S. Bourquin et al., 3-DIMENSIONAL EVOLUTION OF THE KEUPER OF THE PARIS BASIN BASED ON DETAILED ISOPACH MAPS OF THE STRATIGRAPHIC CYCLES - TECTONIC INFLUENCES, Geologische Rundschau, 86(3), 1997, pp. 670-685
Detailed isopach maps of the stratigraphic cycles of the Keuper of the
Paris basin are used to reconstruct the 3D evolution of the basin cyc
le by cycle and to investigate the influence of tectonic movements. Th
e major base-level cycles record variations in the rate of subsidence
in time and space. The area of greatest subsidence, which was confined
to the east of the basin during the Scythian-Carnian cycle, shifted n
orthwestwards during the Carnian-Liassic cycle. Within the ''Marnes ir
isees inferieures'', the E-W faults abruptly limited the extent of sal
t deposits to the north and south by forming a ''corridor'' where subs
idence was greater. The westward shift of areas of subsidence induced
by the migration of fault activity enhanced the migration of salt seri
es which was bounded by the Saint-Martin-de-Bossenay fault. The cessat
ion of fault activity in the eastern part of the basin marked the end
of halite sedimentation. From the ''Gres a roseaux'' formation, a gene
ral northwestward tilt of the basin with corresponding depocentre migr
ation induced a truncation within the ''Marnes irisees superieures''.
The depocentres were located in the west which was the site of most fa
ult activity which influenced the fluvial deposits by creating tilted
blocks where sediment could accumulate.