Structure and peridotite of Gibraltar arc southern bloc: gravimetric and aeromagnetic evidences

Abstract

The southern Gibraltar Arc’s bloc (Rif’s belt) has a complex geological setting including peridotites outcropping in the Rif and Betic. They are among the largest infracontinental mantle rock outcrops worldwide. In spite of several geological studies, the deep structure of this area remains poorly defined. The aim of this work is giving a reliable geometry of the major geological structures of the Rif, especially the peridotite bodies and faults or geological contacts. The results obtained from a multiscale analysis of geological contacts applied to gravity and aeromagnetic data were used to generate a structural map of the studied area. This method in association with the Euler method allowed estimating the strike direction, shape, dip, and depth of contacts. The map gives a model of the region and confirms the existence of several faults, localized or inferred, from former geological studies. This study suggests a large extension of the Beni Bousera peridotites on the offshore from Jebha to Ceuta, and highlights an extended anomaly related to deeper crops probably ophiolite remnant of the suture zone.