Growth strata in foreland settings

The accurate analysis of growth strata has revealed their significance to unravel both fold kinematics and timing of deformation in both compressive and extensive settings. The increasing acquisition of 3-D multichannel seismic lines (with few tens of meters of resolution) in complex tectonic areas reveals complex interplay between growing structures and deposition either in marine or continental environments. Interestingly, growth strata reveal similar relationships in both compressive folds linked to thrusts at depth and folds related to propagating normal faults in extensive regimes. To completely document the complete kinematic history of an individual fault or a group of faults, it is necessary to combine studies at different scales to integrate the findings revealed by field work (meters of resolution), and multichannel seismic lines results. The margins of the Ebro Basin to the south of the Pyrenees have been the focus of abundant studies of syntectonic deposits. This is because of its special long-term evolution from a foreland to an intermontane basin and a final open basin to the Mediterranean Sea in Neogene times. The complete comprehension of growth strata in these natural laboratories is essential for our present needs in both petroleum exploration and earthquake prediction. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.