Lithostratigraphie, sédimentologie et évolution de deux bassins molassiques intramontagneux de la chaine Pan-Africaine: la Série pourprée de l'Ahnet, Nord-Ouest du Hoggar, Algérie

Abstract

The study of two of the intermontane molassic basins of the ‘Série pourprée de l'Ahnet’ shows that they developed independently both in time and space. The characteristics of their thick sedimentary infillings are quite different. The Ouallen basin is filled by essentially fine-grained sediments which were deposited in continental then marine or lacustrine environments; these sediments thicen from east to west. The In Semmen basin is characterised by coarser sediments which were deposited from south to north, in alluvial fan, fluvial, deltaic and slope environments. This basin is also characterised by an episode of carbonate sedimentation leading to the formation of a remarkable thin layer of carbonate, covering the entire sedimentary area, and perhaps related to a volcanic rhyolitic event. The history of the two basins is also marked by obvious tectonic events simultaneous with the sedimentation and related to the recurrent faulting of major Pan-African faults. These led to the formation of very coarse fanglomerates located near the fault scarps, and are probably responsible for the shape and the evolution of the basins.