Se 7 529 2016

Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016
www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/
doi:10.5194/se-7-529-2016
© Author(s) 2016. CC Attribution 3.0 License.
Geophysical evidence of pre-sag rifting and post-rifting fault

reactivation in the Parnaíba basin, Brazil
David Lopes de Castro1 , Francisco Hilário Bezerra1 , Reinhardt Adolfo Fuck2 , and Roberta Mary Vidotti2
1 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geodinâmica e Geofísica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte,
Natal, 59078-970, Brazil
2 Instituto de Geociências, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário, Brasília, 70910-900, Brazil
Correspondence to: David Lopes de Castro ([email protected])
Received: 27 January 2016 – Published in Solid Earth Discuss.: 29 January 2016

Revised: 28 March 2016 – Accepted: 29 March 2016 – Published: 11 April 2016
Abstract. This study investigated the rifting mechanism that 1 Introduction

preceded the prolonged subsidence of the Paleozoic Parnaíba
basin in Brazil and shed light on the tectonic evolution of this The transition between the late Neoproterozoic and early
large cratonic basin in the South American platform. From Cambrian was marked by the final assembly of West Gond-
the analysis of aeromagnetic, aerogravity, seismic reflection wana via closure of the Brasiliano/Pan-African ocean basins,
and borehole data, we concluded the following: (1) large amalgamation of cratonic fragments and incorporation of
pseudo-gravity and gravity lows mimic graben structures but accretionary complexes into mobile belts (Dalziel, 1997;
are associated with linear supracrustal strips in the basement. Oliveira and Mohriak, 2003; Cordani et al., 2013). The clo-
(2) Seismic data indicate that 120–200 km wide and up to sure of the Goiás–Pharusian ocean sutured the Laurentian–
300 km long rift zones occur in other parts of the basins. Amazonian–West African and Gondwanan Central African
These rift zones mark the early stage of the 3.5 km thick sag blocks along the Transbrasiliano–Kandi megashear zone and,
basin. (3) The rifting phase occurred in the early Paleozoic secondarily, the Araguaia suture zone (Cordani et al., 2013;
and had a subsidence rate of 47 m Myr−1 . (4) This rifting Stampfli et al., 2013; Brito Neves and Fuck, 2014) (Fig. 1).
phase was followed by a long period of sag basin subsidence Widespread post-orogenic extension occurred, separating
at a rate of 9.5 m Myr−1 between the Silurian and the late Laurentia and Baltica from the proto-Andean margin of West
Cretaceous, during which rift faults propagated and influ- Gondwana and opening the Iapetus Ocean (Bond et al., 1984;
enced deposition. These data interpretations support the fol- Dalziel, 1997). During the late Cambrian–early Ordovician,
lowing succession of events: (1) after the Brasiliano orogeny changes in the stress state of the continental lithosphere
(740–580 Ma), brittle reactivation of ductile basement shear caused crustal extension and rifting, which were occasion-
zones led to normal and dextral oblique-slip faulting con- ally accompanied by abundant intrusions (Stampfli et al.,
centrated along the Transbrasiliano Lineament, a continental- 2013). The rifting and magmatic episodes occurred primarily
scale shear zone that marks the boundary between basement along regional lithospheric anisotropies in West Gondwana
crustal blocks. (2) The post-orogenic tectonic brittle reac- and Laurentia, and these episodes did not result in continental
tivation of the ductile basement shear zones led to normal breakup. Early Paleozoic cratonic basins formed on the failed
faulting associated with dextral oblique-slip crustal exten- rifts and occupied large regions of North America (e.g., the
sion. In the west, pure-shear extension induced the forma- Michigan, Illinois and Hudson Bay basins), Africa (e.g., the
tion of rift zones that crosscut metamorphic foliations and Congo, Chad and Taoudeni basins) and South America (e.g.,
shear zones within the Parnaíba block. (3) The rift faults ex- the Amazonas, Parecis, Paraná and Parnaíba basins) (Hartley
perienced multiple reactivation phases. (4) Similar processes and Allen, 1994; Armitage and Allen, 2010).
may have occurred in coeval basins in the Laurentia and Cen- The Parnaíba basin is one of the largest cratonic
tral African blocks of Gondwana. basins in the West Gondwanan South American platform.
This roughly circular sag basin is broadly saucer-shaped
Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union.

530 D. L. de Castro et al.: Pre-sag rifting in the Parnaíba basin
Castro et al. (2014) proposed a rifting stage preceding the

Jaibaras graben based on gravity and magnetic anomalies and
on borehole data reported by Cordani et al. (1984). However,
the existence of this ancient rifting system remains specula-
tive due to a lack of direct evidence from seismic data and
exploratory wells.
The second uncertainty is associated with the geophysi-
cal signature of the basin and the interpretation of its ar-
chitecture. The early Paleozoic extensional episode formed
a complex system of aborted rift basins, which are par-
tially exposed at the boundaries of the Parnaíba basin. The
Jaibaras trough is the primary outcropping example of these
rift basins (Oliveira and Mohriak, 2003) (Fig. 2). The loca-
tion of these basins appears to be restricted to the Brasil-
iano shear zones. Nevertheless, previous geophysical data,
seismic sections and well logs suggest that the majority of
the Parnaíba basin is underlain by graben-like structures
(Nunes, 1993; Cordani et al., 2009). More recently, de Cas-
tro et al. (2014) proposed a more accurate distribution of the
Figure 1. Reconstruction of West Gondwana at ca. 540 Ma, show- rifts beneath the Parnaíba basin. Based primarily on grav-
ing major crustal domains and continental shear zones discussed
ity and magnetic anomaly patterns, they describe two dis-
in the text. Key: red lines represent shear zones; blue lines repre-
tinct rifting stages between the late Neoproterozoic and the
sent continents; thick black lines represent West Gondwana conti-
nental blocks. Adapted from Cordani et al. (2013) and Stampfli et early Paleozoic, preceding deposition in the major cratonic
al. (2013). sag. These authors mapped the concealed grabens using gen-
eral gravity minima and low-amplitude magnetic anomalies
to identify the depocenters of sedimentary basins. However,
this premise can be easily violated where causative sources
and featured relatively slow, long-lived subsidence events within a heterogeneous basement interfere with the potential
(∼ 355 Myr in duration) from the Silurian to the late Cre- field anomalies. Thus, independent geophysical and geologi-
taceous (Góes and Feijó, 1994). Preceding the sag sedimen- cal data are often used to constrain the gravity and magnetic
tation, fault reactivation of the Brasiliano shear zones con- models.
trolled the formation of a set of rift basins (Jaibaras, Cococi, The third uncertainty involves the broad implications of
and others). Therefore, changes in the stress state and ther- the evolution of the Parnaíba basin, which still needs to be
mal structure of the lithosphere along the Transbrasiliano assessed and compared to other basins in South America and
megashear zone induced motion of fault-bounded blocks Africa. The view of sag basin evolution in the Paleozoic has
in the lithosphere and/or asthenosphere during this exten- led many studies to overlook the possibility of multiple rift
sional event, driving the long-term thermal subsidence of mechanisms in other sedimentary basins.
the Parnaíba basin. According to De Rito et al. (1983) and A previous study by de Castro et al. (2014) attempted to
Sloss (1990), movement of anomalous mass is the most suc- map the complex lithospheric structure beneath the Parnaíba
cessful mechanism associated with the formation of cratonic basin, using solely airborne and satellite magnetic and grav-
basins. ity data. They proposed two rift stages before sag sedimenta-
Over the years, researchers have proposed that the onset tion, but that model needed confirmation by more specific
of the long-term thermal subsidence of the Parnaíba cratonic geophysical and/or geological information. Airborne geo-
basin was preceded by a rifting process, which terminated physical data are used worldwide to map large-scale crustal
in the Ordovician (Brito Neves et al., 1984; Cordani et al., structures (e.g., Nabighian et al., 2005; Grauch and Hud-
1984). However, several uncertainties regarding the tectono- son, 2007; Anudu et al., 2014), especially in large sedimen-
sedimentary evolution of the Parnaíba basin remain. First, tary basins, such as the Parnaíba Basin (970 000 km2 ). To
the driving mechanisms, which are responsible for the ac- minimize the reduced resolution of airborne data for map-
commodation space in the large Paleozoic Parnaíba basin, ping the basin internal geometry, we introduced seismic and
rifting and thermal subsidence, and the relative timing of well data, which are the most appropriate geophysical meth-
these events is still not completely understood. In addition, ods for investigations of basin architecture and served to re-
after the Brasiliano orogeny, a tectonic inversion occurred duce ambiguity in the interpretation of magnetic and gravity
in West Gondwana, generating linear grabens controlled by data. In the present study, however, we interpret the poten-
the Precambrian structures (metamorphic foliations and duc- tial field maps on the basis of new seismic sections and well
tile shear zones), such as the Jaibaras basin (Fig. 2). De logs to determine the rift distribution, structural inheritance
Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016 www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/

