Facies and depositional architecture of Upper Miocene tidal flat sedimentation in Kefalonia and Corfu Islands, West Greece

This research involves the integrated sedimentological and paleontological analysis of the Neogene tidal deposits in the eastern parts of the Hellenic Fold and Thrust Belt, in South Kefalonia (Paliolinos-Avithos coast) and in NW Corfu (Arillas coast) islands. The study of tidal is supported by illustrative outcrop photographs, with a particular emphasis on two synthetic outcrops. Sedimentary logs were generated to document detailed bed-by-bed measurements, descriptions, and identification of sedimentary structures. Additionally, over 75 samples were chosen for age determination and paleoenvironmental analysis. Micropaleontological analysis encompassed 52 samples from South Kefalonia and 23 samples from NW Corfu and the results point to an Upper Miocene time interval. The sedimentological examination revealed sixteen distinct sedimentary structures within the studied deposits. The study results indicate deposition in a back-barrier restricted basin and highly active margins along the South Kefalonia coastal area. In contrast, along the NW Corfu coastal area, the deposition displays fluctuations between low and high energy episodes, predominantly representing a tidally-influenced continental shelf. The different tidal environments, in the two studied regions, were related with the different tectonic conditions. When the tidal environment in a basin mostly controlled either by transfer or strike-slip faults, open shelf tidal environment could be formed; whereas when the major influence is the normal or the thrust faults then a tidal back-barrier environment could be formed.