Stratigraphic and tectonic architecture of the Middle Jurassic-Upper Cretaceous at the southern front of the Central High Atlas (Morocco): a cartographic revision

The Middle Jurassic (Bathonian)-Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) deposits exposed at the southern front of Central High Atlas (CHA, Southern Morocco) include thick fluvial successions largely undifferentiated in previous studies. These continental strata record a long period relief formation due to crustal shortening and subsequent denudation that predated Cenozoic, syn-collisional, tectonic inversion CHA. This study, carried out through mapping along more than 270 km between Ouarzazate Errachidia towns, firstly proposes rock-stratigraphic unified scheme based on framework unconformity-bounded stratigraphic units, including sub-units, differentiated for their specific depositional meaning. Secondly, geological maps related cross-sections illustrate evidence syn-depositional with distinct deformation styles, outlining pre- syn-collisional inversion.