Hyperactive neotectonic near the South Rifian front: Lifted Late Quaternary lagunal deposits (Atlantic Morocco)

Abstract The recent discovery of emerged and lifted lagunal deposits near the Moulay Bouselham lagoon (North Moroccan Atlantic coast), up to 32 m above sea level, requires a new model to explain the evolution of this ecosystem. All the studies on these deposits seem to indicate that we are dealing with very recent lagoonal levels. The main problem is to explain the altitude of these deposits. Likely explanations are a historical tsunami, tempest, and/or a very strong neotectonics in this area. We choose the later hypothesis because it matches the occurrence of an argilokinetic tectonic in front of the North Atlantic Moroccan margin. In this tectonic context, results of 14 C analysis data, i.e. 2400 ± 250 BP for one outcrop and 2170 ± 215 BP for a value in a core taken in the lagoon, we obtain a rate of uplift of about 14 mm/yr. Therefore, this region corresponds to an important tectonic junction between the stable Meseta to the south, the Rifian domain to the north and the accretionary prism, in relation with the subduction of the Atlantic crust under the African and European plates to the west. Moreover, in front of the studied site, many mud volcanoes have been observed in the Gulf of Cadiz, near the Moroccan margin.