This thesis examines how the growth, interaction and linkage of normal faults, and the broader structural styles within rift basins, provide first-order controls upon syn-rift sediment routing and the development of coeval syn-rift stratigraphy. To achieve this, this thesis integrates observations from an area of active extension, alongside the stratigraphic record of an ancient rift basin. The former allows greater insight into sediment erosion, transport and preservation processes during rifting, whereas the latter represents the net depositional history, hence permitting a reconstruction of rift tectono-stratigraphic evolution. Recent advances in the understanding of landscape response to active faulting, have focused predominantly on large-scale rift provinces or where fault segments are widely-spaced across-strike (~15-30 km). As such, the neotectonic portion of this study integrates field and digitial terrain analysis to examine the geomorphic response to active faulting across the Perachora Peninsula (Gulf of Corinth, Central Greece), an uplifting, faulted-terrace setting. Here, the across-strike fault-spacing is small (~2-3 km), allowing fault segments to interact across-strike, and landscape evolution to be driven by a complex configuration of perched, intermittent and marine base-levels. These base-levels have a propensity to switch, with implications for sediment-routing and hanging-wall stratigraphic development. The preservation potential of sub-aerial syn-rift landscapes and basin-fill is extremely low in settings such as Perachora, due to the aggressive headward cannibalisation driven by ongoing tectonic uplift and short downstream distances to terminal base level. The subsurface stratigraphic study examines the Triassic-Jurassic syn-rift stratigraphy of the Danish Central Graben, an area displaying lateral variability in the original thickness and mobility of Late Permian Zechstein evaporites along-strike of the bounding Coffee-Soil Fault System. This setting enables a direct comparison between evaporite-influenced and non- evaporite-influenced rifting at a range of scales. By integrating observations of variability in structural style, with a systematic seismic-stratigraphic analysis of the syn-rift interval, the study documents how interactions between normal fault evolution and mobile evaporites influence: i) the variability in rift basin structural style; ii) the development of stratal geometries; and iii) the nature and location of depositional systems. On a basin-wide scale, the evaporite-influenced rift portions display more prominent fault-related and evaporite-related folding, which in turn controls syn-rift deposition, along with variable degrees of decoupling of basement and cover fault and fold systems. Focusing on the evaporite-influenced Coffee-Soil Fault System, variations in the locations and rates of accommodation generated by both load-driven withdrawal of evaporites up the hanging-wall dip-slope, and fault-related subsidence, provide a critical, and hitherto neglected control upon dip- and strike-oriented variability in hanging-wall stratigraphic architecture. Conceptual models for the development of hanging-wall stratigraphy, incorporating the influence of sediment supply rates upon load-induced evaporite mobilisation, provide a framework which may be used in the analysis of evaporite-influenced border fault systems worldwide. Overall, the findings of this thesis have implications for understanding the controls on spatial and temporal variability in structural style, sediment routing and syn-rift stratigraphic evolution in rift basins. In particular, the study highlights that to determine a deeper understanding of the interactions which determine the evolution of syn-rift stratigraphy, it is essential to examine basin processes in both modern and ancient rift settings, as well as at a range of scales.

