The ~5.6-4.8 Ma Bouse Formation, exposed along the lower Colorado River, contains a well exposed but debated record of river integration. Sedimentologic and stratigraphic analysis aid interpretation of depositional processes, relative water depth, depositional environments, stratal architecture, and basin-filling history. Data collected include detailed measured sections, facies descriptions, and fault measurements. Seven lithologically distinct units have been identified along with numerous marine sedimentary structures and fossils. The Bouse Formation preserves a systematic sequence-stratigraphic architecture that records two cycles of base level rise and fall. Lacustrine versus estuarine interpretation remains elusive, though new isotope and micropaleontology data suggest a shift from marine to lacustrine. Constructed stratigraphic facies panels reveal a wedging geometry indicative of syn- to post-depostional tilting, leading us to propose a "sag basin" model during deposition of the Bouse. Finally, the newly described Bouse upper limestone unit resolves a long-standing debate over the age of the first through-going river.

Le propos de cette thèse est d’étudier le rift de l’Atlantique sud au Congo, en se focalisant sur (1) la dynamique des reliefs amont du rift (les épaulements de rift), (2) l’architecture stratigraphique du remplissage sédimentaire et (3) le routage sédimentaire ante- à syn-rift. L’etude de terrain a permis de reconstituer la géométrie des paléovallées, le cadre sédimentaire et stratigraphique du remplissage sédimentaire et de discuter des implications géodynamiques de ces paleovalleys en termes de dynamique du rift et de contrôle des systèmes sédimentaires. Ces paléovallées ont été incisées dans le substratum précambrien du Mayombe par des rivières alluviales pendant la phase d'étirement du rifting et remplies par des sédiments d’âge Aptien moyen de la Formation de Chéla. Le remplissage sédimentaire de ces paléovallées consiste en des faciès gravitaires sousaquatiques interdigités dans les argiles lacustres riches en matière organique, recouvrant en discordante le socle Précambrien du Mayombe. Ces depôts s'organisent en une séquence transgressive, caractérisée par l’empilement des séquences élémentaires de type finning-up . L’analyse sédimentologique de carottes a permis de caractériser les environnements de dépôts des Formations de Pointe-Noire, Pointe-indienne et de Chéla, correspondant à la phase d’hyperextension (sag) de l’evolution du rift. La Formation de Pointe-Noire d’âge Barrémien moyen est constituée des faciès gravitaires de cônes sous-lacustres profonds à dominance argileux et riches en matière organique dans lesquels s’intercalent localement des faciès carbonatés de plate-forme peu profonde et gravitaires resédimentés du membre de Toca, accumulés au cours d'une importante transgression associée à un évènement anoxique général. La Formation de Pointe-indienne d’âge Barrémien supérieur à Aptien inferieur est caracterisée par variations latérales et verticales de faciès. Elle comprend des faciès gravitaires gréso-argileux (membre Mengo) de cônes sous-lacustres profonds, surmontés par des faciès mixtes silicoclastiques et carbonatés de rampe interne à moyenne dominée par des vagues de tempêtes (Membre des Argiles vertes) passant progressivement vers le haut à des faciès deltaïques de Tchibota. La formation de Chéla d’âge Aptien moyen se caractérise par des variations latérales et verticales de faciès. Elle comprend des faciès sous-aquatiques de delta alluvionnaire passant latéralement aux faciès gravitaires sous-lacustres, suivi par des faciès de baies mixtes lacustres -marine, surmontés par des faciès de sabkha (membre Vembo) recourvets par les evaorites de Loémé. Les facies de sebkha au sommet de la Formation de Chéla témoignent d’une incursion marine avant la mise en place des évaporites. Les corrélations stratigraphiques entre puits ont permis de subdiviser la succession sédimentaire de la phase d’hyper-extension (sag) en trois principales séquences de dépôt montrant respectivement des tendances rétrogradante, progradante et rétrogradante. La datation des zircons et apatites détritiques a permis de reconstituer le routage sédimentaire ante- à syn-rift et l’évolution de reliefs en amant du rift. Les résultats montrent des changements spatio-temporels de sources de sediments et deux régions de provenance de sédiments. Les sédiments ante-rift (Formation de Vandji) d’age Berriasien proviennent des sources lointaines, confirmant l’existence