Papers by Daniel Garcia-Castellanos
The opening of internally-drained (endorheic) sedimentary basins often leads to a major drainage ... more The opening of internally-drained (endorheic) sedimentary basins often leads to a major drainage change, re-excavation of the basin sedimentary infill, and transient landscape. The timing of such basin openings can be dated only in exceptional cases in which the youngest sedimentary infill remains preserved. For this reason, the processes and timing involved in their transient landscape evolution are poorly known. We explore the role of erodibility, basin geometry and flexural isostasy during the capture of internally-drained basins by means of numerical modelling techniques constrained by recent terrace cosmogenic dating and geomorphological analysis, addressing the issue as to why the Duero and Ebro rivers, draining two Cenozoic sedimentary basins in N Iberia with similar geographical dimensions and drainage histories, have undergone a markedly different erosion evolution leading to distinctly different present morphology. To evaluate how these intrinsic parameters affect the transient landscape evolution, we design a synthetic scenario inspired by those basins. The results show that, once a basin becomes externally drained, its drainage integration and erosion rates are strongly dependent on (1) the basin elevation above the base level; (2) the width of the topographic barrier, (3) its erodibility; and (4) the rigidity of the lithosphere. The results show that transient landscape evolution can last for tens of millions of years even in absence of tectonic activity and changes in base level or climate. Basins isolated by wide and resistant barriers such as the Duero Basin may undergo a multi-million-year time lag between drainage opening and basin-wide incision. In the case of the Duero Basin, this delay may explain the paradoxical time lag between the last lacustrine bulk sedimentation dated at 9.6 Ma and the onset of widespread basin incision variously estimated at 3.7 to 1 Ma.
Massive salt accumulations or salt giants have formed in highly restricted marine basins througho... more Massive salt accumulations or salt giants have formed in highly restricted marine basins throughout geological history, but their impact on biodiversity has been only patchily studied. The giant salt accumulation in the Mediterranean Sea formed as a result of the restriction of its gateway to the Atlantic during the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC; 5.97-5.33 Ma). We quantify the biodiversity changes associated with the MSC based on a compilation of the Mediterranean fossil record. We conclude that 86 endemic species of the 2006 pre-MSC marine species survived the crisis, and that the present eastward-decreasing richness gradient in the Mediterranean was established after the MSC.
Basin Research, 2014
The southern foreland basin of the Pyrenees (Ebro basin) is an exorheic drainage basin since Late... more The southern foreland basin of the Pyrenees (Ebro basin) is an exorheic drainage basin since Late Miocene times. Remnants of an early exorheic Ebro drainage system are not preserved, but morphology provides evidence for the Pliocene-Quaternary drainage development. The incision history of the Ebro system is denoted by (i) extensive, low gradient pedimentation surfaces which are associated with the denudation of the southern Pyrenean piedmont around the Pliocene-Quaternary transition and (ii) deeply entrenched Quaternary river valleys. Presumably since the Middle Pleistocene fluvial incision intensified involving the formation of extensive terrace staircase in the Ebro basin. Terrace exposure dating in major Ebro tributary rivers indicates climate-triggered terrace formation in response to glacial-interglacial climate and glacier fluctuations in the Pyrenean headwaters. The overall (semi)parallel longitudinal terrace profiles argue for progressive base level lowering for the whole Ebro drainage network. The landscape evolution model, TISC, is used to evaluate climatic, tectonic and base level scenarios for terrace staircase formation in the Ebro drainage system. Model simulations are compared with morpho-climatic, tectonic and chronologic data. Results show that climatic fluctuations cause terrace formation, but the incision magnitudes and convergent terrace profiles predicted by this climate model scenario are not consistent with the (semi)parallel terraces in the Ebro basin. A model including previous (late Pliocene) uplift of the lower Ebro basin results in rapid base-level lowering and erosion along the drainage network, small late stage incision magnitudes and terrace convergence, which are not in agreement with observations. Instead, continuous Quaternary uplift of both the Pyrenees and the Ebro foreland basin triggers (semi)parallel terrace staircase formation in southern Pyrenean tributary rivers in consistency with the observed longitudinal terrace profiles and Middle-Late Pleistocene incision magnitudes. Forward model simulations indicate that the present Ebro drainage system is actively incising, providing further evidence for uplift.
