Mantle exhumation, crustal denudation, and gravity tectonics during Cretaceous rifting in the Pyrenean realm (SW Europe): Insights from the geological setting of the lherzolite bodies Yves Lagabrielle, Pierre Labaume, Michel de Saint Blanquat

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Yves Lagabrielle, Pierre Labaume, Michel de Saint Blanquat. Mantle exhumation, crustal denudation, and gravity tectonics during Cretaceous rifting in the Pyrenean realm (SW Europe): Insights from the geological setting of the lherzolite bodies. Tectonics, American Geophysical Union (AGU), 2010, 29, pp.TC4012. ￿10.1029/2009TC002588￿. ￿hal-00512818￿

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HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. TECTONICS, VOL. 29, TC4012, doi:10.1029/2009TC002588, 2010 Click Here for Full Article Mantle exhumation, crustal denudation, and gravity tectonics during Cretaceous rifting in the Pyrenean realm (SW Europe): Insights from the geological setting of the lherzolite bodies

Yves Lagabrielle,1 Pierre Labaume,1 and Michel de Saint Blanquat2 Received 3 August 2009; revised 24 December 2009; accepted 17 February 2010; published 27 July 2010.

[1] The Pyrenean peridotites (lherzolites) form development can be inferred, involving extreme numerous small bodies of subcontinental mantle, a thinning of the crust, and mantle uprising along a major few meters to 3 km across, exposed within the narrow detachment fault. We demonstrate coeval development north Pyrenean zone (NPZ) of Mesozoic sediments of a crust‐mantle detachment fault and generalized paralleling the north Pyrenean Fault. Recent studies gravitational sliding of the Mesozoic cover along low‐ have shown that mantle exhumation occurred along angle faults involving Triassic salt deposits as a tectonic the future NPZ during the formation of the Albian‐ sole. This model accounts for the basic characteristics Cenomanian Pyrenean basins in relation with detachment of the precollisional rift evolution in the Pyrenean tectonics. This paper reviews the geological setting of realm. Citation: Lagabrielle, Y., P. Labaume, and M. de Saint the Pyrenean lherzolite bodies and reports new detailed Blanquat (2010), Mantle exhumation, crustal denudation, and field data from key outcrops in the Béarn region. Only gravity tectonics during Cretaceous rifting in the Pyrenean realm two types of geological settings have to be distinguished (SW Europe): Insights from the geological setting of the lherzolite among the Pyrenean ultramafic bodies. In the first bodies, Tectonics, 29, TC4012, doi:10.1029/2009TC002588. type (sedimented type or S type), the lherzolites occur as clasts of various sizes, ranging from millimetric 1. Introduction grains to hectometric olistoliths, within monogenic or polymictic debris flow deposits of Cretaceous age, [2] The Pyrenees is a narrow, 400 km long and N110° trending continental fold‐and‐thrust belt that developed in reworking Mesozoic sediments in dominant proportions response to the collision between the northern edge of the as observed around the Lherz body. In the second Iberia Plate and the southern edge of the European Plate type (tectonic type or T type), the mantle rocks form during the Late Cretaceous‐Tertiary [Choukroune and hectometric to kilometric slices associated with crustal ECORS Team, 1989; Muñoz, 1992; Deramond et al., 1993; tectonic lenses. Both crustal and mantle tectonic lenses Roure and Choukroune, 1998; Teixell, 1998]. In the Pyrenean are in turn systematically associated with large volumes domain, Triassic and Jurassic rifting events preceeded the of strongly deformed Triassic rocks and have fault development of Cretaceous rifts which culminated in the contacts with units of deformed Jurassic and Lower crustal separation between the Iberia and European plates Cretaceous sediments belonging to the cover of the [Puigdefabregas and Souquet, 1986; Vergés and Garcia‐ NPZ. These deformed Mesozoic formations are not older Senz, 2001]. Continental rifting in the Pyrenean realm that the Aptian‐early Albian. They are unconformably occurred coevally with oceanic spreading in the Bay of ‐ Biscaye between Chron M0 and A33o (approximately 125– overlain by the Albian Cenomanian flysch formations 83 Ma), in relation with the counterclockwise rotation of and have experienced high temperature‐low pressure ‐ Iberia relative to Europe [Le Pichon et al., 1970; Choukroune mid Cretaceous metamorphism at variable grades. Such and Mattauer, 1978; Olivet, 1996; Sibuet et al., 2004]. a tectonic setting characterizes most of the lherzolite Rotation was achieved just before the Albian according to bodies exposed in the western Pyrenees. These geological recent paleomagnetic data collected onland [Gong et al., data first provide evidence of detachment tectonics 2008]. leading to manle exhumation and second emphasize [3] The northern flank of the Pyrenees is well known for the role of gravity sliding of the Mesozoic cover the occurrence of numerous small‐sized exposures of sub- in the preorogenic evolution of the Pyrenean realm. continental mantle rocks, mostly lherzolites, widespread In the light of such evidence, a simple model of basin within Mesozoic sedimentary formations forming the north Pyrenean zone (NPZ) (Figure 1). Since their early descrip- tions by Lacroix [1895], there was a more than 100 years 1Géosciences Montpellier, UMR 5243, Université Montpellier 2, CNRS, long debate relative to the origin and significance of these Montpellier, France. ultramafic remnants. Very recent field studies in the sur- 2LMTG, UMR 5563, Université Toulouse III, CNRS, Observatoire roundings of Etang de Lherz (central Pyrenees), the type ‐ Midi Pyrénées, Toulouse, France. locality of the lherzolite, have revealed that a large amount of mantle exposures do in fact represent fragments of sub- Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical Union. 0278‐7407/10/2009TC002588 continental material reworked through sedimentary pro-

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Figure 1. Simplified map of the Pyrenean belt with the location of the main ultramafic bodies and out- crops of lower crust. S type (sedimented) and T type (tectonic) lherzolites are distinguished on the basis of their geological setting as discussed in text. The main mid‐Cretaceous basins are shown in italic. Location of Figures 2, 4, and 13 is indicated. cesses within Cretaceous basins of the NPZ [Lagabrielle Mesozoic sedimentary sequences, small tectonic lenses of and Bodinier, 2008]. This demonstrates that exhumation Variscan crustal units (including granulites) and, in some of subcontinental mantle occurred along the NPZ during localities, clastic ultramafic‐bearing sedimentary series of transtensional deformation linked to the separation between Cretaceous age. An important challenge is now to revisit the the Iberia and the European plates. Therefore, exhumation most representative exposures of lherzolites across the entire of subcontinental mantle following extreme continental belt, in order to extract a set of critical data constraining the thinning during the mid‐Cretaceous Pyrenean rifting event processes of mantle exhumation and crustal thinning. In this has been proposed as a general mechanism accounting article, we first make the point of the various geological for the presence of ultramafic material within the NPZ settings of the ultramafic bodies. We show that they can be [Lagabrielle and Bodinier, 2008]. In addition, interpretation classified into two distinct categories, based on few basic of geophysical profiles in the Aquitaine region by Jammes criterias relative to their geological environments. These et al. [2009], enriched with field data from the Mauléon criteria provide information not only on mantle exhumation basin, also concluded to extreme crustal thinning and finally processes, but also on the behavior of the Mesozoic sedi- to tectonic exhumation of both the lower crust and the mentary cover in response to the progressive thinning subcontinental mantle during the Aptian‐Albian period in of the continental crust during the preorogenic Pyrenean the western Pyrenees. In the light of these recent studies, evolution. mantle exhumation appears undoubtely as an important mechanism accompanying the processes of extreme thinning of the continental crust. Considering these new results 2. Pyrenean Mantle Bodies: Two Main Types should help improving our understanding of the preorogenic of Geological Settings evolution not only of the Pyrenees but also of nonvolcanic passive margins in general, where mantle rocks are exhumed [5] The Pyrenean peridotites form numerous small bodies during the preorogenic rifting stages. of subcontinental mantle, a few meters to 3 km across, scatterred within the North Pyrenean Zone (NPZ) of Mesozoic [4] A recent analysis of the geological setting of the Pyrenean lherzolites [Lagabrielle and Bodinier, 2008] sediments paralleling the North Pyrenean Fault [Monchoux, has shown that careful analysis of this setting may yield 1970; Fabriès et al., 1991, 1998] (Figure 1). Models of important information on their exhumation history. Basically, emplacement of the Pyrenean lherzolites published in the the Pyrenean ultramafic rocks are associated with relatively last 40 years involve purely tectonic mechanisms, such as few lithologic types including: brecciated Triassic metase- solid intrusion of mantle rocks into sediments during the diments (including metaevaporites) and ophites, pre‐Albian Pyrenean orogeny [Lallemand, 1967; Minnigh et al., 1980; Vielzeuf and Kornprobst, 1984] or preorogenic exhumation

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Figure 2. (a) Simplified geological map of the central‐eastern Pyrenees showing the Paleozoic north Pyrenean massifs (names in italic). The exposures of lower crust are indicated. Area of Figure 3e is shown. (b) Geological section XY of the north Pyrenean zone in the central‐eastern Pyrenees cutting through the Aulus basin (Lherz area) and the western end of the Tarascon basin (location in Figure 2a). 1, Paleogene foredeep; 2, Late Cretaceous foredeep; 3, Aptian‐Albian (a, Urgonian facies limestones; b, flysch and breccia); 4, Jurassic to Barremian; 5, Triassic; 6, Palaeozoic (a, infra‐Silurian metamorphic rocks; b, Silurian to Carboniferous metasediments; c, granite); 6′, undifferentiated Palaeozoic rocks; 7, lherzolite. of mantle rocks and subsequent sedimentary processes basin [de Saint Blanquat, 1985] (Figures 1 and 2). In the during the Mesozoic or the Cenozoic [Choukroune, 1973; second type of settings, the lherzolite bodies form hecto- Fortané et al., 1986; Lagabrielle and Bodinier, 2008; metric to kilometric units, never more than a few hundred Jammes et al., 2009]. meters thick, tectonically associated with cataclastic Triassic [6] Prior to any discussion of the modes of emplacement rocks and with small tectonic lenses of crustal material of the Pyrenean mantle bodies, a point must first be made on (micaschists, gneisses, granites). They exhibit clear tectonic their geological environment. In this section, we show that relationships with the surrounding Mesozoic formations of the geological settings of the Pyrenean mantle bodies can be the NPZ, and rare evidence of sedimentary reworking. This classified within only two distinct types. Such classification is the case for most of the Béarn ultramafic bodies and for is based on a compilation of published data, completed with the Moncaup body in the central Pyrenees (Figure 1). new field investigations in key areas. In the first type of geological settings, the lherzolite bodies are found within 2.1. Sedimented Type (S Type): Lherzolite Bodies clastic sedimentary formations of Cretaceous age. This is the Within Cretaceous Clastic Formations case of the Cretaceous basin of Aulus, where the Lherz body [7] The eastern Pyrenean lherzolite bodies reside within is exposed [Lagabrielle and Bodinier, 2008] and for the the narrow belt of Mesozoic sediments, representing exten- Bestiac‐Prades bodies exposed in the SE of the Tarascon