d’un système pre-rift – et donc d’un bassin antérieur au système rift du segment central de l’Atlantique sud, alimenté de l’ouest à sud-ouest par des sources angolaise et brésilienne. Les sédiments syn-rift (Formation de Djéno) d’age Barremien inférieur et Sag (Formation de chéla) d’age Aptien moyen proviennent des sources locales (massif du Mayombe), ce qui implique un changement majeur de sources et de reliefs entre les phases pre-rift et syn-rift et l’existance des reliefs en amont de la faille bordière pendant les phases d’étirement et d’hyper-extension du rift. / The purpose of this thesis was to study the South Atlantic rift system in Congo by focusing on (1) the dynamic of the upstream paleoreliefs (rift shoulders), (2) the stratigraphic architecture and (3) sediment routing of the pre to syn-rift sedimentary infilling. Detailed field mapping allows to characterize the geometry of the incised valleys, sedimentary environments of thier sediment infilling and to discuss the geodynamic implications of these incised valleys in terms of rift dynamic and control of sedimentary systems. These incised valleys were cut through the Precambrian Mayombe basement by alluvial processes shaping pediments during the stretching period of the rift and filled with middle Aptian siliciclastic sediments of the Chéla formation. The sediment filling consists of flood-generated sublacustrine gravity flow deposits interbedded with organic-rich lacustrine shales, overlying unconformably the basement. These deposits are organized into an overall transgressive depositional sequence, characterized by stacked of elementary fining upward facies sequences. Detailled facies analysis of cores permits to determine the sedimentary environments of the Pointe-Noire, Pointe-Indienne and Chéla Formation, developed during the hyper-extended (sag) rift phase. The middle Barremian Pointe-Noire Formation consists of organic-rich shale-prone deep-lacustrine fan facies intertonguing locally with shallow-water platform carbonate facies and gravity-flow resedimented carbonate facies of the Toca Member that were deposited in an anoxic deep-lake. The Late Barremian–early Aptian Pointe-Indienne Formation is characterized by facies heterogeneity. This Formation consists of sand-rich sublacustrine-fan gravity facies of Mengo member overlain by storm influenced mixed siliciclastic-carbonate ramp facies (Argiles vertes Member) passing upward to deltaic facies of Tchibota member. The middle Aptian Chéla Formation represents a widespread transgressive unit, characterized by lateral and vertical changes in facies and a variety of depositional environnements. It is made up of interbedded coarse-grained alluvial bedload facies and sub-lacustrine gravity facies at the base, overlain by lacustrine-marine mixed bay facies passing upward to sabkha facies, which in turn are capped by evaporites of the Loémé Formation. The sebkha facies records the late middle Aptian marine transgression on the Congo basin prior to the deposition of Upper Aptian evaporites of Loémé Formation. Well-log stratigraphic correlations permit subdivision of the middle Barremian to middle Aptian syn-hyper-extended rift-related deposits into three major depositional sequences that display retrogradation, progradation, and retrogradation stacking pattern, respectively. Detrital zircon and apatite provenance analyses provide a better understanding of sediment routing systems of the pre to syn-rift infilling, and paleorelief and tectonic evolutions during the Early Cretaceous times. The results show changes in sediment provenances and two different source areas. The Berriasian-Valanginian Pre-rift sediments of the Vandji Formation were derived from multiple and relatively distant source areas, located either in the South America and southern of Africa plate, thus supporting the existence of large intracratonic basin prior to the rifting, fed by prominent large-scale drainage system. located toward the southwest. In contrast to the Pre-rift sediments, the Barremian syn-stretched rift sediments of the Djeno Formation and the Aptian syn- hyper-extended rift sediments of the Chela Formation were derived from adjacent Precambrian Mayombe belt that underwent phases of tectonic uplift during the rifting. Consequently, this implies an abrupt change in sediment provenance and relief between the pre-rift phase and the Syn-rift phase and indicate the persistence of local sources, i.e. from rift shoulders, from the stretching rift phase to the hyper-extended (sag) rift phase.