evaporitic sedimentation during the Messinian salinity crisis in active accretionary wedge basins of the northern Calabria, southern Italy

Marine and Petroleum Geology 112 (2020) 104066

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Research paper

Carbonate/evaporitic sedimentation during the Messinian salinity crisis in active accretionary wedge basins of the northern Calabria, southern Italy

T

Laurent Gindre-Chanua, Mario Borrellib,∗, Antonio Carusoc, Salvatore Critellib, Edoardo Perrib a

Geosciences consultant, Dijon, France Dipartimento di Biologia, Ecologia e Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi della Calabria, Italy c Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy b

A R T I C LE I N FO

A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Carbonate sediments Evaporitic sediments Messinian salinity crisis Sea level changes Calabria

This work deals with Messinian deposits belonging to the Neogene infill of the Rossano and Belvedere Basins, respectively developed along the fore-arc and the back-arc areas of the north Calabria accretionary wedge. The main goal is to characterize the carbonate and evaporitic sedimentation during the Messinian Salinity Crisis, in the general framework of the basin architecture and the interplay between eustatic vs tectonic controlled sealevel variations. Fieldwork integrated with seismic lines and well logs interpretations led to the revision of the general stratigraphy of the basins and the proposal of a new sequential stratigraphic model driven by cyclic sealevel variations. Each cycle, repeated at least two times during the Messinian Salinity Crisis time frame, begins with a relative sea-level fall responsible for the emplacement of prograding wedges composed of terrigenous and evaporitic deposits that, subsequently, evolve in the deposition of primary basin-fill evaporites. This phase is followed by open marine transgression due to relative sea-level rise that terminates the evaporite formation and predates the development of microbial dominated carbonate platforms associated with shallow-water evaporites. Both basins experienced intense tectonic activity during the Messinian, which could be responsible for huge basinward sediments exportation and fast decreasing in the accommodation space. However, this did not substantially influence the development of the systems tracts that, considering the basinal architecture, have been mainly controlled by eustatic sea-level variations. In fact, two major sea-level drops associated with basin restriction and aridity (cold) conditions seem to have caused the origin of two main evaporitic units as basin-fill evaporites, while consequent sea-level rises and less stressed condition, account for two carbonate units with limited evaporites and terrigenous deposition.

1. Introduction The Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) represents one of the most debated topics in the scientific community since the 70’, when the discovery of thick evaporitic bodies in the deep Mediterranean basin occurred (Hsü et al., 1973). Since then, numerous studies regarding this topic followed one another and helped to understand the controlling factors, such as the paleogeography, paleoenvironments, sedimentary processes and geodynamic setting, that deeply modified the Mediterranean region in a relatively short time span of about 700 ky (e.g. Ryan and Cita, 1978; Clauzon et al., 1996; Krijgsman et al., 1999a, b; Lofi et al., 2011; Manzi et al., 2009, 2013; Roveri et al., 2014; Cornée et al., 2016). The Italian peninsula hosts important outcrops of Messinian deposits that were constrained through time, such as in the Apennines ∗

(e.g. Vai, 1997; Krijgsman et al., 2001; Lugli et al., 2007, 2010) and in Sicily (e.g. Butler et al., 1995; Hilgen and Krijgsman, 1999; Bellanca et al., 2001; Rouchy and Caruso, 2006; Roveri et al., 2008b; Matano et al., 2014; Perri et al., 2017). However, in the Calabria region, despite the large and good quality outcrops of MSC, few studies have been undertaken (e.g. Lugli et al., 2007; Roveri et al., 2008b; Perri et al., 2017), maintaining this setting still quite obscure and rich of uncertainties in the scientific community. Moreover, the processes that control the occurrence of the carbonate platforms and evaporites during the MSC, their facies variability and depositional sequences along the syntectonic depositional profiles of the subducting Calabrian arc province, have received little attention (Zecchin et al., 2013) and no comparison between fore-arc and back arc structural domains have been undertaken. The onset of the MSC stratigraphic framework (from 5.97 to 5.6 My)

Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (L. Gindre-Chanu), [email protected] (M. Borrelli).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2019.104066 Received 19 August 2019; Received in revised form 26 September 2019; Accepted 28 September 2019 Available online 08 October 2019 0264-8172/ © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Fig. 1. A) Studied area with the main tectonic lineaments (adapted from Van Dijk et al., 2000 and Zecchin et al., 2013). B) Schematic structural section of the Calabrian Arc with the respective back-arc and fore-arc positions of the Belvedere and Rossano basins (modified from Van Dijk et al., 2000).

2014) that mark the acme of the MSC reached at 5.6–5.55 My (Hilgen et al., 2007). This phase is characterized, together with primary halite deposition, by the emplacement of clastic resedimented gypsum deposits, grouped in a unit labelled by Roveri et al. (2008a; b; 2014) as “Resedimented Lower Gypsum”. After the peak of the crisis a new complex scenario developed. If along Sicilian basins new mostly shallow-water evaporites precipitated, in the remaining Italian basins evaporites-free clastic deposits dominated. This phase (5.55–5.33 My) and the related rock record is addressed with the name of Upper Gypsum (e.g. Roveri et al., 2014) and it is characterized by the widespread development of shallow-water environments characterized by brackish to fresh-water fauna and flora with Parathetyan affinities (Orszag-Sperber, 2006; Rouchy and Caruso, 2006; Roveri et al., 2008b). These features indicate that, during this

in Calabria and Sicily highlights the presence of a carbonate unit named Calcare di Base (CdB) (that overlies the Tripoli Fm) considered coeval with the primary sulphate deposits (Primary Lower Gypsum, PLG) and extensively cropping out in the Apennines and Sicily (Rouchy, 1982; García-Veigas et al., 1995, Rouchy and Caruso, 2006; Manzi et al., 2013; Roveri et al., 2014). The CdB represents a microbial-mediated carbonate and evaporitic body formed along perched platform-to-slope carbonate sedimentary systems that locally occupies tectonic highs (Perri et al., 2017 and reference therein) (Fig. 1). Whereas basinal evaporites (e.g. massive halite and potash salts) accumulated downslope in the adjacent basins as salinity increased during subsequent sea level drop (Butler et al., 1995). The generalized emersion and erosion of most of the depositional areas created a widespread erosional surface known as the Messinian Erosional Surface (MES) (e.g. Roveri et al., 2