3of26 TC4012 LAGABRIELLE ET AL.: PYRENEAN LHERZOLITES, GRAVITY TECTONICS TC4012 sional Cretaceous basins preserved between the Paleozoic as stressed by Lagabrielle and Bodinier [2008]. The clastic units of the Pyrenean axial zone to the south and the Paleozoic formations south of Etang de Lherz also include large olis- massifs of the NPZ to the north (the so‐called north Pyrenean toliths of sheared, pre‐Albian Mesozoic metasediments in- massifs). The north Pyrenean massifs formed the upper part dicating that mantle exhumation and subsequent sedimentary of horst systems during the Cretaceous and, together with reworking was coeval with gravity instabilities of the meso- the extensional Cretaceous basins were thrusted toward the zoic cover capping the Paleozoic basement of the axial zone north, above the Upper Cretaceous foreland basins during and the north Pyrenean massifs. the Cenozoic [Curnelle and Durand‐Delga, 1982; Souquet [9] An important characteristic of the ultramafic‐bearing and Peybernès, 1987]. The now inverted basins form breccias of the entire eastern NPZ is the presence of dominant narrow discontinuous zones of verticalized Jurassic‐Early clasts of Mesozoic metasediments, bearing mineralogical Cretaceous limestones, marbles, dolomites, rare metapelites assemblages of the Pyrenean metamorphism and exhibiting a and voluminous flysch and polymictic breccias deposits high‐temperature foliation [Dauteuil et al., 1987; Golberg (Boucheville, Prades, Tarascon and Aulus basins, Figure 2) and Leyreloup, 1985; Lagabrielle and Bodinier, 2008]. [Choukroune, 1976]. Along the north Pyrenean fault (NPF) This is well observed in the region of Etang de Lherz as well that bounds the axial zone to the north, the metasediments are as around the Bestiac bodies [de Saint Blanquat, 1985]. This strongly sheared and suffered the Pyrenean high temperature‐ observation indicates deformation and subsequent reworking low pressure (HT‐LP) mid‐Cretaceous metamorphic event of the sedimentary cover of the NPZ during the 110–85 Ma which lasted almost 25 Ma between 110 and 85 Ma (late time interval corresponding to the thermal pulse of the Pyr- Aptian‐Coniacian), in relation with crustal thinning and hy- enean event. In some breccia samples, such as those exposed drothermal circulations [Albarède and Michard‐Vitrac, at Col d’Agnès 1 km south of the Lherz body [Golberg, 1987; 1978; Montigny et al., 1986; Thiébaut et al., 1988; Golberg Golberg and Maluski, 1988], metamorphic minerals have and Maluski, 1988; Dauteuil and Ricou, 1989]. The most also grown within the matrix, between clasts of metasedi- typical high‐grade mineralogical assemblages are found in ment and ultramafic rocks, thus confirming a long period the ductily deformed marbles and metaevaporites. They in- of thermal culmination [Lagabrielle and Bodinier, 2008]. clude scapolite, phlogopite, diopside and locally dolomite Finally, a complete geological cycle including metamor- and dravite [Choukroune, 1976; Golberg, 1987; Golberg and phism, exhumation, disaggregation, sedimentation and fur- Leyreloup, 1990]. The high content in elements such as Cl, ther metamorphism developed within the basins of the NPZ Na, Ba, B, Mg, K, P and S within the metamorphic minerals during the more than 20 Myrs long thermal culmination of indicate that an important portion of the metamorphic fluids the mid‐Cretaceous. circulated within the Triassic evaporites. [10] By contrast to the eastern metamorphic NPZ, mono- [8] The most famous mantle bodies in the central‐eastern mictic and polymictic lherzolite‐bearing breccias are Pyrenees are the lherzolites of Etang de Lherz, Freychinède extremely rare in the western NPZ. Only one occurrence of and Prades‐Bestiac. At Etang de Lherz, the ultramafic rocks polymictic ultramafic‐crustal breccia has been reported so far form a large body, 1.5 km long, surrounded by voluminous within the Albian‐Cenomanian flysch of the Chaînons breccia formations [Choukroune, 1973, 1976; Colchen et al., Béarnais, close to the lherzolite body of Urdach [Duée et al., 1997; Ternet et al., 1997]. The breccias represent monomict 1984; Fortané et al., 1986]. This site is described in detail and polymict debris flow deposits composed of clasts of below. ultramafic and carbonate rocks of various sizes (from less than one mm to a few dm), mixed in different proportions 2.2. Tectonic Type (T type): Lherzolites Lenses [Lagabrielle and Bodinier, 2008] (Figure 3). Carbonate Associated With Tectonized Middle‐Upper Triassic material of the breccias is composed of metamorphic Meso- and Crustal Rocks zoic sediments, including dominant white to pink marbles [11] Several lherzolite bodies reside in the Chaînons (Late Jurassic, Early Cretaceous) and dark dolomites and Béarnais, within the folded and thrusted Mesozoic sequen- metapelites (Lias). Besides the lherzolitic debris, minor clasts ces of the NPZ, north of the western termination of the axial of ophitic and gabbroic composition are also observed. The zone (Figures 4–6). The Mesozoic sediments form a suc- breccias most often lack Variscan basement material. The ‐ ‐ cession of three E W trending, parallel fold structures, the ultramafic bearing layers are found far from any lherzolitic Mail Arrouy, Sarrance and Layens anticlines, bounded body, implying that lherzolitic clasts have been transported by north (Layens) and south (Mail Arrouy and Sarrance) away from their source by sedimentary processes during the ‐ ‐ verging, post Cenomanian thrusts [Castéras et al., 1970] mid Cretaceous. In some places, sequences of channelized (Figures 5 and 8). The base of the stratigraphic sequence is debris flows deposits of purely ultramafic composition are represented by Upper Triassic evaporites, breccias and observed (Figure 3). A detailed analysis of the primary ophites and is followed by Mesozoic platform carbonates, contact between the Lherz ultramafics and the surrounding ‐ both forming the original cover of the northern Iberian limestones indicates that mixed ultramafic carbonate clastic margin [Canérot et al., 1978; Canérot and Delavaux, 1986]. sediments have been emplaced into fissures opened within The platform carbonates include Lower Jurassic dolomites the brecciated carapace of the peridotites (Figure 3). These and Upper Jurassic to Aptian platform limestones (Urgonian observations put strong constraints on the mode of em- facies), which form the current main reliefs. The flysch of placement of the lherzolite bodies since they demonstrate Albian to Cenomanian age is preserved within the synclines. that mantle exhumation and disaggregation on the seafloor Growth structures within the Urgonian limestones and fre- occurred within the NPZ basins during the mid‐Cretaceous,

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Figure 3. Geological aspects of the S‐type (sedimented) lherzolites based on examples from some out- crops in the surroundings of the Lherz and Bestiac bodies. (a) Polymictic sedimentary breccia in a quarry immediately north of Bestiac. This ultramafic‐bearing breccia is rich in clasts of Triassic sediments and Triassic‐Liassic cataclastic rocks, leaving its typical yellowish color. (b) Typical lherzolite‐bearing poly- mictic breccia east of Etang de Lherz (location of photograph in Figure 3e). Note the occurrence of a piece of a similar bedded polymict breccia, as a large isolated clast. (c) Base of a typical channelized lherzolite‐ marble‐bearing debris flow deposit in the verticalized stratas of the Aulus basins (location of photograph in Figure 3e). (d) A conceptual reconstruction of the geometry of the mid‐Cretaceous, lherzolite‐bearing clastic formations of the Aulus basin. This section might represent the infill of the central‐eastern NPZ basins in the vicinity of large lherzolite bodies. (e) Simplified geological map of the central part of the Aulus basin showing the distribution of the main ultramafic bodies and the extent of the polymictic ultramafic‐bearing sedimentary breccia deposits. Contours are based on the Aulus‐les‐Bains 50,000 BRGM map [Ternet et al., 1997] and on our own field observations.

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Figure 4. Geological map of the northwestern Pyrenees (location in Figure 1), with the location of sections shown in Figures 5 and 8, and of the geological map of the Chaînons Béarnais in Figure 6 (after the 1:400,000 geological map of the Pyrenees by BRGM‐IGME). 1, Tertiary; 2, Upper Cretaceous; 3, Lower Cretaceous; 4, Jurassic; 5, Triassic (t1 refers to Lower Triassic, mainly Buntsandstein); 6, Palaeozoic basement; 7, lherzolite. quent transition between the platform carbonates and the hanging wall of the thrust faults bordering to the south the flysch deposits [Castéras, 1970] document an onset of tec- Mail Arrouy and Sarrance anticlines. This platform car- tonic instabilities at the Aptian‐Albian transition. The three bonate sequence is therefore entirely disconnected from its units of the Chaînons Béarnais tectonically overly a sole of former Paleozoic basement which is known only as very deformed Upper Triassic material mainly exposed in the small tectonic slices associated with the lherzolite bodies.