D. L. de Castro et al.: Pre-sag rifting in the Parnaíba basin 531
Figure 2. Schematic geological map of NE Brazil showing the Parnaíba basin (blue line) and its Precambrian basement structures (red
lines) (adapted from de Castro, 2011, and Oliveira and Mohriak, 2003). Gray areas correspond to Mesozoic to recent sedimentary covers.
Labeled dark gray areas correspond to exposures of Cambrian–Ordovician troughs and their supposed prolongation beneath the sag basin: 1
– Jaguarapi; 2 – Jaibaras; 3 – Cococi; 4 – São Julião; 5 – São Raimundo Nonato; 6 – Correntes; 7 – Monte do Carmo. Brasiliano shear zones:
AR – Araguaia; PA – Patos; PE – Pernambuco; SP – Senador Pompeu; TB – Transbrasiliano; TG – Tentugal. Basins cited in text: Araripe
(Ar) and Tucano–Jatobá (Tu-Ja). Inset: the South American continent.
and internal geometry of the Parnaíba basin (Fig. 2). Fur- ∼ 1000 km long and ∼ 970 km wide and occupies a complex
thermore, 2-D gravity and magnetic joint modeling along the region of West Gondwana, which was subjected to crustal
seismic sections allowed us to understand how the basement collisions involving cratonic blocks, extensive fold belts and
heterogeneities interfere with the potential field anomalies. concealed basement inliers (Parnaíba block). The basement
Based on the new seismic data and geophysical models, we area stabilized when the late Proterozoic Brasiliano/Pan-
recognized at least three tectonic styles in the basin. These African orogeny (720–540 Ma) ceased (Cordani et al., 1984,
styles are related to the type and kinematics of faults (nor- 2009; de Castro et al., 2014).
mal, strike-slip, reverse or thrust) and intensity of deforma- The evolution of the Parnaíba basin involved five primary
tion (number and amount of fault offset and size of faults and tectono-sedimentary sequences, two magmatic pulses and an
folds). These tectonic styles have an influence on the final area that was at least 5 times larger than that affected by the
basin architecture. We discuss the influence of the Eopaleo- aborted rifts (Fig. 3 and Table 1). The present-day sag basin
zoic rifting process in the prolonged periods of subsidence consists of at least four tectono-sedimentary sequences sep-
experienced by the Parnaíba cratonic basin and the mecha- arated by regional unconformities, comprising distinct depo-
nisms for its formation. Finally, we assess the broad impli- sition history (Góes and Feijó, 1994). The sedimentary infill
cations for other sedimentary basins in South America and in the sag basin is up to 3.5 km thick and is primarily com-
West Africa. posed of early Silurian to Cretaceous sediments in the form
of several unconformity-bounded packages (Table 1). Recent
seismic sections reported by the Brazilian Petroleum Agency
2 Geological Setting (Alves, 2012; Ferreira, 2013) reveal graben-like structures
beneath the sag sequences that have been filled with ∼ 3.0 km
2.1 General features and main sedimentary–volcanic
of pre-Silurian sequences.
units
The basin is composed of thick, primarily siliciclastic, epi-
The Parnaíba basin is a large Paleozoic cratonic basin lo- continental sequences (Góes and Feijó, 1994). Sequences I to
cated in northeastern South America (Fig. 2). This basin is V are the Cambrian–Ordovician (Jaibaras Group), Silurian–
www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/ Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016

Table 1. Chronostratigraphic chart illustrating various divisions of the Phanerozoic stratigraphy of the Parnaíba basin.
Chronostratigraphic scale Lithostratigraphy Lithologic column

Age (Ma) Period Phase Sequence Group Formation
94–200 Jurassic– Sag/South V – Mosquito, Pastos sandstones, pelites and
Cretaceous Atlantic rift Bons, Sardinha, shales, basalts
Corda, Itapecuru
223–310 L. Carboniferous– Sag IV Balsas Piauí, Pedra de shales, siltstone,
E. Triassic Fogo, Motuca, limestones, sandstones
Sambaíba
334–400 M. Devonian– Sag III Canindé Itaim, Pimenteiras, siltstones, shales and
E. Carboniferous Cabeças, Longá, sandstones
Poti
400–443 Silurian– Sag II Serra Grande Jaicós, Tianguá, fluvial and deltaic
E. Devonian Ipu sandstones,
pelites
500–527 Cambrian Rift I – Jaibaras conglomerates,
sandstones,
phyllites and shales
> 540 Precambrian basement
Early Devonian (Serra Grande Group), Middle Devonian–

Early Carboniferous (Canindé Group), Late Carboniferous–
Early Triassic (Balsas Group) and Jurassic–Cretaceous
(Fig. 3 and Table 1). Furthermore, Cenozoic alluvial and
aeolian deposits overlay large areas of the Parnaíba basin.
Coastal sediments cover the northern limits between the Par-
naíba Basin, the surrounding Precambrian basement and the
Amazon Basin.
2.2 Main tectonic features
Continental-scale shear zones (lineaments) played a major

role in the Brasiliano orogeny and in the evolution of the
Parnaíba Basin. These shear zones mark sutures associated
with continental collisions such as the Araguaia and Trans-
brasiliano lineaments (Fig. 2). The 1000 km long Araguaia
suture zone represents the final Neoproterozoic collision be-
tween the Amazonian craton, overlain by the allochthonous
Araguaia belt, and the pre-Neoproterozoic Parnaíba block
(Brito Neves and Fuck, 2014). Another important shear zone
is the Transbrasiliano Lineament. Many studies considered
the Transbrasiliano Lineament to be a continental-scale dis-
continuity characterized by strong long-wavelength magnetic
anomalies and by low S wave velocities in the mantle (e.g.,
Figure 3. Simplified geological map of the Parnaíba basin (adapted Fairhead and Maus, 2003; Feng et al., 2004; Fuck et al.,
from CPRM, 2015). Stratigraphic units: 1 – Silurian; 2 – Devonian– 2008; Brito Neves and Fuck, 2014). On the NE side of the
Carboniferous; 3 – Permian–Triassic; 4 – Jurassic; 5 – Cretaceous; Parnaíba basin margin, the Transbrasiliano Lineament sepa-
6 – volcanic rocks; 7 – early Cretaceous São Franciscana basin; 8 – rates two Neoproterozoic crustal domains of the Borborema
Cenozoic to recent sedimentary cover. Brasiliano shear zones: AR province (Médio Coreaú and Ceará Central; Fig. 2). The
– Araguaia; PA – Patos; PE – Pernambuco; SP – Senador Pompeu; Transbrasiliano Lineament also controlled the internal rift
TB – Transbrasiliano; TG – Tentugal. geometry and formed a 150 km wide rift zone in the east-
ern portion of the basin. Later reactivations of the Brasil-
iano shear zones deformed post-rift sequences, including