Syn-rift exposures are a prime source of knowledge on the structure and stratigraphy of rift basins and are vital for the petroleum industry as analogues for subsurface reservoirs. Focusing on superb exposures of the Oligo-Miocene rift initiation Nukhul half-graben in the Suez Rift, Egypt, this study investigates applications of 3D digital survey techniques, particularly terrestrial light detection and ranging (lidar), for (i) the analysis of syn-rift fault and facies architecture, and (ii) the building and testing of outcrop-based reservoir analogue models for early syn-rift settings. Lidar-based digital outcrop mapping of the Nukhul half-graben, combined with conventional fieldwork, facilitated quantification of thickness and facies relationships within syn-rift strata, and variations of throw along normal faults. The results provide new insights into the tectono-sedimentary evolution of the intra-block half-graben. At rift initiation, regional/eustatic sea-level and antecedent drainage are interpreted as the dominant controls on accommodation development and deposition, respectively. However, after just c. 2.5 myr of rifting, the structural template imposed by the propagation and linkage of four initially isolated pre-cursor segments of the Nukhul Fault became the dominant control on accommodation development and basin physiography. Progressive SE-NW back-stepping of facies strike-parallel to the Nukhul Fault suggests hangingwall subsidence was locally sufficient to outpace falls in regional sea-level, resulting in a dynamic transgressive system that progressed from a restricted tidal embayment to shallow marine seaway along fault strike. After c. 4.3 myr of rifting, regional drowning of the tidal system provides evidence for progressive localisation of displacement onto the present-day block-bounding structures and declining activity on the intra-block Nukhul Fault during the transition from rift initiation to rift climax. Development of digital outcrop techniques such as point cloud facies classification, 3D deterministic channel modelling and net-to-gross analysis provided reliable geostatistics on the geometry, distribution and heterogeneity of tide-influenced facies of the syn-rift Nukhul Formation. The high volume, reliability and spatial coverage of data reduced uncertainties related to stochastic facies modelling (in this case sequential indicator simulation and object-based techniques), facilitating building and testing of high-resolution analogue models for the complex facies and sequence architecture of early syn-rift tidal reservoirs. Visual analysis of static reservoir connectivity suggests some of the smallest-scale depositional elements, i.e. thin intercalations of mudstone and sandstone lamina in heterolithic facies, have the biggest impact on both reservoir volume and vertical connectivity in this syn-rift tidal system. Heterogeneities at the sequence stratigraphic scale also have significant impact on vertical reservoir compartmentalisation, whereas tidal channel lag deposits and tidal mud drapes have more localised effects. Use of lidar, when combined with conventional fieldwork, offers a powerful tool for quantitative spatial analysis of fault and facies architecture, tightly constraining 3D structural and stratigraphic interpretations and effectively increasing the statistical significance of outcrop analogues for reservoir characterisation. Future developments in survey technologies alongside geoscience-specific software for the integration and analysis of outcrop datasets will provide more diverse and quantitative information on geological heterogeneity, and promote wider-ranging applications in Earth sciences.

Des analyses structurales et pétrophysiques ont été menées dans le Massif de Melechov afin d’étudier les structures contrôlant la porosité, la perméabilité et la conductivité thermique de la roche. La structure du massif a été déterminée sur la base d’un jeu étendu de données incluant des mesures d’ASM et des mesures de terrain des structures ductiles et cassantes. Le système de fractures du massif a été décrit par quatre ensembles de fractures. Les données pétrophysiques mesurées ont servi pour caractériser l’effet de la fracturation et de l’altération sur la géométrie de l’espace poreux et en conséquence sur la perméabilité, la conductivité thermique et les propriétés élastiques du granite. Des propriétés pétrophysiques distinctes ont été identifiées pour du granite intact, du granite sain fracturé ainsi que pour du granite fracturé et altéré contenant des oxydes de fer, de la chlorite et des minéraux argileux. Une étude microstructurale détaillée, combinée à des mesures multi-directionnelles de vitesse des ondes P (VP) à pressions de confinement croissantes a été menée sur un échantillon du granite Lipnice aux schlieren. Les résultats indiquent que l’anisotropie des VP à basses pressions de confinement est contrôlée par des fissures inter-granulaires reliant les clivages sous-parallèles aux schlieren des micas et des feldspaths ainsi que par des fissures intra- ou trans-granulaires dans du quartz sous-parallèles aux fractures d’exfoliation. Une importante fermeture de la porosité de fissures à partir d’une profondeur de 500 m a été interprétée en termes d’élasticité des fissures manifestée par une augmentation rapide des VP avec la pression de confinement croissante. / Structural and petrophysical analysis have been conducted within the Melechov massif with focus on structures controlling the porosity, permeability and thermal conductivity of the rock. The structure of the massif has been constrained based on extensive dataset including AMS and field structural measurements of ductile and brittle structures. The fracture system of the massif has been described by four sets of fractures. The measured petrophysical data have been used to characterize the effect of fracturing and alteration on pore space geometry and in turn on permeability, thermal conductivity and elastic properties of the studied granite. Distinct petrophysical properties have been identified for pristine granite, for fractured fresh granite as well as for fractured granite altered by Fe-oxide, chlorite and clay minerals. A detailed microstructural study combined with multidirectional P-wave velocity measurements at high confining pressure and with AMS analysis has been conducted on a schlieren bearing sample of Lipnice granite. The granite VP anisotropy at low confining pressure was controlled by intergranular cracks interconnecting schlieren-subparallel cleavage cracks in micas and feldspars and by exfoliation fracture-subparallel intra- or trans-granular cracks in cleavage-free quartz. Major closing of the crack porosity linked to the schlieren granite below depth of 500 m has been interpreted in terms of crack compliance reflected by rapid increase in VP with confining pressure.

