TECTONIC SUBSIDENCE AND SYNRIFT SEDIMENTATION ASSOCIATED WITH THE RIFTING OF THE LOWER MIOCENE IN THE ALBORAN DOMAIN (BETIC CHAIN, SPAIN)

The sedimentary units described constitute the Ln Vinuela Formation, s ituated at the eastern? end of the Colmenar Depression. The lowest uni t formed of massive continental breccias, has been interpreted as aris ing from slope deposits of 'sturzstrom'-type or rock avalanches. Highe r up, progressive subsidence resulted in a terrigenous-carbonated seri es, typical of marine marine material. It is a transgressive sequence, formed in an extensional synorogenic basin, associated with the first episode of Neogene rifting in the Betic Cordilleras. The direction of extension is deduced as N-S.