post-Devonian tectonic inversion (Destro et al., 1994). These 3.1 Airborne magnetic and gravity data set
lineaments also form Precambrian lithospheric-scale bound-
aries. They were identified in a deep crustal, seismic reflec- De Castro et al. (2014) compiled several airborne and satel-
tion profile across the Parnaíba basin (Daly et al., 2014) and lite potential field data sets to determine the crustal domains
represent the collisional sutures of the Amazonian and the beneath the Parnaíba basin. In this study, we focus on map-
São Francisco cratons (de Castro et al., 2014). ping the aborted rift system buried by the sag sedimentation
Following the Brasiliano/Pan-African orogeny, tectonic using only the more recent aerogeophysical survey flown in
inversion generated elongated grabens controlled by Precam- 2005 and 2006 for the Brazilian Petroleum Agency (ANP).
brian structural fabric, which is mainly marked by ductile This airborne magnetic and gravity survey was conducted
shear zones in the basement. The best examples of these along E–W-oriented 6 km spaced flight lines, with a 24 km
grabens are the Jaibaras basin and other smaller Cambrian– tie-line spacing in a N–S direction and a 1100 m nominal
Ordovician rift basins that are partially exposed at the north- flight height (Fig. 4). Data were recorded at intervals of
ern and eastern edges of the Parnaíba basin (Fig. 2). The 0.04 s (gravity) and 0.01 s (magnetic). ANP performed all
Jaibaras is the best known of these basins. It crops out at necessary magnetic and gravity data reductions and level-
the NE boundary of the Parnaíba basin (Fig. 2), forms a ing. The total magnetic field of the Earth was corrected for
NE-trending, 120 km long and 10 km wide graben generated diurnal variations, the main geomagnetic field (IGRF) and
by the reactivation of the Transbrasiliano Lineament in the leveling errors. The raw airborne gravity data correction in-
Cambrian–Ordovician basin (Oliveira and Mohriak, 2003). volved vertical and horizontal accelerations, latitude, free-air
and Bouguer reduction. The resulting total magnetic inten-
sity and Bouguer anomaly data were interpolated onto 500
3 Mapping Cambrian–Ordovician grabens and 1500 m cell size grids, using bi-directional and minimum
curvature methods, respectively. The bi-directional gridding
In sedimentary basins, gravity and magnetic lows are gen-
technique was developed to cope specifically with the prob-
erally related to depocenters because the sedimentary infill
lem of different magnetic data density along and across flight
is less dense and less magnetic than crystalline basement
lines (Redford, 2006). The minimum curvature interpola-
rocks. Based on this assumption, de Castro et al. (2014) iden-
tion algorithm fits a minimum curvature surface to the given
tified magnetic and gravity lows, which they interpreted as
data values nearest the coarse grid nodes (Briggs, 1974).
graben-like structures buried by the sag units of the Parnaíba
This method is best for gravity data that have no dominant
basin. These authors recognized a direct correlation between
trend direction. The data processing routine, which was opti-
a series of Cambrian–Ordovician grabens, partially exposed
mized by de Castro et al. (2014), was also applied to the cur-
at the E and SW edges of the basin (Fig. 2), and negative
rent data set to enhance short- to medium-wavelength nega-
pseudo-gravity anomalies. Thus, according to their interpre-
tive magnetic and gravity anomalies directly associated with
tation, two sets of troughs occurred in the basin, particularly
shallow causative features within the upper crust. The pro-
along the Brasiliano shear zones in the eastern portion of the
cessing stages include reduction to the magnetic pole (RTP),
basin. Two rift systems were active prior to the widespread
regional-residual separation and pseudo-gravity transforma-
sag deposition, likely in the late Neoproterozoic and early
tion for the residual magnetic data and regional-residual sep-
Paleozoic (Nunes, 1993; Cordani et al., 2009; de Castro et
aration for the gravity data (Fig. 5a to c). The RTP trans-
al., 2014).
formation is a standard magnetic technique that corrects for
However, the premise that magnetic and gravity lows indi-
shifts of anomalies from the centers of their magnetic sources
cate buried rifts can be easily violated by causative sources
related to the oblique orientation of the magnetic field with
within the basement (Blakely, 1996; de Castro et al., 2007).
respect to Earth’s surface (Blakely, 1996). The parameters of
The residual magnetic and gravity anomalies, after extrac-
the RTP filter include a magnetic inclination of −11.16◦ and
tion of the long-wavelength regional component associated
declination of −21.26◦ , which we calculated for the central
with the deeper crustal structure, depend on the combined
location of the aerogeophysical survey. A pseudo-inclination
effects of the basement units and the internal geometry of
factor of 60◦ was used to provide a stable RTP computa-
the sedimentary basin. In this study, we tested the hypothesis
tion in and near the declination direction at low magnetic
that negative anomalies represent either buried rifts or litho-
latitudes (absolute inclination less than 20◦ ). We removed
logical units in the basement using two different approaches.
the regional anomalies (wavelength more than 125 km) from
The first approach consists of carefully analyzing the mag-
the magnetic and gravity data (Fig. 5a, b) using a Gaussian
netic and gravity signatures of the outcropping Jaibaras basin
filter with a standard deviation of the Gaussian function of
and the Araguaia belt at the NE and W boundaries of the
0.008 cycles km−1 as the spatial cutoff.
Parnaíba basin, respectively. The second approach consists
Baranov (1957) proposed a pseudo-gravity transformation
of 2-D modeling potential field profiles constrained by new
to convert the total-field magnetic anomaly into the gravity
seismic data and well logs.
anomaly that would be observed if the magnetization distri-
bution were to be replaced with an identical density distri-

the Parnaíba basin. That data set comprises several airborne

magnetic surveys with different data acquisition setups (i.e.,
flight height, spacing between lines, flight direction), over-
flight areas and magnetometers. However, this study focused
on the basin internal geometry. Thus, we opted to use the
newest survey, whose measurements are distributed homo-
geneously throughout the entire basin and carried out with
the same parameters and instruments.
In addition to the airborne surveys of the Parnaíba basin,
we also included potential field data from the Jaibaras basin
(Fig. 2). The Geological Survey of Brazil (CPRM) acquired
high-resolution aeromagnetic data in 2009 with a flight line
spacing of 500 m and a nominal height of 100 m. The data
set was reduced to the magnetic pole (RTP), and the regional
component of the geomagnetic field was subtracted to en-
hance the upper crustal structure (Fig. 6a). The gravity data
set consists of 671 measurement stations from several terres-
trial surveys conducted by Brazilian public universities and
other research institutions. Although the gravity stations are
sparse and irregularly distributed across the basin, the result-
ing Bouguer anomaly map provides an appropriate image
of the regional-scale structures. The residual gravity values
Figure 4. Location of the airborne gravity and magnetic survey
were obtained by applying the same Gaussian filter used for
(gray area), seismic profiles (blue and black) and drilling wells the airborne geophysical data (Fig. 6b).
(green).
3.2 Potential field data analyses
The difference between the magnetic and gravity patterns in

bution (Blakely, 1996). Actually, the pseudo-gravity trans- the Parnaíba basin is the primary characteristic in the geo-
formation converts the magnetic field to magnetic poten- physical maps (Fig. 5a, b). The magnetic anomalies exhibit
tial, leading the magnetic anomaly to a single edge response a NE–SW trend near the Transbrasiliano Lineament and a
for each source border, making easier the interpretation of more complex magnetic pattern to the west (Parnaíba block),
magnetic maps (Blakely and Simpson, 1986). This tech- with lineaments oriented E–W, N–S and NW–SE. To the
nique also reduces directional anisotropy of the magnetic re- east (Borborema Province), extensive NE-oriented magnetic
sponse to the source distribution, once the pseudo-gravity anomalies are related to the Brasiliano shear zones along the
anomaly of a magnetic source is proportional to the mag- E and SW edges of the basin (E in Fig. 5a). In particular, the
netic potential of the same source with vertical magnetiza- Transbrasiliano Lineament (TB) can be traced throughout the
tion (Blakely, 1996). In practice, we derived the pseudo- basin, following a series of NE-trending magnetic anoma-
gravity transformation via an integration of the residual mag- lies (Fig. 5a, c). Interestingly, the Araguaia suture zone (F in
netic data reduced to the pole using a standard density of Fig. 5) exhibits no marked trend in the magnetic data.
2670 kg m−3 . Since this technique involves reduction to the The residual gravity map presents a different anomaly pat-
pole, a same pseudo-inclination factor of 60◦ was applied tern. The gravity lineaments trend N–S and curve to the east
to make the pseudo-gravity transformation stable (Fig. 5c). in the central part of the basin, where they are apparently an-
Finally, Fig. 5d presents a new interpretative map, and we chored by the Transbrasiliano Lineament (G in Fig. 5b). This
highlight the low gravity and pseudo-gravity anomalies as- lineament appears to be an important crustal boundary be-
sociated with potential Cambrian–Ordovician grabens at the cause it separates areas with different gravity and magnetic
base of the Parnaíba basin. signatures, i.e., the Parnaíba block to the west and the Bor-
The magnetic and gravity maps presented in this study borema province to the east. In the Parnaíba block, a series of
(Fig. 5) differ from those maps shown by de Castro et N–S-elongated gravity lows and highs represent the Araguaia
al. (2014) because these authors used several airborne mag- suture zone (F in Fig. 5b), as well as the northward extension
netic surveys and gravity data derived from satellite, which of the Goiás magmatic arc beneath the western boundary of
are more comprehensive than the data set described in this the Parnaíba basin (de Castro et al., 2014). Nevertheless, this
paper. In addition, de Castro et al. (2014) used an expanded feature is not evident in the magnetic anomaly map. In areas
data set in order to investigate in a more regional scale the closer to the magnetic equator (absolute magnetic inclination
crustal domains that encompass the structural framework of less than 10◦ ), the anomalies derived from N–S sources may

Figure 5. Residual reduced-to-pole magnetic (a), gravity (b) and pseudo-gravity (c) anomaly maps of the Parnaíba basin. Main pseudo-
gravity and gravity lows are highlighted in (d). Brasiliano shear zones: AR – Araguaia; PA – Patos; PE – Pernambuco; SP – Senador
Pompeu; TB – Transbrasiliano; TG – Tentugal. Labeled anomalies are discussed in the text. Magnetic and gravity anomalies along seismic
lines L304 and L507 are shown in Fig. 12.
not be detected. Because the geomagnetic field is horizon- gravity and magnetic anomalies is violated in the survey
tal in this case, no magnetic boundaries are crossed along area. A possible explanation is the difference between the
the north–south direction with respect to the east–west edges contrasts of the physical properties combined with decay
(Murthy, 1998). rates of the gravitational and magnetic fields. Apparently,
The pseudo-gravity transformation attenuated the high- the pseudo-gravity anomalies reflect the contrast of the mag-
frequency content of the magnetic anomalies (Fig. 5a and c). netic susceptibilities between sedimentary and crystalline
It is noteworthy that pseudo-gravity lows coincide with pro- rocks, whilst the gravity anomalies are strongly influenced
longations of the Cambrian–Ordovician troughs, which are by deeper sources within the basement. This hypothesis is
partially exposed at the eastern and southeastern edges of tested by the 2-D magnetic–gravity joint modeling in Sect. 4.
the Parnaíba basin (Fig. 2). Based on this pseudo-gravity
anomaly pattern, we interpret the negative anomalies as main
candidates for the magnetic response of the concealed rifts
(Fig. 5d). The different gravity and pseudo-gravity signa-
tures indicate that the assumption of same source causing

