Sandy contourite drift in the late Miocene Rifian Corridor (Morocco): Recon-
struction of depositional environments in a foreland-basin seaway

W. Capella, F.J. Hernández-Molina, R. Flecker, F.J. Hilgen, M. Hssain,

T.J. Kouwenhoven, M. van Oorschot, F.J. Sierro, D.A.V. Stow, J. Trabucho-
Alexandre, M.A. Tulbure, W. de Weger, M.Z. Yousfi, W. Krijgsman

PII: S0037-0738(17)30095-7
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.sedgeo.2017.04.004
Reference: SEDGEO 5186

To appear in: Sedimentary Geology

Received date: 7 February 2017

Revised date: 13 April 2017
Accepted date: 16 April 2017

Please cite this article as: Capella, W., Hernández-Molina, F.J., Flecker, R., Hilgen,
F.J., Hssain, M., Kouwenhoven, T.J., van Oorschot, M., Sierro, F.J., Stow, D.A.V.,
Trabucho-Alexandre, J., Tulbure, M.A., de Weger, W., Yousfi, M.Z., Krijgsman, W.,
Sandy contourite drift in the late Miocene Rifian Corridor (Morocco): Reconstruction
of depositional environments in a foreland-basin seaway, Sedimentary Geology (2017),
doi:10.1016/j.sedgeo.2017.04.004

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 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
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Sandy contourite drift in the late Miocene Rifian

Corridor (Morocco): reconstruction of

depositional environments in a foreland-basin

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seaway

W. Capella1, F. J. Hernández-Molina2, R.

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Flecker3, F. J. Hilgen1, M. Hssain4, T.J.

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Kouwenhoven1, M. van Oorschot1, F. J. Sierro5,

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D.A.V. Stow6, J. Trabucho-Alexandre1, M. A.

Tulbure1, W. de Weger1, M.Z. Yousfi4, W.

MA
Krijgsman1

1 Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584CD,

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Utrecht, the Netherlands

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2 Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of

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London, Egham, TW20 0EX, UK

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3 BRIDGE, School of Geographical Sciences and Cabot Institute,

University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1SS, UK

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4 ONHYM, 10050, Rabat, Morocco

5 Department of Geology, University of Salamanca, 37008,

Salamanca, Spain

6 IPE, Heriot-Watt Univ., Edinburgh EH14 4AS, Scotland, UK

Abstract

The Rifian Corridor was a seaway between the Atlantic

Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea during the late

Miocene. The seaway progressively closed, leading to the

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Messinian Salinity Crisis in the Mediterranean Sea.

Despite the key palaeogeographic importance of the

Rifian Corridor, patterns of sediment transport within

the seaway have not been thoroughly studied.

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In this study, we investigated the upper Miocene

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sedimentation and bottom current pathways in the

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South Rifian Corridor. The planktic and benthic

foraminifera of the upper Tortonian and lower Messinian

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successions allow us to constrain the age and palaeo-

environment of deposition. Encased in silty marls

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deposited at 150-300 m depth, there are (i) 5 to 50 m

thick, mainly clastic sandstone bodies with

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unidirectional cross-bedding; and (ii) 50 cm thick,

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mainly clastic, tabular sandstone beds with

bioturbation, mottled silt, lack of clear base or top, and

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bi-gradational sequences. Furthermore, seismic facies

representing elongated mounded drifts and associated

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moat are present at the western mouth of the seaway.

We interpret these facies as contourites: the products

of a westward sedimentary drift in the South Rifian

Corridor. The contourites are found only on the northern

margin of the seaway, thus suggesting a geostrophic

current flowing westward along slope and then

northward. This geostrophic current may have been

modulated by tides. By comparing these fossil examples

with the modern Gulf of Cadiz, we interpret these

current-dominated deposits as evidence of late Miocene

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Mediterranean overflow into the Atlantic Ocean, through

the Rifian Corridor. This overflow may have affected late

Miocene ocean circulation and climate, and the overflow

deposits may represent one of the first examples of

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mainly clastic contourites exposed on land.

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Key words: Marine gateway; marine sediments;

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sandstones; dune structures; contourites;

Mediterranean Overflow Water.

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1. Introduction
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The Rifian Corridor was one of several relatively deep

seaways that connected the Atlantic Ocean and the

Mediterranean Sea during the late Miocene (Fig. 1). Its

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tectonic evolution resulted in a complex but generally

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asymmetric geometry, with deeper waters in the south.

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The Rifian Corridor was progressively uplifted at the end

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of the Miocene and its closure contributed to the

isolation of the Mediterranean Sea (Flecker et al., 2015).

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Eventually, the Mediterranean Basin became

disconnected altogether, sequestered ~10% of the

world’s ocean salt, and underwent repeated evaporation

and desiccation during the Messinian Salinity Crisis

(Roveri et al., 2014, and references therein). Uplift of the

Betic-Rif arc (Fig. 1) resulted in the exposure of

sedimentary remnants of the Rifian Corridor across the

foreland of the Rif Mountains. These fossil remnants are

upper Tortonian and lower Messinian mainly clastic

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deposits and represent prime examples for the study of

sedimentation in deep seaways.

Previous studies of sedimentary deposits of ancient

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seaways have mostly focussed on shallow seaways.

Shallow (<100-150 m water depth) seaways display a

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range of bedforms created under the action of oceanic-,

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tidal-, and wind-currents, often resulting in a complex

interplay of processes (e.g., Surlyk and Noe-Nygaard,

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1992; Anastas et al., 1997; 2006; Olariu et al., 2012;

Longhitano, 2013; Longhitano et al., 2014). This

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interplay of processes is unique to this environment, as

the constricted morphology of the seaway acts to funnel

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and amplify the currents that shape the seafloor

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(Anastas et al., 2006; Longhitano, 2013).

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By contrast, there are relatively few examples of

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ancient deep seaways and their deposits in the

literature. Deep (> 150 m water depth) seaways are

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better known from oceanographic studies of modern

systems (e.g., Denmark Strait, Iceland-Scotland ridge,

Drake Passage, Gibraltar Strait; Swift, 1984; Mauritzen,

1996; Livermore et al., 2005; Scher and Martin, 2006;

Legg et al., 2009; Hernández-Molina et al., 2014b),

which show that deep seaways are commonly dominated

by bottom-currents related to permanent ocean

currents. In deep seaways, the bottom-current speed

can be influenced by tectonically-created sills that

separate landlocked basins from open oceans (Legg et

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al., 2009). The constriction allows flow acceleration

through the sill and dense gravity bottom currents,

known as overflows, form (Legg et al., 2009; Rogerson et

al., 2012; Rebesco et al., 2014).

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In the Rifian Corridor, it remains unclear which

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processes controlled bottom-currents and sediment

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transport. In the intramontane basins forming the

northern arm (Fig. 1), sandstone-marlstone alternations

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show an east to west pattern of progradation of the

coarser sediments (Wernli, 1988). Further east, cross-

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stratified sandstones overlie upper Tortonian marine

marls at Arbaa Taourirt (Fig. 1) and have been suggested

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to reflect the inflow of Atlantic water into the

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Mediterranean Sea (Achalhi et al., 2016). In the

southern arm of the seaway (Fig. 1), nearly all

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sedimentological information is either extracted from

stratigraphic works (Guercif Basin; Krijgsman et al.,

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1999; Gelati et al., 2000), or comes from internal reports

focused on the provenance of siliciclastic sediments

(Saiss and Gharb Basins; e.g., Cirac, 1987; Roksandic

and Soquip, 1990; SCP/ERICO report, 1991). In the

Gharb Basin, seismic data show turbiditic systems

interrupted by channelised sedimentary drifts, possibly

linked to bottom currents flowing west and out of the

seaway (SCP/ERICO report, 1991; Fig. 2). The

theoretical bottom-current patterns were brought into

focus by a modelling study (de la Vara et al., 2015),

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which showed that a two-layer, in- and out-flow

exchange is possible and depends solely on the relative

depth of the Betic and Rifian Corridors (Fig. 1). In the

Rifian Corridor, neodymium isotopes record (Ivanovic et

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al., 2014) suggests that Mediterranean water reached

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the western end (Rabat sections) until ca.6.64 Ma.

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It is the objective of this paper to improve our

understanding of sedimentary processes and bottom-

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currents pathways in the southern arm of the late

Miocene Rifian Corridor. We present three examples of

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the Rifian Corridor remnants, two of which comprise

parallel and cross-stratified sandstones that we interpret

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as deposited by bottom currents. The third example is

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dominated by turbidites and related facies. These mainly

clastic sandy contourites provide a very important

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ancient outcrop analogue for better understanding their

nature and potential for hydrocarbon exploration (see

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Rebesco et al., 2014, for a discussion). Results are

integrated with regional tectonic constraints to evaluate

their implications for late Miocene palaeogeography and

Mediterranean-Atlantic circulation.

2. Geological setting

The Rifian Corridor (Fig. 1) evolved as an underfilled

foreland basin (sensu Crampton and Allen, 1995;

Sinclair, 1997; Mutti et al., 2003) during the latest stage

of collision of the Betic-Rif arc. It was a body of water

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overlying the thrust-sheets at a time when they were

already mostly emplaced (Frizon de Lamotte, 1979;

Feinberg, 1986; Wernli, 1988, Capella et al., 2017).

Westward convergence of the Alboran plate coupled with

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the Africa-Iberia collision formed the Betic-Rif arc (Platt

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et al., 2003; Vergés and Fernandez, 2012; Fig. 1).

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Thrust-sheets composed of deep-marine sediments

(flysch and marls) were piled on top of the African

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margin to form the Rif external zones (Chalouan et al.,

2008). Once established, the seaway was limited

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northwards and southwards by the earlier exhumed Rif

orogenic wedge (Iribarren et al., 2009) and Atlas

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Mountains (Barbero et al., 2011), respectively (Fig. 1A).

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Rifian Corridor sedimentation started at ca.8 Ma and

was characterised by grey and blue fossiliferous marl

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with variable terrigenous intercalations (Wernli, 1988;

Krijgsman et al., 1999; Gelati et al., 2000; Hilgen et al.,

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2000, Dayja, 2002; 2005; Barhoun and Bachiri Taoufiq,

2008; Achali et al., 2016). Evidence for carbonate

factories is abundant on the Mediterranean side of the

seaway (e.g., Saint-Martin and Cornée, 1996; Münch et

al., 2006), but scarcer in the central areas of the

corridor, where published data are limited to the Gulf of

Skoura, on the south-eastern margin of the Saiss Basin

(Charrière and Saint-Martin, 1989; Saint-Martin and

Charrière, 1989; Fig. 1). The Gharb, Saiss, and Guercif

basins formed the southern arm of the Rifian Corridor

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(see Flecker et al., 2015, for a review), which roughly

follows the curved trend of the nappe-thrust front (Fig.

1B).

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Palaeo-depth estimations in the marly successions in

the Saiss and Guercif basins suggest that the seaway’s

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maximum depth was 400-600 m during the late

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Tortonian (upper bathyal) and gradually shallowed to

~100 m by the early Messinian, shortly before closure

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(Krijgsman et al., 1999; Dayja, 2002). Lower Messinian

shallow marine deposits are locally truncated by an

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erosional unconformity and overlain by Pliocene

continental deposits (Wernli, 1988; Krijgsman et al.,

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1999, Gelati et al., 2000; Nachite et al., 2003). By

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contrast, in the Gharb Basin to the west, the Pliocene is

still marine (Wernli, 1988; Van der Laan et al., 2006).