– Quantified balanced and restored crustal cross-sections across the NW Zagros Mountains are pres... more – Quantified balanced and restored crustal cross-sections across the NW Zagros Mountains are presented in this work integrating geological and geophysical local and global datasets. The balanced crustal cross-section reproduces the surficial folding and thrusting of the thick cover succession, including the near top of the Sarvak Formation (∼ 90 Ma) that forms the top of the restored crustal cross-section. The base of the Arabian crust in the balanced cross-section is constrained by recently published seismic receiver function results showing a deepening of the Moho from 42 ± 2 km in the undeformed foreland basin to 56 ± 2 km beneath the High Zagros. The internal parts of the deformed crustal cross-section are constrained by new seismic tomographic sections imaging a ∼ 50 • NE-dipping sharp contact between the Arabian and Iranian crusts. These surfaces bound an area of 10 800 km 2 that should be kept constant during the Zagros orogeny. The Arabian crustal cross-section is restored using six different tectonosedimentary domains according to their sedimentary facies and palaeobathymetries, and assuming Airy isostasy and area conservation. While the two southwestern domains were directly determined from well-constrained surface data, the reconstruction of the distal domains to the NE was made using the recent margin model of Wrobel-Daveau et al. (2010) and fitting the total area calculated in the balanced cross-section. The Arabian continental–oceanic boundary, at the time corresponding to the near top of the Sarvak Formation, is located 169 km to the NE of the trace of the Main Recent Fault. Shortening is estimated at ∼ 180 km for the cover rocks and ∼ 149 km for the Arabian basement, including all compressional events from Late Cretaceous to Recent time, with an average shortening rate of ∼ 2 mm yr −1 for the last 90 Ma.
Quaternary Science Reviews, 2005
ARCHITECTURE, TECTONICS AND SUBSIDENCE MECHANISMS OF THE FOCSANI DEPRESSION SOUTHEASTERN CARPATHI... more ARCHITECTURE, TECTONICS AND SUBSIDENCE MECHANISMS OF THE FOCSANI DEPRESSION SOUTHEASTERN CARPATHIANS BEND M. Tarapoanca (1, 2), G. Bertotti (3), L. Matenco (2, 4), D. Garcia-Castellanos (3), S. Cloetingh (3), C. Dinu (4) (1) S.C. Prospectiuni S.A., Romania, (2) Netherlands Research Centre for Integrated Solid Earth Sciences, email: [email protected], (3) Vrije Universiteit, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, The Netherlands, (4) Bucharest University, Faculty of Geology and Geophysics, Romania In front of the SE Carpathians Bend a very deep basin (Focşani Depression) developed in Miocene to recent times. An important part of the subsidence in Focşani Depression (FD) occurred after the main stages of thrusting in the Carpathians. Apparently, the basin lies in the “wrong” place and evolved in the “wrong” time. Around 13 km-thick Badenian-to-Quaternary (<16.5 Myr) sediments were deposited in the central part of the FD. During Badenian (16.5-13 Myr), the foreland (S-ward Trotuş fault) underwent NE-SW extension and NW-trending basins opened in the eastern Moesian platform. A NW-SE-oriented area of subsidence stretched from Transylvanian basin through the FD to the SE of the Moesian platform while thrusting was going on in the East-European/Scythian platform, East Carpathians and Getic Depression. Starting with the Sarmatian (13-10 Myr) the FD depocenter moved out of the Carpathian belt coeval with the exhumation of South and central-northern East Carpathians. The basin enlarged and was tilted toward the belt. The tilting was accompanied by dextral shearing mainly along Intramoesian and Peceneaga-Camena faults. After Sarmatian times, subsidence occurred practically only to the S-SE of Trotus fault. During Meotian-Pontian (10-5 Myr) the subsidence slowed down in the FD and strongly increased afterwards. This subsidence amplification has been accompanied by normal faulting and shearing in Moesian platform. The western margin of FD has undergone E-ward tilting coeval with the exhumation of the Carpathians Bend and opening of the intramountain basins to the inner part of the belt. Therefore, the subsidence in FD is split in 2 stages: extension-related (Badenian) and flexure-related (Sarmatian-Quaternary). The modeling results of the former stage reveal a small amount of extension, large EET and intermediate-to-deep depth of necking. The latter subsidence stage is modeled through a 3D static-flexural approach using the present-day topography as the only load. The lateral variation of the strength of the lithospheric domains leads to occurrence of a basin (~3.5 km-deep) in front of the orogenic load in the Carpathians Bend area. An additional load may be provided by the sedimentary fill of the western prolongation of FD, presently buried beneath the Carpathians Bend structures. Also, this basin would explain the exhumation delay of the Bend orogenic wedge (started at ~5-6 Myr ago) as well as the ~400-500 m difference in elevation. Together with the effect of N-S intraplate compressive stress, a ~6.5 km-deep basin is predicted in FD.
