Sea cliffs resulting from late Miocene extensional tectonics: the Serra Gelada case study (Betic Cordillera, Spain)

• Published in: Geomorphology (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Vol. 42; no. 3; pp. 197 - 211
• Main Authors: Yébenes, Alfonso, Alfaro, Pedro, Delgado, José, Estévez, Antonio, Soria, Jesús M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.01.2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: America; Betic Cordillera; Bgi / Prodig; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Extension; Marine; Marine and continental quaternary; Mediterranean Sea; Palaeocliff; Physical geography; Spain; Surficial geology; Tectonic geomorphology; Tectonics. Structural geology. Plate tectonics; United States of America; Iberian Peninsula; Southern Europe; Betic Cordillera; Alicante Spain; West Mediterranean; Spain; Alicante; Spain, Andalucia, Betic Cordilleras, Serra Gelada; Extension; Palaeocliff; Tectonic geomorphology; Betic Cordillera; Mediterranean Sea; Spain; Neogene; tectonic controls; cliffs; continental shelf; shorelines; vertical seismic profiles; carbonate rocks; Quaternary; Europe; Tertiary; upper Tertiary; normal faults; sedimentary rocks; extension tectonics; upper Miocene; seismic reflection; Miocene; Cenozoic; Phanerozoic; landform evolution; Cliff; Palaeogeomorphology; Continental shelf; Fault; Coastal environment; Stratigraphy; Tectonics; Carbonate rock
• ISSN: 0169-555X; 1872-695X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0169-555X(01)00086-1

The Serra Gelada sea cliffs are carved in Mesozoic carbonate rocks belonging to the External Zones of the eastern Betic Cordillera (Alicante, SE Spain). Several normal faults with vertical slips of more than a hundred metres have played an important role in the origin of this coastline. Some previous studies propose that the present cliff morphology was mainly originated by Quaternary fault activity. However, the integration of geomorphological features, stratigraphical and sedimentological data, together with the results of the tectonic analysis of fractures occurring in Serra Gelada, and a detailed study of seismic reflection profiles carried out in the adjacent continental shelf, indicate that these normal faults were active mainly during the late Miocene. Therefore, the Serra Gelada sea cliffs represent a tectonically controlled long-term landscape. Thus, normal faults have not significantly modified the Serra Gelada relief since then. Furthermore, the northern part of the Serra Gelada cliff may be considered as an inherited pre-Quaternary relict palaeocliff since it has only undergone very little erosive recession.