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Levanzo Trapani
?
Marettimo Favignana

Marsala

Carbonate factory
Transport direction
Shelf edge

Figure 5.1 – Schematic map of the Aegadian islands showing the major transport directions
and possible locations of carbonate generation platforms.

that formed thrust structures started in the Alpine orogeny (Tavarnelli et al., 2003). During the Pliocene
the start of the uplift process introduced the transition from compression to extension, so the positive
Monte Santa Caterina structure was therefore already present during the sedimentation of the Favignana
calcarenite, which can have important implications for the transport mechanisms.

An alternative to the assumption of a platform in the north is a single system at the same location. The
studies of Massari & Chiocci (2006) and Hansen (1999) do not provide a clear explanation of sediment
supply, because they assume that the calcareous material is generated on the shelf and subsequently
reworked by storm events. This can be the case in Favignana as well, however the transport directions
point to a system that develops towards the coast. Because water depths are limited, organisms could
develop, be reworked by storm events, after which new matter was created and the cycle could repeat
itself. This supports the observations of cyclic behaviour in the smaller scale foresets.

5.2 Transport mechanism

Dead calcareous material originating from the carbonate platform needs a mechanism in order to be
transported to the location that at present time forms eastern Favignana. The Mediterranean Sea is
not characterised by a strong tidal influence or predominant continuous currents. Still, the sedimentary
macrofacies description showed sedimentary structures that are associated with a significant amount of
energy at the time of deposition.

A possible explanation to the origin of the sediment transport might be found in the predominant wind
directions in this part of the Mediterranean. The western Sicilian fetch — the length of water over which

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