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characterized by the active west dipping lithosphere subduction underneath the Calabrian-Sicilian continental crust, resulting in the southern Apennine to Maghrebide orogens and the emplacement of adjacent accretionary sedimentary wedges (Gueguena et al., 1998; Jolivet et al., 2006, 2008) (Fig. 1A). The rollback of the subducting Ionian slab triggered back-arc extension, that, successively opened the Liguro-Provencal basin during the Burdigalian (~20 M.a.), the Tyrrhenian Sea during the Serravallian (~12 M.a.), and the Vavilov and Marsili sub-basins, respectively during the Early Pliocene (~5 M.a.) and the uppermost Pliocene (~2 M.a.). These sequential back-arc opening episodes contributed to the progressive migration of the Calabrian arc towards the SE during the Neogene (Kastens et al., 1988; Mantovani et al., 1996; Jolivet et al., 2006, 2008; Carminati et al., 2012). Rosembaum and Lister (2004) show that rapid rates of lateral movements associated with an anticlockwise rotation of the subduction front of Calabria was accommodated by major NW-SE strike slip faults during the Messinian and Pliocene (Ghisetti and Vezzani, 1981). In such tectonic regime, extension and compression simultaneously coexist since the Tortonian respectively at the rear and the front of the Calabria-Peloritani orogenic arc (CPA) (Malinverno and Ryan, 1986; Van Dijk et al., 2000; Vignaroli et al., 2012). Today, the Eastern Tyrrhenian extensional domain occurs as a narrow 100 km wide back-arc area comprised between the Marsili rift basin and the Calabrian margin (Perri, 1996–1997; Mattei et al., 1999, 2002; Pepe et al., 2010; Spina et al., 2011) whilst the compressional fore-arc realm (Calabria accretionary wedge) extends 300 km from the onshore Ionian margin away to the frontal thrust zone (Patacca et al., 1990; Doglioni et al., 1999; Minelli and Faccenna, 2010; Polonia et al., 2011). In the onshore of North Calabria, the axial core of the CPA complex encompasses the Sila Massif (SM) that is made up of imbricated nappes of allochtonous Paleozoic to Tertiary units separated by prominent East verging thrusts and West verging back-thrusts (Van Dijk et al., 2000) (Fig. 1). The SM is flanked westward by thick Neogene sediments filling the subsident N-S oriented Belvedere, Paola, Amantea and Crati basins (Perri, 1996–1997; Mattei et al., 1999, 2002; Pepe et al., 2010; Spina et al., 2011), while eastward is covered by coeval terranes belonging to the Rossano, Cirò and Crotone wedge-top depozones (Muto et al., 2014). Both sideways are segmented by Miocenic synsedimentary leftlateral NW-SE transpressional regional faults that caused uplift and erosions, followed by Lower Pliocene to Pleistocene gradual exhumation due to normal to oblique wrench tectonics (Ghisetti and Vezzani, 1981; Thomson, 1994; Van Dijk et al., 2000; Ferranti et al., 2009; Minelli and Faccenna, 2010; Vignaroli et al., 2012; Massari and Prosser, 2013; Muto et al., 2014).

phase, the Mediterranean basin underwent substantial paleogeographic and paleoclimatic modifications consistent with the concept of the so called “Lago-Mare” event (Gignoux, 1936; Roda, 1964; Ruggieri, 1967; Orszag-Sperber, 2006). Finally, the Messinian and the MSC ended with the return to fully and stable marine conditions at 5.33 My, as consequence of the reflooding of Atlantic waters into the Mediterranean (e.g. Blanc, 2002; Meijer and Krijgsman, 2005; Garcia-Castellanos et al., 2009). The interpretation of such a complex stratigraphic scenario produced disagreement on the sea-level variations during the MSC. An initial model hypothesized a huge sea-level drop due to the Gibraltar strait closure that caused the complete desiccation of the Mediterranean (Hsü et al., 1973; Hsü, 1984; Rouchy and Caruso, 2006). Successively, was suggested that the Mediterranean desiccation could be occurred through different episodes of high amplitude (~500–~1500 m) sealevel lowering (e.g. Rouchy and Saint-Martin, 1992; Druckman et al., 1995; Gargani, 2004; Lofi et al., 2005; Gargani and Rigollet, 2007). However, different works suggested that only low-amplitude (~150 m) drops took place (Clauzon et al., 1996; Roveri and Manzi, 2006; Roveri et al., 2016), or even that any significant sea level variation occurred during the MSC (Krijgsman et al., 1999b; Lu and Meyers, 2006). Prompted by the need to understand the depositional processes that formed the several facies encountered within the carbonate and the evaporites deposits of the southern Italy MSC deposits, and with the purpose to clarify the timing of their formation, many studies were carried out, mainly focused upon lithologic and geochemical analysis (Ogniben, 1963; Decima et al., 1988; Pedley and Grasso, 1993; Rouchy and Caruso, 2006; CIESM, 2008; Ziegenbalg et al., 2010; Manzi et al., 2011, 2016; Perri et al., 2014; Caruso et al., 2015, 2016). However, it remains clear that to understand the interplay between structural styles and inherited depositional topography framed into a sequential canvas is essential to better assess the depositional style and consequently precise the facies variability in such pre-salt microbial carbonate system. Consequently, this study proposes to revise the stratigraphy of the Messinian succession preserved along perched basins upon opposite sides of the north Calabria accretionary wedge, combining structural style, evolutionary stage and geometry in order to constrain the timing of deposition of the different MSC deposits, with special emphasis on the carbonates and evaporites (sulphates and halite). 2. Methodology Fieldwork investigations mainly consisted in geological mapping, with measurement and description of stratigraphic sections. Geological maps were drawn integrating new field data with the 1:50.000 geological map N. 542 Verbicaro (SGN, 2010), and Perri (1996-97) maps in the Belvedere area; and with data included in Barone et al. (2008), Vignaroli et al. (2012), Perri et al. (2014), Gori et al. (2016), and 1:25.000 geological maps (SGN, 1955) in the Rossano Basin. The cross sections obtained from the geological maps were constrained and correlated with the multichannel seismic profiles and well logs provided from the VIDEPI project (http://unmig. sviluppoeconomico.gov.it/videpi/videpi.asp), where present. The sequential stratigraphic concepts and terminology follow the Mitchum (1977), Haq et al. (1988), Posamentier et al. (1988), Posamentier and Allen (1993), Emery and Myers (1996) and Simmons et al. (2007) studies. The defined sequences are comprised in a very limited time span (e.g. less than 700 ka), so they could be potentially considered as 4th and 5th order sequences (Vail et al., 1991) that are influenced mainly by orbital forcing (Vail et al., 1977; Miall, 2000). In any case, the sequential stratigraphic terms should be considered as general, and not absolute, terms.

3.1. The Rossano basin The Rossano basin formed during the Lower Miocene as a flexural subdsiding wedge-top depozone (Barone et al., 2007, 2008; Muto et al., 2014, Critelli et al., 2017; Critelli, 2018). Onshore, its sedimentary succession unconformably lies upon basement-imbricated allochtonous sheets of a km-scale east-verging thrust (Van Dijk et al., 2000; Vignaroli et al., 2012) (Fig. 1B). A significant inland exhumation and denudation occurred in the Eastern onshore area during the Burgalian-Langhian, leading to the formation of a gentle eastwards dipping flexure associated with a regional erosional unconformity (Vignaroli et al., 2012). Subsequently, repeated compressional deformations occurred since the Middle Miocene to the Pleistocene and produced successive forward thrusting migration, footwall head erosions and depocentres shift of the Calabrian terranes towards the NE (Critelli et al., 2011). The NW-SE transpressive San Nicola - Rossano fault separates the basement units from the eastern basin infill (Van Dijk et al., 2000), in which progressive unconformities and clastic wedges are correlated to episodes of deformation, erosion and re-sedimentation (Barone et al., 2008; Muto et al., 2014; Critelli et al., 2017; Critelli, 2018). Although Thomson (1994) and Minelli and Faccenna (2010) quoted that little erosion

3. Geodynamic evolution of north Calabria The present-day geodynamic configuration of South Italy is 3

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Fig. 2. A) Geological map of the Rossano basin outcropping area, compiled using new field data integrated with data from: Gori et al. (2016), Perri et al. (2014) and Geological map (1955) sheet 230, IV S.E. 1:25.000). B) Cross section of the Western margin of the Rossano Basin. The structural and geological frame of the northern part is constrained by the multichannel seismic profile MIR-12 and the Sergio Romano well (VIDEPI Project), more extensively described in Chapter 4.1.2 and in Fig. 6.

occurred in the basement during the last 20 M.y., apatite fission track analysis made along the eastern Sila massif show that a major, but slow, exhumation of the basement nappes occurred in the end of the Aquitanian (Vignaroli et al., 2012). This led to the outward clastic exportation in the adjacent eastern wedge-top Rossano basin (Critelli et al., 2011). As a consequence, a progressive flexure of the margin occurred, triggering updip margin destabilization, erosion and emplacement of olistostromes during the Upper Tortonian and Upper Messinian (Barone et al., 2006, 2008; Perri et al., 2014; Critelli et al., 2017; Critelli, 2018). The marginal uplift of the Rossano basin results in a long-term and large wavelength east-dipping flexure (> 5 km) which

accounts for a mature evolutionary stage of the western accretionary wedge of the Calabrian-Peloritani arc since the Lower Miocene.