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CE

The study area of this paper is confined to the Saiss

Basin, the eastern Gharb Basin and the Prerif Ridges

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(Fig. 1B). The Prerif Ridges comprise Mesozoic

carbonates belonging to the African margin, which was

exhumed along high-angle faults and lateral ramps (Zizi,

1996, 2002). Most of the uplift of these structures

postdates the Rif orogen build-up and was controlled by

faults trending NE-SW to ENE-WSW, roughly

perpendicular to the axis of the seaway (Sani et al.,

2007; Capella et al., 2017). Their uplift along the Beth

River area and the Sidi Fili Fault (Fig. 2) across the

Tortonian-Messinian boundary may have restricted

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connectivity between the Saiss and the Gharb basins

and brought about shallow-marine and lacustrine

sedimentation in the Saiss Basin (Cirac, 1987;

SCP/ERICO report, 1991). Similarly, uplift of the Taza

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Sill (Fig. 1B) may have controlled the Guercif Basin

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connectivity to the west and its final isolation from the

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Atlantic Ocean (Cirac, 1987; Gomez et al., 2000).

. 3. METHODS

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3.1. Fieldwork
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Most of the information and the data presented in this

paper are from field observations made at the East Fes,

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Ben Allou, and Haricha sections (Fig. 2). These mainly

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clastic successions unconformably overlie the Rif

external zones, and in one case (East Fes) also their

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foreland. There is no consensus in the literature on the

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formal stratigraphic subdivision into formations and

units of the upper Miocene, post-orogenic cover. The

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upper Miocene ‘Neogene post-nappe’ succession (sensu

Feinberg, 1986; Wernli, 1988) is sometimes referred to

as blue marls (e.g., Benson et al., 1991; Krijgsman et al.,

1999) or Blue Marl Formation (Sani et al., 2007, Ivanovic

et al., 2014). The basal transgressive surface on the

African margin (Fig. 3) is thought to be synchronous in

the Rifian Corridor and occurring at ca. 8–7.80 Ma

(Krijgsman et al., 1999; Hilgen et al., 2000; Dayja et al.,

2005).
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We constructed 8 detailed sedimentary logs,

measured 220 palaeocurrent indicators in cross-

stratified sandstones, identified facies and trace-fossil

assemblages, collected 37 (25 Ben Allou; 2 El Adergha;

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10 Haricha) samples in sandstone for thin-sections and

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porosity test. We collected 183 samples in marlstone,

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every 3-5 m where possible, to determine the

biostratigraphic assemblages throughout the sections.

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In addition to the field data, we consulted the seismic

database of ONHYM (Office National des Hydrocarbures

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et des Mines) and we present a 2D multichannel

reflection seismic line crossing the Haricha section and

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part of the Gharb Basin (Fig. 2). This seismic profile has
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been acquired in 1985 for mid-depth petroleum

exploration targets; structures at depth, age, and

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lithology of the seismic units are based on a regional

seismic network calibrated by wells (Roksandic and

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Soquip, 1990; SCP/ERICO report, 1991; ONHYM

unpublished data). We focussed on the uppermost, post-

orogenic cover. Seismic stratigraphic analysis followed

basic and classic criteria from Payton et al. (1977),

Hardage (1987), Emery and Myers (1996).

Discontinuities and seismic units were identified thus

characterising the major sedimentary stacking pattern

changes. Sedimentary drifts in seismic facies are

identified and interpreted following the criteria from

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Faugères et al. (1999), Nielsen et al. (2008), and Rebesco

et al. (2014).

3.2 Sedimentology

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The measurement of palaeocurrent directions (n= 220)

was carried out systematically in cross-bedded sets in

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the 3 sites. Cross-sets were classified following the

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criteria from Anastas et al. (1997) on the basis of

internal organization (simple or compound – based on

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the presence of intra-set discontinuities), thickness of

the sets (thin is < 40 cm; 40 < medium < 75 cm; 75 <
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thick < 500 cm; very thick is > 500 cm), foreset shapes

(straight and sinuous), and the nature of the lower

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bounding surface (planar or trough-shaped). Because

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the data were acquired in deformed strata we corrected

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cross-bedding for tectonic tilt using the software

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stereonet. The data were then plotted using a non-linear

frequency scale with r1% = 1 cm (Nemec, 1988).

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To characterise the sands, we determined the

microfacies and dominant mineral components in 37

thin-sections, which were obtained in key stratigraphic

positions. Thin sections were realised at the Department

of Earth Science, RHUL (UK), and analysed through a

Petrographic Microscope Nikon. Grainsize from the

Haricha section was detected by laser diffraction at

Utrecht University; at Ben Allou and El Adergha,

grainsize was determined from the thin-sections. To

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determine the porosity, saturation and caliper/buoyancy

techniques (Anovitz and Cole, 2015; Lin et al., 2015)

were carried out by the Geolabs Company.

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3.3. Biostratigraphy

Sampling for biostratigraphy was carried out in the

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finer-grained muds/marls, interbedded with the

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sandstones. Using the well-established chronological

framework of high-resolution biostratigraphy for the late

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Miocene (e.g., Sierro et al., 1993; Krijgsman et al., 1995;

Sprovieri et al., 1996; Hilgen et al., 2000; Krijgsman et

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al., 2004), we improved the age-estimates of the basin

sediments that were previously dated as undifferentiated

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upper Tortonian-Messinian (Suter, 1980; Wernli, 1988).

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A semi-quantitative analysis of the planktic foraminiferal

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marker species was carried out on the > 150 µm size

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fraction of the washed residue. Maximum-minimum

ages of deposition are determined as result of the

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presence, relative abundance or absence of key planktic

foraminifera species, namely, for the studied interval,

Neogloboquadrina acostaensis; the keeled globorotaliids

as Menardella (Globorotalia) menardii form 4 (here called

G. menardii 4), form 5 (here called G. menardii 5), and

Globorotalia miotumida. In addition, also the sinistral or

dextral coiling direction of N. acostaensis and

Globorotalia scitula were used to determine age intervals,

as well as the presence of the inflated form of G. scitula

called Globorotalia suterae (e.g., Sierro et al., 1985,1993;

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Sprovieri et al., 1999; Hilgen et al., 2000; Krijgsman et

al., 2004; Lourens et al., 2004). This biochronology is

based on an assemblage-based concept of the marker

species (e.g., Sierro et al., 1993; Hilgen et al., 1995;

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Sprovieri et al., 1996) whose first, last regular

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occurrence or coiling changes are tuned to the

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astronomical time-scale (e.g., Lourens et al., 2004;

Hilgen et al., 2012).

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3.4. Inferences at palaeodepth

The water-depth of deposition has been inferred based

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on the benthic foraminifera assemblages contained in

the hemipelagic marls of the studied sections. The

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specific assemblages were associated to ranges of depth,

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depending on the relative abundance of species present,

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with known depth-distribution in the literature (e.g.,

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Pérez-Asensio et al., 2012). All the washed residues

contain transported material, which is evident from the

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poorly sorted grainsize and differential preservation of

foraminifera. Therefore, quantitative palaeodepth

estimates based on plankton-benthos ratios or transfer

functions (e.g., Van der Zwaan et al., 1990; Hohenegger,

2005, as applied in Pérez-Asensio et al., 2012) cannot be

applied here. Additional complicating factors are: (a) the

configuration of the seaway differs from that of a passive

margin shelf-slope profile and is controlled by the

orogenic wedge; (b) benthic foraminifera respond to

environmental factors such as food flux, oxygen and

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substrate type rather than to water depth (e.g., Lutze

and Coulbourn, 1984; Linke and Lutze, 1993; Jorissen

et al., 1995); and (c) depth distributions are not fixed,

and changes in faunal composition with depth are

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gradual rather than abrupt (e.g., Lutze, 1980; Saidova,

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2008). These factors cause imprecision in depth

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estimates of tens of metres at least.

However, inferences on the depth of the environment

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of deposition can be based on benthic foraminiferal

assemblages and marker species with known present-

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day depth distribution. There is some analogy with the

present–day Gulf of Cadiz, where foraminiferal depth

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distributions deviate from ‘equilibrium’ passive margins

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(Schönfeld, 1997, 2002; Rogerson et al., 2011) and shelf

assemblages have extended their depth range. Most

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Rifian Corridor samples contain both shallow-water

species, predominantly occurring in littoral and shelf

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environments (e.g., Ammonia, Elphidium and Rosalina

spp.; Gavelinopsis praegeri, Hanzawaia boueana, Nonion

fabum: Schönfeld 2002; Murray, 2006; Rogerson et al.,

2011; Dorst and Schönfeld, 2013), and deeper-water

species, commonly found on the outer shelf and upper

slope (e.g., Cibicides ungerianus, Cibicides kullenbergi,

Cibicidoides pachyderma, Planulina ariminensis,

Sphaeroidina bulloides, Uvigerina peregrina; e.g.,

Fontanier et al., 2002; Schönfeld, 2002, 2006). In these

cases, the shallow-water species are considered to have

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been transported downslope, and the deeper-water ones

are used for palaeodepth estimates.

4. RESULTS

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4.1 East Fes

The East Fes composite section is located in the eastern

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Saiss Basin, 10 km east of Fes, and it consists of three

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sections: Sidi Harazem, El Adergha, and Ain Kansera

(Fig. 3). The section comprises upper Tortonian

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marlstone with localised occurrence of sand beds (Fig.
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4). The Messinian is absent at East Fes, although El

Adergha reaches the Tortonian/Messinian boundary (see

section 4.2).
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4.1.1. Sidi Harazem

Sidi Harazem consists mainly of sandstones and

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marlstones. This section stratigraphically overlies a ~80

CE

m thick condensed transgressive unit which

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unconformably overlies the Mesozoic basement (Sidi

Harazem core; Wernli, 1988).

Near the village of Sidi Harazem (Fig. 5A), the

sequence continues in outcrop for ~60 m with

intercalations of marlstone and sandstone (Figs. 3, 4A).

The sandstone beds (Fig. 5B) are up to 4 m thick; they

are commonly structureless with normal grading and

composed of poorly to moderately sorted, medium to

coarse sands. The sand grains consist of quartz,

carbonate-coated grains, and bioclastic shell debris. The

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bottom of the beds shows burrows, load-casts and linear

sole-marks (Fig. 6A), from which palaeocurrents

measurements were obtained (Fig. 4B). Locally, channel-

like features are observed, 5-10 m in width and 1-2 m

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deep (Fig. 5B).

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4.1.2. El Adergha

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El Adergha consists of a lower, mud-rich part, and an

upper, sand-rich part. Moving north and up-sequence

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from Sidi Harazem village (Fig. 5A), the sandstone beds

pass into a succession of massive, fossil-rich blue

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marlstones (Fig. 5C). These blue marlstones are poorly

exposed. Their thickness, calculated with triangulation,

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is estimated to be 700 m (Fig. 4).

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The 4-7 m thick, cross-stratified sandstone bedsets of

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the upper part are separated by a marlstone interval

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that contains thinner (ca. 20-50 cm) sandstone beds

(Figs. 5, 6) with abundant bioturbation. The sands are,

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in general, medium to coarse, and poorly sorted with a

variable fraction of clay, silt and bioclasts. These sands

differ from those of Sidi Harazem in having a higher

bioclastic content, more carbonate cement, and common

cross-stratification (Fig. 6C, D). The two larger

sandstone bedsets consist of laterally continuous beds

(Fig. 5C) forming broad west-verging clinoforms at the

top (Fig. 5D). The clinoformal strata are internally cross-

stratified or parallel laminated; the sets of cross-strata

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vary in thickness between 2 and 50 cm (Fig. 6C-E). The

thicker cross-strata contain mud-drapes (Fig. 6D), and

mud rip-up clasts occur along the boundaries between

planar-laminated beds. Palaeocurrent reconstruction

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from the dip direction of internal cross-strata and

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accretion surfaces indicates a broadly unidirectional

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sense of flow to the west (Fig. 4B).