Figure 5. Geological section of the north Pyrenean zone and north Pyrenean foreland basin in the west- ern Pyrenees (location in Figure 4). See detail of the north Pyrenean zone in Figure 8; northern part of section is adapted from Biteau et al. [2006]. In order to emphasize the contribution of the mid‐Cretaceous basin deposits to the overall structure of this region, the post‐Albian to Quaternary deposits are shown using one unique color pattern. 1, Upper Cretaceous‐Tertiary (Pyrenean foreland basins); 2, Aptian‐ Albian; 3, Jurassic to Barremian; 4, Triassic; 5, Palaeozoics basement; 6, lherzolite.

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Figure 6. Geological map of the “Chaînons Béarnais” region (location in Figure 4), after 1:50,000 geological maps by BRGM [Castéras, 1970]. Location of maps in Figures 7 and 11, and of section of Figure 8 is shown. 1, Cretaceous volcanics; 2, Late Cretaceous? (Layens and Lauriolle breccia); 3, Campanian‐Maastrichtian (flysch); 4, in the south Cenomanian to Santonian (“calcaires des canyons” platform limestones) and in the north Turonian (flysch); 5, Cenomanian (flysch); 6, Cenomanian (flysch and conglomerates associated with the Col d’Urdach lherzolite basement complex); 7, Albian (flysch); 8, Albian (Igounze‐Mendibelza conglomerate); 9, Aptian (Urgonian facies limestones and associated marls); 10, Middle‐Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous up to Barremian; 11, Lower Jurassic; 12, Middle‐Upper Triassic (marls, carbonates, evaporites, ophites; detachment fault rocks); 13, Lower Triassic (sandstones and conglomerates; tegument of the Palaeozoic basement); 14, Palaeozoic basement; 15, lherzolite.

By contrast to the eastern Pyrenees, most of the pre‐Albian question of the exhumation of the lherzolites was reported in carbonates here have not sufferred the high‐grade Pyrenean previous studies [Fortané et al., 1986; Thiébaut et al., 1992]. metamorphism. Ductily deformed Mesozoic sediments [12] The four main Béarn ultramafic bodies reside: (1) in bearing HT‐LP paragenesis are found only in restricted the southern flank of the Sarrance anticline (Saraillé and Tos places, close to fault contacts with Triassic and mantle de la Coustette bodies), (2) at the western tip of the Mailh rocks. This observation which is highly relevant to the Arrouy anticline (Urdach body), and (3) in the strongly tectonized zone of Benou, along the southern border of

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Figure 7. Geological map of the Sarrance structural unit with location of the Saraillé and Tos de la Coustette ultramafic bodies. Contours are based on maps by Fortané et al. [1986], Canérot and Delavaux [1986], and on our new field observations. the Mail Arrouy thrust structure (Turon de la Tècouère) white fossiliferous marbles showing the typical regional (Figure 4). Urgonian fossiliferous facies (Aptian‐Albian) [Canérot and Delavaux, 1986]. The lherzolites form a 500 m long and 2.3. Saraillé and Tos de la Coustette Bodies 30 m thick lens‐shaped, almost horizontal body. The mantle [13] The Saraillé summit exposes a tectonic complex of rocks overlie a thin tectonic slice of continental crust ma- Mesozoic sediments and crustal rocks together with ser- terial including hectometric lenses of granite and mylonitic pentinized mantle rocks, resting tectonically over the verti- granite, gneisses, micaschists and rare amphibolites. This calized Albian flysch of the Lourdios syncline [Castéras, composite tectonic slice is no more than 20 m thick here. It 1970] (Figure 7). The Saraillé complex can be divided into extends continuously beneath the lherzolites as observed two main subunits (Figure 8). The basal subunit comprises a along both the northern and southern flanks of the Saraillé series of tectonic lenses of lherzolites, Paleozoic crustal massif. Immediately beneath the Saraillé summit, this crustal rocks and ophites associated with cataclastic Upper Triassic layer is folded and becomes vertical (Figure 9). To the east, sediments. The upper subunit, forming the Saraillé summit the Mesozoic sediments are in direct contact with the ver- itself, consists of verticalized Mesozoic carbonates, locally ticalized Albian flysch, but remnants of deformed Triassic strongly deformed and metamorphosed, which tectonically and sheared Aptian carbonates are observed within the overlie the basal subunit. Thickness of the sedimentary contact zone. By contrast to a previous interpretation by section of this upper subunit is reduced with respect to Fortané et al. [1986] and in accordance with the conclusions sequences exposed in the surroundings. It includes dark of Canérot and Delavaux [1986], we confirm that the mantle metadolomites (Callovo‐Oxfordian), black schists of probl- rocks and the Mesozic cover are in fault contact. A lentic- ‐ able Barremian age, only exposed in restricted places, and ular, strongly sheared, talc rich layer up to 15 m thick is

Figure 8. Geological environment of the Saraillé‐Tos de la Coustette massifs. (a) Panorama and (b) geological section of the Sarrance structure viewed from the west. (c) Geological section of the north Pyrenean zone across the “Chaînons Béarnais” (detail from section in Figure 5). 1, Miocene molasse; 2, Paleogene foredeeps; 3, Campanian‐Maastrichtian foredeeps; 4, Cenomanian to Santonian; 5, Aptian‐Albian (a, Urgonian facies limestones; b, flysch; c, Igounze‐Mendibelza conglom- erate); 6, Jurassic to Barremian; 7, Triassic; 8, Palaeozoic basement; 9, lherzolite (bodies labeled 1–3 illustrate the geological setting of the main lherzolite massifs as follows: 1, Saraillé; 2, Tos de la Coustette; 3, Turon de la Tècouère).

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Figure 8

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Figure 9. The two opposite flanks of the Saraillé complex illustrating some basic aspects of the struc- ture of a Pyrenean detachment fault zone. The damage zone is a complex assemblage of various tectonic lenses of deep and shallow crustal levels. Note location of photographs shown in Figure 10. (a) Geo- logical interpretation of the southwestern flank of the Saraillé massif. (b and c) Geological interpretation of the northern flank of the Saraillé massif between Col de Laünde and Col de Saudarie.

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Figure 10. Photographs of significant geological features from the Saraillé detachment complex (loca- tion of photographs in Figure 9). (a and b) Fault contact between the Paleozoic basement and the Saraillé lherzolites; (c) an aspect of the sheared, talc‐rich fault rocks from the tectonic fault zone separating the Saraillé lherzolites from the Jurassic dolomites; (d) sheared Mesozoic marble close to the fault contact, with deformed microfossils (circle); and (e and f) late tectonic fabric within the Saraillé lherzolite body characterized by multiple tectonic lenses at various scales separated by low‐temperature, serpentinized shear zones. observed between the ultramafic rocks and the sediments Both this talc‐rich lens and the oxidized layer suffered im- (Figures 9 and 10). Where massive and not altered, the talc portant shearing as shown by a strong tectonic fabric marked exhibits a pink color and contains numerous pyrite grains. In by ondulating foliation planes delineating tectonic lenses at this section, the mineralogical assemblage includes talc, all scales (phacoids). Our new observations indicate that the chromium chlorite and dolomite [Fortané et al., 1986]. It is Mesozoic sediments located up to few meters above this locally friable and desilicified, then reaching a yellow‐gray major shear zone also experienced strong shearing, cata- color. It passes into a thin shear zone rich in iron oxides, clastic deformation and associated metamorphism. Typical separating the gneisses and micaschists from the carbonates. deformed rocks are cataclastic carbonate breccias developed at