3.2. The Belvedere Basin The Belvedere Basin represents the northern termination of the major Paola Basin that is a N-S oriented subsiding asymmetric depression lying along the western Calabrian margin (Fig. 1). It constitutes a 30 km wide syncline filled by circa 4.5 km thick Neogene to Quaternary off-shore deposits. Onshore Neogene equivalent deposits are exposed along the Coastal Chain, from the Amantea to the Belvedere areas 4

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(Fig. 1). Although offshore 2D seismic lines allowed better visualization of the overall post-Neogene filling architecture, the Miocene in the offshore zone remains obscure because of the thick pile of the overlaying Pliocene to Pleistocene succession. Therefore, contrasted tectono-sedimentary scenarios were formulated for the Miocene sedimentation along the present-day coastal Calabrian margin which might be influenced by either compressional (Bonardi et al., 2001; Pepe et al., 2008) or extensional regime (Patacca et al., 1990; Milia et al., 2009; Milia and Torrente, 2014). The overall succession was significantly affected by wrench deformations since the Upper Miocene - Lower Pliocene leading to the growth of en-echelon folds, push-up structures, stepover and releasing bends aside from different orders of NW-SE to NE-SW left lateral strike slip faults (Perri et al., 1996-97; Van Dijk et al., 2000; Mattei et al., 2002; Muto and Perri, 2002; Tansi et al., 2007; Milia et al., 2009; Spina et al., 2011). Whereas, since the Middle Pleistocene, an intense WNWESE oriented regional extensional phase created a longitudinal rift zone along the western Calabria (Cello et al., 1982; Monaco and Tortorici, 2000). The present-day high elevation of the Coastal Chain may be likely assigned to the last 1 M.y. uplifting of the Calabrian margin due to long wavelength vertical movement assigned to deep mantle flow pattern associated with the abovementioned longitudinal rifting (Pepe et al., 2008). At Belvedere Marittimo, transpressional folds formed along the enechelon NW-SE, strike slip faults during the Upper Miocene. These structures occur as fault bounded SW dipping asymmetric anticlines and synclines and constitute short wavelength and duration deformational features (< 2 km wide) (Perri et al., 1996-97). 4. Results: Neogene basins infill stratigraphy, facies and geometrical architecture Fig. 3. General stratigraphy of the Neogene deposits of the Rossano Basin.

The reconstruction of the Rossano and Belvedere basins infill stratigraphy, especially in the Messinian time span, is extremely challenging because of both the recent and syn-sedimentary tectonics that produced detachments and stratigraphic elisions. In order to constrain and revise the stratigraphy, several fieldwork investigations, such as geological mapping and detailed measurement and description of stratigraphic sections, were necessary. Moreover, when possible, multichannel seismic profiles and boreholes logs were consulted to compare the outcropping and buried sedimentary units and provide a final and unique (both for buried and outcropping units) stratigraphic framework for each basin.

The Rossano area shows well exposed sedimentary successions and subsurface data (borehole logs and seismic profiles). Stratigraphic logs were mainly measured in the key area of Cozzo Sant Isidoro, where seismic scale outcrops permit to define the lateral facies changing and the vertical evolution of most of the Messinian succession (Fig. 2A). The integration between outcropping and seismic data were used to define a geological section (Fig. 2B) that combined surface and subsurface data in order to show the basinward prosecution of the pre-evaporitic and evaporitic units that are listed below.

The substrate units are sharply cut by a Miocenic low-angle E-verging basal erosional unconformity that is covered by thick (~120 m in total) transgressive conglomerates and sandstones belonging to the Serravallian-Tortonian Conglomerati Irregolari Fm and ArenaceoConglomeratica Fm (Perri et al., 2014), representing the onset of Rossano basin sedimentary infill (Fig. 3). The sandstones grade upwards into deeper marine Tortonian to lower Messinian clay (Argilloso Marnosa Fm) (~200 m), interlayered with calcarenites strata and incorporating an olistotrome of basement (Argille Scagliose Fm) (Barone et al., 2008). The pelagic foraminifera Globorotalia suterae, together with Helicosphaera stalis and Discoasters fire rays, allow to attribute the uppermost part of the marlstones to the MMi12 biozone (Rao et al., 2006; Lirer et al., 2019). Then the clay passes transitionally into few meters of finely laminated diatomites and marls attributed to the Tripoli Fm, which are subsequently covered by carbonates and gypsum of the CdB (50–60 m thick) (Perri et al., 2017), which represents the first sedimentary event of the Messinian Salinity Crisis (see below). The boundary between the Tripoli Fm and the shallowwater facies of the CdB is generally transitional but also locally unconformable. Interbedded marlstones within the carbonates of the CdB yield the occurrence of C. leptoporus, indicating an Early Messinian age (Rao et al., 2006).

4.1.1. Inland stratigraphy 4.1.1.1. Serravallian to Messinian pre-evaporitic units. The Late Miocene deposits of the Rossano basin crop out along elongated cliffs that bound a series of transverse NE-SW valleys crosscutting the mountain belt and the coastal plain of the Rossano-Paludi area. The basement is made up of tectonic units including the Upper Paleozoic granites and orthogneiss of the Mandatoriccio Units, Jurassic to Eocene carbonates to sandstones of the Longobucco series (“Calabride Units”) and the reddish Aquitanian sandy conglomerates of the Paludi Formation (Fig. 3) (Van Dijk et al., 2000; Bonardi et al., 2005; Vignaroli et al., 2012).

4.1.1.2. Messinian evaporitic units. To fully constrain the evaporitic sedimentary succession of the Rossano basin, a detailed fieldwork mapping (Fig. 2A) coupled with the measurement of three stratigraphic key sections, named Cozzo Sant Isidoro 1 and 2 and Paludi road (Fig. 4), have been undertaken. In particular, four main formations were distinguished (from the base, CdB1, Paludi Breccia, Molassa di Castiglione, Claystones) and grouped into a CalcareousEvaporitic unit (CE), which represent the inland outcropping record of the MSC in the Rossano basin. The main characteristic of these

4.1. Rossano Basin

5

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Fig. 4. Detailed sedimentary and stratigraphic logs in the Rossano Basin to compare with Figs. 12 and 13. For the precise location see Fig. 2.

the remaining outcropping areas (e.g. Paludi road section, Fig. 4) in the southeast basinal area. The CdB1 represents a carbonate platform-to-slope system in which a wide spectrum of facies is present (Perri et al., 2017). The inner platform setting is characterized by microbialitic limestones associated with shallow-water evaporites (see upper part of Cozzo Sant Isidoro 1 section and top of Cozzo Sant Isidoro 2, Fig. 4). These facies testify a shallow water high-saline to hyper-saline peritidal environment with exposure surfaces (Fig. 5A). The upper slope is characterized by piles of poorly sorted platform-

formations, and a brief paleoenvironmental interpretation is here exposed: - The CdB1 Fm shows a variable thickness from few meters to maximum 50 m. Its lower contact is generally transitional or sharp with the underlying Tripoli Fm in the whole basin. On the contrary, the contact with the overlying formations is variable since it is erosive along the southwestern part of the basin (e.g. Cozzo Sant Isidoro 1 and 2 sections, Fig. 4), whereas it is stratigraphically continuous in 6