The thinner sandstone beds are tabular and show

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broad bi-gradational sequences (Fig. 6E). In the sandy

intervals (Fig. 6E), cross-lamination and horizontal

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lamination are locally present. Porosity values of the

sandy interval are ~12%.The sandstone beds lack a

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sharp base or top.

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4.1.3. Ain Kansera

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Ain Kansera outcrops further north and is

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stratigraphically lower than El Adergha. The marly

deposits of Ain Kansera (Figs. 3, 4A) rest unconformably

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on the orogenic wedge. The siliciclastic content of the

marlstones increases upwards; the marlstones then

grade into several sandstone beds 1 to 10 m thick

composed of medium to coarse and very coarse sands

(Fig. 5F). These sandstone beds contain hummocks and

swales; they are bioturbated and rich in bioclasts, such

as bivalve and barnacle fragments (Fig. 6F-G). As

bioclasts increase in size and concentration towards the

top of the bed, grading is locally inverse. These 1 to 10 m

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thick sandstone beds alternate with marlstones that

become gradually thinner and disappear towards the

top, where the last two sandstone beds contain large

(~2 m thick) clinoforms. The average dip-direction of n=

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8 clinoforms is towards the east-southeast. Other

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palaeocurrent indicators resulting in a wide range of

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directions (Fig. 4B) were, measured in trough- and

swaley-cross stratification.

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4.1.4. Age and palaeo-water depth
MA
In Sidi Harazem, assemblages are dominated by both

sinistrally coiled N. acostaensis and G. suterae, while G.

menardii 4 appears in low numbers. These assemblages

D

suggest an upper Tortonian age, older than the Last

TE

Common Occurrence (LCO) of G. menardii 4 at 7.51 Ma.

P

The occurrence of G. suterae throughout the section

CE

further constrains the age between 7.80 and 7.51 Ma.

This age is consistent with the occurrence of dominantly

AC

sinistral neogloboquadrinids (Hilgen et al., 1995;

Krijgsman et al., 1995).

Samples collected between Sidi Harazem and El

Adergha correspond to the interval between LCO G.

menardii 4 (7.51 Ma) and First Common Occurrence

(FCO) of G. menardii 5 (7.35 Ma). This also fits with the

presence of G. scitula group, including G. suterae;

dominantly sinistral neogloboquadrinids; and lower

abundance of G. menardii 4. In El Adergha, samples

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
19

below and between the two 4–7 m thick sandstone

bedsets are characterised by the presence of G. menardii

5, implying an age between 7.35–7.25 Ma. The

coexistence of G. menardii 5 with specimens of the G.

PT
miotumida group, whose FCO is at 7.25 Ma (Hilgen et al.,

RI
2000; 2012), occurs in one of the uppermost samples,

SC
indicating that the uppermost part of this section is

earliest Messinian in age.

NU
The Ain Kansera marlstones contain predominantly

sinistral N. acostaensis, but dextral specimens are

MA
present. G. menardii 4 is more abundant in the lower

part of the section, whereas the percentage of the G.

D

scitula group, including abundant G. suterae, is higher

TE

in the upper part. Consequently, we assigned an age

P

older than 7.51 Ma to the lower part of this section

CE

(older than LCO of G. menardii 4 at 7.51 Ma), whereas

the upper part contains an assemblage characteristic of

AC

the interval between the LCO of G. menardii 4 and the

FCO G. menardii 5 (7.35 Ma).

Benthic foraminiferal assemblages of Sidi Harazem

contain many species commonly found in upper bathyal

environments (e.g., C. kullenbergi, P. ariminensis,

Siphonina reticulata, S. bulloides, Sigmoilopsis

schlumbergeri, U. peregrina). Based on these

assemblages the depositional environment is estimated

to be upper slope (water depths of 250-400 m). The

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
20

lower part of El Adergha yields a similar depth of

deposition, but the upper part contains fewer slope taxa

and relatively more species common in outer shelf

environments (C. ungerianus, C. pachyderma,

PT
spiroplectamminids) suggesting a position at the upper

RI
slope–outer shelf, at estimated depths between 150-300

SC
m. The Ain Kansera marls contain shelf species (N.

fabum, Cibicides lobatulus, Cibicidoides

NU
pseudoungerianus, H. boueana, small lenticulinids),

fewer planktic foraminifera and no species from slope

MA
environments. The depositional environment is inner

shelf (50-100 m water depth).

D

4.2 Ben Allou

TE

The ~200 m thick Ben Allou section is located at the

P

northern margin of the Saiss Basin, 30 km WNW of Fes,

CE

where it unconformably lies above the frontal thrust of

the Rif orogenic wedge (Fig. 2). In plan view (Fig. 8A),
AC

there are two sandstone intervals that can be clearly

followed over an area of ~ 2 km2: sandstone interval 1

(subdivided SI-1a and SI-1b) and sandstone interval 2

(SI-2). The two sandstone intervals are folded into a

gentle synform and form laterally extensive exposures.

One of the clearest exposures (Fig. 8C) reveals a broad,

erosive channel-form displaying an ENE-WSW axis in SI-

1, a width of around 50 m and incision depth of 15 m.

From SI-1 to SI-2 the channel depocentre appears to

shift ~500 m northward, as indicated by the location of

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
21

the greatest thicknesses for SI-1 and SI-U2 (blue arrows

in Fig. 8A). The base of the channel on the southwest

face of SI-1a shows that the erosional surface is

immediately overlain by cross-bedded sets, without

PT
gravel lags or mud layers (Fig. 8D and supplementary

RI
Fig. 2A).

SC
To encompass the two sandstone intervals and detect

lateral variations, we logged a north-eastern (Ben Allou

NU
A) and a south-western sector (Ben Allou B; Fig. 8A).

Sedimentation in both sectors starts with blue-grey

MA
marlstone which increases upwards in siliciclastic

content (the log of Ben Allou A only shows the upper

D

part of the basal marlstone). At Ben Allou B the basal

TE

marlstones are ~50 m thick and are overlain by two

cross-stratified, sheeted sandstone intervals encased in

P
CE

marlstones and heterolithic facies (Fig. 7). Panoramic

views of the cross-stratified sandstone intervals (Fig. 8B,

AC

E) suggest that the thickness of the muds between the

two sandstone intervals varies throughout the section.

Effectively, 10 m of mud-marl deposits separates SI-1b

and SI-2 at Ben Allou A, and is 60 m thick at Ben Allou

B (Fig. 7). In both logging transects, SI-1 and SI-2 are

encased in silty muds or heterolithic facies (Fig. 7). SI-1

and SI-2 display horizontal surfaces defined by bedding

planes and sequence boundaries (Fig. 8C). Some of the

sand beds have a sheeted shape and constant thickness;

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
22

others change laterally resulting in different stacking

patterns.

Cross-stratification planes are defined by variations in

PT
grain size, bio- and siliciclastic content, or glauconite vs

quartz. Grain size ranges from fine/medium to very

RI
coarse sands, with poor to moderate sorting and

SC
estimated porosity varying between 6.4% and 13%. The

mineralogy of the sands comprises quartz, calcareous

NU
bioclasts, and heavy minerals. The amount of glauconite

in the sandstones varies between 1%–10%, and that of

MA
bioclasts between 1% and 70 %, so that some of the

sandstones are actually calcarenites. Rare bioclasts can

D

be up to 1–2 cm diametres; beds with relatively high and

TE

low concentrations of bioclasts are interbedded.

P

4.2.1. Sedimentary structures

CE

It is possible to observe different orders of cross-

stratification at Ben Allou, from cross-lamination to

AC

thick cross-bedding, and superposition of simple and

compound cross-bedding forming cross-stratified

successions. The grain size ranges from very fine to very

coarse sands; cross-stratification is present throughout.

Cross-laminations are in general faint, rarely preserved,

or obliterated by bioturbation. Bioturbation is abundant

and present at all levels of the cross-strata (Fig. 9F).

Cross-bedding is very common, indicating an overall

paleocurrent direction to the southwest (Fig. 7B). Small

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
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sets of cross-bedding can either form individual sheeted

horizontal beds (Fig. 9B), or be the building blocks of

compound sets (Fig. 9A). Compound sets display

concave down or straight internal discontinuities, set-

PT
thicknesses from 40 to 250 cm, straight to sinuous

RI
foresets, planar to sub-planar bounding surfaces (Fig.

SC
9B, C). Set bounding surfaces are trough-shaped only at

Ben Allou B in SI-1a (Fig. 10A).

NU
SI-1a at Ben Allou B consists of two superposed

cross-stratified successions, separated by the erosional

MA
surface shown in Figs. 8C and 10C. The lower bounding

surface has a large channelized shape at outcrop scale

D

(50 m wide and 15 m deep). The first cross-stratified

TE

succession is ~18 m thick, and starts with two thick

compound cross-bedded sets (Fig. 10C) which pass

P
CE

upwards into alternations of thin and medium, simple

and compound sets (Fig. 10A). At the top, the succession

AC

ends with medium to thick, trough-shaped sets (Fig.

10B). The succession immediately above is 20 m thick

and comprises alternations of simple to compound, thin

to thick sets with planar bounding surfaces and straight

foresets (Figs. 7, 9E).

Within the successions of SI-1b and SI-2, there are

kink-folds or conical features, 1–2 m wide and extending

through 1–3 m of section. These we interpret as late-

stage fluid escape structures (Fig. 9 E), but note that

they may also have some structural control. In most

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24

cases the fluid escape structures are capped by

undeformed set bounding surfaces (Fig. 9 E). Bedding-

plane dip directions (documented by the bounding

surfaces of planar, laterally extensive cross-sets) change

PT
from 15° towards N70 to 15º–20° towards N200 between

RI
SI-1a and SI-1b, respectively (Fig. 7).

SC
SI-1b consists of a cross-stratified succession encased

in silty marlstones (Fig. 7) and merges with SI-1a to the

NU
northeast, at Ben Allou A (Fig. 8B). We interpret this as

indicating the erosive down-cutting of SI-1b. At Ben

MA
Allou B, SI-1b outcrops only at one location in a river

gully (supplementary Fig. 2C). The succession of SI-1b

D

comprises 10 to 15 m of medium to thick compound sets

TE

with planar bounding surfaces and straight to sinuous

foresets.
P
CE

SI-2 consists of a cross-stratified succession, 15 to 30

m thick, which consists of simple to compound, thin to

AC

medium sets of cross-bedding. At Ben Allou B, it is

composed of thick sets of cross-bedding reaching 0.5 m

in thickness (Fig. 10D). Nested within these high order

structures, it is possible to observe simple to compound,

small to medium sets (supplementary Fig. 2B). The

lateral equivalent of the high-order structures is planar

cross-bedding that occurs towards the northwest (Fig.

8E), in thin to thick sets with mostly straight foresets

(supplementary Fig. 2E).