Figure 6. Residual reduced-to-pole magnetic (a) and gravity (b) anomaly maps of the Jaibaras basin. Geological contacts were extracted
from Cavalcante et al. (2003). Tectonic domains: MC – Médio Coreaú; CC – Ceará Central. Geological units: E – granulites and eclogites;
G – granites; MS – low-grade metasedimentary units; V – volcanic rocks. TB – Transbrasiliano Lineament.
3.3 Magnetic and gravity anomaly patterns in the matic arc, the easternmost branch of the Tocantins province
Jaibaras basin (Fig. 2), beneath the Parnaíba basin. The westernmost grav-
ity lows (H in Fig. 5b) correspond to low-grade metamorphic
supracrustal sequences in the Araguaia belt, a marginal fold
We used the Jaibaras basin as an analogue of the graben sys- belt thrusted onto the Amazonian craton during the Brasil-
tem beneath the sag’s sedimentary cover. Figure 6 presents iano orogeny (Alvarenga et al., 2000). Thus, the gravity highs
the residual magnetic and gravity anomaly maps of the and lows reveal upper crustal undulations due to a colli-
Jaibaras basin. Elongated positive magnetic and gravity sional fold-and-thrust belt and lateral accretion associated
anomalies occur in the area of the Jaibaras basin. These with the closure of the Goiás–Pharusian Ocean between the
anomalies are associated with surface and near-surface, Amazonian and São Francisco cratons (Cordani et al., 2014).
moderate-to-high susceptibility, dense volcanic rocks within From this perspective, certain N–S-elongated and weakly ar-
the basin and with basement units, particularly high-grade cuate gravity lows (G in Fig. 5b) could be associated with
metamorphic rocks, such as granulites and eclogites, which supracrustal terrains involved in the collision that formed
crop out in both crustal domains (Cavalcante et al., 2003; West Gondwana during the Neoproterozoic–early Paleozoic.
Santos et al., 2009). The high-amplitude anomalies related The subsequent Cambrian–Ordovician rifting developed on
to basement causative sources conceal the relatively weak this tectonic framework, creating a complex pattern of grav-
magnetic and gravity effects associated with the shallow sed- ity anomalies.
imentary basin infill. In fact, the expected magnetic and grav-
ity lows are observed outside the basin, where low-density 3.4 Seismic and well data set
granites and metasedimentary sequences are exposed. This
geophysical setting can be projected to the Parnaíba basin. In this study, we introduced seismic reflection data and well
Rather than the graben systems proposed by previous studies logs, which were acquired in the 1970s, 1980s and in recent
(Cordani et al., 1984; Nunes, 1993), the magnetic and grav- years (2006–2010) by ANP. ANP provided the seismic sec-
ity signatures in the Jaibaras basin suggest that lithological tions already processed and time migrated, which revealed
heterogeneities in the basement may be responsible for the the tectono-sedimentary sequence and basin architecture. We
negative anomalies in some degree. also used these seismic sections and well logs to constrain
Other clues along the western border of the Parnaíba basin the interpretation and modeling of the gravity and magnetic
can also be used to understand the sources of the gravity data. We analyzed 17 2-D stacked and migrated seismic pro-
lows. A series of N–S-striking negative and positive anoma- files to map key reflections and discontinuities using stan-
lies occupy a 200 km wide zone along the basin edge, par- dard seismic sequence stratigraphic criteria and lithological
allel to the Araguaia suture zone (F in Fig. 5b). Accord- calibration derived from two well logs and one exploratory
ing to Ussami and Molina (1999), this region is related to borehole, crossed by the seismic line L507 (Fig. 4). We in-
the northern extension of the Neoproterozoic Goiás mag- directly obtained seismostratigraphic information on Profile

Figure 8. Time–depth conversion and well-seismic tie of wells 1FL

Figure 7. Detailed well-logging curves of exploratory wells 1FL and 2BAC and seismic lines L509 and L305. Data locations in
(left) and 2BAC (right). The well tops of the main tectono- Fig. 4.
sedimentary sequences were defined based on the reference lithos-
tratigraphic chart described by Góes and Feijó (1994).
us to accurately identify the major sequence limits and vol-

L103 from an interpreted seismic section that was recently canic sills. We performed the seismic interpretation using the
published by ANP (Ferreira, 2013). In addition, information seismic data and well ties. In addition, interval velocity was
on the basement depth and rock types from six boreholes used in the time-to-depth conversions of the seismic sections.
(Cordani et al., 1984) and new seismic sections published Since we have no well data, the seismic interpretation of seis-
by Ferreira (2013) were taken into consideration to form an mic line L103 was mainly based on the interpretation of the
overall picture of the tectonic styles present in the basin. same seismic data by Ferreira (2013). Although our geophys-
Based on these data, we recognized three different tectonic ical data set are relatively limited in space in face of the vast
patterns in the eastern, northern and western portions of the area of the Parnaíba basin, the uncertainty in the seismic in-
Parnaíba basin, which are described below. terpretation does not compromise the tectonic analysis of the
We analyzed two well logs: the first (1FL) located to internal basin geometry in a regional scale.
the west of the Transbrasiliano Lineament and the second
(2BAC) located in the central portion of the Parnaíba basin 3.5 Seismic and well-log correlation
(Fig. 4). Multi-parameter downhole logs included self po-
tential (SP), natural gamma ray (GR), electrical resistivity We found no sedimentary strata of the Cambrian–Ordovician
(IDL) and density (Rho). We were able to identify the major syn-rift unit (sequence I) in both 1FL and 2BAC wells.
tectono-sedimentary sequences in both wells (Fig. 7 and Ta- However, Petersohn (2010) described a 4700 m deep bore-
ble 1) primarily on the basis of the logging curve responses hole (2PI in Fig. 4) that contained a stratigraphic interval at
and their lithological associations, as described by Góes and 3000 m that they interpreted as the lowermost rift unit. In
Feijó (1994) and Vaz et al. (2007). well 1FL, the low-grade metasedimentary rocks at 2250 m
We correlated the well rock units with the seismic re- depth have low SP, low IDL and middle GR values (Fig. 7).
flections using time–depth curves provided by ANP for this Rb–Sr dating of these basement samples provided age of
study (Fig. 8). The well-log correlation between well 1FL 670 Ma (Cordani et al., 1984). In contrast, the basement
and line L509 and well 2BAC and line L305 (Fig. 4) allowed rocks have high values of SP, GR, IDL and Rho in well