11 of 26 TC4012 LAGABRIELLE ET AL.: PYRENEAN LHERZOLITES, GRAVITY TECTONICS TC4012 the expense of dolomitic sediments as well as ductily sheared [17] New exposures of mantle rocks have been observed Aptian marbles containing deformed fossils (Figure 10). In- along the northern flank of the Saraillé massif, a few hun- tensity of the deformation and mineralogical paragenesis in- dred meters west of Col de Launde, in an area where poorly dicate fault contact under the conditions of the mid‐Cretaceous exposed Paleozoic micaschists were already reported Pyrenean thermal event. Our observations are consistent [Castéras, 1970; Fortané et al., 1986]. Here, mantle rocks with the early description of narrow regions in the Chaînons overly a tectonic sole composed of talc‐rich, ultramafic‐ Béarnais which experienced HT‐LP metamorphism, as brecciated rocks and polymictic cataclastic breccias (Figure 9). reported by Fortané et al. [1986] and Thiébaut et al. [1992]. These rocks are poorly exposed in the forest extending down [14] A road opened recently along the northern flank of the to the Laünde valley, at the foot of the Trône du Roi summit. Saraillé massif allows new observations better constraining The cataclastic breccias are yellowish to orange‐colored, the tectonic setting of this complex. The fault contact between indurated rocks composed of an assemblage of angular the mantle and the crustal rocks can be studied in detail in two clasts of Triassic sediments and centimetric mafic fragments. places along this road (Figure 9). At both exposures, this The very frequent occurrence of loose blocks of cargneules, contact is extremely sharp and shows shallow opposite dips, characterized by dissolved fragments of former evaporites, suggesting an ondulating attitude at the hectometric scale set within a solid silicified and carbonated matrix, has to be (Figure 10). Where observed, the gneisses are affected by a noticed. Immediately south of Col de Launde, these breccias pervasive shallow‐dipping foliation, and by the develop- lie close to ophites and brecciated mafic rocks with ophitic ment of S‐C structures associated with a N‐S stretching affinity forming scarce exposures (Figure 9). These mafic lineation showing a top to the north sense of shear. This remnants define a lens‐shaped area, a few hundred of meters fabric is typical of deformation taking place in the greens- long, associated with rare exposures of recristallized chist facies metamorphic domain. All continental rocks brownish Triassic carbonates (Muschelkalk?). suffered important hydrothermal alteration coeval with this [18] The Tos de la Coustette lherzolite body, close to the deformation as revealed by the presence of quartz veins and Pédaing village, resides 3 km west of the Saraillé summit, at by the local development of abundant oxydization products the western termination of the Sarrance anticline (Figure 7). within the foliation planes. Pervasive foliation also devel- This ultramafic body, 400 m long, has been studied in detail oped within the mantle rocks, here entirely serpentinized by Fortané et al. [1986]. It is in fault contact with small (Figure 10). Foliation planes within both the crustal and tectonic lenses of Paleozoic basement and Triassic metae- mantle rocks are remarkably parallel, which indicates a vaporites (Keuper) outcropping above and beneath the common evolution at least during the last stages of defor- mantle rocks. This complex unit of Triassic, crustal and mation under greenschist facies, upper crustal conditions. mantle rocks lies in turn in tectonic contact against verti- These observations clearly indicate that a late event of calized Jurassic dolomites and Aptian limestones forming deformation under shallow crustal conditions affected both the southern, reverse flank of the Sarrance anticline. The the mantle and the crustal rocks. This deformation is con- Aptian carbonates correlate with the verticalized Aptian sistent with conditions accompanying the late stages of carbonates of the Saraillé summit. mantle exhumation as shown by studies of oceanic rocks drilled at ODP Sites on the Iberia margin or collected in 2.4. Urdach and Turon de la Tècouère Bodies Alpine analogs [e.g., Manatschal, 2004]. [15] A new quarry opened within the western edge of the [19] Other lherzolite bodies in the Béarn region show lherzolites body allows observation of the internal defor- geological settings having strong affinities with that of mation affecting the mantle rocks overlying immediately the the Saraillé‐Tos de la Coustette complex [Castéras, 1970; crust/mantle contact. The lherzolites are almost completely Fortané et al., 1986]. serpentinized and are crosscut by shallow‐dipping ondulat- [20] 1. The Urdach body (Figure 11) consists of a 1.5 km ing shear planes defining a series of plurimetric tectonic long lherzolite slice, exposed at the limit between the Albian lenses (Figure 10). Vertical tight fracture planes develop and the Cenomanian flysches at the western termination of within the lenses, defining decimetric microlithons. Such the Mail Arrouy thrust sheet, between Col d’Urdach and Col tectonic fabric, characterized by the association of metric to d’Etche. In the southern part of the Urdach body, despite of hectometric lenses provides a suitable image of the overall the poor conditions of exposure, it can be shown that mantle geometry of the detachment fault damage zone at a regional rocks are tectonically associated with crustal rocks including scale. There is no ophicarbonate breccia here, which con- one unit of Paleozoic micaschists, 500 m long, one small firms that the Saraillé mantle rocks have never been exposed slice of granitic rock and basement breccias (Figure 11). on the floor of the Albian basin. In the southeast corner of the massif, lenses of strongly [16] Remnants of an older HT deformation event are deformed Triassic and Jurassic sediments lie close to the observed in crustal mylonites exposed along the southern lherzolites and a fault contact between dark dolomites and flank of the Saraillé massif. This deformation is more con- the ultramafics can be observed in an old quarry close to Col sistent with temperature conditions that developed during d’Urdach. Poor exposures do not allow to better assess a the Variscan orogeny [de Saint Blanquat, 1993]. The mylo- complete geological setting, but a geometry similar to that of nites bear a stretching lineation with a top to the south sense the Saraillé and Tos de la Coustette bodies, involving a fault of shear. contact with the metasediments is locally demonstrated. To the northwest of the Urdach body, the Soum d’Ombret hill

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Figure 11. Geological map of the Urdach tectonosedimentary complex (location in Figure 6) with location of photographs shown in Figure 12. Contours are based on a previous map by Duée et al. [1984] and on our new field observations. exposes sedimentary breccias composed of a variety of crustal geological setting of the Urdach body is, sedimentary rocks including clasts of granite, gneisses, micaschists, reworking of crustal and ultramafic material indicates that mylonites, mafic rocks and rare ultramafics (Figure 12). A lherzolites and juxtaposed slices of continental crust have chaotic assemblage of large blocks of continental material, been exposed on the seafloor during the Late Cretaceous. one to a few meters across each, belonging to this breccia This is confirmed by the occurrence of ophicarbonate unit is exposed along the road, south of Soum d’Ombret. breccias and the presence of limestones infilling fissures Unsorted breccias, with angular basement clasts including within the Urdach ultramafics as observed in a quarry on the crustal mylonites, form meter thick layers interbedded western side of the lherzolite body [Jammes et al., 2009]. within the graded bedded sandstones and pelites forming the The map view geometry of the Cenomanian flysch sur- dominant material of the Cenomanian flysch as observed in rounding the Urdach complex suggests unconformable a trench along the road bounding the western side of the relationships with the underlying rocks [Castéras, 1970] Urdach complex. These breccias represent thinner, lateral (Figure 6). This indicates that erosion of the pre‐Cenomanian equivalent of the Soum d’Ombret breccias. In addition, the sedimentary sequence occurred during the Albian tectonic flysch comprises gradded bedded turbidite layers of ultra- phase also responsible for the faulting of strongly deformed mafic clastic material ranging in size from gravels to thin Triassic and Jurassic sediments against the tectonic assem- sand (Figure 12). Finally, as deduced from the geology of blage of lherzolites and associated crustal rocks. the Saraillé complex, the very close association of crustal [21] 2. The Turon de la Tècouère is a conical lherzolite and mantle rocks in the Urdach complex also suggests an body 600 m across and 200 m high [Vissers et al., 1997] early tectonic juxtaposition during faulting along a major lying in the flat plain of Bedou, south of the Mail Arrouy detachment fault. In addition, differing from the Saraillé‐Tos ridge, where exposures are extremely poor (Figures 4 and 5). de la Coustette bodies, the Urdach composite body is closely It is associated with scattered outcrops of strongly sheared associated with coarse clastic deposits interbedded within Aptian marbles, Jurassic dolomites, Paleozoic schists and the Cretaceous flyschs, indicating sedimentary reworking of ophites. There is a contrast between the strong tectonic fabric crustal and mantle material from a proximal source during and the metamorphic evolution of the Mesozoic carbonates the Albian‐Cenomanian. Due to the abundance of such lying close to the mantle body and the overall low‐grade clastic material, Duée et al. [1984] proposed that the Urdach deformation of the Mesozoic sediments exposed in the body might represent a large olistolith included within the Mail‐Arrouy structure to the north. This strongly suggests Cenomanian flysch, but in a recent study, Jammes et al. that the Turon de la Tècouère‐Benou complex represents [2009] rather suggested that the lherzolite body lies in tec- scarce exposures of a tectonic assemblage of slices of crustal tonic contact over the verticalized flysch. Whatever the basement, mantle rocks and sheared pre‐Albian sediments

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Figure 12. Photographs of significant geological features from the Urdach tectonosedimentary detach- ment complex (location in Figure 11). (a and b) Gravel‐ to silt‐sized bedded ultramafic debris in the Cenomanian flysch; (c) breccia of Soum d’Ombret composed of fragments of Paleozoic basement rocks and rare clasts of ultramafic material; (d) the fault contact between the Urdach lherzolites and Paleozoic crustal rocks; and (e and f) Paleozoic basement breccia forming separate chaotic levels within the Cen- omanian flysch, as observed in the trench bordering the road northwest of the Urdach body. similar to the other ultramafic‐bearing complexes of the bodies lying around the Milhas Paleozoic massif (Figure 4). western NPZ. These mantle remnants are systematically associated with basement and Triassic rocks, often in diapiric structures (e.g., the Montcaut body, 15 km east of the Turon de la 2.5. Moncaup Body Tècouère). The Moncaup lherzolite body, north of the [22] Exposures of ultramafic rocks are frequent in the Milhas Paleozoic massif, has a triangular shape with 3 km central NPZ, east of the Chaînons Béarnais, along a belt long sides, making it the largest ultramafic body of the extending from the Turon de la Tècouère to a series of Pyrenees. Its geological setting has been studied in detail by

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Figure 13. Simplified (a) geological map and (c) cross section of the region of Juzet d’Izaut‐Moncaup after Hervouët et al. [1987]. (b) Photograph shows the detachment fault exposed along a recent scarp at the junction between roads D618 and D39.

Torné [1986]. On the geological section of Figure 13 Saraillé talc‐rich lenses. This suggests long‐lived interac- [Hervouët et al., 1987], the Moncaup body appears in the tions between mantle and crustal rocks before faulting heart of a complex consisting of various lithologies in- against the Mesozoic cover. Mineral lineation and tectonic cluding crystalline basement rocks, mafic rocks (gabbros, striation on the foliation surfaces of the chlorite schist lenses dolerites, ophites) associated with Keuper breccias and trend E‐W, which precludes the hypothesis of a develop- verticalized Mesozoic sediments. All lithologies are in fault ment during the N‐S compression of the Pyrenean orogeny. contact and the overall geometry of this complex consists of The beds of Liassic sediments are truncated along their basal an assemblage of flat‐lying tectonic lenses of mantle and contact with the Variscan basement, with a geometry con- crustal rocks typical of the structure around T‐type lherzolite sistent with extensional detachment tectonics (Figure 13). bodies. [23] Good exposures along a recent scarp located at the junction between roads D618 and D39, 3 km east of the 3. Pyrenean Mid‐Cretaceous Chaotic Moncaup village, allow to observe the contact between a and Breccia Units: Significance With Respect tectonic lens of basement rocks overlying the main mantle unit, and the lower part of the Mesozoic sedimentary to Detachment Tectonics sequence consisting of yellowish to brownish Liassic car- [24] The above compilation of both litterature and new bonates. The contact is a shallow dipping fault, locally data on the setting of the lherzolite bodies confirms that subhorizontal. It is marked by the development of a dm during the Albo‐Cenomanian subcontinental mantle reached thick layer of cataclastic breccia composed of crushed very shallow crustal levels in the bottom of rift basins dis- Liassic marbles, and includes tectonic lenses of light gray tributed along the future NPZ. Moreover, we have reported chlorite‐rich schists, in a position comparable to that of the above clear evidence from the central‐eastern Pyrenees, that