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
25

Within the sandstone intervals, mud or mud-drapes

are absent. Mud-deposition occurs above and below the

sandstone intervals, in 10 to 20 m thick intervals of

heterolithic facies, that consist of structureless to faintly

PT
cross-stratified sandstone alternated with mudstone

RI
(Fig. 11A). Mud layers are mm to cm thick, while sand

SC
layers are cm to dm thick. The bioclastic content of the

sand varies from 1% to 50%. The heterolithic facies

NU
display wavy bounding surfaces (Fig. 11B); some

sandstone beds preserve cross-strata and asymmetrical

MA
dunes (Fig. 11C) with mud draping the topography. Thin

sets of cross-beds are present but rare, while wavy

D

lamination, composed of cm thick layers of sand and

TE

mud, is common (Fig. 11D).

4.2.2. Age and palaeo-water depth estimation

P
CE

The planktic foraminiferal assemblage suggests an

age between 7.80 and 7.51 Ma (late Tortonian). The

AC

lower part of the section (below SI-1) is dominated by

sinistrally coiled N. acostaensis and G. scitula, including

specimens of G. suterae, which suggests a late Tortonian

age, younger than 7.80 Ma. The presence of

Globigerinoides, with typical specimens of G. extremus,

also confirms a post 8.37 Ma, late Tortonian age

(Sprovieri et al. 1996; F. Lirer, pers. comm.) The

uppermost marlstones, above SI-2, yielded abundant G.

menardii 4, indicating that the whole succession was

deposited before 7.51 Ma.

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
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The benthic foraminiferal assemblages suggest that

the Ben Allou section was deposited in upper bathyal

environments, roughly equivalent to the upper slope

physiographic domain (250-400 m water depth). The

PT
species P. ariminensis, S. bulloides, Uvigerina semiornata

RI
and U. peregrina are present throughout, and C.

SC
kullenbergi occurs in about half of the samples. The

upper part of the section contains less slope taxa,

NU
indicating a slightly shallower depth range (upper slope–

outer shelf physiographic domain, 150–300 m water

MA
depth).

4.3 Haricha
D

The Haricha section is located in the easternmost Gharb

TE

Basin, 40 km north of Meknes. This section is the one of

P

the best exposures of Messinian deep-water, sand-marl

CE

alternations in the Gharb Basin (SCP/ERICO report,

1991). It unconformably overlies the orogenic wedge and

AC

consists of alternations of marlstone, siltstone, and

sandstone (Fig. 12). The distinct tilt of the section (35° to

45° to the west; Figs. 13 B, C) is associated with tectonic

uplift of Mount Bou Draa (Fig. 2), which is the lateral

ramp of the frontal thrust of the Prerif Ridges.

The lowermost ~100 m of the section consist of

alternating sandstones and bioturbated siltstones or

silty marlstones (Fig. 14A). Sandstone beds are purple-

coloured, bioturbated (Fig. 14A) or massive to laminated

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
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with bioturbated tops (Rhyzocorallium-type; Fig.14B).

The siltstones are predominantly light to dark grey and

contain variable quantities of mud and heavy minerals.

The sandstones contain shell debris (e.g., bivalves and

PT
bryozoans), lack clear grading, and often appear

RI
structureless, although ~5 cm thick divisions of parallel-

SC
and cross-lamination are present locally (Fig. 14A). One

hundred and fifty metres of marlstones separate the two

NU
sandstone intervals (Fig. 12). The marlstones contain a

variety of fossils, mainly bivalves and echinoderms.

MA
The uppermost 200 to 250 m thick part of the section

(Fig. 12) comprises grey, silty marlstones interbedded

D

with reddish sandstones. The sandstones show a slight

TE

fining-upward trend, with a sharp basal contact and a

gradational to sharp upper contact. The thickness of the

P
CE

sandstone beds increases towards the top, as well as the

occurrence of structureless and amalgamated beds.

AC

Almost all sheeted sandstone beds have relatively flat

bases which are uneven and moderately erosional in

places (Fig. 14C) and show linear sole-marks and load-

casts (Fig. 14D), indicating a broad westward direction of

flow (Fig. 12). Some beds show scoured bases or

comprise sandy channel fills (Fig. 14C); bioturbation is

common throughout (Fig. 14D, E). The sandstones

consist of poorly to well-sorted, fine to medium sand.

The sands consist mainly of subrounded to subangular

quartz (~30%), lithic fragments (~20%), feldspar (~5%),

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
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heavy minerals (~2%), micas (~1%), and a variable

percentage of bioclasts. Estimated porosity in the sands

varies from 10% to 35%.

PT
At the top of the section (~380 m), sandstone-siltstone

alternations pass upwards into a sand-rich facies (Figs.

RI
12, 13D), which consists of moderately to well-sorted,

SC
very fine to fine/medium sands with silty layers. Bed

thicknesses vary from 1 to 2 m (Fig. 12) and beds are

NU
locally composite or amalgamated. The dip-angle varies

considerably with the lower and upper 15 m dipping at

MA
~40º–45° towards the west, while the middle ~20 m have

dips around 15° and are characterised by a higher

D

content of silt and mud. In this sandy facies, the sand

TE

percentage is 70%–85%; the mud fraction varies between

12% and 28%.

P
CE

4.3.1. Sedimentary structures

The base of the sand-rich facies (Fig. 12) shows a

AC

large incision that cuts into the underlying turbiditic

succession (Fig. 15A). Locally it is possible to observe

scours (Fig. 15B, C), covered by apparent cross-sets,

which could also partly result from soft-sediment

deformation (Fig. 15B). Rip-up mud clasts are abundant

in the following forms: (i) mud-clast conglomerate (Fig.

15B, D); (ii) mud-clasts on toesets (Fig. 15D); and (iii)

isolated floating clasts. Thinner beds (20–30 cm) show

sharp lower and upper contacts, thin bioturbations (5

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29

mm in diameter), upper divisions of bidirectional ripple

cross-lamination, and lower divisions of mud-clasts (Fig.

15F). Silty marlstones are bioturbated and weathered

throughout.

PT
4.3.2. Age and palaeo-water depth estimation

RI
The planktic foraminiferal assemblages are

SC
characterised by the high abundance of G. miotumida,

whose FCO is at 7.25 Ma (Sierro, 1993; Hilgen et al.,

NU
2012). This marker species suggests an early Messinian

age, while the presence of predominantly sinistral coiling

MA
neogloboquadrinids indicates that the section predates

PF-Event 4 at 6.35 Ma (sinistral to dextral coiling change

D

of N. acostaensis; e.g., Sierro, 1993; Krijgsman, 2004).

TE

The benthic foraminiferal assemblages contain species

P

common in outer shelf and upper slope environments (C.

CE

ungerianus, C. pachyderma, Cibicidoides dutemplei, S.

bulloides, U. peregrina). Rare C. kullenbergi are present

AC

only in the lower part of the Haricha section. The

percentage of upper slope taxa decreases and of shelf

taxa increases upwards. The estimated environment of

deposition is shelf-slope transition (150–250 m water

depth), or slightly deeper (150–300 m water depth).

5. Interpretation of the facies associations in the

South Rifian Corridor

We combined the interpretation of the facies and facies

associations (Table 1) with the ranges of water depths

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
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inferred from benthic foraminifera to discuss here the

environmental meaning of each association.

5.1. Association F1: turbidites (Sidi Harazem and

PT
Haricha)

Facies association F1 occurs at Sidi Harazem and

RI
Haricha (Figs. 4, 12) and reflects sedimentation in a

SC
basinal turbidite system (sensu Mutti et al., 2003),

dominated by gravity-driven currents flowing in the

NU
foredeep axial trough and on the outer limb of the

growing orogenic wedge (Fig. 2). It is likely that at Sidi

MA
Harazem these currents flowed in the foredeep axial

zone, E-W or ESE-WNW according to the orientation of

D

the thrust front (Fig. 2), whereas at Haricha they were

TE

channelised on the orogenic wedge slope, in a relatively

P

proximal sector that fed the more distal basinal

CE

turbidites of the axial foredeep (Gharb Basin) to the west

(Figs. 1, 2).
AC

At Sidi Harazem, the turbidites were deposited in a

foredeep position, immediately to the south of the

orogenic wedge thrust front (Fig. 2). In the regional

context of an E–W axial foredeep (Figs. 1, 2), the

paleocurrent trend of NNW–SSE (Fig. 4B) could indicate

that the flow veered due to a local influence of

topography on the turbiditic conduits (i.e., irregularities

on the flexed substrate causing changes of current

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31

direction), or that the flow was still channelised on the

slope of one of the margins of the seaway.

At Haricha, sheeted turbidites occur in non-

PT
channelised lobes, suggesting that the turbidity current

occurred in flat areas of the slope-apron system,

RI
possibly in a basin-filled complex (e.g., Mutti and

SC
Normark, 1987; Stow and Johansson, 2000). Small-

scale, channelised features (Fig. 14C) above horizontally

NU
sheeted turbidites suggest that stronger turbidity

currents could have bypassed the area leaving only the

MA
channels filled with sands. The dominant palaeocurrent

pattern towards the NW derived from sole-marks (Fig.

D

14D) indicates the main direction of transport (Fig. 12),

TE

while minor trends towards the E–NE and S–SW could

reflect the flow spreading radially across the slope fan.

P
CE

At Haricha, facies association F1 passes upwards into

the distinct facies association of deep-water massive

AC

sands (F1.1; Table 1). This association is dominated by

sands (sand-shale ratio up to 8:1) and forms the upper

~50 m of sandstone interval 2 (Fig. 12). The principal

depositional processes involved for this association are

high-concentration turbidity currents and sandy debris

flows (Stow and Johansson, 2000; Mutti et al., 2003;

Haughton et al., 2009). Steepening of the tectonic slope

may have triggered such mass flow events, as the

emplacement of this lobe seems to have occurred in a

channelised conduit (Fig. 15A). However, since the

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underlying turbidites are extensive and tabular, it is

likely that flow occurred in a trough-basin filled complex

(Stow and Johannsson, 2000) and its occurrence may

reflect a transition between basinal turbidite system

PT
(characterised by tabular fill) and the more restricted

RI
trough-conduit (expressed by the lobe-shaped base of

SC
the top ~50 m; Fig. 15A).

Both associations F1 and F1.1 show indications of

NU
bottom-current reworking of some sandstone beds (e.g.,

Stow and Lovell, 1979; Lovell and Stow, 1982;

MA
Shanmugam, 1993; Ito et al., 2002; Rebesco et al.,

2014; Gong et al., 2016), such as: bidirectional ripple

D

cross-lamination in the upper part of the beds, where

TE

the upper parallel-laminated sand and graded silt

divisions are absent (Fig. 15F); bioturbation in the sand

P
CE

division along with mud-clasts (Fig. 15F); bioturbation in

the sand divisions showing preferential orientation (Fig.

AC

14E), which is up to 90° perpendicular (~N–S) with

respect to the palaeocurrents inferred from the sole-

marks (westward).

5.2. Association F2: blue marl (all units)

The blue marl facies association is present in all sections

(Figs., 4, 7, 12) and represents a relatively low energy

depositional environment, in which fine suspended

sediments can be deposited.

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Given the overall upper slope to basinal setting and

water depths of 100–500 m, the three most likely

depositional processes are: hemipelagic settling, bottom

currents, and fine-grained turbidity currents. Those

PT
muds/marls associated with the turbidite-dominated

RI
facies associations are likely to include some portion of

SC
fine-grained turbidites, whereas the rest of the

succession can be either hemipelagite or muddy

NU
contourite (Table 1).