Les séismes sont connus comme des catastrophes naturelles destructrices et meurtrières. Particulièrement dans les régions montagneuses, les effets des séismes sont encore beaucoup plus aggravés à cause des effets de site topographiques. La présence d'une pente est à l'origine d'une amplification du signal sismique notamment dans le voisinage de la crête. De nombreux séismes anciens tels que le séisme de Lambesc (1909, Ms=6.2) qui a conduit à la destruction du village de Rognes (Bouches-du-Rhône, France), ou plus récemment le séisme d'Athènes en Grèce (1999, Ms=5.9) qui a endommagé la ville d'Adames ainsi que les séismes de Chichi à Taiwan (1999, Mw=7.6), du Salvador (2001, Mw=7.6) et du Sichuan (2008, Mw=7.9) responsables de très nombreux glissements de terrain particulièrement catastrophiques sont des exemples représentatifs. Les investigations post-sismiques ont montré une contribution importante des effets de site topographiques au bilan des dommages humains et matériels. Dans le but d'améliorer les connaissances de ce phénomène, de nombreuses simulations numériques ont été réalisées sur des modèles de versant isolés en utilisant le logiciel FLAC 2D (Itasca). Les résultats obtenus ont été analysés en considérant plusieurs critères comme les facteurs d'amplification, les surfaces et les dimensions des zones d'amplification ainsi que la distribution spatiale de ces zones dans le massif de versant. Des études paramétriques ont permis de mettre en évidence le rôle principal de la fréquence adimensionnelle, rapport de la hauteur du versant à la longueur d'onde du signal sismique, dans l'évaluation des effets de site topographiques. Ces résultats montrent également que la pente est le deuxième paramètre important, suivie du coefficient de Poisson et de la géométrie de la crête et du pied de la pente.Ces résultats numériques ont également permis de définir des relations empiriques, nommées ANS, qui permettent d'estimer les effets de site topographiques selon les différents critères d'interprétation. Ces formules sont adaptées pour les signaux sismiques avec une bande de fréquences prédominantes relativement étroite. Pour les autres cas, la Méthode de Décomposition des ondes (MD) a été développé dans ce travail. Cette méthode est basée sur la décomposition du signal complexe multi-fréquentiel en plusieurs ondes mono-fréquentielles par transformée de Fourier. L'effet du signal complexe est alors évalué en faisant une combinaison des effets individuels de chaque onde élémentaire. Ces approches développées dans ce travail (ANS et MD) permettent d'évaluer les effets de site topographiques, en tenant compte de plusieurs paramètres géomorphologiques et sismiques du massif de versant ainsi que du contenu fréquentiel du signal sismique, sans avoir recours à des simulations numériques. / Earthquakes are known as destructive and murderous natural catastrophe. Particularly in the mountainous regions, the effects of earthquakes are still much aggravated due to the topographic site effects. The presence of a slope causes an amplification of the seismic signal, particularly in the vicinity of the crest. Numerous earthquakes in the past such as the 1909 Lambesc earthquake (Ms=6.2) which led to the destruction of the Rognes village (Bouches-du-Rhône, France), or more recently the 1999 Athens, Greece earthquake (Ms=5.9) which damaged the Adames city as well as the 1999 Chichi, Taiwan earthquake (MW=7.6), the 2001 El Salvador earthquake (MW=7.6) and the 2008 Sichuan earthquake (MW=7.9) responsible for numerous catastrophic landslides are representative examples. Post-seismic investigations demonstrated a significant contribution of topographic site effects on the human and material damage assessment.In order to improve the knowledge of this phenomenon, numerous numerical simulations were performed on the step-like slope models by using the FLAC 2D software (Itasca). The obtained results were analyzed by considering various criteria such as amplification factors, dimensions and area of amplification zones as well as spatial distribution of these zones inside the slope mass. The parametric analyses allow underlining the principal role of the dimensionless frequency, ratio of the slope height to the wavelength of the seismic signal, in the evaluation of topographic site effects. These results also show that the slope angle is the second important parameter, followed by the Poisson's ratio and the geometry of the crest and of the toe of slope.These numerical results allow pointing out empirical equations, called ANS, which can be used to estimate the topographic site effects according to different interpretation criteria. These formulas are suitable for seismic signals with a relatively narrow band of predominant frequencies. For other cases, the method concerning decomposition of seismic incident wave (MD) was developed in this work. This method is based on the decomposition of the complex multi-frequency seismic signal into multiple mono-frequency waves by using Fourier transform. The effect of the complex signal is then evaluated through a combination of the effects of elementary waves. The approaches developed in this work (ANS and MD) allow evaluating the topographic site effects, by taking into account geomorphologic and seismic parameters of the slope as well as the frequency content of the seismic signal, without recourse to numerical simulations.