15 of 26 TC4012 LAGABRIELLE ET AL.: PYRENEAN LHERZOLITES, GRAVITY TECTONICS TC4012 extreme crustal thinning along the future NPZ also led to suggested that ductile foliation of Mesozoic marbles was local exposure and sedimentary reworking of subcontinental acquired before the Eocene, as the consequence of an mantle mixed with previously deformed and metamorphosed extensional event accompanying the tectonic unroofing of clastic elements deriving from the original sedimentary cover the basement of the eastern NPZ. For Légier et al. [1987] the of the NPZ. Similar conclusions were reached from inves- very first deformational event affecting the sedimentary tigations in the Western Pyrenean domain [Jammes et al., cover of the northern flank of the Agly massif was a ductile 2009]. An important step is now to check whether such a phase of kilometer‐ to meter‐sized isoclinal folds, syn- major process of crustal thinning involving disaggregation chronous with the HT‐LP Pyrenean metamorphic event with of the platform cover sequence has been recorded all along aN‐S stretching lineation. Three subunits separated by north the NPZ, even in areas where mantle rocks are not exposed. verging thrust are recognized within the Mesozoic cover In this section, we present a review of the main mid‐ of the Agly massif, which suffered different metamorphic Cretaceous coarse clastic sedimentary formations which evolution from scapolite muscovite to the south to sericite develop laterally or at the base of the thick flysch sequences assemblages to the north. Mylonites developed in the lower of Albian‐Cenomanian age along the NPZ. limb of the folds, with a top to the north sense of shear. These features are now interpreted as the effect of ductile extension in relation to the exhumation of the Agly conti- 3.1. Eastern Pyrenean Basins: Marble‐Bearing nental block during the mid‐Cretaceous (A. Vauchez, per- Sedimentary Breccias and Ductily Deformed Marbles sonal communication, 2009). A similar hypothesis has been [25] Narrow, nonconnected Albian basins opened north of proposed for the deformed sedimentary sequence associated the basement of the Pyrenean axial zone along the boundary with the Saint Barthélémy massif [de Saint Blanquat, 1985; between Iberia and Europe, between various crustal blocks de Saint Blanquat et al., 1986]. ‐ now forming the Agly, Saint Barthélémy, Trois Seigneurs, [29] Hence, the tectonic and metamorphic evolution of the Arize and Castillon north Pyrenean massifs [Debroas, 1987, eastern NPZ massifs is consistent with extensional tectonics 1990] (Figure 2). In response to the tectonic inversion of the under an abnormaly high geothermal gradient in relation Late Cretaceous‐Tertiary orogeny, these basins now repre- to crustal thinning during the mid‐Cretaceous. This early sent narrow discontinuous zones of verticalized Mesozoic ductile phase is better developed in the central‐eastern NPZ sediments such as the Boucheville, Prades, Tarascon and basins, and is restricted to the southern edges of these basins Aulus basins (Figure 1), which locally involve voluminous along contacts with the Paleozoic basement including gran- polymict breccias [Choukroune, 1976]. The striking feature ulitic slices. of the deformation history of the metamorphic part of these eastern NPZ basins is the presence of a ductile deformation phase, expressed as a strong foliation (the S1 of Choukroune 3.2. Ballongue and Barronies Basins [1976]), shear zones and isoclinal folds. Radiochronological [30] Both basins belong to the central NPZ (Figure 1). The dating of metamorphic minerals has shown that this defor- main infill of the Ballongue basin corresponds to the late mation event is Albian‐Cenomanian in age and synchronous Albian‐Cenomanian “Flysch ardoisier.” Coarse clastic for- with the HT‐LP metamorphism [Golberg and Maluski, 1988]. mations linked to paleoscarps are observed along the northern [26] Exhaustive study has never been devoted to the mid‐ and southern border of the basin [Debroas, 1987]. Along the Cretaceous breccias of the eastern NPZ. Based on the northern border, the Castel‐Nerou breccias consist of a example of the Aulus basin described in section 2, we have chaotic assemblage of decametric blocks of Aptian lime- shown that the polymict breccias most often include domi- stones and sedimentary breccias lenses in a silt matrix. No nant clasts of the metamorphised Mesozoic cover. However, granite clasts are observed in the lowermost breccias. To the the breccias may locally be formed of up to 100% of south, the Alos breccias are Cenomanian in age and are ultramafic clasts as observed at Etang de Lherz, Bestiac, linked to the paleoscarps exposing Paleozoic basement. Caussou and Prades. They include granite clasts and blocks of late Albian sedi- [27] All workers who studied the transition from the ments. All these observations indicate that the granite ma- ductily deformed marbles to the sedimentary breccias along terial appeared during the latest Albian‐early Cenomanian. the eastern NPZ noticed that (1) ductily deformed metase- This indicates early erosion of the sedimentary cover fol- diments progressively pass into hydrofractured tectonic lowed by granite exhumation, a typical chronology expected breccias [Choukroune, 1976; Dauteuil, 1988] and (2) there is in the frame of denudation processes. Exhumation did not a progressive transition from these monomict hydrofractured reach mantle rocks, however. breccias to the polymict sedimentary breccias. This suggests [31] The Barronies basin infill corresponds to the “Flysh a progressive transition from ductile stretching to cataclastic Noir” of middle Albian to early Cenomanian age [Debroas, deformation and then to sedimentary reworking during 1990]. As the Ballongue basin, the Barronies basin is marked extension, in relation to basin development under HT by various types of peripheral coarse breccias. The middle conditions. This evolution is consistent with detachment Albian deposits contain only Mesozoic clasts whereas tectonics involving intense hydrothermal circulations. Paleozoic clasts are found in late Albian and early Cen- [28] First attempts to explain the mid‐Cretaceous ductile omanian deposits. The basin is marked by an evolution during event of the NPZ in the frame of exhumation processes were a divergent sinistral strike‐slip movement from isolated published in the years 1980–1990. In the regions of the kilometric half‐grabens toward an unique, more than 100 km Bessèdes and Salvezines Paleozoic massifs, Dauteuil [1988] long, E‐W trending trough.

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3.3. Chaotic Mid‐Cretaceous Formations Permian‐Lower Triassic cover are now missing. The con- and Conglomerates in the Western Pyrenees glomerates onlap the Variscan basement and its tegument, [32] The various flysch sequences of Albian and Cen- but also locally chaotic Triassic formations (Keuper breccias omanian age of the western NPZ locally contain large and olistoliths) and fault breccias [Ducasse and Vélasque, volumes of chaotic breccias reflecting major instabilities of 1988]. Johnson and Hall [1989] indicate that the basement the basin margins. We already reported the presence of is commonly brecciated near the contact with the clastic crustal and mantle detritus in the flysch sequences of the cover and that the uppermost conglomerate beds dip less Urdach complex in the Chaînons Béarnais. Some kilometres steeply than the lowermost ones. Thus they propose that the south of Urdach, olistoliths of various material, including Cretaceous clastic deposition occurred above the denudated ‐ Triassic rocks scattered within the Albian flysch of the (and locally eroded) footwall of an active low angle normal Sarrance structure are reported on maps and cross sections fault. This is consistent with tectonic denudation of the by Fortané et al. [1986] and reported on map by Canérot Paleozoic basement due to sliding of its Mesozoic cover ‐ and Delavaux [1986] (Figure 7). In the Layens thrust along a low angle detachment. The allochtonous units now structure, the Layens and Lauriolle Breccias (Figure 6) are form the Arbailles massif as proposed by Le Pochat [1980] described in detail by Canérot and Delavaux [1986] and and Ducasse et al. [1986]. A similar scenario was proposed James and Canérot [1999]. The Lauriolle breccia is com- by Jammes et al. [2009] for the Chaînons Béarnais. posed of dominant clasts of sedimentary material and con- sists of two members. Paleozoic, Trias, and Jurassic blocks 3.4. Tectonized and Resedimented Triassic are reworked within the lower member and Aptian lime- Formations Along the Pyrenean Belt stones are reworked within the upper member. The lower [35] The Larrau‐Sainte‐Engrâce unit (Figure 14) lies tec- breccia member passes laterally to Gargasian limestones and tonically below the Mendibelza and Igounze massifs. It is the upper breccia unit passes laterally to the Albian flysch composed of a chaotic assemblage of heterometric blocks (marnes à spicules). This indicates that the entire Mesozoic of Triassic evaporites (Keuper) and dolomites, Paleozoic succession, including the Triassic formations, as well as the basement (including granulites at Négumendi), in a matrix Paleozoic basement, has been exposed along scarps of the of micaceous black marls having affinities with the Albian former Albian basin. In addition, occurrence of the Lauriolle flysch [Ducasse et al., 1986]. For this reason, the Larrau‐ breccias shows inception of tectonics in Aptian times, Sainte‐Engrâce unit can be interpreted as a chaotic unit of consistent with other estimates. Such clastic formations in the Albian age, representing scree deposits in response to the mid‐Cretaceous sequences have been linked to salt tectonics exhumation of tectonized Triassic formations. The Larrau‐ [James and Canérot, 1999; Canérot et al., 2005]. As dis- Sainte‐Engrâce unit probably differs from the Bedous for- cussed below, such detrital sedimentation might be related to mations exposed more to the east in the the Aspe Valley gravity sliding of the sedimentary cover and progressive [Canérot et al., 2005] and which comprises different south denudation of its basement as well. verging thrust sheets mainly composed of Triassic materials [33] The Cretaceous north Pyrenean margin clastic sedi- but devoid of Albian flysch remnants (e.g., the Bedous ments are well developed at the western tip of the axial zone ophite, associated with Muschelkalk and Keuper sediments). where they correspond to a conglomeratic formation of An important feature regarding the Triassic formations of Albian‐Cenomanian age, the so‐called “Poudingues de Larrau‐Sainte‐Engrâce and Bedous is the overall develop- Mendibelza” (Figure 4). During the Pyrenean compressional ment of mineralogical assemblages typical of the thermal phases, these clastic sediments and their basement have been Pyrenean metamorphism [Thiébaut et al., 1988, 1992]. During thrusted of about 20 km to the south [Teixell, 1993, 1996]. the Pyrenean compression, both the Larrau‐Sainte‐Engrâce The Poudingues de Mendibelza stratigraphically onlap the and Bedous Triassic complexes were thrusted southward Paleozoic formations of the Igounze and Mendibelza massifs above the Upper Cretaceous cover of the axial zone by the or their Permo‐Triassic cover which is locally preserved. Lakoura thrust [Teixell, 1993, 1996]. Most of the conglomerates were deposited during the late [36] Other exposures of Triassic evaporite complexes, in Albian at the foot of steep slopes of the north Iberia margin close association with chaotic formations including metase- and represent syntectonic, fan‐delta‐fed immature turbidite diments and crustal mantle material, occur along the north systems a few kilometres wide [Boirie, 1981]. Poorly sorted Pyrenean frontal thrust and within the NPZ. They are breccias are abundant and display frequent facies changes described by Henry and Zolnaï [1971], Thiébaut et al. [1988, and mix between mass transport and rockfall indicating 1992], Canérot and Lenoble [1993], James and Canérot nearby active scarps. Very large blocks and huge olistoliths [1999], and Canérot et al. [2005]. Metaevaporites from have traveled through narrow canyons. The Poudingues de these complexes are characterized by the development of Mendibelza underlie the Errozaté Cenomanian to Santonian HT‐LP metamorphic assemblages. Surprinsingly, HT metae- breccia [Durand‐Wackenheim et al., 1981]. This chaotic vaporites are also exposed in areas where the remaining formation, well developped in the southern Mendibelza area, Mesozoic sediments are devoid of strong Pyrenean meta- is composed of large blocks of basement and Cretaceous morphic imprint. The typical sites of HT metaevaporites are carbonates in a carbonate matrix. This indicates activity of Arignac in the Tarascon basin, Betchat and Bonrepaux near the basin margin up to the Santonian. Salies du Salat, Caresse‐Salies du Béarn and Gotein in the [34] The Mesozoic sedimentary formations which origi- western Pyrenees (Figure 14). The evaporite complexes nally capped the Igounze and Mendibelza basement and its consist of polymict breccias with a gypsum cement including