Minimum sedimentation rates for parts of the blue

MA
marlstone sections, between the FCO G. menardii 5 and

FCO G. miotumida (Fig. 4, located below 800 m and at

D

870 m, respectively), are 70 cm kyr–1. Much higher

TE

sedimentation rates (163 cm/kyr–1) are derived from the

marlstone sections of the centre of the Saiss Basin

P
CE

(Barhoun and Bachiri Taoufiq, 2008) during the late

Tortonian, between LCO G. menardii 4 (7.51 Ma) and

AC

FCO G. miotumida (7.25 Ma). Such relatively high rates

of sedimentation suggest that not all the blue marls are

associated with hemipelagite deposition but could partly

result from bottom-current transport, namely those

associated with facies association F4.

5.3. Association F3: swaley cross-stratified

sandstones (Ain Kansera)

Facies association F3 is found at Ain Kansera (Fig. 4)

and allows us to reconstruct the location of the palaeo-

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shoreline. It is usually found in storm-dominated

sequences above fair-weather wave base (Leckie and

Walker, 1982) or associated with river-dominated deltaic

systems (Mutti et al., 2003; TInterri, 2011). At Ain

PT
Kansera, the lack of catastrophic river-flood products

RI
(e.g., gravels, pebbles, debrites; Mutti et al., 2003)

SC
suggests that the succession is more likely to be

produced by the progradation of a linear clastic coast, in

NU
which swaley cross-stratification (SCS) would be found

above hummocky cross-stratification (Leckie and

MA
Walker, 1982). Furthermore, the geometries of the

sandstone intervals (Fig. 5F) in which SCS is found are

D

similar to the Infralittoral Prograding Wedges

TE

(Hernández-Molina et al., 2000; Mitchell et al., 2012).

We interpret F3 as indicative of a wave-dominated,

P

infralittoral environment with variable sedimentary

CE

input from river mouths. This is consistent with the

AC

shelf-type benthic assemblage of the underlying marls

(50-100 m water depth), and the sandstone intervals of

Ain Kansera (Fig. 5F) probably represents a shallower

(15-50 m water depth) infralittoral setting.

5.4. Association F4: sandy contourites (El

Adergha, Ben Allou)

Facies Association F4 occurs in El Adergha and Ben

Allou (Fig. 4, 12) and comprises: (1) unidirectional cross-

bedded sandstone encased in upper-bathyal marlstones;

(2) heterolithic facies with cross-bedding and wavy-

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lamination; and (3) tabular muddy sandstone beds

encased in marlstones and characterised by bi-

gradational sequences.

PT
5.4.1. Unidirectional cross-bedded sandstones – F4.1

The cross-bedded sandstones (Figs. 5D, 8) occur within

RI
mud-dominated successions that were deposited at

SC
water depths of 150–300 m based on benthic

foraminifera. Abundant bioturbation and shell debris in

NU
the sands attest to a marine environment with adequate

food supply, while the scale of cross-bedding suggests

MA
formation by subaqueous dunes. Subaqueous dunes of

this scale (Table 2) require mean flow-velocities greater

D

than 0.5–0.6 m s–1 (Flemming, 1992; Masson et al.,

TE

2004; Stow et al., 2009) which, at that depth, and in the

P

absence of wave cross-bedding (HCS and SCS), were

CE

probably created by unidirectional bottom-currents

funnelled in the deep seaway (e.g., Johnson and

AC

Baldwin, 1996; Anastas et al., 1997, 2006; Longhitano,

2013).

The compound (2nd order) cross-bedded sets are

composed exclusively of downslope dipping cosets (1st

order sets), and the absence of upslope-dipping sets may

be indicative of unidirectional steady flow (Table 2).

The cross-stratified sands of El Adergha and Ben

Allou are interpreted as relics of a dune field formed by

west-directed, sandy-sheeted drifts on the northern

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36

margin of the late Tortonian seaway. The dune field

architecture and flow-dynamics are reflected in the

stacking pattern of the cross-stratified successions. The

lowermost cross-stratified succession at Ben Allou B is

PT
~20 m thick and reflects the first preserved dune field

RI
migrating over the area (Figs. 7, 10B). The first set of

SC
this succession progrades over a horizontal surface (S0

in Fig. 10C) and the set thickness (Fig. 9C) appears to

NU
increase to the right (southwest), indicating that the

upper bounding surface may preserve the original

MA
orientation of the stoss-side of the compound dune.

Compound tabular sets of cross-bedding grading

D

upward into trough cross-bedding (Fig. 10C) reflects

TE

increased flow velocity and bedform evolution with time

(Middleton and Southard, 1984; Longhitano et al.,

P

2014). Low angle cosets and thin cross-bedded sets

CE

could reflect the leeside, or bottomset, of larger dunes in

AC

a compound dune field (Dalrymple and Rhodes, 1995;

Anastas et al., 1997). The clinoforms at Sidi Harazem or

sandstone interval 2 of Ben Allou (Fig. 10E) may

preserve the spatial and temporal evolution of a

‘decaying dune-field’, reflecting the local expansion

and/or deceleration of flow ( similar to the form-sets,

sensu Anastas et al., 1997). However, lateral equivalents

of these clinoforms in sandstone interval 2 are composed

of simple cross-strata of medium thickness

(Supplementary Fig. 2E), suggesting that flow was

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
37

steady in some parts of the dune field and waning in

others.

5.4.2. Heterolithic facies (Ben Allou) – F4.2

PT
The heterolithic sandstone–mudstone deposits are

present at Ben Allou above and below the main

RI
sandstone intervals (Fig. 11). This facies appears to

SC
represent a lower-energy environment in which an

alternation of sand and mud deposition can occur. The

NU
lack of extensive cross-stratification suggests that the

main bottom current was weak and could not cause the
MA
substantial sand drift migration seen in the main

sandstone intervals. However, intermittent tractive

D

currents occurred, as suggested by wavy surfaces and

TE

small dunes (Fig. 11C-D), which give a radial

P

palaeocurrent pattern (Fig. 7B).

CE

Mud layers deposited between the sandstone beds

reflect a drop in current velocity (carrying capacity) at

AC

that point. The lack of mud-drapes within the main

cross-bedded sandstone intervals suggest that the

current was steady and/or the water column had low

suspended sediment concentration during dune field

migration (Johnson and Baldwin, 1996; Dalrymple and

James, 2010). According to Baas et al (2016),

heterolithic facies in a mixed sandy-muddy flow are able

to occur by increasing the amount of suspended

cohesive sediment concentration, either during steady

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
38

flow or rapidly decelerating flow. This model provides a

pragmatic alternative to sediments previously

interpreted as the results of start–stop currents (Baas et

al., 2016). On the other hand, the cross-sets of

PT
sandstone intervals 1 and 2 are essentially mud-free and

RI
occur within mud-dominated deposits (blue marls).

SC
Therefore, the heterolithic facies may represent the

transition between periods of sand-drift migration

NU
(possibly with low suspended sediment concentration)

and episodes of high suspended-sediment concentration

MA
and mud flocculation. This transition may be linked to

varying flow velocity and/or higher and lower values of

D

suspended-sediment concentration.
TE

5.4.3. Sandstone–mudstone units with bi-gradational

P

sequences – F4.3
CE

At El Adergha (Fig. 4), the distinctive heterolithic

deposits are less pronounced, and the transitional facies

AC

between mud- and sand-dominated facies associations

(F1 and F2, respectively) is represented by sandstone-

mudstone units with bi-gradational sequences (Fig. 5E).

These units (Figs. 5E, 6E) show features similar to those

of the classic contourite sequence (see Fig. 2 in Stow et

al. 1998; Stow and Faugères, 2008).

This sequence of facies has been linked to long-term

fluctuations of the current velocity (Hüneke and Stow;

2008; Stow and Faugères, 2008). At El Adergha, we infer

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
39

that the velocity of the current forming the contourite

sequence of facies association F4.3 was lower than the

velocity forming the cross-stratified sandstone intervals

(F4.1). Preservation of cross-lamination in fossil

PT
contourites has long been a subject of debate, and the

RI
lack of lamination is thought to be a result of lower

SC
velocity currents and intense bioturbation (Shanmugam,

2006; Hüneke and Stow, 2008; Stow and Faugères,

NU
2008; Rebesco et al., 2014). This close superposition of

facies at El Adergha (F4.1 and F4.3) clearly indicates

MA
that the two may coexist in the same depositional

environment and are likely to depend solely on flow

D

velocity.
TE

5.5. Seismic facies association

P

5.5.1. Elongated, separated mounded drift (Haricha)

CE

The Haricha seismic profile (Fig. 16) extends from the

AC

structural high of Mount Bou Draa (Fig. 2) to the Gharb

basin to the west for about 15 km. The two main post-

orogenic seismic units are identified as continuous and

high amplitude parallel reflections resting

unconformably above the Rif nappe and the structural

high. Both units are separated by a regional

discontinuity and form an overall mounded shape, here

interpreted as a mounded drift (Faugères et al., 1999,

Nielsen et al., 2008, Rebesco et al., 2014).

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
40

The mounded drift is asymmetric, due to the lateral

merging of the mound into the channel (moat) that lies

next to the structural high. To the northwest, the mound

has a more tabular seismic expression (2 in Fig. 16) and

PT
shows an upwardly-convex geometry. To the southeast,

RI
the mound has a steeper side identified by reflections

SC
migrating upslope (1 and channel migration arrow in

Fig. 16). This upslope progradational trend is

NU
characterised by a change from long, continuous and

sub-parallel reflections (aggradation phase) to short, less

MA
continuous and sigmoidal reflections (progradation

phase). The progradation phase is marked by SE-

D

downlapping reflections, with local chaotic, transparent

TE

and erosional features reflecting lateral migration of the

channel axis.
P
CE

The Messinian unit records the same moat (3 in Fig. 16)

and mounded deposits (2, Fig. 16); however the system

AC

loses this character upwards where the drift is less

channelised (4, Fig. 16). This change may reflect the

evolution into a sheeted drift, formed by the interaction

of the bottom current with a gentler relief at times when

the bottom current was either less-focussed or migrated

laterally due to the shallowing trend of the basin.

The geometry of the mounded drift (prograding eastward)

suggests that it was generated by a bottom current

flowing northward, forced against the eastern or north-

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
41

eastern margin of the Gharb Basin by Coriolis (Faugères

et al., 1999; Llave et al., 2001).

Turbidity currents flowing into the basin may

PT
have been channelised towards the abyssal plain to the

west (offshore Gharb Basin) and thus provided the fine-

RI
grained component that was reworked by bottom

SC
currents and redeposited in the mound to the NW. In the

case of Haricha, the coast was probably orientated N–S

NU
or NW–SE (Fig. 1b). We can infer that the bottom-

current was confined by a steep slope to the west into a

MA
channel orientated N–S to NE–SW. This trend is in line

with the seismic evidence of a contourite channel formed

D

by bottom currents directed approximately south to

TE

north to southwest to northeast at the exit of the Oued

P

Beth area during the late Miocene (white arrow in Fig. 2;

CE

SCP/ERICO report, 1991).

6. DISCUSSION
AC

6.1 Contourite drift in the seaway

In the western mouth of the South Rifian Corridor,

distinct distributions of lithofacies associations permit

reconstruction of four main, late Tortonian marine

depositional environments (Fig. 17): (i) 0–100 m deep,

infralittoral to shelf environments along the northern

margin; (ii) 150–300 m deep, bottom current-dominated

slope environments; (iii) 250–400 m deep axial foredeep;

and (iv) the southern, passive margin, which is

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42

characterised by marginal reefs in its marginal

embayments (e.g., Gulf of Skoura; Charrière and Saint-

Martin, 1989; Saint-Martin and Charrière, 1989; Fig. 1).