2BAC, revealing different geological units in the central por- For this study, we used 17 seismic lines, selected from
tion of the basin. available data (Fig. 4), to characterize the tectonic styles in
The lower post-rift sequences II and III were deposited the Parnaíba basin (Figs. 9 and 10). The first style occurs
during the Silurian to Early Carboniferous (Table 1). They in the eastern part of the basin, where seismic line L507 re-
are widely distributed across the entire basin (Fig. 3) and veals a 120 km wide and 4.5 km deep rift zone. This rift zone
are almost 2000 m thick in wells 1FL and 2BAC (Fig. 7). is marked by a major graben and several secondary troughs
The SP values increase upwards, especially at the upper (Fig. 9a). The eastern part of the graben represents the brittle
part of sequence III. Shale layers have generally high GR reactivation of basement shear zones and coincides with the
value with bell-shaped curves, whereas box-shaped curves Transbrasiliano Lineament at the surface (Figs. 4 and 9). The
and low GR value and high IDL value match volcanic rocks. almost symmetric central graben is 25 km wide. Four ma-
The density log is available only in the last 1000 m of the jor sedimentary sequences overlie the Precambrian basement
well 2BAC (Fig. 7). The imaged siliciclastic layers have in- (Table 1). A sedimentary sequence that is up to 2.5 km thick,
creased bulk density, whose Rho value ranges from 2470 which is correlated to the Cambrian–Ordovician Jaibaras
to 2660 kg m−3 , indicating intense compaction. Rho value Group (Oliveira and Mohriak 2003), fills the lower part of
higher than 2900 kg m−3 reveals at least two more than 50 m the rift zone (I in Fig. 9a). The upper sequences extend be-
thick volcanic rocks in sequences II and III. The 110 m thick- yond the rift limits and were deposited between the Silurian
ness of the shallow sequence IV occurs at the top of well and the Early Triassic (II, III and IV in Fig. 9a). Large vol-
1FL. The thickness of this unit increases to 600 m to the canic sills and dikes were emplaced in the basin infill. The
west, toward the central part of the basin (well 2BAC in entire volcanic and sedimentary package is deformed by nor-
Fig. 7). Sequence IV has upwards increasing SP value and mal and listric faults. Several faults, which reactivated and in-
middle to high GR value, whose both curves are finger- verted ancient features, were active until the Early Carbonif-
shaped or zigzag (well 2BAC in Fig. 7). Interdigital GR erous (Morais Neto et al., 2013) and even formed Devonian–
and SP curves with high value are related to intercalation of Carboniferous grabens at the eastern edge of the rift zone
shales, siltstones, limestones and sandstones. The IDL curve (Fig. 9a). In summary, the seismic lines indicate that the
is dominated by low-resistivity lithology, but a few isolated basement faults deform the entire sedimentary sequence and
IDL peaks could be associated with layers of mixed sands that the offsets related to these faults decrease from sequence
and anhydrite in a sabkha plain, as interpreted by Góes and I to sequence IV. These observations suggest that post-rifting
Feijó (1994). The uppermost 530 m thick Mesozoic sequence tectonic episodes could reactivate faults, which partially af-
V is restricted to well 2BAC. Sandstones with fine intercala- fected the sedimentary sequences deposited during the sag
tion of pelites and shales deposited in continental to shallow period.
platform environments have high SP value, low GR value The second tectonic style occurs in the central part of
and middle IDL. Unfortunately, IDL log shows no meaning- the Parnaíba basin, where a different tectonic scenario is
ful data in the first 250 m. The thicker sedimentary infill in observed in seismic line L304 (Fig. 9b). No graben-like
well 2BAC indicates a considerably longer duration of subsi- structure occurs in this part of the basin, and the faults
dence, which lasted until the Cretaceous in the central part of are less abundant, suggesting that deformation was less in-
the Parnaíba basin. In contrast, the deposition ceased in the tense away from the Transbrasiliano Lineament. However,
Carboniferous at the eastern border of the basin (well 1FL in the compressional tectonic regime, which reactivated certain
Fig. 7). faults as reverse-related structures, is more evident in this re-
Interval velocities were calculated from time–depth curves gion (e.g., the deep fault highlighted in the inset of Fig. 9b).
(Fig. 8). The velocities rise downward from 2000 to These faults are consistent with the post-Carboniferous tec-
4800 m s−1 due to the natural compaction of the sedimen- tonic inversion that affected the entire Parnaíba basin. From
tary infill. Velocities up to 5100 m s−1 indicate the concentra- a stratigraphic perspective, the Paleozoic post-rift volcanic-
tion of volcanic sills intercalated in the sequences II and III sedimentary package is thicker in the central portion of the
(Fig. 8). The correlation between the well lithologies and the basin, where it is partially overlain by the upper Jurassic–
seismic reflections allowed us to characterize the four post- Cretaceous sequence V.
rift tectono-sedimentary sequences, as well as the basement The third tectonic style occurs in the western portion of
top and volcanic sills (Fig. 8). Although the syn-rift sequence the Parnaíba basin and is evident in the seismic line L103
I is not present in wells 1FL and 2BAC, its related seismic (Fig. 9c) and seismic sections in Fig. 10c. The imaged rift
facies can be identified by a section of discontinuous, in- zone consists of two main asymmetric grabens separated
clined, low-amplitude reflections, enclosing two sets of high- by basement highs and listric faults (Fig. 9). These grabens
amplitude reflections related to volcanic rocks (Fig. 9a). The are up to 100 km wide, are divided by smaller troughs, and
overlying sedimentary sequences II to V are characterized trend NW–SE (Fig. 10), roughly perpendicular to the NE–
by parallel reflections with low to middle amplitudes (Figs. 8 SW Transbrasiliano Lineament. As in the other basin regions
and 9). (Fig. 9), large volcanic sills occur in different stratigraphic
levels. However, the brittle deformation appears to be less

Figure 9. Seismic sections of lines L507 (a), L304 (b) and L103 (c), showing different structural settings within the Parnaíba basin. Inset in
Line L304 shows reverse-related structures affecting Late Carboniferous to Early Triassic sequences.
intense in the western portion of the basin. The different in- fects of the sedimentary load are necessary to obtain a re-
ternal basin architectures within the basin will be discussed liable subsidence history (Steckler and Watts, 1978). Since
in Sect. 5. providing a detailed modeling of basin subsidence is not the
The three tectonic styles described above based on intent of the present paper, due to lack of sediment ages from
the existing geophysical data indicate that the tectonic– the available wells, we constructed simplified subsidence
sedimentary evolution of the basin is diachronic in space and curves of the Parnaíba basin based on three exploratory wells
time. It follows that pre-sag rifting and post-rifting defor- and the seismic line L103 (Fig. 11). These curves include two
mations are not homogenous across the basin. For example, periods of accelerated subsidence rates, with amplitudes of
preexisting ductile fabric controls fault reactivation along the 3500 and 2000 m during the Cambrian–Ordovician and be-
Transbrasiliano Lineament, but fault reactivation is less evi- tween the Silurian and Carboniferous, respectively. Accord-
dent away from the lineament. In addition, reverse faulting, ing to Quinlan (1987), the rapid syn-rift sediment accumu-
not commonly observed in the Transbrasiliano Lineament lation certainly involves mechanical and thermal subsidence
area, clearly occurs in the central part of the basin. of the previously thermally uplifted lithosphere. During the
rift phase (sedimentary sequence I), the subsidence rate was
3.6 Simplified subsidence curves up to 47 m Myr−1 . After the rift became inactive, the Par-
naíba basin experienced less rapid subsidence during the long
The subsidence pattern of any sedimentary basin can be eval- period of subsequent cooling. The sedimentary sequences II
uated from plots of sediment age versus depth record in ex- and III (the Serra Grande and Canindé groups) featured a sed-
ploratory wells (Quinlan, 1987; Allen and Allen, 2005). Nev- imentation rate of approximately 22 m Myr−1 for 100 Myr
ertheless, some corrections for sediment compaction, varia- (Fig. 11). From the late Carboniferous onwards, the ther-
tions in paleobathymetry and the isostatic amplification ef- mal subsidence slowed to a rate of 6.5 m Myr−1 , the cratonic

ment causative sources interfere with the anomaly patterns

produced by the basin internal geometry. In this study, we
performed a 2-D joint inversion of magnetic and gravity data
along four seismic profiles to determine the contribution of
each type of sources, i.e., the basement heterogeneities and
the basin infill.
The aim of this study is to determine the relationship be-
tween pseudo-gravity and gravity lows and the rift zones
revealed in the seismic sections. Using the internal geom-
etry of the basin derived by seismic interpretation, we can
establish its gravity and magnetic effects and model the re-
sulting anomalies to identify structures within the basement.
Thus, the 2-D joint modeling inverts the contrasts of mag-
netic susceptibility and density of vertical prisms, which sim-
ulated the intra-basement crustal heterogeneities. As a result,
we can extrapolate the estimated distribution of Cambrian–
Ordovician rifts beneath the whole Parnaíba basin.
4.1 Two-dimensional joint modeling approach
For decades, many researchers have studied joint or coopera-

tive inversion of two or more geophysical methods as a pow-
erful tool to improve modeling (Santos et al., 2006; Zhou et
al., 2015). Vozoff and Jupp (1975) were the first to invert
jointly data sets derived from different geophysical meth-
ods in order to enhance inversion resolution of the models
obtained separately from each method. A joint inversion of
Figure 10. Interpreted seismic sections showing different tectonic magnetic and gravity data, which are related to the same un-
styles in the eastern (a), northern (b) and central (c) regions of the derlying geologic structures and thus may contain comple-
Parnaíba basin. mentary information, can reduce the inherent nonuniqueness
and the limitations of the inverse problem of individual geo-
physical methods (e.g., Lines et al., 1988; Haber and Olden-
burg, 1997; Gallardo and Meju, 2003). Examples of joint in-
version of magnetic and gravity data were presented and dis-
cussed by several studies, such as Fedi and Rapolla (1999),
Gallardo et al. (2005) and de Castro (2011).
We performed the integrated approach on both residual
RTP magnetic and gravity anomalies constrained by seis-
mic data and well logs, using GM-SYS software (Geosoft,
2013). The model geometry consists of the basement top,
Figure 11. Sediment thickness as a function of sediment age for four main sedimentary sequences and volcanic sills, all ex-
wells 1FL, 2BAC and 2PI and seismic line L103 (at the distance tracted from the seismostratigraphic interpretation tied with
of 40 km – Fig. 9). Labels I to V indicate stratigraphic sequences well logs. The seismic horizons geometry was obtained us-
described in the text. ing time–depth curves from 2BAC and 1FL wells. The den-
sity of each modeled sedimentary sequence was derived
basin stabilized and the thin volcano-sedimentary sequences from density logs and density–velocity conversions using
IV and V were deposited in the Jurassic and Cretaceous. Gardner’s formula. The magnetic susceptibilities were ini-
tially obtained from average values reported in the literature
(Telford et al., 1998). Since the sedimentary basin is filled by
4 Magnetic and gravity joint modeling almost nonmagnetic deposits, the assumed magnetic suscep-
tibilities play a secondary role, if any, in the observed mag-
Based on a comparison of the potential field (Fig. 5) and netic anomalies. Table 2 presents the physical parameters of
seismic (Figs. 9 and 10) data, the pseudo-gravity and grav- the modeled layers. Due to the nonuniqueness of the poten-
ity lows clearly do not match the graben limits derived tial field solution, we limited our modeling exercise fixing
from seismic sections. This mismatch suggests that base- the seismic derived basin internal architecture and the phys-