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Figure 14. Some significant aspects of the metamorphic and tectonized Triassic rocks from the Pyre- nean belt. (a) Geological map of the Pyrenees after Thiébaut et al. [1992] showing the distribution and the names of the main outcrops of metamorphic Triassic evaporites complexes. Note the presence of metamorphosed Triassic evaporites far northward from the metamorphic units of the north Pyrenean zone. (b and c) Strongly sheared metaevaporites from the Arignac quarries showing well‐developed foliation, lineation, a axis folds, and asymetric deformed clasts. blocks of marbles, ophites, dolomites and anhydrite rim of dipyres from dolomitic clasts yielded ages around 107 (Figure 14). The mineralogical assemblages include phlog- ±3 Ma [Thiébaut et al., 1988, 1992]. At Bonrepaux, the opite, talc, sheridanite, dravite, albite, dolomite quartz. In the metamorphic Triassic rocks also conformably underly marbles, frequent paragenesis of actinote‐phlogopite‐albite nonmetamorphic Albian flysch deposits. At Arignac, the or dipyre‐pargasite are observed [Thiébaut et al., 1988, Triassic gypsum includes a rich assemblage of Pyrenean 1992]. The Betchat complex includes various chaotic brec- metamorphic minerals. New structural analysis in ancient cias associated with the large mass of metamorphic halite gypsum quarries reveals a strong shear fabric of the salt exploited at Salies‐du‐Salat. Chaotic breccias of evaporitic formations with numerous tectonic lenses limited by shear material with large clasts of crystalline material (granite, bands, a well‐defined lineation trending E‐W and a axis gneisses, amphibolites, micaschists) are stratigraphically folds paralleling the lineation (Figure 14). These features are overlain by a nonmetamorphic Albian flysch. These breccias consistent with a large amount of displacement of the tectonically overly a gypsum‐rich complex including hec- metaevaporitic formations during the mid‐Cretaceous ther- tometric to centimetric blocks of ophites and dolomites, and mal culmination. a level of Hercynian basement breccias, interbedded within a [37] Reworking of Triassic clastic sediments including Santonian flysch (85 Ma). K/Ar dating of phlogopites in the evaporites, dolomites and ophites within Albo‐Cenomanian

18 of 26 TC4012 LAGABRIELLE ET AL.: PYRENEAN LHERZOLITES, GRAVITY TECTONICS TC4012 flysch sequences has long been demonstrated by a combined nostratigraphical record at a broad scale and we attempt to geological analysis of outcrops and well data in the Mauléon propose an integrated model for the preorogenic evolution and Arzacq basins [Henry and Zolnaï, 1971]. These authors of the NPZ. conclude that during the Albian and Cenomanian, brecciated Triassic evaporites and related sedimentary and volcanic 4.1. Kinematic and Paleogeographic Constraints rocks have been exposed and reworked as debris flow [40] The paleogeographic and kinematic reconstructions deposits and olistostromes within the subsiding basin. This of the Iberia‐Europe plate system remain a subject of major is well observed at Meharin, close to the northern edge of debate. In his reconstruction based on oceanic magnetic the Labourd massif. Similar processes continued during anomalies, Olivet [1996] assumed that the break up between the Late Cretaceous. As envisioned by Henry and Zolnaï the Newfoundland and Iberian margins occurred at the [1971], these informations, from combined field and well anomaly J (126–118.5 Ma) and that a period of extension data are consistent with diapiric tectonics and gravity sliding occurred between the Barremian and the middle Albian. of the evaporites, leading to the exhumation of brecciated This period was followed by the transcurrent motion of Triassic rocks. Iberia of the order of 300 to 500 Km, from the middle Albian to the early Senonian (107–90 Ma). By contrast, for 3.5. Summary: Significance of the Albo‐Cenomamian Jammes et al. [2009], most of the E‐W directed movement Chaotic Formations With Respect to Extensional between Iberia and Europe had to occur between latest and Gravity Tectonics Jurassic to late Aptian times. Sibuet et al. [2004] proposed a [38] The above compilation of geological data from basins different reconstruction with important stretching in the located all along the NPZ shows that during the Albian‐ eastern Pyrenean domain before 118 Ma. Paleomagnetic Cenomanian times a wide variety of clastic products were investigations on the Iberia plate [Gong et al., 2009] confirm provided by actively deforming zones having various lithol- that a major strike slip displacement occurred along the ogies. Some basins show a classical behavior for ritfted future NPZ during the late Aptian, that is prior to the main continental areas with clast sources shifting from platform period of extensional deformation and crustal stretching in sediments to continental basement during progressive ero- the Pyrenean realm. This might suggests a two‐step evolu- sion of the basin margins (Ballongues, Barronies). Other tion for the Pyrenean realm implying pre‐Albian strike‐slip types of basins are characterized by coeval sedimentation of motion followed by pure tensional deformation leading to dominant clasts of ductily deformed sediments and ultra- mantle exhumation during the Albian‐Cenomanian. Thus, in mafic rocks with rare crystalline components (Aulus, Bestiac). these conditions, extreme crustal stretching and mantle The central‐eastern NPZ breccias overlie deformed and exhumation between Iberia and Europe occurred after metamorphosed Mesozoic, pre‐Albian sediments which transcurrent tectonics. Geological records from the Creta- reveals an important shearing event prior to the clastic sedi- ceous basins located along the NPZ indicate that the onset of mentation. The presence of Triassic cataclastic elements in the Pyrenean flysch sedimentation started during the middle numerous breccias indicates that source rocks for the detritus Albian by the development of half grabens, some kilometres were deformed zones developed within and above a tectonic wide only, in a context of sinistral transtensile deforma- sole of metaevaporitic formations affected by intense tion. These basins enlarged during the late Albian and hydrothermal circulations. The existence of a tectonic sole finally merged into a wider and unique trough during the allowing gravity sliding of large portions of the initial cover Cenomanian [e.g., Debroas, 1987, 1990]. Increase in tec- of the NPZ basement rocks has been first envisioned thanks tonic activity related to the deepening of the Pyrenean to the geological study of the Mendibelza‐Igounze and Cretaceous basins occurred as soon as the late Aptian as Arbailles regions. Finally, the high variety of clastic pro- shown by numerous evidence of reworking of continental ducts deposited in the former NPZ basins reveals different bauxites in the NPZ sedimentary sections [Combes and types of geological environments. This indicates that various Peybernès, 1996]. Therefore, our knowledge of the timing types of tectonic processes are recorded by the sedimentary and kinematic context of mantle exhumation still needs to be processes, including high‐angle basement faults, low‐angle precised. The geological data presented in this paper do not cover detachment over a tectonic sole of tectonized eva- provide constraints that may help deciphering yet between porites and deep detachments allowing exhumation of a pure tensional and a transtensional regime for mantle granulitic and mantle rocks. These tectonic mechanisms are exhumation in the Pyreneean realm. discussed in section 4. 4.2. Types of Fault Contacts in Lherzolite‐Bearing 4. Discussion—Detachment Tectonic Units [41] Analysis of the geological setting of the Chaînons and Gravity Sliding: The Missing Links? Béarnais lherzolite bodies, with emphasis on the Saraillé [39] In sections 2 and 3, we have listed and synthesized a summit, has revealed remarkable jumps in the intensity and number of geological features which are highly relevant to P‐T conditions of deformation between different fault con- the question of the processes of mantle exhumation coeval tacts. Contacts separating mantle rocks from the deformed with the formation of the Albo‐Cenomanian basins of the pre‐Albian sediments occurred under the conditions of the NPZ. In order to decipher the mechanisms that drove mantle HT mid‐Cretaceous event with important fluid circulations exhumation, we now discuss the significance of the tecto- leading to talc development. By contrast, the contact sepa-

