The Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) of the Aoulouz Sector (Western High Atlas, Morocco): Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, and Paleogeography.

Abstract

The present study is a continuation of numerous geological investigations conducted on the Senonian series within the Western High Atlas, specifically in the Aoulouz sector. In this region, the deposits pertain to the Aït Abbes dolomitic limestone and marl formation (Santonian), delineating an internal platform with paleoreliefs conducive to the development of small basins confined to sedimentation within a calm, shallow, and confined zone, a sebkha-type environment. This environment is subject to phases of emersion characterized by salinity fluctuations under a hot and arid climate. These sediments exhibit phases of intermittent terrigenous input, indicating the establishment of a continental environment. This setup is interrupted by brief marine incursions, marking a slight bathymetric increase in an intertidal zone affected by temporary emersions.