This distribution suggests a foredeep depositional profile

PT
thickening towards the north against the thrust front

RI
consistent with seismic data across the Saiss Basin

SC
(Sani et al., 2007).

We propose that facies association F4 documents the

NU
sand-rich parts of a bottom-current transport path along

the northern margin of the South Rifian Corridor (Figs.

MA
17, 18). The upper bathyal benthic assemblage

contained in the blue marlstones and the lack of wave

D

cross-bedding in this facies association (F4) suggest that

TE

the sandy drift was formed in a deeper setting than the

shelf. There are various possible interpretation of this

P
CE

facies (Table 1).

We considered a shelfal, purely tidal origin for this

AC

sandy drift. Sandwaves (large to very large dunes, sensu

Ashley, 1990) and elongated sand ridges with

superimposed smaller-scale bedforms are common on

many continental shelves down to depths of ~150–200 m

(Johnson and Baldwin, 1996). Wind-, storm-, or tide-

dominated environments result in unidirectional or

bidirectional bottom current pathways (Stride, 1982;

Johnson and Baldwin, 1996; Dyer and Huntley, 1999;

Daniell and Hughes, 2007). Tidal sand ridges typically

show lateral accretion surfaces, and coarsening and

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43

thickening upward trends as wave and current action is

stronger near the crest (e.g., Belderson et al., 1982;

Houbolt, 1982; Johnson and Baldwin, 1996). In the

South Rifian Corridor examples, however, low-angle,

PT
lateral accretion surfaces (with respect to the sense of

RI
flow) are mostly absent in facies association F4, and the

SC
cross-sets are bounded by sub-horizontal, laterally

extensive surfaces, indicating sheet-like cross-bedding

NU
rather than sand bars or sand ridges. The low-angle

clinoforms observed at El Adergha (Fig. 5C) and Ben

MA
Allou (Fig. 10E) dip parallel to the reconstructed flow,

and may therefore represent the morphology of a large

D

dune (‘formset’, sensu Anastas et al., 1997) rather than

TE

lateral accretion surfaces. Discontinuity-bounded cosets

(or foreset units) at Ben Allou (Fig. 9C) represent a

P

depositional increment in the construction of the

CE

compound bed (Anastas et al., 1997). In estuarine

AC

settings, this depositional increment may form a tidal

bundle, which is the result of the single tidal cycle

(Visser, 1980). Large (0.5–5 m high) dunes in tidal-

dominated estuarine settings usually migrate 25–75 m

yr-1, therefore 0.04–0.11 m per single (semi-diurnal)

cycle (Dalrymple and Rhodes, 1995). In these compound

beds, the lengths of the foreset units range between 0.5

to 2 m, therefore the amount of material deposited in

one foreset unit and that removed to form each

discontinuity surface appears to be far too large to be

 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT
44

the product of a single tidal cycle (Dalrymple and

Rhodes, 1995; Anastas et al., 1997).

In seaways, tidal currents can be amplified by the

PT
strait constriction and result in predominantly

unidirectional cross-bedding down to depths of 200-250

RI
m (e.g., Santoro et al., 2002; Longhitano et al., 2012,

SC
2014; Longhitano, 2013). The cross-bedded sandstones

of facies association F4.1, however, do not show

NU
diagnostic features of tidal strait deposition such as

cross-lamination bundles, bidirectional foresets,

MA
superposition of cross-strata with different transport

direction in a vertical or lateral sequence, vertical

D

evolution from 3D to 2D dunes, interfingering of mass

TE

flow conglomerates associated with the strait

margin/centre (Surlyk and Noe-Nygaard, 1992; Mellere

P
CE

and Steel, 1996; Longhitano, 2013; Longhitano et al.,

2014).
AC

We infer that the muddy-sandy sediments were

transported by fluctuating current velocities without

apparent trend or cyclicity, and this feature, together

with the consistency of palaeocurrent directions, are not

consistent with the classic tidal strait facies tracts

(Longhitano, 2013).

An alternative scenario to pure tidal-current forcing is

the geostrophic current-dominated strait. A modern

example is the exit of today’s Strait of Gibraltar. Here,

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45

two distinctly different sedimentary environments

coexist (Fig. 1): the shelf offshore area around Cape

Trafalgar, which reaches ~100 m water depth (Lobo et

al., 2000, 2010) and the middle–upper slope to the west

PT
of Camarinal Sill (Fig. 1), located at depths between

RI
~200 and 800 m (e.g., Nelson et al., 1993; Habgood et

SC
al., 2003; Hernández-Molina et al., 2006, 2014a). Near

Cape Trafalgar, large, sandy dune fields are the products

NU
of mixed wind-, tide, and storm- driven processes,

resulting in both symmetric and asymmetric bedforms.

MA
West of the Camarinal Sill, the proximal domain of

the contourite depositional system (Hernández-Molina et

D

al., 2003, 2006) comprises depositional (e.g., dunes) and

TE

erosional features (e.g., channels) linked to

Mediterranean overflow (Nelson et al., 1993; Hernández-

P
CE

Molina et al., 2003, 2014b). Large sandy dune fields

(Hernández-Molina et al., 2016c; Ercilla et al., 2017)

AC

develop within the main channels and km-long furrows

form on a middle–upper slope terrace at water depth of

~200-500 m, and both migrate west-northwest, along

the Mediterranean outflow pathway (Hernández-Molina

et al., 2014a; Supplementary Fig. 4).

Based on this present day analogue and the

comparison of facies association F4 with the modern

bedforms of the Gulf of Cadiz contourite system

(Hernández-Molina et al., 2016c; Ercilla et al., 2017), we

propose that the sandy drift in the South Rifian Corridor

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46

is likely to be the ancient expression of Mediterranean

overflow (Hernández-Molina et al., 2014a, b). In this

highly segmented foreland basin (Fig. 18), tectonics and

thus topography may have played a major role forcing

PT
the predominant bottom-current into narrow passages.

RI
Therefore, the dominant westerly progradation can also

SC
be formed by the overflow current superimposed on the

tidal ebb, while antithetic palaeocurrent patterns may

NU
have been produced by up-channel tidal flood or eddies

that modulated the unidirectional current, as occurs in

MA
the present-day Strait of Gibraltar (Boyum, 1967;

Criado-Aldeanueva et al., 2006; Teles-Machado et al.,

D

2007; García‐Lafuente et al., 2011; Naranjo et al., 2015:

TE

Sammartino et al., 2015). In this interpretation, the

sandy contourites (facies association F4) in the Rifian

P

Corridor would represent the proximal sector of the

CE

Contourite Depositional System and the westward

AC

elongated, separated mounded drifts (Fig. 16) the distal

sector of the same system (Hernández-Molina et al.,

2003; Llave et al., 2007).

6.1.1. Sedimentary model for the superposition of

sandy and muddy contourites

Mud-sand mixtures form sand patches and rippled sand

sheets in areas and/or times of low current velocity

along a sediment transport path (e.g., Belderson et al.,

1982; Stow et al., 2009; Rebesco et al., 2014). The

presence of blue marls, muddy-sandy beds with bi-

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47

gradational sequences, and heterolithic facies above and

below the cross-stratified successions (Figs. 4 and 7)

indicates periods in which the rate of deposition of fine-

grained sediment was higher because the unidirectional

PT
current was either weaker, or had migrated laterally.

RI
We therefore suggest that part of the blue marls

SC
(facies association F2) represent muddy contourites

associated with times or areas of lower velocity flow

NU
(Stow and Faugères, 2008; Rebesco et al., 2014). During

times of vigorous bottom currents, the drift migrated

MA
downflow, and so did the dune fields leading to facies

F4.1, whereas at times of weak bottom current the

D

sedimentary system evolved vertically to lower-energy

TE

facies associations (F.4.2, F4.3; F2). When the bottom

current was weak, secondary processes such as tidal

P
CE

currents or internal tides may also have become more

influent on the depositional system (Shanmugam, 2006;

AC

Rebesco et al., 2014). In the Gulf of Cadiz contourite

system, tides become the dominant process on the

surface of channel-fills, or during periods of lateral

(down- or up-slope) migration of the current (Stow et al.,

2013; Hernández-Molina et al., 2016b).

6.2. Active tectonic structures controlling the

Mediterranean overflow in the Rifian Corridor

The present-day Mediterranean overflow requires a

density contrast between the two basins, and for this to

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48

develop, a narrow neck-zone (i.e., sill) between the

Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean is required

(Knutz, 2008; Legg et al., 2009). The Strait of Gibraltar,

with its shallow, narrow topography has been the critical

PT
structure allowing the Plio-Quaternary Mediterranean

RI
overflow to form.

SC
Tectonic and palaeogeographic constraints suggest

which bathymetric highs potentially generated the

NU
overspill in the Rifian Corridor during the late Miocene.

The Rif foreland basins were gradually uplifted and

MA
disconnectedfrom the late Tortonian onwards,

influencing sedimentation patterns along the Rifian

D

Corridor (e.g., Charrière and Saint-Martin; 1989; Capella

TE

et al., 2017). This tectonic phase contributed to post-

orogenic deformation up to present-day (e.g., Chalouan

P
CE

et al., 2014). This process may have caused localised

uplift of horsts forming narrow neck-zones (i.e., sills)

AC

which then allowed the formation of overspill geometries

within the Rifian seaway.

At the Taza Sill, the point dividing the Guercif and

Saiss depocentres (Fig. 18), uplift of structural highs

occurred at the Tortonian/Messinian boundary and

along both faults and folds related to the North Middle-

Atlas fault system (e.g., Gomez et al., 2000; Chalouan et

al., 2014). Furthermore, the cross-stratified sandstone

intervals at Ben Allou show clear wedge-shaped

geometries (Fig. 8B, E) and large channelised incisions

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49

(Fig. 8C), above which soft sediment deformation is

abundant (Fig. 9E). All this indicates an episode of syn-

depositional generation of accommodation space that

may have resulted from uplift on the Nzala des Oudayas

PT
fault, orientated NE-SW and perpendicular to the

RI
foredeep axis (Figs. 2, 17, 18; see Sani et al., 2007, for

SC
structure at depth). This fault is part of the Prerif Ridge

system and is connected to the main thrusts to the

NU
south (Fig. 2). The position of the sandy cross-stratified

deposits to the west of each of these anticlinal ridges

MA
that cross-cut the foredeep axis (Figs. 2, 17) and whose

uplift postdates the orogenic wedge emplacement

D

(Capella et al., 2017), suggests that it is at these

TE

bathymetric highs that hydraulic control was exerted on

flow through the Rifian Corridor.

P
CE

The late Tortonian age of the sandy contourite drift

observed at Ben Allou and El Adergha could then reflect

AC

tectonic control on the Mediterranean overflow at the

Taza Sill (Figs. 1, 17). Subsequently, unconformities

marking the Tortonian/Messinian boundary in the

Gharb (Roksandic and Soquip, 1990; SCP/ERICO

report, 1991; Fig. 16) possibly indicate a later tectonic

readjustment controlling the Rifian Corridor

palaeogeography.

The effect of tectonic activity on margin sedimentation

is particularly clear in the Gulf of Cadiz, where

contouritic drift evolution was directly influenced by

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50

tectonic pulses every 0.8-0.9 and 2.0-2.5 Myr since the

latest Miocene (Hernández-Molina et al., 2014b; 2016a).