Table 2. Bodies used in 2-D geophysical profile models. AMS: assigned magnetic susceptibility (mathematical representation that incorpo-
rates both magnetic susceptibility and a remnant component, if applicable).
Stratigraphic sequence Geological unit Lithology Density (kg m−3 ) AMS (SI)
V Mearim sandstones, pelites and shales 2250 0.0001
Mosquito basalt 2690 −0.006–0.055
IV Balsas shales, siltstone, limestones, sandstones 2400 0.0001
III Canindé siltstones, shales and sandstones 2450 0.0001
II Serra Grande fluvial and deltaic sandstones, pelites 2530 0.0001
I Jaibaras conglomerates, sandstones, phyllites and shales 2570 0.0001
Precambrian basement – Unknown basement rocks 2569–2792 −0.010–0.041
ical properties of each layer. Synthetic magnetic and grav- Neoproterozoic–early Paleozoic syn-rift granite and volcanic
ity data, as described below, show that differences of a few bodies (Oliveira and Mohriak, 2003).
dozens of meters in the seismic horizons provide variations in We applied a semi-automatic source detection method to
the magnetic and gravity signatures lower than 0.05 nT and guide the location of the vertical prism boundaries in the
0.5 mGal, respectively. In turn, the regional airborne mag- geophysical models. The chosen analytic signal technique
netic and gravity anomalies exhibit amplitudes on the order computes discrete depth solutions at a moving spatial win-
of 40 nT and 25 mGal. Thus, we assume that uncertainties dow along magnetic and gravity profiles (Phillips, 1997).
of seismic horizons should cause no measurable effect in the After fixing both the seismic basin internal architecture and
magnetic and gravity anomalies due to the regional scale of prism geometry, a non-linear Marquardt inversion procedure,
data acquisition (flight height of 1100 m and flight line spac- implemented in the GM-SYS inversion routine, iteratively
ing of 6 km). obtained the densities and magnetic susceptibilities of the
Before performing the joint modeling, we calculated the prisms (Table 2). The base of all prisms was fixed at a depth
theoretical magnetic and gravitational effects of the seismic- of 10 km. Figure 13 shows the final 2-D models along pro-
derived models along lines L304 and L507 (Figs. 5 and 12). files L304, L507, L103 and L001, which were used to inves-
The flight elevation of 1100 m was properly incorporated into tigate different rift geometries and tectonic styles within the
the anomaly calculation. Considering the magnetic suscepti- basin (Fig. 4). Profile L001 is the only profile not constrained
bilities and densities of the basin infill listed in Table 2 and by seismic data. Nevertheless, to ensure that the modeling
assuming that the basement possessed constant magnetic sus- will provide a geologically reasonable result we used the fi-
ceptibility of 0.041 SI units and density of 2750 kg m−3 , the nal model of profile L507 as the initial model of the profile
calculated anomalies related to the basin internal geometry L001. In this way, based on the seismic data (Fig. 9a) we as-
(purple curves) do not match the residual reduced to pole sumed the premise that the rifting style should be the same
magnetic and residual gravity anomalies (green curves). The along the Transbrasiliano Lineament, changing only in lat-
difference between observed and calculated anomalies (red eral extent and depth. Thus, we performed the joint modeling
curves) represents the magnetic and gravity contribution of of this profile by carefully modifying these variables until the
unknown basement rocks, which have no obvious expression calculated anomalies were adjusted to the observed data. We
in the seismic sections (Fig. 12). The basement causative opted to not introduce volcanic rocks into this model due to
sources yield high-amplitude anomalies, partially masking the lack of seismic constraints.
the geophysical signatures of the basin internal architecture.
Interestingly, the volcanic contribution to both potential field 4.2 Basin tectonic styles revealed by 2-D joint modeling
anomalies (blue curves) is almost negligible, which means
that mapping of the magmatic events is difficult in the Par- In the north-central part of the basin, where no rift-related
naíba basin using airborne geophysical data collected at a structures were observed in the seismic lines, the gravity
flight height of 1100 m with a spacing of 6 km. lows at both edges of profile L304 indicate the existence of
To create a 2-D joint magnetic–gravity model along the less dense basement blocks rather than a steady westward in-
seismic profiles, we were required to introduce vertical crease in basin thickness (Fig. 13). The assigned magnetic
prisms beneath the basin to correspond to the geotectonic susceptibilities (AMS) and densities vary between 0.00214
units within the basement. In fact, a heterogeneous struc- and 0.00385 (SI) and between 2594 and 2704 kg m−3 , re-
tural framework is expected from the geological setting in spectively, within the basement. In the other tectonic do-
the Jaibaras basin (Fig. 6), whose basement consists of sev- mains of the basin, the rift zones are over 150 km wide and
eral deformed Precambrian metasedimentary sequences and feature a main central symmetric graben and a set of sec-
ondary troughs (Figs. 10 and 13). Anchored by the Trans-

Figure 12. Observed and calculated residual reduced-to-pole magnetic and gravity anomalies along seismic lines L507 (left) and L304 (right)
(location in Fig. 4). The basin anomalies are calculated from the seismic basin geometry. The theoretical basement curves were obtained by
subtracting the basin anomalies from the observed data.
Figure 13. Joint modeling of residual reduced-to-pole magnetic (a) and gravity (b) anomalies along seismic profiles. Final adjusted mag-
netic (c) and gravity (d) models. HDB: high-density crustal block; LDB: low-density crustal block.
brasiliano Lineament at its eastern flank, the main graben average contrast of −375 kg m−3 , which may represent the
crossed by lines L507 and L001 is up to 25 km wide and low-grade metamorphic sequences and/or granite bodies of
4.5 km deep (Fig. 13). A low-density and low-AMS base- the Jaibaras basin structural framework (Fig. 6). No expres-
ment block either occurs to the west of or beneath the rift sion of the LDB is observed in the seismic profiles (Figs. 9a
zone, as evidenced by profiles L507 and L001, respectively, and 10a), making it difficult to identify its geological nature
and this block serves to conceal the gravity effect of the rift and internal geometry.
geometry. The low-density crustal block (LDB) exhibits an