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Figure 15. A conceptual model of detachment tectonics and gravity sliding which applies to the precol- lisonal evolution of the Pyrenees. rating the Saraillé unit from the Albian flysch is colder and hidden beneath a continuous sedimentary cover. This is only do not show evidence of significant fluid circulation. This is possible if during crustal thinning, generalized sliding of the a major indication that the following two types of contacts sedimentary cover occurred over its former crustal base- are observed in the NPZ (Figure 16): (1) An early tectonic ment, along a shallow detachment fault. As summarized in juxtaposition of pre‐Albian Mesozoic sediments and an Figure 15, this allowed the tectonic juxtaposition, at the foot assemblage of tectonic slices of crustal and mantle rocks of the extended margin, of a deep detachment (that favors representing the damage zone of a major detachment fault; mantle unroofing) and a shallow detachement (that tends to this juxtaposition involves a tectonic sole of various Triassic hide exhumed mantle). The field evidence collected so far cataclastic rocks. (2) Younger and colder contacts which near the lherzolites of the Chaînons Bearnais and Etang de developed during the Latest Cretaceous and the Tertiary, in Lherz is consistent with such a hypothesis. Therefore, we relation to the Pyrenean compressional tectonics. In many assume that this model may apply to the entire length of the places, field evidence of pre‐Albian tectonics in relation Pyrenean realm during the late Aptian to Cenomanian to the “hot” contacts can be found. This is the case for extensional phase. the ductile deformation of the metamorphic NPZ in the [43] This hypothesis has never been proposed yet at the central‐eastern Pyrenees and it coincides with the “anté‐ scale of the entire Pyrenean belt, but sliding of portions of Cenomanian” tectonic phase described by ancient authors in the NPZ cover has been envisioned previously for local the NPZ [Castéras, 1974]. situations. As reported above, authors stressed more than 20 years ago the importance of gravity tectonics in the preorogenic evolution of the Pyrenees on the basis of tec- 4.3. Evidence for Large‐Scale Crustal Denudation tonostratigraphic studies in the western NPZ. Based on field and Gravity Sliding of the NPZ Mesozoic Cover analysis in the Arbailles region, in the Mendibelza and [42] The eastern NPZ breccias which surround the S‐type Igounze massifs and in the Lakhoura unit, Le Pochat [1980], lherzolites are characterized by coexisting debris deriving Ducasse et al. [1986], Vélasque and Ducasse [1987], and from the following two distinct sources: (1) ultramafic rocks Ducasse and Vélasque [1988] shed light on the importance and (2) ductily deformed and metamorphosed sediments from of synsedimentary gravity tectonics and large‐scale gliding the NPZ cover. Clasts of Paleozoic micaschists, granites, of the NPZ cover. The fan geometry associated with the gneisses and amphibolites are extremely rare compared to the onlap of the “poudingues de Mendibelza,” the frequent bulk volume of the basin infills. In a geodynamical context occurrence of debris flow deposits and slumps and the rapid of continental rifting with active crustal stretching and subsidence recorded by the migration of Aptian reefs, led mantle exhumation, one would expect a higher content of these authors to propose that the entire Arbailles massif crust‐derived components into the sedimentary fluxes. This glided to the north in response to the subsidence and implies that (1) during sedimentary reworking of mantle northward tilting of the Mendibelza crustal block. Ducasse rocks exposed on the seafloor, the Paleozoic crustal base- et al. [1986] proposed that generalized sliding of the pre‐ ment was rarely exposed in the source areas and (2) that Albian Mesozoic cover occurred along a system of tilted during mantle unroofing, the continental crust remained blocks, leading in some places to gravity‐driven compres-

20 of 26 TC4012 LAGABRIELLE ET AL.: PYRENEAN LHERZOLITES, GRAVITY TECTONICS TC4012 sional deformation with folding and stacking of slided [46] As stressed by Thiébaut et al. [1992], a striking sedimentary units separated by synsedimentary thrusts. feature regarding the evaporitic complexes of the entire NPZ Gravity‐driven compression is shown by well data from the is that they are everywhere brecciated and metamorphosed, Arbailles region (Ainhice well [Ducasse et al., 1986]). A even in areas devoid of any metamorphic imprint in the rest preorogenic geometry implying gravity sliding of the sedi- of the Mesozoic cover. HT‐LP assemblages from evaporites mentary cover of the NPZ with extensional rollovers, together are known all along the belt, from the Mendibelza region to with clastic sedimentation on top of denudated blocks was the eastern Pyrenees. This points to the link between hydro- used in the restored crustal section of the Mauléon and Arzacq thermal activity and Pyrenean metamorphism and conse- basins by Daignières et al. [1994]. quently implies that the contribution of salt‐derived products [44] Based on the example of the Arbailles case, we can in the upper part of the sedimentary sequence is a key feature. infer that gravity gliding was responsible for the preorogenic This implies indeed that gliding of the NPZ cover over the evolution of the nearby Chaînons Béarnais. In their whole, Triassic sole everywhere occurred under high‐temperature the Mail Arrouy, Sarrance and Layens thrust structures conditions and with active fluid circulations, even in regions likely represent a group of three slided units, initially de- supposed to have escaped the Pyrenean thermal event. We posited above the northern edge of the north Iberia conti- may conclude that in regions such as the Chaînons Béarnais, nental margin (the future Pyrenean axial zone) which glided anomalous heat has not been transferred to the entire volume toward the bottom of the actively opening basin where of the overlying sedimentary sequences. This is consistent mantle rocks were being exhumed. A comparable hypothesis, with a highly heterogeneous distribution of the metamorphic implying detachment tectonics of discontinuous allochthons field, in relation to discontinuous and variable fluid fluxes. units in the frame of mantle exhumation was proposed by [47] Discontinuous fluid fluxes are also demonstrated by Jammes et al. [2009]. In their model, Jammes and coauthor the heterogeneous distribution of the metamorphic imprint hypothetize relatively small and totally disconnected rafts. in the nonbrecciated, deformed pre‐Cenomanian Mesozoic In our model, based on the structures exposed in the eastern sediments of the central‐eastern NPZ. Hot fluids as main part of the Chaînons Béarnais, we assume larger rafts which medium of heat transfer leading to dynamothermal meta- have not been disconnected (see discussion below). morphism are indicated by the vertical geometry and the heterogeneity of the distribution of isograds [Golberg and 4.4. Gravity Sliding Over a Fluid‐Injected Tectonic Leyreloup, 1990]. Models of conductive heat transfer ap- Sole of Triassic Evaporites and the Significance plied to these regions are not able to account for the distri- of the Pyrenean Metamorphism bution of the metamorphic assemblages in a narrow corridor [45] Studies in the western NPZ brought ample evidence along the NPZ, as well as for the rapid lateral changes of for tectonic allochtony of the Triassic deposits in response to temperature conditions at a kilometer scale [Dauteuil and pure salt tectonics in diapirs or to extensional tectonics due Ricou, 1989]. Therefore, we assume that the metamorphism to gravity sliding along slopes of the actively opening of the NPZ sedimentary cover is the result of intense con- Albian basins. As clarified by our compilation in section 3 vective fluid circulations during gravity sliding in an abnor- ‐ above, sedimentological analysis of the chaotic Larrau‐ mal thermal environment linked to mid Cretaceous rapid Sainte‐Engrâce unit, the Lauriolle breccias, the Betchat crustal thinning accompanying a sinistral drift of Iberia. complex, and well data in the Aquitaine region, collectively demonstrate that the evaporitic chaotic formations were 4.5. Tectonic Inversion of the Extensional ‐ exposed by place on the seafloor during Albian and Cen- Mid Cretaceous Structures omanian times. Such situations have been explained by pure [48] Reconstructing the geometry of the extensional sys- diapiric tectonics, without horizontal mobility and by local tem at the end of the mid‐Cretaceous period has a major sliding in response to diapiric extrusion [e.g., Mediavilla impact on our knowledge of the tectonic processes that led and Mauriaud, 1987; James and Canérot, 1999; Canérot to the early phases of the construction of the Pyrenean et al., 2004]. But evidence of generalized sliding of large collisional wedge. First of all, we demonstrate that the rifted portions of the margin favors the hypothesis of diapiric continental crust of the Iberia and European plates have tectonics during generalized horizontal transport as con- been separated by a domain of exhumed material that spred firmed by the tectonic fabric of the eastern NPZ metaeva- during almost 20 Myr. We are well aware that important part porites (Figure 14). Diapirs are indeed well explained as a of the tectonic history occurred during transcurrent dis- consequence of raft tectonics as shown by numerous placement, as discussed in section 4.1. We point to the fact examples collected along margins experiencing generalized that all estimates of the initial width of the mid‐Cretaceous salt tectonics such as the Angola margin [Mauduit et al., basins have to be revisited since a significant portion of 1997] and the Mexican margin [Rangin et al., 2008]. As these basins derive from the exhumation of mantle material. shown by numerous examples provided by various deep Our models favor a geometry implying exhumation of the passive margins, salt diapirs are extruded in extensional subcontinental mantle beneath Europe, in a similar kine- region, between sliding rafts having differential velocities matics as that proposed by Jammes et al. [2009]. This indeed [Fort et al., 2004]. We have applied this process to our allows most of the gravity unstabilities to develop at the reconstruction of NPZ basin margins development shown in Iberian margin, as deduced from the current geological Figure 15. record. As a consequence for the development of the Pyrenean