The Carboneras fault zone (CFZ, Almería Province, SE Spain) is a major NE-SW trending tectonic lineament that marks part of the diffuse plate boundary between Iberia and Africa. Developed within a basement terrain dominated by mica schist, the fault system comprises two main strands within a complex zone up to 1 km wide. Between these two strands is a braided network of left-lateral strike-slip, phyllosilicate-rich fault gouge bands, ranging between 1 and 20 m in thickness, passively exhumed from up to 3 km depth. The excellent exposure in a semi-arid environment, the wide range of rock types and fault structures represented and the practicality of carrying out in-situ geophysical studies makes this fault zone particularly well suited to verifying and interpreting the results of in-situ seismic investigations. Integration of elements of field study, laboratory analysis and modelling has aided interpretation of the internal structure of the fault zone. Ultrasonic measurements were made using standard equipment over confining and pore pressure ranges appropriate to the upper 10 km of the continental crust. Seismic velocities have also been approximated from modal analysis and mineral phase elastic properties and adjusted for the effects of porosity. In-situ seismic investigations recorded P-wave velocities 40-60% lower than those measured in the laboratory under corresponding pressures and at ambient temperatures for hard rock samples. Fault gouge velocities measured in the laboratory, however, are comparable to those measured in the field because, unlike the host rocks, fault gouges are only pervasively micro-fractured and lack the populations of long cracks (larger than the sample size) that cause slowing of the velocities measured in the field. By modelling the effect of fractures on seismic velocity (by superimposing upon the laboratory seismic data the effects of crack damage) the gap between field- and laboratory-scale seismic investigations has been bridged. Densities of macroscopic cracks were assessed by measuring outcrop lengths on planar rock exposures. Assuming crack length follows a power law relation to frequency, this fixes a portion of the power spectrum, which is then extrapolated to cover the likely full range of crack sizes. The equations of Budiansky and O'Connell (1976), linking crack density to elastic moduli, were used to calculate modified acoustic velocities, and the effects of the wide range of crack sizes were incorporated by breaking the distribution down into small sub-populations of limited range of crack density. Finally, the effect of overburden pressure causing progressively smaller cracks to close was incorporated to predict velocity versus depth of burial (i.e. pressure). Determination of rock physical properties from laboratory analysis and sections constructed from geological mapping provides a representation of velocity from selected parts of the Carboneras fault zone. First break tomography images show particularly well the location of steeply-inclined fault cores, and these correlate generally well with geological mapping and laboratory velocity measurements corrected for the effect of cracks. The decoration of the fault zone with intrusive igneous material is well correlated with the results of geological observations. Comparisons made between the field (seismic) inversion model and laboratory forward velocity model in El Saltador valley show the laboratory and field velocity measurements made within the fault zone can be reconciled by accounting for the effects of crack damage in field data.