5 Discussion
5.1 Mechanisms that generated accommodation space

in the Parnaíba basin
The existence of Cambrian–Ordovician rifts in the Parnaíba

basin poses several important questions. The first is whether
lithospheric extension or thermal subsidence was the driving
mechanism for the growth of accommodation space during
the initial phase in the formation of this large cratonic basin.
This study is just beginning to shed light on these issues.
The Parnaíba basin exhibits three main structural styles
(Figs. 9, 10 and 13). The first style is present in the eastern
part of the basin and encompasses the NE-oriented elongated
rift system formed by right-lateral strike-slip brittle reactiva-
tion of the Brasiliano ductile shear zones. The second tec-
tonic style is present in the central part of the basin, where the
rift architecture trends to WNW–ESE, perpendicular to the
basement fabric (mainly shear zones and metamorphic foli-
ations), as revealed by the magnetic and gravity lineaments
(de Castro et al., 2014). Based on continental-scale geophys-
ical and geotectonic maps (e.g., Fairhead et al., 2003; Fuck
et al., 2008; Brito Neves and Fuck, 2014), no evident crustal
Figure 14. Simplified tectonic domains of the Parnaíba basin, show-
ing outcropping marginal troughs (dark gray areas), seismic derived or lithospheric discontinuities within the Parnaíba block con-
Cambrian–Ordovician rift zones (green areas) and gravity lows tributed directly to the development of the rifting process. Fi-
(light gray areas). Arrows indicate Brasiliano collisional (black) nally, the third tectonic style is present in the northern part of
and post-orogenic extensional (blue) stresses. Red triangles indicate the basin and is characterized by sparse or absent graben-like
low-grade metasedimentary rocks drilled in exploratory wells. SFB: structures, which are not observed in the available seismic
São Franciscana basin. Brasiliano shear zones: AR – Araguaia; PA profiles (Figs. 9b and 10b). This region has been slightly af-
– Patos; PE – Pernambuco; SP – Senador Pompeu; TB – Trans- fected by normal and reverse faulting (Fig. 9b), which was
brasiliano; TG – Tentugal. supposedly driven by the opening of the equatorial Atlantic
Ocean in the Early Cretaceous, according to Milani and Za-
lán (1998).
In profile L103, the main graben is characterized by a The geophysical data presented here indicate that during
60 km wide, flattened and symmetric structure (Figs. 10 the Cambrian–Ordovician, crustal thinning became more fo-
and 13). The gravity low is shifted from the main graben to cused within the Transbrasiliano shear zone (TB in Fig. 14)
the SE due to a narrow low-density block with a density con- along en echelon pull-apart troughs by strike-slip faults and
trast of −91 kg m−3 . The WNW–ESE-trending master faults bounded to the west by the Parnaíba block (first tectonic style
are oblique or orthogonal to those associated with the Trans- described above). In the vicinity of the TB, a 150 km wide
brasiliano Lineament (Fig. 14). This peculiar rift architec- and 1200 km long rift zone with a central symmetric graben
ture suggests an important change in the faulting mechanism formed and was anchored by this large shear zone along its
within the basin. In this sense, the Transbrasiliano Lineament eastern boundary (Figs. 9 and 10). This result clearly in-
was reactivated in the early Paleozoic by a brittle regime with dicates that rift faults along the Transbrasiliano Lineament
a significant transtensional component, which controlled the reactivated the major ductile shear zones, in agreement to
NE–SW-elongated grabens. To the west, pure-shear exten- what can been observed in the deep reflection profile (Daly
sion appears to have prevailed, forming grabens crosscut- et al. 2014). However, Daly et al. (2014) interpreted a lat-
ting the NE–SW-oriented basement fabric (metamorphic fo- eral crustal discontinuity in the deep reflection profile as the
liations and ductile shear zones). expression of the Transbrasiliano Lineament at depth. This
structure is located 100 km away to the west from the Trans-
brasiliano Lineament originally mapped by previous studies
(e.g., Cordani et al., 1984; Nunes, 1993; Fairhead et al., 2003;
de Castro et al., 2014). Lineaments have been widely con-
sidered to be landscape features that maybe related to deep
structures. The Transbrasiliano Lineament, defined approx-
imately 4 decades ago, exhibits a clear surface expression.

5.2 Post-rift tectonic activity
Subsequent tectonic episodes occurred during the post-rift

phase, with brittle reactivation of Brasiliano shear zones. Re-
verse faults and folds imaged in the seismic sections de-
formed sedimentary sequences II and III, as well as the di-
abase sills (Fig. 9). Morais Neto et al. (2013) correlated this
transpressional reactivation with the post-Devonian tectonic
inversion reported by Destro et al. (1994), which gave rise
to a kilometer-scale gently plunging drag-shaped fold struc-
ture in the NE portion of the Jaibaras basin. Furthermore,
later extensional reactivation of ancient shear zones espe-
cially deformed sedimentary sequence III, forming troughs
close to the Transbrasiliano Lineament (Fig. 9a). The age re-
lationships suggest that this reactivation postdates the Juras-
sic because the volcanic sills of the Mosquito formation
Figure 15. Schematic reconstruction for the Neoproterozoic–early
(∼ 200 Ma) are faulted and tilted. We hypothesize that the
Paleozoic, showing the collision of the Amazon–West African block NW–SE-oriented extensional events are related to the Syn-
between the Araguaia and Transbrasiliano shear zones (a) and sub- rift II phase of the Cariri–Potiguar trend in the NE Brazil rift
sequent post-orogenic rifting (b). Arrows indicate Brasiliano col- system, described by Matos (1992).
lisional (black) and post-orogenic extensional (blue) stresses. AC
– Amazonian craton; SFC – São Francisco craton; PB – Parnaíba
5.3 Subsidence evolution
block; TP – Tocantins province; BP – Borborema province; AR –
Araguaia suture zone; TB – Transbrasiliano shear zone.
In the Ordovician and Silurian, rifting ceased along the
Transbrasiliano Lineament as a result of lithospheric ther-
These features cross the Parnaíba basin and are associated mal re-equilibration and contraction due to changes in the
with the graben system that we identified in the present study. lithospheric stress field (Oliveira and Mohriak, 2003). The
The structures identified by Daly et al. (2014), which differ resulting negative buoyancy effect was likely the primary
from the rift system in our study, may mark the boundary cause of the widespread and long-lived post-rift subsidence
of crustal blocks, but these structures do not agree with the episodes that formed the broad saucer-shaped Parnaíba sag
definition of the Transbrasiliano Lineament that is already basin. For example, the simplified subsidence curves of the
established and recognized in the literature (Schobbenhaus Parnaíba basin, extracted from three exploratory wells and a
et al., 1975). Therefore, we assume that the rift system we seismic section (Fig. 11), show two periods with accelerated
observed in the reflection seismic data is the deep expression subsidence rates, with amplitudes of 3500 and 2000 m, dur-
of the Transbrasiliano Lineament. ing Cambrian–Ordovician times and Silurian–Carboniferous
To the west, the rift geometry changes and exhibits a times, respectively. According to Quinlan (1987), the rapid
wider and flattened central graben and a shorter rift zone syn-rift sediment accumulation involves subsidence of a pre-
(L103 in Fig. 9c). This modification of the tectonic style viously thermally uplifted lithosphere. After the rift became
reveals the important role of the Transbrasiliano Lineament inactive, the Parnaíba basin experienced slower subsidence
in controlling the development of the Cambrian–Ordovician during the long period of subsequent cooling. The sedimen-
rift systems (Figs. 14 and 15). Close to the lineament, tary sequences II and III of the Serra Grande and Canindé
oblique-slip crustal extension prevailed, generating an ex- Groups were deposited with a sedimentation rate of approx-
tensive rift system consisting of several NE–SW-oriented imately 22 m Myr−1 for 100 Myr (Fig. 11). Analyzing cra-
troughs. These graben-like features are located along the tonic basins in North America and West Siberia, Armitage
same structural trend and occur beyond the basin limits, as and Allen (2010) noted that the slow extension of relatively
far as 960 km southwards (e.g., the Água Bonita and Piranhas thick continental lithosphere causes permanent, long-lived
basins, which are located ∼ 1000 km to the south of the thermal subsidence in cratonic basins. In fact, a 40 km thick
Parnaíba basin along the Transbrasiliano Lineament, Brito crust, derived from receiver functions by Rosa et al. (2012)
Neves et al., 1984). In contrast, more orthogonal stretching and 3-D gravity inversion (de Castro et al., 2014), occurs in
produced pure-shear extension, crosscutting the basement the western part of the Parnaíba basin, where the sag de-
fabric (mainly shear zones and metamorphic foliations) in posits are thicker and the thermal subsidence lasted for a
the central part of the Parnaíba basin (the second tectonic longer time (2BAC curve in Fig. 11). This sedimentation rate
style defined above). is smaller than that during the rift phase, when mechanical
subsidence was active in the Cambrian–Ordovician.