21 of 26 TC4012 LAGABRIELLE ET AL.: PYRENEAN LHERZOLITES, GRAVITY TECTONICS TC4012 belt, this model favors the hypothesis that the exhumed Iberian margin occurred over a tectonic sole of Triassic subcontinental European mantle will be buried by subduction material. Gliding was accompanied by the ductile defor- beneath the European crust during the tectonic inversion. We mation of the Mesozoic cover and led to the emplacement of confirm therefore that the mid‐Cretaceous detachment faults rafted portions of the margin sediments over the lherzolite‐ zones will be used as thrust systems during the contractional bearing damage zone (Figures 15 and 16). The major phases [Jammes et al., 2009]. At the scale of the entire sys- syntectonic thermal event associated with this detachment tem, one may ask whether the axial zone in its whole tectonics activated the circulation of salt‐enriched fluids in represents a “block H” as defined from numerical modeling relation to the thermal dissolution of the Triassic evaporites. of crustal extension [Lavier and Manatschal, 2006]. What- [51] In the western Pyrenees, the HT‐LP assemblages of ever the case, the thrusts that develop on the southern flank of highest grade are found only in the Triassic metasediments. the Pyrenees are likely linked to the northern ones through a This indicates that maximum temperatures at the base of common history during the stretching phase. the sedimentary cover reached similar values to that of the eastern domain. However, the total amount of heat or the ability of the fluids to distribute such heat were different 5. Conclusion: Mantle Exhumation, Salt from west to east. This can be explained by the size of the Tectonics, and Major Thermal Anomaly former Albian basins. In Figure 17, we propose two reconstructions of the Albian basins based on available Along the NPZ crustal scale‐balanced sections [Muñoz, 1992; Teixell, 1998], [49] We have shown that only two types of geological and in which the mantle has been exhumed in the deepest settings have to be distinguished among the Pyrenean ultra- portions of the central basins according to our model. It must mafic bodies. In the sedimented type (S type), the lherzolites be noticed that in these reconstructions, tectonic displace- occur as clasts of various sizes, ranging from millimetric ments during mantle exhumation are imposed to occur grain to hectometric olistolith, within monogenic or poly- within the plane of the section. Thus, these are rather 2‐D mictic debris flow deposits of Cretaceous age. This is the than 3‐D reconstructions which do not strictly account for case for the Lherz body. In the tectonic type (T type), the transtensional stretching, a mechanism that might have been mantle rocks form hectometric to kilometric lenses and are of importance in the Pyrenean realm. As already stated associated with crustal tectonic slices. Both crustal and above, the geological data set compiled in this article does mantle tectonic lenses are in turn in fault contact with large not provide constraints allowing it to decipher between a volumes of strongly deformed Triassic formations and with fully tensional and a transtensional context for the exhu- Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous sediments belonging to the mation of the Pyrenean mantle. cover of the NPZ, not older that the Aptian‐early Albian. [52] In the eastern part of the future NPZ, at the site of From this simple classification, we derive a number of im- Etang de Lherz, the region of exhumed mantle is narrow. portant constraints for the emplacement of the mantle rocks Heat transfer from the tectonically uprising mantle is and the overall evolution of the NPZ domain. The very close restricted to a narrow zone between crustal blocks, and association of crustal and mantle lenses in T‐type lherzolites sediments that accumulate in the bottom of the deep basins suggests juxtaposition during faulting along a major de- cannot travel far away and are metamorphosed in situ. In the tachment linked to the unroofing of the subcontinental western reconstructed section, at the emplacement of the Pyrenean mantle during the mid‐Cretaceous. Analysis of the future Chaînons Béarnais, closer to the oceanic spreading geological environment of the S‐type lherzolites indicates center of the Bay of Biscaye, the Albian basins are wider. transition from ductile stretching to cataclastic deforma- The continental walls of the basins are far from each other tion and then to sedimentary reworking of the NPZ sed- and we may assume that the thermal anomaly was widely imentary cover under HT conditions during Albian extension. distributed. Metamorphic fluids circulated mostly within This evolution is consistent with detachment tectonics in- the Triassic tectonic sole. This sole was in contact with the volving allochtony of a salt layer and intense hydrothermal main detachemnt fault over large surfaces, due to large‐scale circulations. sliding, distributing thermal anomalies over a wider volume [50] As summarized in our model shown in Figures 15 and avoiding upwelling of convective fluids high within and 16, a two‐step evolution for the Albian NPZ basins the sliding sedimentary pile. can be reconstructed. First, as a consequence of rifting fol- [53] As highlighted in Figures 16 and 17, our model lowed by extreme thinning of the crust, the mantle rocks accounts for a great number of basic characteristics of the progressivelly rose up to the surface along a detachement preorogenic evolution of the Pyrenean belt including: the which developed at the foot of the stretched European systematic occurrence of deformed and metamorphic Tri- continental margin. The damage zone of this detachment is assic rocks in the NPZ, the pre‐Cenomanian deformation composed of tectonic lenses of crust and mantle rocks of the NPZ Mesozoic sequences, the presence of abundant whose thickness might be of the order of a few hundred mantle‐bearing clastic formations of Albian‐Cenomanian meters based on the size of the lenses preserved in the age, and the denudation of the northern edge of the axial Urdach, Saraillé‐Tos de la Coustette and Moncaup com- zone prior to the Cenomanian transgression. The thermal plexes. Such size corresponds to the description of damage anomaly which accompanied this exhumation event is also zones of major continental and oceanic detachments [John recorded within the continental formations of the Pyrenean and Cheadle, 2009]. Second, as the detachment reached basement suggesting a huge, long‐lived hydrothermal pulse the surface, gravity sliding of the Mesozoic cover of the not only restricted to the exhumed domain. Active circula-

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Figure 16. Conceptual models of mantle exhumation, detachment tectonics, and raft tectonics which applies to the precollisional evolution of the western Pyrenees. Note that the area shown corresponds to the central portion of Figure 15. (a) Generalized 2‐D view of the overall extensional system includ- ing the most significant tectonic and sedimentological aspects of the proposed model. Labels 1–6 refer to specific current features of the Pyrenean belt as follows: 1, abandoned chaotic Triassic sole of Bedous; 2, denudated crust of the Igounze and Mendibelza massifs; 3, isolated Mesozoic allochtonous units lying over Upper Triassic deposits at the northern margin of the axial zone; 4, extensional salt diapir [e.g., James and Canérot, 1999]; 5, polymictic breccia deposits of the Urdach complex; 6, preorogenic folding and thrusting (Arbailles area); 7, tectonic contact between detachment damage zone and allochtonous Me- sozoic rafts (Saraillé); 8, large exposures of the Triassic sole [e.g., Henry and Zolnaï, 1971]. (b) Detailed model of the tectonic relationships between the rafted Mesozoic units and the damage zone of the de- tachment fault system. Continuous gliding of the allochtonous units over the exhumed units tends to hide the damage zone of the detachment. Only late normal faulting might allows the detachment fault rocks to be exposed. (c) This leads to the submarine reworking of mantle and deep crustal material (e.g., Urdach complex and most of the S‐type lherzolites exposed in the central‐eastern Pyrenees). (d) Tectonic in- version of the extensional system described in Figures 16a and 16b, leading to the incorporation of detachment fault rocks into the Pyrenean orogenic wedge during the contractional phase.

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Figure 17. Models of Albian extensional structure in the Pyrenean domain. (a) Western Pyrenees sec- tion, corresponding to the present‐day section in Figure 5. Only the domains with mantle denudation and the southern basin margin were inverted during the Pyrenean orogeny, now forming the north Pyrenean zone and the northern part of the axial zone. The northern part of the basin became the north Pyrenean foreland basin and was not inverted, except for local cover structures. (b) Central‐eastern Pyrenees section, corresponding for its northern part to the present‐day section in Figure 2. The model is adapted from Muñoz [1992], modified to insert a domain with mantle denudation below the Aulus basin. The whole basin was inverted during the Pyrenean orogeny, the northern part becoming the north Pyrenean zone, thrusted northward above the former northern basin margin. To the south, southward inversion of the Organya basin resulted in the formation of the Nogueres and Orri basement thrust sheets in the axial zone and related decolled units in the cover [Muñoz, 1992). 1, Aptian‐Albian (a, flysch; b, Igounze‐ Mendibelza conglomerate; Urgonian limestones facies not differenciated); 2, Jurassic to Barremian; 3, Triassic; 4, Palaeozoics (continental crust); 5, subcontinental mantle; 6, tectonic denudation; 7, tectonic lenses of crustal and mante rocks along the extensional detachment (1, Saraillé and Tos de la Coustette; 2, Turon de la Tècouère (Figure 17a)); 8, olistoliths of mantle rocks (3, Lherz (Figure 17b)). tion of hot fluids is known to have occurred within the north fluids [Moine et al., 1989; Schärer et al., 1999; Boulvais Pyrenean massifs, as shown by overall albitization in the et al., 2006]. Finally, there is no doubt that the thermal Agly massif [Demange et al., 1999], and in the Salvezine Albian event had an important impact on the entire future massif, where the fluid circulation is dated at 117 Ma NPZ domain and was able to deeply modify the composition [Boulvais et al., 2007]. Moreover, the formation of the of the continental crust itself with possible geochemical Trimouns talc at the expense of dolomitic Paleozoic for- influences from exhumed mantle rocks, Triassic evaporites mation in the Saint Barthélémy massif lasted at least 10– and Albian seawater. We may wonder whether similar pro- 15 Ma during the Albian [Schärer et al., 1999]. Since the cesses are able to develop during mantle exhumation at the talc is strongly deformed and located in a décollement zone foot of most of the passive margins worldwide. If this was the which cuts the whole Saint Barthélémy massif, an important case, a lot could be understood from the Pyrenean belt deformation event affecting the internal structure of basement concerning the tectonic behavior, the fluid evolution and the blocks took place necessarily during the mid‐Cretaceous thermal history of the still poorly known regions of the con- [Passchier, 1984; de Saint Blanquat et al., 1986, 1990; Costa tinent‐ocean transition experiencing mantle exhumation. and Maluski, 1988; de Saint Blanquat, 1993]. This defor- mation, with a low‐angle geometry, and a north‐south‐ directed kinematic is associated with an important vertical [54] Acknowledgments. This work was made possible through thinning of the lithological series, strongly suggesting an grants from the Géosciences Montpellier (UMR 5243) laboratory, the extensional context [de Saint Blanquat et al., 1986]. In GDR Marges, and the Action Marges (INSU, Total IFP, BRGM, IFREMER). Interesting discussions on the overall concepts of mantle exhumation and addition, the metasomatic formation of talc from silicic and evolution of nonvolcanic distal margins took place within the Action Marges dolomitic rocks is known to necessitate a large amount of group. We wish to thank in particular G. Manatschal and P. Unternher for

24 of 26 TC4012 LAGABRIELLE ET AL.: PYRENEAN LHERZOLITES, GRAVITY TECTONICS TC4012 their contributions to the scientific debate. We thank our colleagues from the the presence of mantle rocks in the Pyrenean belt. We thank the Associate Université Montpellier 2, J. L. Bodinier, M. Daignières, J. M. Dautria, and Editor, Giovanni Bertotti, Suzon Jammes, and Reinoud Vissers for acurate R. Caby for the numerous scientific discussions regarding the problem of and constructive reviews that greatly helped to improve the manuscript.

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