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Fig. 5. Some sedimentary facies of the Rossano Basin deposits. A) Desiccation cracks filled by calcispar cement (white arrows) occurring at the top of flat stromatolites rich of pseudomorphs of evaporites (black arrows). Calcare di Base Fm, Section Cozzo S. Isidoro 1. B) Polymictic floatbreccia and conglomerates with disorganized poorly sorted sub-angular to smoothed coarse grained to pebbly clasts. Calcare di Base Fm, Section Cozzo S. Isidoro 2. C) Sharp-based (Red dashed line) inverse graded polymictic debrites with layered rip-up clay chips suggested by moldic macropores. Calcare di Base Fm, Section Paludi. D) Gypsum nodules and chicken-wire nodules into marlstone clays (black arrows). Paludi Breccia Fm, Section Paludi. E) Ripple-marks in well sorted sandstones of the Molassa di Castiglione Fm. Section Cozzo S. Isidoro 2. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)

which contains fine terrigenous and calcareous grains, and gypsum crystals, is barren since only reworked Upper Tortonian forams are locally present. Moreover, moving upward in the succession, the clay includes cm to meter-scale laminated and nodular gypsum bodies, most probably primary in origin. Within the clay, few meters of carbonates associated with gypsum occur (see top of Cozzo Sant Isidoro 1 and 2 sections). These carbonates consist mainly of stromatolites with gypsum laminae and solution breccias characteristic of peritidal deposits of high-saline to hyper-saline environments. Considering the facies similitudes with the inner platform facies of the CdB1 formation, we named this carbonate body as CdB 2 (Fig. 3). Below the CdB 2, the Claystone Fm present a thickness from 10 m (Cozzo Sant Isidoro 1 section) to about 16–18 m (Cozzo Sant Isidoro 2 section) (Fig. 4), whereas the total thickness of the clays with gypsum above the CdB 2 is hardly estimable because of tectonic complications.

derived carbonate debrites, minor polymictic breccias with a terrigenous input (Fig. 5B) and multiscale slump structures (see Cozzo Sant Isidoro 2 section). Base of slope to basin setting is characterized by organized debrites, with normal or reverse grading (Fig. 5 C), interbedded with marls and claystones that fed the rip-up clasts, frequently present within the debrites (Paludi road section) (Perri et al., 2014, 2017). - The Paludi Breccia Fm is present in the southwestern part of the basin where erosively overlays the CDB 1. It mainly consists of a polygenic coarse to very coarse breccia including gypsum clasts, carbonate and terrigenous detritus immersed in a structureless claystones matrix. In the measured sections its presence is limited to the Paludi road section, where it shows a total thickness of about 3 m (Fig. 4) of nodular gypsum typical of sabkha environment, lateral to the breccia facies (Fig. 5 D). The thickness of this formation is highly variable from southwest to northwest from few metres to circa 10–20 m. - The Molassa di Castiglione Fm forms a distinct and massive northeastward aggradational wedge with a sigmoid geometry (maximum thickness reaches circa 20 m), it is characterized by fine conglomerates with basements clasts and mostly brown sandstones with planar to cross stratification (Fig. 5 E) (see Cozzo Sant Isidoro 2 and Paludi road sections), interpreted as nearshore deposits (Barone et al., 2008; Perri et al., 2014). This formation progressively onlaps, toward southwest, the Paludi Breccia Fm and the CdB 1 Fm, the latter here limited by an erosional surface. This basal contact is well visible in the Paludi road and Cozzo Sant Isidoro 2 sections, whereas in the section Cozzo Sant Isidoro 1 the sandstones tapers up to disappear. - The Claystones Fm, entirely cap the CdB 1 Fm (Cozzo Sant Isidoro 1 section) and the Molassa di Castiglione Fm (both Cozzo Sant Isidoro 2 and Paludi road sections). It is generally characterized by greyish clay and clayey marls with rare sandstones intercalations. The clay,

Finally, the CE Unit is capped by an olistostrome, outcropping in the eastern part of the basin (Figs. 2 and 3) and composed of large basement derived clasts, such as Mesozoic and Cenozoic limestone, marls, quartzarenite and chert of the Sicilide Complex terranes of the Southern Apennines (Critelli, 1999; Critelli et al., 2007, 2011, 2013).

4.1.1.3. Messinian post-evaporitic units. Brackish marls and clays of the Garicchi Fm, followed by conglomerates and sandstones of the Palopoli Fm, represent the last Messinian units in the Rossano basin (Perri et al., 2014 and references therein). They extensively crop out in the easternmost part of the basin (Fig. 2), and are included in the LagoMare Group (see also next paragraph), that generally testifies a renewed freshwater input within the Mediterranean (e.g. Roda, 1964) after the previous evaporitic phase. These latter, represent the last Messinian units before the Zanclean reflooding that terminates the Messinian Salinity Crisis (e.g. Van Couvering et al., 2000). 7

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Fig. 6. Simplified Messinian stratigraphy of the Seggio Romano 1 well (A) and MIR-12 seismic line (B, C and D) that pass over the well (see Fig. 2 for the location). The only raw seismic datum (B) available from the ViDEPI site was already interested by line-drawing interpretation. The well stratigraphy helped in the definition of the most important reflectors that divide the Evaporitic unit from the Lago-Mare unit, and the Lago-Mare unit from the Plio-Pleistocene (C and D). Moreover, the Evaporitic unit was divided in three bodies: halite dominated, clay dominated and sulphate dominated. Besides the transpression and associated thrusts, the seismic line does not highlight any salt tectonic features. The bold black line in the well path indicates the part of the well highlighted in A.

dominated and Sulphates dominated bodies) (Fig. 6C). The seismic line shows a broadly constant thickness of the evaporitic/terrigenous units, which result only affected by a post-Messinian positive flower-structure that produced open bends and associated thrusts, almost draped by the Plio-Pleistocene deposits. Moreover, no signs of salt tectonics clearly occur (Fig. 6C and D). Two main overlaid seismic units within the Messinian deposits can be defined: a basal “Evaporitic” unit that includes mainly halite and sulphate and an upper unit “Lago Mare” that includes terrigenous deposits between the top of the evaporites and the Pliocene base (Fig. 6D). The Evaporitic Unit shows, from the bottom, an alternation of clay and halite beds, with rare intercalations of thin anhydride, accounting for a total thickness of circa 300 m. These strata pass upward into a 100 m thick clay dominated body. Claystones are subsequently overlain by the dense alternation of decametric thick anhydride/gypsum beds with clay and very rare halite thin layers, accounting for a total thickness of circa 100 m (Fig. 6A). The Lago Mare unit presents a total thickness of circa 330 m. The clay (~75 m thick) is dominant in the lowest part of the unit and passes upward into mixed sand and clay, sometimes interlayered with coarse sands and conglomerates (circa 255 m in thickness). Since the presence of a relatively scarce brackish fossil association (mainly ostracods) was reported in this stratigraphic interval and in many other offshore wells of the Rossano basin, available in the ViDEPI project, we consider this

