked Climatic Processes climatic-induced effects on the Mediterranean
contourite channels, observed from the channel A relationship between long- and short- water masses. The late Miocene was not severely
axis distribution in the outcrops (Figs. 2 and term climatic processes and the activity of the influenced by eccentricity (glacial-interglacial)
3), suggests that the imbricate wedge was tec- paleo-MOW is recognized at different scales, cycles but was dominated by precession (e.g.,
tonically active and migrated southwestward, but the lack of high-resolution age constraints Sierro et al., 1999). Precessional cyclicity
intermittently affecting the evolution of the hampers our ability to provide detailed evidence was therefore likely the driving force behind
depositional system. These tectonic processes of the dynamics between the upper and lower the intermittent behavior of the paleo-MOW.
likely increased downslope sediment supply paleochannels. Observations from the GoCCS Smaller-order changes in the hydrodynamic
by creating slope instability. Additionally, they show that a stronger MOW in the deeper channel characteristics of the overflow are likely related
might have been responsible for channel migra- is linked to glacial periods, which are associated to millennial and seasonal changes in climatic
tion resulting from slope and sill reconfigura- with higher aridity in the Mediterranean and thus conditions (e.g., Gladstone et al., 2007).

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 Figure 4. Paleogeo-
graphic model of the late
Miocene Rifian Corridor
(Morocco) with lower
(red) and upper (orange)
branches of paleo–Medi-
terranean Outflow Water
(MOW). Cross section A-A′
shows intraslope subba-
sins that act as fairways
in the frontal part of the
imbricate wedge and are
filled by three vertically
stacked, color-labeled
(1–3) sand units. Circles
depict location of core for
each paleo-MOW branch.

IMPACT ON THERMOHALINE shows that intermittency is possible on such Capella, W., Flecker, R., Hernández-Molina, F.J.,
Simon, D., Meijer, P.T., Rogerson, M., Sierro,
CIRCULATION time scales, and more evidence of such behavior
F.J., and Krijgsman, W., 2019, Mediterranean
The late Miocene overflow was modulated should be obtained from similar systems, such isolation preconditioning the Earth system
by a complex hierarchy and interplay of pro- as the Denmark Straits, Faroe Bank Channel, for late Miocene climate cooling: Scientific
cesses. Studies across the Strait of Gibraltar have Red Sea, and Gulf of Cadiz. Reports, v. 9, p. 3795, https://doi​.org/10.1038/
also demonstrated that overflow processes are s41598-019-40208-2.
Chiarella, D., Longhitano, S.G., and Tropeano, M.,
affected by a variety of control factors at dif- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 2017, Types of mixing and heterogeneities in
ferent scales (e.g., Schönfeld and Zahn, 2000; We thank Sonya Legg (Princeton University, Princ- siliciclastic-carbonate sediments: Marine and
Llave et al., 2006). This indicates that under- eton, New Jersey) for her review and contribution in Petroleum Geology, v. 88, p. 617–627, https://
improving the manuscript before submission, and G. doi​.org/10.1016/​j.marpetgeo.2017.09.010.
standing these late Miocene fossil contourite
Davoli and two anonymous reviewers for their posi- de la Vara, A., Topper, R.P., Meijer, P.T., and Kou-
deposits can significantly help us to better under- tive suggestions and comments. Furthermore, we are wenhoven, T.J., 2015, Water exchange through
stand changes in the behavior of overflows and very appreciative of the help and support given by the Betic and Rifian Corridors prior to the
their role in global ocean circulation. the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines Messinian salinity crisis: A model study: Pale-
In terms of consequences on Atlantic Ocean (ONHYM), Morocco. This project was funded by the oceanography, v. 30, p. 548–557, https://doi​
Joint Industry Project supported by TOTAL, BP, ENI, .org/10.1002/2014PA002719.
circulation, a deeper input of MOW will reduce ExxonMobil, Wintershal DEA, and TGS and was done Gladstone, R., Flecker, R., Valdes, P., Lunt, D., and
the upper-ocean salinity in the Atlantic Ocean, in the framework of “The Drifters Research Group” Markwick, P., 2007, The Mediterranean hydro-
while a shallower input will increase it. Saltier at Royal Holloway University of London (RHUL), logic budget from a late Miocene global climate
near-surface Atlantic water is usually associated and it is related to projects CTM 2012–39599-C03, simulation: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatol-
CGL2016–80445-R, and CTM2016–75129-C3–1-R. ogy, Palaeoecology, v. 251, p. 254–267, https://
with stronger deep convection and overturning
doi​.org/10.1016/​j.palaeo.2007.03.050.
(Rahmstorf, 2006; Kuhlbrodt et al., 2007). This
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