The Duero basin, in northern Spain, is the largest of the intraplate Cenozoic basins in Iberia. T... more The Duero basin, in northern Spain, is the largest of the intraplate Cenozoic basins in Iberia. This basin is drained by the Duero River, which flows westward through an intraplate granitic domain (Variscan Basement) before reaching the Atlantic Ocean.The development of the present fluvial systems in the area is related to a change in the drainage pattern in the Duero Basin, from endorheic to exorheic. Headward erosion of the Atlantic drainage network captured the central Iberia rivers and ultimately caused a reorientation of drainage. Owing to the scarcity of reliable chronological data, the post-Miocene evolution of the hydrographic network in Iberia is not well understood. The timing of the capture of endorreic fluvial systems by the Atlantic network as well as the fluvial incision rates in the region are poorly constrained. In the Duero Basin no numerical chronology of fluvial terraces is available and absolute dating techniques are required to better constrain the fluvial network evolution. The study area is located on the western border of the Duero Cenozoic basin: an uplifted low relief landscape where the basement crops-out. Morpho-structure in the area is dominated by deeply incised fluvial valleys, and by a drainage pattern strongly controlled by tectonic fractures. The Duero river forms a deep (up to 400 m) gorge called 'Arribes del Duero', incised mainly in granitic bedrock. The timing of drainage reorientations and the processes responsible for them can be constrained by combining tectonic, geomorphic and dating techniques. DEM analysis of the present drainage network reveals changes in main trunk direction and in the concavity and steepness of longitudinal profiles in the study area. 15 surface samples and 3 depth profile samples were collected from bedrock surfaces in the Arribes de Duero. 10Be concentration data that revealed contrasted patterns of denudation will be combined with 21Ne data (analyses underway) to help deduce the age of fluvial incision. Quantifying incision rates is key to constrain the evolution of drainage in W Iberia, and to improve numerical models of drainage network evolution.
Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2004
It has been widely documented that the depth of foredeeps does not always reflect the topography ... more It has been widely documented that the depth of foredeeps does not always reflect the topography of the neighboring orogens. In many cases, the topographic load is insufficient to explain basin subsidence. Such is the case of the SE Carpathians where an anomalously deep (almost 13 km) foreland basin has evolved since the Middle Miocene (Badenian). A peculiar feature of this basin is its position relative to the orogen. In contrast to typical foredeeps, which deepen towards the belt, the maximum depth of this basin is 10^20 km out of the orogen. The subsidence in the Carpathians Bend foreland is characterized by two stages: the first is Middle Miocene (Badenian) in age and is related to NE^SW extension when fault-bounded basins were formed. Modeling shows that the foreland underwent small pre-orogenic uniform thinning. The modeling also predicts 6 100 m post-rift subsidence in accordance with the regional unconformity observed at the Middle/Upper Miocene (Badenian/Sarmatian) boundary. The second subsidence stage follows rifting and is caused by flexural loading of the Carpathians nappes. According to the planform flexural modeling results, the location of depocenter in front of the Carpathians Bend in the latter contractional stage can be accounted for by the present topography if lateral variations in lithospheric strength are taken into account. Since the depth of the predicted basin is half of what is actually observed, an extra-load is required, which is equivalent to 500^800 m in terms of extra topography. In this case, the predicted basin corresponds with the observed geometry in terms of position/shape and depth, the latter depending on the magnitude of intraplate stresses as well. The modeling also suggests that the flexural fore-bulge of the Carpathians system is represented by the uplifted Dobrogea. Our explanation for the large subsidence recorded by the SE Carpathians foredeep highlights the control exerted by lateral changes in lithospheric strength on 3-D subsidence patterns in arcuate orogenic belts. ß
Geophysical Journal International, 2001
The Ebro Basin, the southern foreland basin of the Pyrenees, has undergone a complex evolution in... more The Ebro Basin, the southern foreland basin of the Pyrenees, has undergone a complex evolution in which, apart from the Pyrenees, the Iberian Range and the Catalan Coastal Ranges have played an important role, both as sediment sources and as basin confining structures. The deflected basement underlying the Ebro Basin dips north, suggesting a lithospheric-scale control on the structure of this basin. This is compatible with the results of subsidence analyses, which show that the study area is not in a local mode of isostatic compensation.
