PLATE-TECTONICS AND INTRACRATONIC MOUNTAIN-RANGES IN MOROCCO - THE MESOZOIC-CENOZOIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE CENTRAL HIGH ATLAS AND THE MIDDLE ATLAS

Plate tectonic processes in the Atlantic and western Tethyan realm dir ected the post-Variscan sedimentary and structural evolution of the Hi gh Atlas and Middle Atlas intracontinental mountain ranges of Morocco. Plate movements caused a reactivation of an inherited pan-African or Hercynian fault pattern by the variation of stress regimes through tim e. This resulted in strike-slip as well as vertical tectonics. During times of relative tectonic quiescence eustatic sea-level changes gover ned the sedimentary development. The most important, often interacting , global tectonic determinants are: taphrogenesis of the NW-African co ntinental margin lasting until the Early Cretaceous (Triassic rifting and subsequent mid-Atlantic spreading), strike-slip-faulting at the Ne wfoundland-Gibraltar fault zone (Liassic - earliest Eocene), and conti nental convergence between Europe (Iberia) and Africa which started in the Late Cretaceous and reached its acme in the Neogene. In the realm of the central High Atlas and the Middle Atlas the interaction of the se processes triggered continental rifting (Triassic) and subsequent m arine flooding of the intergrown riftgrabens prograding from the Tethy s realm (Early Jurassic - earliest Middle Jurassic). After its abortio n, the former Atlas rift was filled up with marine sediments (Bajocian - Bathonian), followed by continental redbeds and final uplift (late Mid Jurassic - late Early Cretaceous). Eustatic sea-level changes most ly governed the sedimentary evolution from Aptian to latest Mid Eocene . After a first weak uplift of the central High Atlas during the Senon ian major uplift of the intracontinental chains commenced at the Mid/L ate Eocene transition. Diastrophism of the Atlas ranges during the Mio cene and Pliocene coincided with the main orogenic movements of the Be tico-Rifean arc.