Evolutionary Gravity Flow Deposits in the Middle Turonian — Early Coniacian Southern Provence Basin (Se France): Origins and Depositional Processes

Analysis of resedimented carbonate and terrigenous units in the middle Turonian to early Coniacian southern Provence Basin (southeastern France) permits us to interpret them as evolutionary gravity flow deposits. The carbonate units evolve from proximal megabreccias to thick debris flows and distal megaturbidites. The terrigenous units evolve from proximal deltaic foreset conglomerates to distal high- and low density turbidites, and locally to slides of huge olistoliths. The submarine mass movements are believed to originate from earthquakes and associated tsunamis linked to transtensive tectonics that controlled the opening of the southern Provence Basin at that time.