4.1.2. Subsurface stratigraphy The Seggio Romano well and the associated seismic line (MIR-12) were studied with the aim to extend the Messinian stratigraphy revision in the subsurface (Figs. 2, 3 and 6). The Seggio Romano borehole presents a total drilled thickness of 1210 m (Fig. 6). Its stratigraphy was obtained through the exclusively acquisition of the lithological, spontaneous potential and resistivity logs. 480 m of Messinian evaporites (halite and anhydride) interlayered with clay occur from the well bottom (Fig. 6A). Whereas, from 730 m to 405 m of depth, thick banks of clay are alternated to Messinian conglomerates and sandstones. Finally, from 405 m to 120 m of depth the Plio-Pleistocene silty-clay with occasional thin layers of sandstones and conglomerates occur and are overlaid (until the surface) by recent alluvial conglomerates (Fig. 6A). The seismic line MIR-12 is published exclusively with the two-waytimes (TWT) as vertical scale (Fig. 6B). Plio-Pleistocene deposits appear separated by the Messinian ones by a well visible reflector due to the acoustic impedance contrast between sandstones and clays. The Messinian thick deposits, can be further separated in two seismic units (Lago-Mare unit and Evaporitic unit), thanks to another well distinguishable reflector that mark the top of the evaporites. A third surface subparallel with the top of the evaporites is present within the evaporitic body and further divides this unit in three different bodies, well identifiable in the Seggio Romano well (Halite dominated, Clay 8

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Fig. 7. A) Geological map of the Belvedere area, compiled from Geological map (2010) Verbicaro, sheet 542, 1:50.000 and Perri et al. (1996-97). B) WSW-ENE cross section of the Belvedere Basin (eastern margin of the Paola Basin), modified from Perri et al. (1996-97).

calcarenites towards the east (Conglomerate and calcarenite Unit), exhibiting a pronounced erosional surface at its top.

unit as representative of the Lago-Mare event of the Mediterranean (Roda, 1964). Finally, as mentioned before, this unit is capped by the probably deep-water clays of the Plio-Pleistocene (Fig. 6).

4.2.1.2. Messinian evaporitic units. In the Belvedere area, the Messinian evaporitic succession is thinner in comparison to the coeval one in the Rossano basin (Fig. 3). Here, two sections, named Section 1 and Section 2, were measured and permitted to define for stratigraphic position and lithologies a Calcareous evaporitic unit (CE), directly comparable with the CE unit already defined in the Rossano Basin. The CE unit in the Belvedere basin is composed by three different and subsequent formations (CdB1 Fm, Breccia Fm, CdB 2 Fm) of which a brief paleoenvironmental interpretation is also presented.

4.2. Belvedere Basin The Belvedere area is characterized by well exposed outcrops; however, the limited available subsurface data did not allow to perform subsurface stratigraphy. A geological map of a significant part of the basin was constructed (Fig. 7), while for the sedimentological and stratigraphic constrains of the area, new stratigraphic logs were measured (Fig. 9).

- The CdB 1 Fm erosively cap the early Messinian conglomerates. It generally presents a more limited thickness if compared with the CdB 1 in the Rossano Basin, such as testified by Section 1 in which it shows a thickness of circa 5 m. Within the Belvedere basin, different CdB facies occur, generally representing a slope environment and, to a limited extent, shallow-water platform setting. In particular the latter, is characterized by sparse outcrops of microbial boundstones interlayered with autobreccias (Fig. 10 A). Whereas the slope environment is characterized by mud-supported megabreccia, graded to coarse breccia embedded into a mud lime matrix rich in coarse

4.2.1. Inland stratigraphy 4.2.1.1. Pre-Messinian pre-evaporitic units. The Belvedere Marittimo sedimentary succession stands on a basement composed of tectonic units made of metamorphic igneous and sedimentary rocks (Calabride and Liguride complexes) (Figs. 7 and 8). They are unconformable overlain by massive alluvial to marine Lower Tortonian conglomerates (circa 140 m thick), upward transitionally grading into grey open marine clay (circa 100 m thick) (Fig. 8). The clay is unconformably capped by 60 m of late Tortonian/early Messinian azoic polymictic breccia, conglomerate and sandstone that laterally pass into bioclastic 9

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5.1.1. Sequence 1 The first sequence (Seq 1), which has similar configurations in both basins, starts with transgressive deposits on the basement (Fig. 11). In the Belvedere Basin, the Conglomerates and the Marine Grey Marlstone Fms unconformably cover the metamorphic Cretaceous basement characterized by a basal unconformity representing the sequence boundary (SB-0). The succession displays a general deepening upward trend above the SB-0 and consequently represent the transgressive systems tract (TST) dated Late Serravallian. The TST is followed by shallow water marine calcarenites and few conglomerates. They testify a general bathymetric shallowing of the depositional system at the end of the Seq. 1 and, consequently, they are addressed as representative of the high stand systems tract (HST) (Fig. 11). This succession is well correlated with the coeval one present in the inland Amantea Basin (less than 70 km South of Belvedere area) (Muto and Perri, 2002) where very similar calcarenites, capped by an unconformable surface (mostly erosional), pass to a new TST composed of a transgressive conglomerate evolving into deep marine clay. This unconformable surface, that represents the next sequence boundary (SB-1), is also present in the Belvedere basin at the top of the Calcarenites and Conglomerates Fm, even if here the following Tortonian TST is completely eroded (Fig. 11). In the Rossano Basin, the Seq 1 shows many analogies with the one present in Belvedere and Amantea Basins, only with minor differences. Here the Conglomerati Irregolari Fm and the Arenaceo-Conglomeratica Fm progressively grade upwards into the marine Argilloso-Marnosa Fm and unconformably cover the basament on the SB-0; these deposits represent a TST. Subsequently, the calcarenitic beds and the massive olistostrome account for a progressive shallowing trend (Barone et al., 2008) and are interpreted as the expression of a HST that terminates the Seq 1 (Fig. 11).

Fig. 8. Stratigraphy of the Inland Lower Neogene deposits of the Belvedere Basin. Modified from Perri et al. (1996-97).

basement-derived clasts, microbial carbonate clasts and finer debrites and turbidites (Fig. 10 B) as highlighted in Section 1 (Fig. 4) (see also Perri et al., 1996-97, 2017). - The Breccia Fm occur both in Section 1 and 2 with a variable thickness between 11.5 m and 2.5 m. It can directly and conformably cover the early Messinian conglomerates (Section 2) and the CdB 1 (Section 1) however, in this latter case, the contact is covered (Fig. 9). It is dominantly characterized by gypsum supported floatbreccia with clasts mostly made of gypsum and laminated microbial boundstones or autobreccciated carbonates (Section 1 and 2), however coarse breccias with abundant basement-derived angular clasts immersed in a clay-rich matrix (Fig. 10 C) can also occur. - The CdB 2 Fm shows a thickness of 2.5 m in Section 1 and circa 5 m in Section 2 (Fig. 9). It generally presents a conformable contact with the underlying Breccia Fm and is characterized by in place stromatolitic carbonates with common interlayered collapse breccia and pseudomorphs after evaporite crystals (Section 1), passing laterally into thin alabastrine gypsum laminites (Fig. 10 D), sometimes interlayered with scour-based coarse gypsiferous sansdtone pockets (Section 2). These deposits are considered representative of gypsum salina and sabkha environments (e.g. Perri et al., 2017).