Following the Late Carboniferous, the thermal subsidence the overall amalgamation of West Gondwana and possibly
slowed to a rate of 6.5 m Myr−1 , the cratonic basin stabilized, causing an elongated supracrustal strip to be thrusted over
and the thin volcano-sedimentary sequences IV and V were the Parnaíba block, similar to the Araguaia Belt, which was
deposited in the Jurassic and Cretaceous. However, fault ac- emplaced onto the Amazonian Craton to the west (Fig. 15).
tivity was not absent during this period of basin evolution. We interpret the low-grade metamorphic rocks and felsic in-
We have identified for the first time folds related to a post- trusive rocks to be the most likely candidates for the LDBs
rift inversion phase. This type of fold affected post-Permian that have been modeled within the basement (Fig. 13).
to pre-Albian units and has already been identified in a deep Between the Ediacaran and the Ordovician, the
seismic transect at the western margin of the basin (Daly et widespread post-orogenic extensional tectonic regime
al., 2014). (blue arrows in Figs. 14 and 15) led to the onset of post-
orogenic magmatism accompanied by the intrusion of
5.4 Mapping pseudo-graben granite bodies and continental rifting along the Brasiliano
shear zones, particularly along the Transbrasiliano Linea-
The second question to be discussed involves the causes of ment (TB in Figs. 14 and 15) (Brito Neves et al., 1984;
the different trends in the pseudo-gravity and gravity lows, Oliveira and Mohriak, 2003; Cordani et al., 2013). Examples
which do not spatially match the grabens identified in the of post-orogenic granite intrusions occur along both the NE
seismic data (Fig. 9). The new seismic lines revealed not and SW edges of the Parnaíba basin in the vicinity of the
only the internal architecture of the basin but also a mis- TB. Additional granite bodies, emplaced along the TB, are
match between the graben locations mapped from potential likely concealed beneath the basin, contributing locally to
field and seismic data (Fig. 14). In the Parnaíba basin, base- pseudo-gravity and gravity negative anomalies, in addition
ment causative sources severely modify the magnetic and to the supracrustal sequences (Fig. 15).
gravity patterns, concealing the anomalies directly related
to the rift structures (Fig. 12). Analyzing the geological set- 5.5 Broad implications for other basins in West
ting in the Jaibaras basin, we infer that the causative bodies Gondwana and elsewhere
responsible for the gravity lows beneath the Parnaíba basin
could also be Neoproterozoic supracrustal sequences of low- The evolution of the Parnaíba basin has implications for other
grade metasedimentary rocks and anorogenic granites that basins in both South America and Africa. The questions as-
surround the Cambrian–Ordovician Jaibaras rift (Fig. 6). Fur- sociated with the development of these basins appear to be
thermore, the N–S-elongated gravity lows are parallel to the related, and their answers have important implications for
Araguaia Suture Zone along the western edge of the basin the origin and development of the long-lived and extensive
(Fig. 14). In this region, low-density and low-grade metamor- Parnaíba cratonic basin.
phosed successions, sparse ophiolite mafic and ultramafic The rifting process related to the breakup of Pangea in the
rocks and granitic intrusions represent the Neoproterozoic Jurassic and Cretaceous does not appear to have played a ma-
Araguaia Belt (Moura et al., 2008). This belt formed as the jor role in the generation of accommodation space in the Par-
result of the oblique collision of the Amazonian and São naíba basin. This process, however, has been described as
Francisco cratons, which also involved the Parnaíba block the primary tectonic event responsible for several sedimen-
and the Tocantins and Borborema provinces (Alvarenga et tary basins along the eastern margin of South America (de
al., 2000; de Castro et al., 2014) (black arrows in Fig. 14). Castro et al., 2007; de Castro and Bezerra, 2015). Therefore,
The metasedimentary sequences were thrusted over the east- several basins in northeastern Brazil exhibit both Paleozoic
ern edge of the Amazonian Craton, forming thick packages and Jurassic–Cretaceous sedimentary units (e.g., Araripe and
of low-density rocks in the upper crust. Tucano–Jatobá basins, Fig. 2). In these cases, the Paleozoic
Based on the N–S-oriented gravity lows, we hypothesize units have been described as undeformed pre-rift units gen-
that these supracrustal sequences were also deposited to the erated by a sag deposition (e.g., Matos, 1992; Assine, 2007).
east of the Araguaia Suture Zone within the Parnaíba block. This type of hypothesis is based on the assumption that the
These sequences in places assume a NW–SE orientation and deposits in the Parnaíba basin, which encompasses the ma-
are limited by the Transbrasiliano Lineament to the south jor Paleozoic sequence in the region, were formed through
and east (Fig. 14). In fact, comparing basement rocks drilled sag-related deposition. This study indicates that at least two
in exploratory wells in the Parnaíba basin (available in Cor- rift phases preceded the sag stage. In addition, the geophys-
dani et al., 1984) with the interpreted residual gravity map ical data from our study show that the sag-related depo-
(Fig. 14), we observe a close correlation between the neg- sition was also controlled by the reactivation of rift faults
ative anomalies and the low-grade metamorphic rocks and (Fig. 9). In a few basins, such as the Araripe and Tucano–
felsic intrusive rocks. Cordani et al. (1984) described these Jatobá basins, Paleozoic sedimentary units are intensively
rocks as phyllites, quartzites and syenites. Rb–Sr dating has deformed, and this deformation has been attributed to Meso-
provided ages that range from 670 to 504 Ma. At that time, zoic rifting (Magnavita et al., 1994; Assine, 2007; Kuchle
the Brasiliano–Pan African orogeny was active, leading to et al., 2011). However, early Paleozoic rifting episodes may

also have affected these basins, which have been subjected to rifting, and the post-rift deformation within the basin is re-
rifting in the Early Paleozoic and in the Jurassic–Cretaceous. stricted to rare subtle normal and reverse faults.
This hypothesis should not be ruled out and should be inves- The simplified subsidence curves from boreholes and seis-
tigated in further studies. mic lines reveal periods of accelerated subsidence in both
syn- and post-rift phases. During the rifting phase, the com-
bined mechanical and thermal subsidence rapidly generated
accommodation space, resulting in a sedimentation rate of
6 Conclusions 35 m Myr−1 . After the rifting became inactive in the Late Or-
dovician, the subsidence rate decreased, although it remained
The Parnaíba basin is a large, sag-type cratonic basin with relatively high during the Silurian and Carboniferous. Man-
a saucer and roughly circular shape. Its history of long-term tle flow regime may provide a plausible process for cratonic
accumulation of terrestrial and shallow-water marine sedi- subsidence, but geological and geophysical evidence pre-
ments started following the final assembly of the Amazon– cludes this type of mechanism in the Parnaíba basin. Addi-
West African block in an overall collisional scenario involv- tionally, secondary mechanisms affected the prolonged ther-
ing the Araguaia and Transbrasiliano megashear zones. Post- mal subsidence established by changing tectonic stresses as-
orogenic tectonic inversion occurred during the late Neopro- sociated with plate motion and mantle dynamics. Following
terozoic and early Paleozoic, forming a set of troughs. The the Late Carboniferous, the thermal subsidence slowed, the
sag-related deposition in the failed rift system was similar cratonic basin stabilized and thin volcanic–sedimentary se-
to that of many coeval cratonic basins scattered throughout quences were deposited during the Jurassic and Cretaceous.
North America, Africa and South America. The deposition of these units is likely related to lithospheric
A large geophysical data set, involving airborne poten- deformation during the opening of the equatorial Atlantic be-
tial field, seismic and well log data, was used to map the tween the latest Jurassic and the Early Cretaceous.
buried graben-like structures to shed light on the driving
mechanisms of the prolonged subsidence of the Parnaíba
cratonic basin. The combined analysis and 2-D joint mod- Acknowledgements. We thank two anonymous reviewers and Solid
eling of the geophysical data revealed a complex basement Earth Special Editor Frederico Rossetti for their comments and
framework that includes elongated Neoproterozoic intraplate suggestions, which greatly improved our work. We acknowledge
the Brazilian Agency of Petroleum and Natural Gas (Agência
aulacogenic-type basins. These approximately N–S-oriented
Nacional de Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis - ANP),
low-grade metasedimentary strips were formed in the ancient which provided the seismic, borehole, gravity and magnetic data
Parnaíba block during the oblique continental collision be- used in our study. We also thank Brazilian oil company Petrobras,
tween the Amazonian and São Francisco cratons. The base- as part of the Transbrasiliano Project, and INCT – Estudos Tec-
ment heterogeneities strongly interfere in the magnetic and tônicos funded this work. The authors are grateful to the Conselho
gravity anomaly patterns; thus, the basin internal geometry Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for
can only be correctly mapped when the potential field data their research grants.
are constrained by seismic profiles and well logs. Addition-
ally, anorogenic granites also contribute to masking the grav- Edited by: F. Rossetti
ity effects of the basin in the vicinity of the rift zone. Similar
granitic intrusions were emplaced in the Jaibaras rift to the
NE of the Parnaíba basin.
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Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016

Geophysical evidence of pre-sag rifting and post-rifting fault

Correspondence to: David Lopes de Castro ([email protected])

Received: 27 January 2016 – Published in Solid Earth Discuss.: 29 January 2016

Abstract. This study investigated the rifting mechanism that 1 Introduction

Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union.

Castro et al. (2014) proposed a rifting stage preceding the

Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016 www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/

www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/ Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016

Chronostratigraphic scale Lithostratigraphy Lithologic column

Early Devonian (Serra Grande Group), Middle Devonian–

2.2 Main tectonic features

Continental-scale shear zones (lineaments) played a major

Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016 www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/

www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/ Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016

the Parnaíba basin. That data set comprises several airborne

The difference between the magnetic and gravity patterns in

Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016 www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/

www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/ Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016

Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016 www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/

Figure 8. Time–depth conversion and well-seismic tie of wells 1FL

us to accurately identify the major sequence limits and vol-

www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/ Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016

Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016 www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/

www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/ Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016

ment causative sources interfere with the anomaly patterns

4.1 Two-dimensional joint modeling approach

For decades, many researchers have studied joint or coopera-

Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016 www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/

www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/ Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016

Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016 www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/

5.1 Mechanisms that generated accommodation space

The existence of Cambrian–Ordovician rifts in the Parnaíba

www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/ Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016

5.2 Post-rift tectonic activity

Subsequent tectonic episodes occurred during the post-rift

Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016 www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/

www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/ Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016

Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016 www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/

www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/ Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016

Solid Earth, 7, 529–548, 2016 www.solid-earth.net/7/529/2016/

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