Page 7 - Catalano_et_al_1996

R. Catalano et al./ Tectonophysics 260 (1996) 291-323 297

schematic deep geologica! sections of the area. Part and in the Sardinia Channel (Barbieri et al., 1984;
of this research, focused on the northeastern Sicily Catalano et al., 1985; Torelli et al., 1985; Antonelli
Straits and southern Sicily offshore (Fig. I), demon- et al., 1991 ). The stratigraphic scheme in Fig. 6
strated close relations between the regional tectonic refers to the offshore formations and to westernmost
grain of Sicily and the offshore region (Catalano et Sicily. Some type successions of the Sicily Straits-
al., 1989a; Casero and Roure, 1994). Sicily Channel area appear comparable to or continu-
ous with the successions of westernmost Sicily and
4. Stratigraphy and facies domains are believed to pass westwards to the stratigraphic
sequences of eastern Tunisia and its offshore (Sestini
The stratigraphy of the studied area is well known and Flores, 1986; Catalano, 1987; Antonelli et al.,
on land (Fig. 5 and generai schemes in Catalano and 1991 ).
D'Argenio, 1982; Montanari, 1989). At sea the doc-
umentation, based on commerciai wells, seismic fa- In the submerged area between the Egadi and the
cies analysis and dredge hauls, is fairly good in the Malta Islands ali the available data indicate a sedi-
Sicily Straits and Sicily Channel (Catalano, 1987; mentary succession consisting of widespread Trias-
Catalano et al., 1989a; Antonelli et al., 1991; Casero sic-Lower Liassic carbonate platform deposits over-
and Roure, 1994) but poor north of the Egadi Islands lain by Jurassic-Paleogene seamount and slope to
basin, marly and sandy carbonates, in turn uncon-
formably covered by Neogene foredeep deposits (Fig.

TRATIGRAPHY A N D FACIES DOMAINS

DEEP CARBONATE
LMS & MARLS

(RAGUSA)

:144 MARLV LMS {HYB~)
CALPIONELUD LIME~HONES

u '"' NODULARUIS MARLYLMS(SUCCHER/)

o "ROSSO "AOSSO.f.JIIIICWrtiTICO' "ROSSO

N AMMOIITlCO' f 1rfrR~AT. AMMOtlllCO" BASINAL

o BASINAESED. UIS

"'l>l Early (INICI) ~~~-~S'·(INICI) STREPPENOSA~-'

::; j213 Sl~~~ACUSAJ

C A AB ,

DOMAINS -s.~c~OO.T- Wt.--.inmOir-Ski~OiiS.~ NildePiateau -w.-stem SiCiiY swSiliily-.r,r- -r
LOCATIONS L_ -~~- WESTERN~!!._Ii_ __ _ PanJ811e~a ~ OffShorr~ __
~'!'!~ ~a_!r_ r?!!St~t?re

Fig. 6. Stratigraphy and facies domains of westemmost Sicily and Sicily offshore (time scale according to Harland et al., 1990).