5.1.2. Sequence 2 The Seq 2 is well exposed in the Rossano Basin and represents one of the main targets of this study (Figs. 11 and 12). The SB-1 marks the onset of the Seq 2 that starts with the uppermost part of the clay of the Argilloso Marnosa Fm which grades upward into diatomites of the Tripoli Fm. They are addressed as a TST with a maximum flooding surface (MFS) coincident with the diatomites that indicate the max deepening of the depositional system (Fig. 11). A carbonate/evaporite body, i.e. the CdB 1 Fm, then caps these units. At Cozzo Sant Isidoro is possible to observe a lateral facies transition (Fig. 12), from inner platform to slope facies toward East with a prograding trend, confirmed also by the superimposing of the upper-slope on mid-slope facies in the Cozzo Sant Isidoro 2 where prograding clinoforms are well exposed (Figs. 12 and 13). The carbonate clinoformal bedsets are interbedded with thin clayey/marly strata and form a low angle prograding tabular wedge that ranges between 10 m and 50 m of maximum thickness along the wedge core. This is evident in the eastward Paludi section, that documents the core of the downslope prograding wedges of CdB 1 platform system (Figs. 12 and 13). This latter, characterized by a slightly continuous regressive trend, can be considered the high-stand systems tract (HST) of the Seq 2 (Figs. 12 and 13). At CdB 1 top, a pronounced erosional surface occurs (Figs. 11–13), which can be considered the upper sequence boundary (SB-2). In the Belvedere Basin the Seq 2 is significantly reduced by tectonic erosion, since exclusively the CdB 1 above the unconformity SB-1 occurs (Fig. 14).

5. Discussion 5.1. Sequence stratigraphy and depositional model Considering the above presented data, four correlative Depositional Sequences have been defined in the deposits of the Rossano and Belvedere basins. Due to their similar stratigraphical and sequential patterns, constrained within an equivalent time frame, these sequences are correlated over the North Calabria and are noted as follows: Sequence 1 (Seq 1) Serravallian/Early Tortonian, Sequence 2 (Seq 2) Late Tortonian-Early Messinian, Sequence 3 (Seq 3) Messinian, Sequence 4 (Seq. 4) Late Messinian (Fig. 11).

5.1.3. Sequence 3 After the SB-2 a basinward shift of the shelf facies occurs; this is suggested by the Paludi Breccia Fm (Rossano Basin) and the Breccia Fm (Belvedere Basin) that unconformably directly overlay slope facies (e.g. in the Paludi section, peritidal nodular gypsum deposits overlay debrites of the previous slope). This can be interpreted as the result of a relative sea-level fall that triggered an important exposure and erosion of the previous platform settings (i.e. the CdB 1) and shifted the 10

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Fig. 9. Correlation of logged sections of the Belvedere uphill, showing the main deposits of the Upper Messinian Calcare di Base (CdB) in the Belvedere area.

slightly increase of the sea level, that induced a relative updip migration of the coastal onlaps in the marginal part of the basin. This latter, characterized by the presence of the massive sandstones of the Molassa di Castiglione Fm is considered coeval to the Halite body. The Seq 3 then continues with a new transgression as testified by the superimposition of marine clays both in the marginal part (Claystones Fm) and in the subsurface (Clay dominated body, Fig. 6) that represent a TST. Successively, a new carbonate body (CdB 2), similar to the CdB 1 in terms of depositional environment, overlies the clays indicating a

deposition basindward. In this view, the breccia bodies (Paludi Breccia Fm in Rossano basin and Breccia Fm in Belvedere basin) represent part of the forced regression lowstand wedges (FRW) of the Seq 3. After this sea-level lowering a relative stasis and slightly increase took places with the development of a late lowstand systems tract (LST). In the Rossano area, during this moment, the severe restriction of the basin and the consequential increasing of salinity, prompted the deposition in the main depozones of the Halite dominated body (~300 m), interpreted as basin fill evaporites (BFE). This process occurred also in response of the

11

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Fig. 10. Sedimentary facies of some of the Belvedere Basin deposits. A) Layered stromatolitic boundstones (bo) and inter-stratal polymictic breccia (br) made up of angular autochtonous and allochtonous fragments. Belvedere Section 1. B) Normal graded polymictic floatbreccia characterized in the upper part by planar to wavy bedded sandstones. Belvedere Section 1. C) Massive breccia body made of basement (black arrows), gypsum and carbonate (CdB type) clasts. Belvedere Section 2. D) Thin alternation of laminated microcrystalline gypsum with terrigenous and carbonate lamina. Belvedere Section 2.

possibility of a new transgression (TST) after the HST of the CdB 2 (Fig. 13). According to this interpretation, a sequence boundary (SB-3) located at the top of the CdB 2 should be present. Inland, these clays are covered by an olistostrome, consequently there is no evidence for a prosecution of the Seq. 4 after the TST. However, the subsurface data, highlights the presence of a sulphate-domianted evaporite body (Fig. 6) that, for analogy with the previous halite body, should represent the second event of basin-fill evaporites (BFE) deposition due to a new sealevel drop (Figs. 11 and 13) that follows the CdB 2 and potentially

shallowing of the depositional system and most probably representing a new HST. This happens, with some differences, also in the Belvedere Basin, where the CdB 2 directly cover the Breccia Fm, representing both the FRW and the Late LST + TST (Fig. 14). 5.1.4. Sequence 4 Another sequence can be defined above the CdB 2 in the Rossano Basin (Fig. 11). Despite the not good stratigraphic continuity, the presence of clays with gypsum directly following the CdB 2, suggest the

Fig. 11. Sequential stratigraphic correlations of the outcropping Neogene deposits of the Rossano (Both inland and in subsurface) and Belvedere Basins. Depositional sequences, noted as Seq 1, Seq 2, Seq 3 and Seq 4 correspond to 4th and 5th order sequences bounded by major Sequence Boundaries (SB). The most significant maximum flooding surfaces (mfs) are highlighted by the topmost part of the green triangles. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.) 12

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Fig. 12. A) SW-NE panoramic view showing the low-angle prograding clinoformal wedge of the Calcare di Base (CdB 1), cropping out along the San Isidoro hill in the Rossano Basin. B) View of the clinoformal core prograding towards the NE. C) View of the forced regression gypsiferous marlstone wedge (Paludi Breccia Fm) and the subsequent Late LST Molassa di Castiglione Fm onlapping the previous clinoforms of the CdB 1 towards the SW.

(outcrops, wells and seismic) data. As described in the previous 4.1.2 chapter, in the main depozone of the Rossano basin (see the Seggio Romano 1 well), two main evaporitic bodies within the major “Evaporitic Unit”, one Halite-dominated at the base, and one sulphates-dominated at the top, interlayered with clay (Fig. 11) occur, whereas in the marginal zones (inland termination of

created the abovementioned SB-3. The correlation between the Messinian outcropping and subsurface successions resulted a valid method that can be used to better constrain the studied sequence stratigraphic architecture. However, since there are no wells in the Belvedere area, the proposed general sequential stratigraphic model is strongly based only on the Rossano Basin

Fig. 13. Correlation scheme of Sant Isidiro 1, 2 and Paludi road sections, Rossano basin. Not to scale. 13

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Fig. 14. Correlation of stratigraphic sections in the Belvedere basin.