The deformation of the complex Africa-Iberia plate-

boundary appears to have continued up to present day

PT
(Chalouan et al., 2014; Gutscher et al., 2002; Koulali et

RI
al., 2011), well after the continental collision and

SC
emplacement of the Betic-Rif Arc in its current position

at ca. 8 Ma (van Hinsbergen et al., 2014; Do Couto et al.,

NU
2016). It is therefore possible to infer a strong

correlation between the post-collisional evolution of the

MA
Africa-Iberia plate boundary, the Mediterranean-Atlantic

seaways and the sandy drifts.

D

7. Conclusions
TE

Upper Tortonian mixed-clastic deposits at Ben Allou and

P

El Adergha in northern Morocco show evidence of west-

CE

migrating bedforms produced in 150-400 m–deep

seaway settings. This includes cross-bedding and

AC

sandstone-mudstone beds with bi-gradational

sequences, produced by a westerly, unidirectional

bottom current.

We interpret this current to be the result of

Mediterranean overflow, possibly modulated by tides.

Vertically superposed facies were once lateral

equivalents along a bottom current transport path.

Heterolithic facies represent the low-speed bedforms

(sand patches and rippled sand sheets) along this path,

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51

at times of decelerating or migrating current. Elongated,

separated mounded drifts in seismic profiles suggest

that the overflow continued throughout the early

Messinian.

PT
Tectonics is a major controlling factor in seaway

RI
contourite deposition, since it causes the restriction

SC
required for the overflow to form. The spatial distribution

of the cross-bedded sandy drifts west of tectonic ridges

NU
that cross cut the seaway suggests that the coeval uplift

of these structures formed the highs required to

MA
generate Mediterranean overflow.

Acknowledgements
D

This work was funded by the People Programme of

TE

the European Union’s 7th Framework Programme

P

FP7/2007-2013/ under REA Grant Agreement No.

CE

290201 (MEDGATE); F.J.H-M. wishes to acknowledge

the CTM2012-38248, SA263U14 and CTM 2012-39599-

AC

C03 Projects; the “Drifters” Research Group of the Royal

Holloway University of London (UK). We thank ONHYM

for providing unpublished datasets and field support;

Estefanía Llave (IGME, Spain), M. Amine Manar

(ONHYM, Morocco), Paul Meijer (UU, The Netherland),

Francois Raisson (TOTAL, France), and Antoine

Thieblemont (RHUL, UK) for their assistance during

fieldwork and for stimulating discussions. Journal

reviews by Ed. Jasper Knight and two anonymous

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reviewers are greatly appreciated, and their comments

helped us to improve the clarity of the manuscript.

Appendix A. Supplementary figures.

PT
Supplementary figures to this article can be found online

at http://

RI
Figure captions

SC
Fig. 1. (A) Generalised tectonic map of the Betic-Rif arc

NU
with location of the study area (Fig. 2) and distribution

of the Mediterranean Overflow Water. Structural units

MA
modified after Vergés and Fernandez (2012). AT: Arbaa

Taourirt; CS: Camarinal Sill; CT: Cape Trafalgar; GhB:

D

Gharb Basin; GS: Gibraltar Straits; GuB: Guadalquivir

TE

Basin; IB: Intramontane Basins; NMAF: North-Middle-

Atlas Fault; SB: Saiss Basin; Sk: Gulf of Skoura; TGB:

P

Taza-Guercif Basin; TS: Taza Sill. 1: thrust; 2: normal

CE

fault; 3: strike-slip; 4: faults; 5: buried thrust. (B)

Approximate palaeogeography of the Betic and Rifian

AC

Corridor during the late Miocene modified after Flecker

et al. (2015). White dotted lines are the present-day

coastline. Location of the studied section in the

palaeogeographic context: BA= Ben Allou; EF= East Fes;

HA = Haricha.

Fig. 2. (A) Stratigraphic column and tectonogram

illustrating the relationship between lithostratigraphy

and tectonic in the Rif foreland (after Capella et al.,

2017). (B) Geological map of the study area with location

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of the sections (East Fes, Ben Allou, and Haricha) and

seismic profile shown in Fig. 16. Tectonic lineaments in

the Saiss, eastern Gharb basin, and the southern

margin of the external Rif thrust-sheets are compiled

PT
after Sani et al. (2007); Capella et al. (2017). The extent

RI
of upper Tortonian – Messinian units is modified after

SC
the results of the present study.

Fig. 3. Correlation diagram between the studied sections

NU
and the classic Gharb-Saiss stratigraphy. The 5 studied

sections (Sidi Harazem, El Adergha, Ain Kansera, Ben

MA
Allou, and Haricha) are dated with biostratigraphy.

Bioevents (left column): Sx= Onset dominant sinistral;

D

FO= First occurrence; LCO= Last common occurrence;

TE

FCO= First common occurrence; S/D= coiling change

from predominantly sinistral to dextral (after Lourens et

P
CE

al., 2004; Hilgen et al., 2012). Dotted fills depict the

sand-rich parts, whereas simple colour fill broadly

AC

represents other lithologies (e.g., marlstone, limestone).

Fig. 4. (A) Stratigraphic logs of Sidi Harazem, El

Adergha and Ain Kansera units with brief lithological

description and age determination based on planktonic

foraminifera (see text for further details). Detailed

sedimentary log of the upper part of El Adergha shows

the stacking pattern of the cross-stratified sand beds.

Location of the sites on Fig. 5A. (B) Palaeocurrents from

the three units showing number (n) of data per each site.
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Fig. 5. (A) Satellite image of the East Fes section,

showing the location of the Sidi Harazem, El Adergha,

Ain Kansera units, and of pictures B, C, and F (adapted

from Google Earth). (B) Outcrop of the Sidi Harazem

PT
section, showing the typical sandstone-marlstone

RI
alternation. (C) View of the El Adergha section. (D) Close

SC
view of the upper El Adergha section, showing the

geometry of the upper bedset with prograding

NU
clinoforms. (E) Example of one of the sandstone–

mudstone beds with bi-gradational sequences from El

MA
Adergha, interpreted as contourites. (F) Outcrop view of

the Ain Kansera section, showing laterally extensive

D

sandstone intervals at the top.

TE

Fig. 6. (A) Close-up of the Sidi Harazem sand-marl

alternation, interpreted as sandy turbidites.

P
CE

Bioturbation is interpreted as Zoophycus (left) and

Chondrites (right). (B) A sludge-mark at the base of a

AC

turbidite bed at Sidi Harazem is filled with a ~5 cm thick

cross-laminated sandstone division. (C) 2D cross-sets at

El Adergha are mostly unidirectional and up to ~50 cm

in thickness. White dotted lines depict surfaces of the

clinoforms drawn in Fig. 5D. (D) Small set of cross-

bedding and ripple laminations. (E) Close-up observation

of a sandy contourite at El Adergha (location in outcrop

in Fig. 5D) showing bi–gradational sequences analogous

to the contourite facies model of Stow et al. (1998) and

Stow and Faugères (2008). (F, G) Examples of the

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swaley-cross stratification found in the Ain Kansera

sandstone intervals.

Fig. 7. (A) Stratigraphic and sedimentary logs of Ben

PT
Allou section. Ben Allou B is a representative

stratigraphic log of the Ben Allou section, with the zoom-

RI
in to the left showing the sedimentary log of sandstone

SC
interval 1a and 1b. Ben Allou A shows the detailed

sedimentary log of the laterally equivalent sequence in

NU
the north-east site (location in Fig. 8A). (B) Palaeocurrent

pattern of Ben Allou section from 2D and 3D cross-sets

MA
(left) and small cross-sets in heterolithic facies (right).

Fig. 8. (A) Oblique satellite image of the Ben Allou

D

section with location of the logging paths (Ben Allou A

TE

and B), linear trend of the sandstone interval 1 and 2,

P

and pictures B, C and E. (B) Outcrop view of Ben Allou A

CE

section. There is a discordance (angular unconformity)

between SU1a and SU1b. The marlstones between the

AC

two units are wedging out towards the northeast. (C)

Sandstone interval 1a at Ben Allou B showing the lateral

continuity of the cross-sets, and channel-form

displaying an ENE-WSW axis, a width of around 50m

and incision depth of 15m. (D) Side-view of the same

channel-form of Fig. 8C with view to the north-east. (E)

Panoramic view of the discordance between sandstone

intervals 1 and 2 at Ben Allou B. The two intervals bend

in a gentle synform.
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Fig. 9. (A) Relationship between different order cross-

stratification at Ben Allou. First-order sets are small

dunes prograding down the lee-side of larger dunes (2nd

order sets). (B) West-migrating, medium thickness,

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simple cross-bedding with tabular geometry at Ben Allou

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A, SI-1a. (C) West-migrating, medium to large,

SC
compound cross-bedding at Ben Allou B, SI-1a. (D) Well-

preserved dune over-riding a larger dune. (E) Fluid-

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escape structures occur in cross-sets and are capped by

undeformed set-boundaries. (F) Planolites burrowing the

MA
surface of a foreset.

Fig. 10. (A-B) Photomosaic showing the lowermost

D

cross-stratified succession at Ben Allou B, truncated by

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the channel-form of Fig. 8C at the top. The first set on

the right corresponds to Fig. 9C. The black arrow

P
CE

indicates the same bed. (C) Line drawing of the

combined pictures A-B. (D) Photomosaic of a cross-

AC

stratified succession in SI-2. For location see Fig. 8E. (E)

Line-drawing of (D) with emphasis on the discontinuities

between sets.

Fig. 11. (A) Heterolithic beds composed of cm- to dm-

thick sandstone intervals and mm- to cm-thick

mudstone layers. (B) Wavy bounding surface between

mudstone layers and sandstone beds. In the top right

corner, indistinct cross-laminations are visible. (C) Small

cross-sets are preserved in some of the sandstone beds.

Note the mudstone draping the bedform geometry. (D)

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Wavy lamination formed by thin alternations of

mudstone and sandstone.

Fig. 12. Stratigraphic log of the Haricha section, with

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detailed sedimentary log of the top ~50 m, sand-rich

facies. Plotted palaeocurrent data corresponding to sole-

RI
marks in the sand-marl alternations.

SC
Fig. 13. (A) Oblique satellite image with location of the

main lithological units at Mount Haricha. The section is

NU
tilted and the layers plunge into the Gharb Basin to the

west. Note the view towards the southwest. (B)

MA
Panoramic picture showing the contact between the

lower part of the section and the Rif nappe of the

D

orogenic wedge. (C) Panoramic picture of the sand-marl

TE

alternation of the upper part of the section (white dotted

P

lines are drawn above prominent sand beds). This

CE

alternation grades upwards into the sand-rich facies (D).

(E) Close-up of the onset of the amalgamated sandstone

AC

beds making the top ~50 m of the Haricha section.

Fig. 14. Close-ups on turbidite features at Haricha. (A)

Purple-coloured sandstone bed from the lower part, with

a basal division of cross-lamination. Note the

bioturbation throughout. (B) Bioturbation on the top of

the same sandstone beds, interpreted as

Rhyzocorallium. (C) Photomosaic of a road cut showing

tabular sandstone beds and sandstone with scour-and-

fill features. The sandstone beds are encased in silty

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marlstones. (D) Sole-marks (groove-casts) in a

bioturbated base. (E) Example of a sandbed with

superposition of divisions of massive sand (base) and

parallel-laminated sand. Preferential orientation of

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bioturbation-like features is shown.

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Fig. 15. Details of Haricha-top sand-rich facies,

SC
interpreted as deep-water massive sands. (A) Outcrop

view of the base of the ~50 m thick, sand-rich facies.