Scottish Geographical Journal, 2007
An algorithm is presented to calculate the point on the surface of a sphere maximising the great-... more An algorithm is presented to calculate the point on the surface of a sphere maximising the great-circle distance to a given spherical polygon. This is used to calculate the spots furthest from the sea in major land masses, also known as Poles of Inaccessibility (PIA), a concept that has raised the interest of explorers. For the Eurasian pole of inaccessibility (EPIA), the results reveal a misplacement in previous calculations ranging from 156 to 435 km. Although in general there is only one pole for a given coastline, the present calculations show that, within the error inherent to the definition of the coastline, two locations are candidates for EPIA, one equidistant from Gulf of Ob, Gulf of Bengal and Arabian Sea, and the other equidistant from Gulf of Ob, Gulf of Bengal and Gulf of Bohai, both poles being located in the north westernmost Chinese province of Xinjiang. The distance to the sea at these locations is 2510 and 2514 km respectively, about 120 km closer than generally thought.
Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2004
Basin Research, 2010
We present new 3D seismic and well data from the Ebro Margin, NW Mediterranean Sea, to shed new l... more We present new 3D seismic and well data from the Ebro Margin, NW Mediterranean Sea, to shed new light on the processes that formed the Messinian Erosion Surfaces (MES) of the Valencia Trough (Mediterranean Sea). We combine these data with backstripping techniques to provide a minimum estimate of the Messinian sea level fall in the EBRO Margin, as well as coupled isostasy and river incision and transport modeling to offer new constraints on the evolution of the adjacent subaerial Ebro Basin. Four major seismic units are identified on the Cenozoic Ebro Margin, based on the seismic data, including two major prograding megasequences that are separated by a major unconfirmity: the MES. The 3D seismic data provide an unprecedented view of the MES and display characteristic features of subaerial incision, including a drainage network with tributaries of at least five different orders, terraces and meandering rivers. The Messinian landscape presents a characteristic stepped-like profile that allows the margin to be subdivided in three different regions roughly parallel to the coastline. No major tectonic control exists on the boundaries between these regions. The boundary between the two most distal regions marks the location of a relatively stable base level, and this is used in backstripping analysis to estimate the magnitude of sea level drop associated with the Messinian Salinity Crisis on the Ebro Margin. The MES on the Ebro Margin is dominated by a major fluvial system, that we identify here as the Messinian Ebro River. The 3D seismic data, onshore geology and modeling results indicate that the Ebro River drained the Ebro Basin well in advance of the Messinian.
The Mediterranean Sea was disconnected from the world's oceans for hundreds of thousands of years... more The Mediterranean Sea was disconnected from the world's oceans for hundreds of thousands of years during the Messinian Salinity Crisis, when it became largely empty by evaporation. The flood that put an end to this desiccation is the largest known in Earth's history, yet its abruptness and evolution remain poorly constrained. Borehole and seismic data show >250 m-deep incisions on both sides of the Gibraltar Strait that have been previously attributed to fluvial erosion during the desiccation. Here we show the continuity of this 200 km-long channel across the strait and explain its morphology as the result of erosion by the flooding waters, adopting an incision model validated in mountain rivers. This model in turn allows an estimation of the duration of the flood. Feedback between water flow and incision in the early stages of flooding implied discharges of about 108 m3 s-1 (three orders of magnitude larger than the present Amazon River) and incision rates above 0.4 m/day. Although the flood started at low water discharges that may have lasted for up to several thousand years, 90% of the water was transferred in a short period ranging from a few months to 2 years.
The Alpine-Himalayan belt stretches from the Iberian Peninsula to Southeast Asia and is the resul... more The Alpine-Himalayan belt stretches from the Iberian Peninsula to Southeast Asia and is the result of the closure of the Tethys Ocean and the consequent continental collision between the Eurasian plate and the African, Arabian and Indian plates. Some chains along this belt appear to be affected by mantle instabilities in the lowermost part of the continental lithosphere, e.g. Atlas and Zagros Mountains, Tibetan Plateau. These three chains share similar unusual characteristics: undercompesated crustal thickness, recent alkaline volcanism, low mantle seismic velocities, and prominent dynamic topography component, thus suggesting a subcrustal mass deficit. We present an integrated study combining gravity, geoid, elevation and thermal data. Geopotential, lithostatic and heat transport equations are simultaneously solved by using a FE method under steady-state and along selected 2D transects. Results show that the three orogens are affected by mantle unrooting and lithospheric thinning and correlate well with seismic tomography data. The causes for such mantle instabilities are still unclear since the three chains respond to different geological settings going from a well developed continental collision in the Himalaya, to a less developed collision in the Zagros, and to inverted aulacogen structures in the Atlas.
Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 2009
Geophysical Journal International, 2000
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Papers by Daniel Garcia-Castellanos