the abovementioned studies the evaporites bodies formed during phases of stasis (or slightly increase) of the sea-level (LST), after the major lowering. The formation of evaporites is consequently ascribed as a basin fill process that can also continue for the first phase of the new transgression (Tucker 1991). In conclusion, considering both outcrops and subsurface data we propose a general sequential stratigraphic model for the Messinian evaporitic phase, characterized by the presence of at least three sequences recognizable both inland and in subsurface (Fig. 11). These latter formed in consequence of two major sea-level drops associated with basin restriction and aridity conditions that seem to have caused the origin of two main evaporitic bodies as basin-fill evaporites, while consequent sea-level rises and less stressed condition, account for two Calcare di Base units with carbonates formation in platform realms associated with shallow-water evaporites and terrigenous deposition. Our proposed model is directly comparable with the sequential stratigraphic model proposed by Zecchin et al. (2013) in the coeval Crotone Basin (located less than 50 km southward the Rossano Basin) and the Caltanissetta Basin in Sicily (Butler et al., 1995). In particular the seismic interpretation of Zecchin et al. (2013) in the Crotone Basin, highlighted the presence of two main depositional sequences in the Messinian evaporitic succession recording the salinity

the basin) these thick evaporite bodies lacks. Combining these informations, our model proposes that during the first Mediterranean restriction, in consequence of a probable high sea-level stasis and slightly drop (following the Tripoli Fm), carbonate microbial mediated sedimentation took places on marine shelves. The main microbial carbonate factory was flanked by shallower salinas and sabkha sub-environments in which sulphates associated with microbial carbonates deposited, and faced carbonate slopes where re-sedimentation occurred (CdB 1 Fm). In this phase, no evaporite deposition took place in deeper basinward areas. However, a successive sea-level drop should have trigged a more severe restriction of the sea, with a general exposure of the CdB 1 platform (most probably forming an erosional surface coinciding with the regional Messinian Erosional Surface MES). This produced a forced regression wedge and late LST phase that evolved in deposition of the first Halite dominated evaporite body in the main depozones of the basin, ascribed as basin fill evaporites (BFE) (Fig. 15). Considering similar geological contexts, such as the Permian Zechstein Basin (e.g. Tucker 1991; Mawson and Tucker, 2009; Słowakiewicz et al., 2013), and Delaware Basin (e.g. Anderson and Dean, 1995; Kirkland et al., 2000) or the coeval Messinian Sicilian Basin (e.g. Butler et al., 1995), the presence of thick evaporitic bodies in relative depocenters of the basins is very common. Also in the models proposed in 14

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Fig. 15. General depositional model of the Seq 1, Seq 2 and part of the Seq 3. It is based on the onshore data coming from the Rossano and Belvedere outcrops and on the subsurface (well and seismic) data of the Rossano Basin. TST: transgressive systems tract, HST: high stand systems tract; LST: lowstand systems tract; BFE: basin fill evaporates; MFS: maximum flooding surface; SB: sequence boundary.

restricted marine environment of the Sicilian thrust belt. Here, the CdB experienced emersion and erosion after a main sea level drop that created an unconformity, well linked with our SB-2, and more generally to the MES. In Sicily, due to a successive forced regression a gypsum dominated mixed wedge formed, which is referable with the LSW of Seq 3 in our model. Lastly, also in this case, in Sicily during the late low stand phase (LST), deposition of evaporites occurs, forming Halite and/ or sulphates (depending of the basin configuration, Butler et al., 1995), similarly to what we postulate for the Northern Calabria Basins. The demonstrated existing correlation between our proposed general model and the ones proposed in other similar contexts, indicates that common control mechanisms of sedimentation occurred in the Calabrian and Sicilian basins during the Messinian. Moreover, despite the basins were located in active tectonic contexts, the presence of complete sea-level controlled systems tracts succession, indicates the dominance of the eustatic signal in comparison with the tectonic inputs. This latter, indeed present in such contests, most probably was mainly responsible for a higher basinward sediment exportation, mostly coupled with a faster decrease in the accommodation space of the depozones, with the consequent formation of a marked progradational pattern of the wedges.

crisis, well comparable with the two proposed in our work. Despite some differences due to the collocation of the SBs, since they put them after the Falling Stage Systems Tracts (FSST) (e.g. Catuneanu, 2006; Catuneanu et al., 2009, 2011), whereas in our model the SBs are located after the HST (Mitchum, 1977, Haq et al., 1988, Emery and Myers, 1996; Simmons et al., 2007), their Early Messinian Seq. 1 can be correlated with part of our Seq 2. Specifically, their HST and the following forced regression clinoforms of the FSST, are respectively comparable with the CdB 1 (HST) and the following Paludi Breccia Fm in the Rossano Basin and Breccia Unit in the Belvedere Basin (LSW) (Fig. 14). After the FSST a halite body (a LST for the Authors) marks the onset of the Seq. 2 in the Crotone Basin and, can be directly correlated with the Halite dominated body of the Rossano Basin, which in our nomenclature represents a Late LST + BFE (Figs. 9 and 14). The Seq. 2 in the Crotone Basin continues with a TST and HST that are respectively correlated with the Claystone Fm (TST) and CdB 2 (HST) in the Rossano Basin (Fig. 13). Again, a second relative sea-level drop produces a new FSST with terrigenous deposits and sulphate evaporites in the Crotone Basin, that corresponds with our second terrigenous and Sulphate dominated body in the Rossano Basin (Fig. 9) that should represent a new Late LST + BFE. Finally, the Lago Mare deposits in the Crotone basin are represented by the Carvane Group and, are interpreted as a TST capping the Seq. 2 (Zecchin et al., 2013). The Carvane Group from faunal assemblage, lithology and stratigraphical position, should corresponds with the Argille di Garicchi Fm (recognizable exclusively inland) and Molassa di Palopoli Fm (recognizable both inland and in subsurface) and represent the Lago Mare phase (Roda, 1964) in the Rossano Basin (Fig. 13). In this view, the Argille di Garicchi Fm potentially represent a TST, whereas the following Molassa di Palopoli Fm, should represent an HST that mark the end of the salinity crisis. However, the few data available about these units, do not permit to be more specific. In the Sicilian context, the depositional model proposed by Butler et al. (1995) (their Fig. 9) for the carbonate and evaporitic Messinian deposits, also fits with our general model (Fig. 14), even if the Authors analyse only the first evaporitic phase (i.e. our Seq 2 and part of the Seq 3). In particular, they show in the Early Messinian the occurrence of the Calcare di Base, that is analogous to the CdB 1, in the continental and

5.2. Eustatic vs tectonic control of carbonate/evaporite deposition One of the first controversies concerning the Messinian salinity crisis regarded the sea-level variations after the isolation of the Mediterranean from the Atlantic Ocean. The first proposed model hypothesized a huge sea-level drop due to the Gibraltar strait closure that caused the complete desiccation of the Mediterranean (Hsü et al., 1973; Hsü, 1984). The Gibraltar strait closure was due to the tectonically constriction of the Atlantic gateways that progressively reduced the volume of the seawater inputs entering the Mediterranean, and/or to the lowering of the world ocean level due to a glaciation started at 7 Ma that may have influenced the restriction of the Mediterranean (Rouchy and Caruso, 2006). The Mediterranean desiccation could be occurred through different episodes of sea-level lowering. Various studies (e.g. Rouchy and Saint-Martin, 1992) accounted for at least two significant sea-level falls in the Western (e.g. Gargani, 2004; Lofi et al., 2005) and 15

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considering the basinal architecture, have been mainly controlled by eustatic sea-level variations. Focusing on the carbonate and evaporitic sedimentation occurred during the MSC time, two major eustatic sea-level variations reasonably represent the major causes of the depositional architecture, with the development of basin-fill evaporites during the sea-level minima associated with severe aridity conditions. Consequent sea-level rises and less stressed climate conditions, account for two microbial-dominated carbonate platform system deposition, strictly associated with evaporitic sedimentation limited to shallow-water environments and local terrigenous input. The vertical succession of the stratigraphic units, moreover permit to hypothesize that the fluctuations of the sea-level are coherent with variation of minor entity compared with other models proposed for the Mediterranean (e.g. Gargani and Rigollet, 2007).

