New insights on sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy and palaeogeographic reconstruction of the Tortonian-Early Messinian Kechabta series in Kechabta Foreland Basin (Northern Tunisia)

This new paleoenvironmental interpretation suggests new elements for the palaeogeographic reconstruction of Northern Tunisia foredeep depozone during the Tortonian-Early Messinian. The base of the Kechabta Formation record the sedimentary response to regional marine transgression of the Mediterranean Sea from the East. This basin was an elongated shallow marine gulf parallel to the thrust front. The fluvio-deltaic systems of the paleo-Medjerda Rivers provided the bulk of the Kechabta siliciclastic sedimentary flux and extensive prograding delta are formed.