This research has been focused on the characterisation and analysis of the deposits of large-scale mass movement events that shaped the North Sea Fan since the Mid-Pleistocene. Located at the mouth of the cross-shelf trough Norwegian Channel, the North Sea Fan is one of the largest through-mouth fans in the glaciated european margin with an area of approximately 142,000 km2. Submarine mass movement processed have occurred intermittenrly throughout the Quarternary history of the North Sea Fan, related to recurrent climate-related episodes of growth and retreat of the ice sheets. These processes can transport large amounts of sediment from the upper shelf up to the abyssal basins, playing an important role on the evolution of continental margins and can also reporesnet major geological hazards. This thesis uses mainly 3D seismic data to investigate the external geometry and internal structure of large-scale mass movement deposits. The high spatial resolution provided by the 3D seismic data has allowed a detailed geomorpholocial analysis of these deposits, This study involved the interpretation of the seismic data and the detailed pickling of key reflectors followed by tge extraction of both horizon and window-based seismic attributes. Digital elevation models of the key reflectors and their seismic attribute maps were then transferred to a geographical information system (GIS) where they were interactively interpreted using spatial analysis tools and the full visualisation potential of the software. The outcomes of this study highlight the importance of detailed horizon pickling and interactice interpretation followed by spatial analysis and visualisation in GIS environment. The identification of acoustic patterns within deposits that are normally described from 2D seismic as chaotic or acoustically transparent emphasizes the potential of detailed analysis of 3D seismic data. It gives an example of how this type of data can provide new insights into the mechanisms and processes associated with mass movements. In particular, amplitude and RMS amplitude maps provide remarkable detailed information of internal deformation structures whereas slope, shaded-relief and thickness maps allowed detailed characterisation of the external geometry. Various types of kinematic indicators can be recognized within the mass movement deposits through combined seismic analysis and detaield morphological mapping.

Deformation in continents is not restricted to narrow bands but is spread over great distances within their interiors. A number of lines of evidence, including the distribution of earthquakes, reveal that the strength of different continental regions varies markedly. While it is relatively easy to qualitatively map out these variations, little progress has been made in quantifying the range of strength in the continents and identifying the physical mechanisms that control these variations. I investigate crustal deformation associated with the earthquake cycle, inflation of magma chambers beneath volcanoes, and changes in surface loads. Results of these models has important implications for our understanding of large-scale continental deformation and mountain building, in addition to both seismic and volcanic hazard assessment. Novel analytic solutions for simple shear with depth-dependent linear and non-linear viscoelastic rheologies are derived, in addition to analytical solutions for imposed harmonic tractions and displacements on an elastic layer over a Maxwell viscoelastic half space.

Les capteurs distribués à fibre optique (aussi nommés DAS) sont une nouvelle technologie d'acquisition sismique qui utilise des câbles traditionnels à fibre optique pour fournir une mesure de la déformation le long du câble. Ce système d'acquisition est largement utilisé dans les profils sismiques verticaux (PSV). Le couplage est un facteur clé qui a une grande influence sur la qualité des données. Alors que, pour les acquisitions PSV, les géophones sont attachés à la paroi du puits, le câble de fibre optique est soit cimenté derrière le tubage, soit attaché avec des pinces rigides au tubage ou simplement descendu dans le puits. Cette dernière stratégie de déploiement donne généralement le plus petit rapport signal sur bruit, mais est considérée comme la plus rentable en particulier pour les installations dans des puits existants. Cette thèse porte sur la problématique du couplage du DAS quand le câble est simplement descendu dans le puits. Nous développons des modèles numériques pour analyser les données réelles. L'interprétation de ces résultats nous permet de conclure qu'un contact immédiat du câble avec la paroi du puits avec une force de contact calculée est nécessaire pour fournir des bonnes conditions de couplage. Sur la base de ces résultats, nous proposons des solutions pour optimiser davantage les acquisitions avec le système DAS. Nous modifions numériquement la force de contact et les propriétés élastiques du câble DAS et démontrons comment ces modifications peuvent améliorer mais aussi détériorer la qualité des données. Enfin, nous proposons un algorithme de détection du couplage qui permet d'assurer l'acquisition de données réelles avec un rapport signal / bruit élevé. / Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is a new technology of seismic acquisition that relies on traditional fibre-optic cables to provide inline strain measurement. This acquisition system is largely used in vertical seismic profiling (VSP) surveys. Coupling is a key factor influencing data quality. While geophones and accelerometers are clamped to the borehole wall during VSP surveys, the fibre cable is either clamped and then cemented behind the casing, or attached with rigid clamps to the tubing, or loosely lowered into the borehole. The latter deployment strategy, also called wireline deployment, usually acquires the lowest level of signal but is regarded as the most cost-effective in particular for existing well installations. This PhD thesis addresses the problematic of coupling of DAS using wireline deployment. We develop numerical models that are used to analyse real data. The interpretation of these results allows us concluding that an immediate contact of the cable with the borehole wall with a computed contact force is required to provide good coupling conditions. Based on those findings, we propose solutions to further optimise DAS acquisitions. We numerically modify the contact force and the elastic properties of the DAS cable and show how these modifications can improve but also deteriorate data quality. Finally, we propose a coupling detection algorithm that is applied to real datasets and allows ensuring the acquisition of data with a high signal-to-noise ratio.