in the Eastern (e.g. Druckman et al., 1995) main great basins, with an amplitude estimated in the order of ~500 and ~1500 m (for the western basin) (Gargani, 2004; Gargani and Rigollet, 2007). However, the theory of a complete desiccated Mediterranean was questioned by different works suggesting that only minor lowering (circa 150 m) took place in the Mediterranean (Clauzon et al., 1996; Roveri and Manzi, 2006; Roveri et al., 2016). Moreover, further school of think proposed that any sea level drop took places during the MSC and the Mediterranean water level was similar to the Atlantic level (Krijgsman et al., 1999b; Lu and Meyers, 2006). As well known, together with absolute (global/regional) sea-level variations, syn-sedimentary active tectonics can potentially greatly influence the marine signal producing local relative sea-level variations. In fact, tectonic controls along convergent margins may also strongly influence the distribution, thickness, type and duration of shallow marine carbonate platforms (Dorobek, 2007) and for sure, tectonic pulses in the Calabria region, certainly occurred during Messinian since the eastward migration and thrusting of the Calabrian region above the Ionian plate (Roveri et al., 1992; Doglioni et al., 1999; Van Dijk et al., 2000; Minelli and Faccenna, 2010; Critelli et al., 2017). However, considering the sequential stratigraphic architecture above described, we suggest that despite the intense tectonism that influenced the studied area during the Messinian, correlative transgressive/regressive events along both back-arc (Belvedere basin) and fore-arc margins (Rossano and also Crotone Basin) may result from relative sea level variation. The presence of at least two sea level drops during the salinity crisis is also pointed out by several authors for the whole Mediterranean basin as a consequence of the balance between evaporation and river discharging (e.g. Gargani and Rigollet, 2007). According to these authors, the first sea level drop should have reached more than 500 m of lowering, whereas the second should have reached more than 1000/1500 m. Nevertheless, on the basis of our evidences a so large sea level shift would be no coherent with reported geological data, since we note that, despite sea level drops clearly occurred, vertical superimposition of facies is repetitive, implying that basin-ward facies migration did not drastically happened.

Acknowledgements We gratefully acknowledge the critical and constructive comments of Miroslaw Slowakiewicz and an anonymous reviewer. Financial support for this research derived from MIUR (ex 60%) funds (resp. E. Perri and S. Critelli). Appendix A. Supplementary data Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2019.104066. References Anderson, R.Y., Dean, W.E., 1995. Filling the Delaware basin: hydrologic and climatic controls on the upper permian castile formation varved evaporite. In: In: Scholle, P.A., Peryt, T.M., Ulmer-Sholle, D.S. (Eds.), The Permian of Northern Pangea, vol. 2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp. 61–78 Sedimentary Basins and Economic Resources. Barone, M., Critelli, S., Le Pera, E., Di Nocera, S., Matano, F., Torre, M., 2006. Stratigraphy and detrital modes of upper Messinian post-evaporitic sandstones of the southern Apennines, Italy: evidence of foreland-basin evolution during the Messinian Mediterranean salinity crisis. Int. Geol. Rev. 48, 702–724. Barone, M., Dominici, R., Lugli, S., 2007. Interpreting gypsarenites in the Rossano basin (calabria, Italy): a contribution to the characterization of the messinian salinity crisis in the mediterranean. In: In: Arribas, J., Critelli, S., Johnsson, M. (Eds.), Sedimentary Provenance and Petrogenesis; Perspectives from Petrography and Geochemistry, vol. 420. Geological Society of America, Special Paper, pp. 135–148. Barone, M., Dominici, R., Muto, F., Critelli, S., 2008. Detrital modes in a Late Miocene wedge–top basin, northeastern calabria, Italy: compositional record of wedge top partitioning. J. Sediment. Res. 78, 693–711. Bellanca, A., Caruso, A., Ferruzza, G., Neri, R., Rouchy, J.M., Sprovieri, M., 2001. Transition from marine to hypersaline conditions in the Messinian Tripoli Formation from the marginal areas of the central Sicilian Basin. Sediment. Geol. 140, 87–105. Blanc, P.-L., 2002. The opening of the Plio-Quaternary Gibraltar Strait: assessing the size of a cataclysm. Geodin. Acta 15, 303–317. Bonardi, G., Cavazza, W., Perrone, V., Rossi, S., 2001. Calabria–peloritani terrane and northern ionian sea. In: Vai, G.B., Martini, I.P. (Eds.), Anatomy of an Orogen: the Apennines and Adjacent Mediterranean Basins. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, pp. 287–306. Bonardi, G.G., Capoa, Di, Staso, A., Perrone, V., Sonnino, M., Tramontana, M., 2005. The age of the Paludi Formation: a major constraint to the beginning of the Apulia-verging orogenic transport in the northern sector of the Calabria–Peloritani Arc. Terra. Nova 17 (4), 331–337. Butler, R.W.H., Lickorish, W.H., Grasso, M., Pedley, H.M., Ramberti, L., 1995. Tectonics and sequence stratigraphy in Messinian basins, Sicily: constraints on the initiation and termination of the Mediterranean salinity crisis. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 107, 425–439. Carminati, E., Doglioni, C., Gelabert, B., Panza, G.F., Raykova, R.B., Roca, E., Sabat, F., Scrocca, D., 2012. Evolution of the western mediterranean regional geology and tectonics: phanerozoic passive Margins,Cratonic basins and global tectonicmaps. In: In: Roberts, D.G., Bally, A.W. (Eds.), Chapter: 12, vol. 1C. Publisher: Elseviers, pp. 437–470. Caruso, A., Pierre, C., Blanc-Valleron, M.-M., Rouchy, J.M., 2015. Carbonate deposition and diagenesis in evaporitic environments: the evaporative and sulphurbearing limestones during the settlement of the Messinian salinity crisis in Sicily and Calabria. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 429, 136–162. Caruso, A., Pierre, C., Blanc-Valleron, M.-M., Rouchy, J.M., 2016. Reply to the comment on “Carbonate deposition and diagenesis in evaporitic environments: the evaporative and sulphur-bearing limestones during the settlement of the Messinian Salinity Crisis in Sicily and Calabria” by Caruso et al., 2015. Palaeo3, 429, 136-162. Palaeogeogr.

6. Conclusions The Neogenic deposits of the Rossano and Belvedere Basins infill have been divided in four main depositional sequences: Sequence 1 (Serravallian-Tortonian) is characterized, in both basins, by a basal mainly clastic transgressive unit that passes upward to a regressive mixed carbonate/siliciclastic deposits. Sequence 2 (Tortonian-lower Messinian) records transgressive claystones followed by microbial dominated carbonate and shallow-water evaporitic deposits belonging to a lower Messinian prograding platform to slope system known as Calcare di Base Fm. A major relative sea level drop, that caused partial subaerial exposition of previous deposits, marks the intra-Messinian Sequence 3 that begins with a prograding low-stand wedge composed of clastic and evaporitic deposits, and culminate with the deposition of primary halite-dominated basin-fill evaporites. The sequence 3 continues with new transgressive claystone and ends with a second carbonate/evaporitic body similar to one Sequence 2. A sulphate-dominated basin-fill evaporitic unit follows as a consequence of a further sea-level drop included in the Sequence 4. After that, again open marine clayish and arenaceous sediments testify a further transgression. Finally, Upper Messinian brackish clays and sandstones deposits (Lago Mare) cap these deposits. Rossano and Belvedere Basins respectively represent the fore-arc and back-arc basins that, during Neogene, experienced different synsedimentary tectonic movements in response to the migration of the Calabrian Accretionary wedge. The intense tectonic activity is inferred to have produced a marked basinward sediments exportation and a fast decreasing in the accommodation space. However, this did not substantially influence the development of the systems tracts that, 16

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