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White dotted lines depict the bedding attitude of the

underlying turbidite beds. (B) Close-up of the mud-clast

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conglomerate forming scours and diffuse (or deformed)

stratification in the amalgamated beds. (C) Scours in

D

coarser layer. (D) Rip-up mud clasts occur between

TE

massive sand (below) and cross-laminated sand (above).

(E) Example of chaotic mud clast conglomerate. (F)

P
CE

Close-up of a thin (20 cm thick) sandstone bed encased

in ungraded siltstone.
AC

Fig. 16. ONHYM (Office National des Hydrocarbures et

des Mines) multichannel seismic line (below) crossing

Haricha section and prolongation of structures to the

surface (above). Profile location in Fig. 2. The profile

shows the Tortono-Messinian, post-orogenic (post-

nappe) seismo-stratigraphic units with an elongated,

separated mounded drift. Seismic facies: (2) continuous

and sub-parallel reflections; (1) discontinuous,

sigmoidal, and downlapping reflections; (3) channel or

moat; (Blue arrow) channel migration.

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Fig. 17. Interpretative sketch with sedimentary

environments and bedform distribution in a deep,

foreland-basin seaway. This genetic model relates to a

conceptual distribution of bedforms under dominantly

PT
unidirectional current and explains the mixed

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environments observed in the South Rifian Corridor.

SC
BCRS = Bottom Current Reworked Sands.

Fig. 18. Palaeogeographic map of the Rifian Corridor at

NU
the Tortonian-Messinian boundary. Active tectonic

structures after Sani et al., 2007; Chalouan et al., 2014;

MA
Capella et al., 2017. NF: Nekor Fault; JF: Jebha Fault;

NMF: North Middle-Atlas Fault. GhB: Gharb Basin; SB:

D

Saiss Basin; TGB: Taza-Guercif Basin. Sections

TE

indicated with a white star are: El Adergha (1), Ben Allou

(2). Yellow star depicts the position of the drift inferred

P
CE

from seismic data in the Gharb Basin (Fig. 16).

Table 1. Summary of lithofacies and possible genetic

AC

mechanisms.

Table 2. Levels and varieties of cross-stratification

present in facies association F4.1 (unidirectional cross-

bedded sandstones). Mechanisms of formation after

Anastas et al., 1997.

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Figure 13
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Figure 14
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Figure 15
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Figure 16
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Figure 17

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Figure 18 MA
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Table 1

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Mechanism Palaeo-water Possible

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Facies Section (age) Lithology Structures Thickness Geometry References
of formation depth (m) processes

Normally

MA
Sheet-like beds with
graded, Linear solemarks and load-casts;
Sidi Harazem (7.80 - Poorly to moderately sharp to erosive bases; Nearbed suspension 250 - 400 (Sidi
structureless to abundant burrows and ichnofacies
7.51 Ma) sorted fine to coarse 0.05 - 4 m thick local channels or scours generated by sand-laden Harazem)
crudely (e.g., Zoophycus, Chondrites,
Haricha (7.25 - 6.35 Ma) sandstone 0.1-10 m wide, 0.1-2 m turbidity current 150 - 250 (Haricha)
laminated Rhizocorallium)
deep
sandstone

ED
Proximal turbidity currents
Facies association F1

Ripple Sidi Harazem (7.80 - in foreland basins; transition

Fine to coarse Sheet-like or laterally Predominant traction and
laminated 7.51 Ma) Asymmetrical ripples in single sets 1 - 5 cm thick idem from sandy debris flows
sandstone confined divisions resuspension
sandstone Haricha (7.25 - 6.35 Ma) into fully turbulent flow.
e.g., Stow, 1985;

PT
High river input and
Mutti et al., 2003
sediment
Plane parallel to sub-horizontal Low rate of suspended failures possibly driven by
Plane-parallel Sidi Harazem (7.80 - tectonic
Fine to coarse lamination; moderate amount of Horizontal divisions sedimentation,
laminated 7.51 Ma) 1 - 5 cm thick idem uplift of the seaway margins
sandstone bioturbation (e.g., Planolites and in sheet-like beds predominant traction and
CE
sandstone Haricha (7.25 - 6.35 Ma)
Thalassinoides) resuspension

Variable amount of bioturbation (e.g.,

AC

Bioturbated Sidi Harazem (7.80 - Planolites, Thalassinoides,

Marlstone and Sub-horizontal divisions
siltstone to 7.51 Ma) Zoophycus) 0.5 - 1 m thick Waning flow idem
siltstone in sheet-like beds
marlstone Haricha (7.25 - 6.35 Ma) fossil debris (e.g., bivalves and
echinoderms)
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Abundant scours, plane parallel Sandy debris flow with
Massive and Single bed ~2 m Liesegang rings:
lamination, liesegang rings, sediment channel-margin collapse or
deformed Fine to medium thick; Channelised (lobe) Stow, 2005;
deformation; rip-up and floating headward slumping.
sandstone Haricha (7.25 - 6.35 Ma) sandstone with amalgamated beds geometry 150 - 250 Tucker, 2011
mudclasts such as: isolated floating Traction as the base of the
with abundant variable amount of silt up at the base
clasts, clustered floating clasts, flow in high-concentration

NU
mudclasts to ~10 m thick Deep water
ordered stratified clasts turbidity currents Mass flow events
F1.1

massive sands:
channelised in trough-
Johansson and
conduits
Stow, 1995;
Matrix- Stow and
Fine to medium sand

MA
supported Plane parallel and cross lamination; Sheet-like geometry or Johansson, 2000;
Haricha (7.25 - 6.35 Ma) (matrix) 0.1 - 0.5 m thick Cohesive sandy debris flow 150 - 250 Haughton et al.,
mudclast diffuse stratification lenses
and mudstone clasts 2009
conglomerate

ED
(a) Stow and
50-100 (Ain
Tabrez, 1998;
Kansera)
Massive to (a) Flocculation and Hüneke and
Variable amount of bioturbation 250-400 (Sidi
crudely Marlstone, settling (a) Hemipelagic processes Henrich, 2011
(Cruziana); Facies exposure: Pinch-out landward Harazem)
F2

laminated All units (7.80 - 6.35 Ma) silty marlstone

fossil debris (e.g., bivalves and 5 to 700 m thick (basin scale) 150 - 400 (El
marlstone or mudstone (b) Far-travelled particles, (b) Bottom-current (b) Stow and

PT
echinoderms) Adergha)
mudstone deposited from suspension Faugères, 2008;
150-400 (Ben Allou)
Rebesco et al.,
150-250 (Haricha)
2014
CE
(a) Leckie and
(a) Wave/storm action in Walker, 1982;
Troughs 20–50 cm deep and 50–100
Amalgamated Aggrading hummocky beds coastal environment Dumas and Arnott,
Medium to very cm wide; concave upward scours
AC

bioclastic Ain Kansera (7.51 - 7.35 under oscillatory current 2006

F3

coarse covered by foresets 0.5 - 5 m thick Sheet-like beds 15 - 50

sandstone Ma) with no (or weak) (b) Hyperpycnal flows
sandstone with the same angle of the basal
with SCS unidirectional currents resulting in delta-front (b) Mutti et al.,
erosive surface; skolithos ichnofacies
sandstone lobes 2003; Tinterri,
2011
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(a) predominantly
(a) Anastas et al.,
unidirectional currents
Sheet-like beds; channel 1997, 2006;
in a narrow strait,
Facies exposure: 5 infills (50 m wide and 15 Longhitano, 2013
Bioclastic and Ben Allou (7.80 - 7.51 Westward oriented foresets; variety Migrating dune field under tidal/bottom current
to 40 m thick; m deep incisions at the
unidirectional Ma) Fine to coarse of cross-stratification shown in Table unidirectional flow (Table influence

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cross-sets (single base of parasequence S1, 150 - 300 (b) Rebesco et al.,
crossbedded El Adergha (7.35 - 7.25 sandstone 2; dewatering structures; abundant 2).
or compound): 0.1 Table 2); wedges (pinch- 2014; Hernández-
sandstone Ma) bioturbation (Planolites) Flow v > 0.5 m/s (b) bottom-current passage
to 15 m thick out toward controlling Molina et al.,
through narrow seaway,
fault) 2016c; Ercilla et
may have deep tidal
al., 2017
influence

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Deceleration of the
Fine to medium
Generally structureless dominant
F4

sandstone Wavy lamination; asymmetrical dune Facies exposure: 2 Belderson et al.,

sandstone with variable Alternating traction and unidirectional current.
with alternating cross-sets up to 15 cm thick; to 50 m thick; mud 1982; Stow et al.,
Laminated Ben Allou (7.80 - 7.51 bioclastic content; resuspension. Decelerating Lower suspended sediment
mudstone separated scattered pattern of foreset layers: 0.5 to 5 cm 150 - 300 2009; Rebesco et

ED
heterolithics Ma) laterally continuous or velocity in mixed concentration. Sand patches
locally by thin orientations; moderate bioturbation thick; sand layers: al., 2014; Baas et
pinching-out muddy/sandy flow and rippled sand sheets
veneers of siderite (Planolites) 2 to 20 cm thick al., 2016
subhorizontal layers along a sediment transport
bands
path

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Sandstone- Gradational sandstone bed contacts Stow et al., 1998;
Gradual changes in current Mainly depositional, low-
mudstone units Marlstone, siltstone, with irregular grading (both normal Stow and
El Adergha (7.35 - 7.25 strength; resuspension and energy bottom currents;
with bi- and fine to medium and inverse); burrowed sandstone; 0.1 - 1 m thick Sheet-like geometry 150 - 300 Faugères, 2008;
Ma) deposition. possible interbedded
gradational sandstone mottled siltstone; indistinct to plane- Rebesco et al.,
CE
Flow v < 0.5 m/s hemipelagic sedimentation
sequences parallel lamination 2014
AC
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Table 2

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Shape of Internal

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Type of Internal Cross-set strata Accretion
Code Type of structure Bounding surface Mechanism of formation
bedform Organization thickness (threshold = >40 ° direction
variation)

Cross-lamination with

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L1 Ripples Simple 2-6 cm Planar Straight Forward Traction, grainfall, grainflow
straight cross-strata
Cross-lamination with
L2 Ripples Simple 2-6 cm Planar to trough Sinuous Forward Traction, grainfall, grainflow
sinuous cross-strata

ED
10 - 500 cm (Ben
Simple Cross-bedding Allou) Migration of straight and sinuous crested dunes
B1 Dunes Simple Planar Straight Forward
with angular cross-strata 10 - 50 cm (El without lee-superimposed dunes
Adergha)

B2
Simple, tabular cross-bedding
Dunes Simple PT 10 - 250 cm Planar to trough Sinuous Forward Same as B1 except higher velocity
CE
with sinuous cross-strata

Trough cross-bedding
AC

B3 Dunes Compound 10 - 250 cm Trough Sinuous Forward Same as B2 except higher velocity
with sinuous cross-strata

Compound cross-bedding with Migration of compound dunes,

B4 Dunes Compound 10 - 250 cm Planar Straight to sinuous Forward
straight to sinuous cross-strata or dunes affected by flow fluctuation
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Migration of a dune field, composed by
Horizontally-bedded Migrating Tabular,
S1 Simple to compound 5 to 15 m Planar Vertical simple and compound dunes under
cross stratified succession dune field stratiform bodies
constant flow with fluctuation in velocity

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Cross-stratified succession Migrating Sinuous, tabular and Migration of a dune field, composed by
S2 Compound 5 to 15 m Planar to slightly inclined Vertical and down-flow
with downcutting clinoforms dune field wedge-shaped simple and compound dunes under waning flow

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