Σκοπός της παρούσας Διατριβής Ειδίκευσης είναι η ανάλυση, η παρουσίαση και η αξιολόγηση των γεωτεχνικών συνθηκών της πόλης των Πατρών, σε σχέση με την εκδήλωση του φαινόμενου της ρευστοποίησης και τις συνθήκες γεωλογικής καταλληλότητας για τις προς δόμηση περιοχές. Στα πλαίσια της διατριβής πραγματοποιήθηκαν γεωτεχνικές έρευνες για είκοσι πέντε (25) γεωτρήσεις που έχουν διανοιχθεί κατά μήκος της πόλης των Πατρών, και αξιολογήθηκαν τα αποτελέσματα των επί τόπου και των εργαστηριακών δοκιμών. Με τη βοήθεια του λογισμικού Petal υπολογίστηκε ο συντελεστής ασφάλειας για ρευστοποίηση σε κάθε γεώτρηση και συντάχθηκαν χάρτες ζωνών επικινδυνότητας για την πόλη των Πατρών. Η έρευνα αυτή πραγματοποιήθηκε για δύο σεισμικά γεγονότα. Για το σεισμό των Πατρών το 1993 με μέγεθος 5.4 Richter και το σεισμό του Αιγίου το 1995 με μέγεθος 6.2 Richter. / The aim of this MSc Project is the presentation, the analysis and the assessment of the geotechnical conditions in city of Patras, Western Greece, for liquefaction phenomenon and geological suitability for construction purposes. In this project were done geotechnical surveys for twenty-five (25) boreholes in area of Patras, and assessment insitu and laboratory tests. Using Petal program we can estimate the factor of safety against liquefaction. The data used to perform mapping, in some zones of liquefaction risk. The survey based on seismic facts. The first one was the earthquake in 1993 in city of Patras with magnitude 5.4 Richter and the second one was the earthquake in city of Aigio in 1995 with magnitude 6.2 Richter.

Les données sismiques et les forages des marges continentales distales permettent de comprendre l'architecture et l'évolution de ces domaines, dont l’évolution thermique est peu connue, même si on connaît que les systèmes hydrothermaux jouent un rôle clé dans la distribution des flux de chaleur. Cette thèse vise à étudier les produits diagénétiques dans les sédiments de pré- à post-rift, qui enregistrent l'évolution des interactions roche-fluide. Deux analogues fossiles ont été étudiés: la marge distale adriatique et le système hyper-étiré pyrénéen. Les études de terrain, pétrographiques et géochimiques révèlent une forte hétérogénéité dans la composition des fluides. Dans les premières phases de rifting, dominées par des failles normales à fort pendage, les fluides sont riches en carbonate,tandis que dans les dernières phases, caractérisées par des failles de détachement à faible pendage qui exhument les roches de la croûte continentale et du manteau, les fluides résultent riches en silice. Cette thèse a donc démontré que l'évolution tectonique des marges de rifting comporte aussi des changements spécifiques dans la chimie des fluides hydrothermaux. / Seismic and drill hole data from deep-water distal rifted margins allow to understand the architecture and evolution of these yet little investigated domain. Nonetheless, the thermal evolution is poorly constrained even if hydrothermal systems play a key role in determining the heat fluxes. This Thesis aims to investigate breccias, cements, veins and replacement minerals within the pre- to post-rift sediments that could testify the space-time evolution of rock-fluid interactions. Two fossil analogues are studied: the Adriatic distal margin and the Pyrenean hyper-extended system. Field, petrography and geochemical analyses reveal a strong heterogeneity in the composition of the fluids as well as their hydrothermal features. Two main types of fluids occur: carbonate-rich fluids refer to early rifting phases dominated by high-angle normal faults; silica-rich fluids are related to the last rifting stages characterized by low-angle detachment faults exhuming upper crust and mantle-related rocks. The results of this Thesis highlight how specific changes in the chemistry of the fluid system are intimate lylinked to the tectonic evolution of rifted margins.