This session addresses the dynamics of sedimentary basins on different temporal and spatial scales and aims to bring together studies focussing on geodynamics, tectonics, sedimentology and geochemistry. The Task Force Sedimentary Basins of the International Lithosphere Programme promotes the dialogue between researchers studying the basin fill with those investigating the deeper structure as well as with those developing numerical and analogue experiments of processes that take place in basins of different geo-tectonic settings. This session therefore is ment as a platform for this type of exchange and wants to combine basin-fill related research with concepts of deep lithospheric deformation and to evaluate the relationship between the two end members. We seek contributions integrating data from different depth levels of the lithosphere as deep seismic sounding and analysis of the potential fields with observations from the shallower parts of the basin system as subsidence pattern, stress, vertical motions and active faulting. We welcome contributions analyzing the interactions between deep earth and surface processes, i.e., thermicity, phase-transitions, fluid circulations and transfers, fluid-rock interactions, interactions between tectonics, erosion, sedimentation and climate. Furthermore studies yielding constraints on the variety of conceptual and quantitative models explaining the origin and evolution of basins in different tectonic settings are invited. The record of basins represents the archive of their dynamic history. Moving through different temperature and pressure conditions on their way from deposition to deep burial, sediments store the imprints of processes controlling this history. To assess the contributions resulting from different depth levels the interplay between processes affecting the lithosphere and crust and those controlling the fate of the sediment fill needs to be deciphered. Therefore the superposed signals of internal factors as the presence of a decoupling salt layer or migrating fluids and of influences induced by deeper levels as lithospheric thinning have to be considered separately but also set into context.

Invited speakers:

Javier Fullea et al.: The structure and evolution of the lithosphere - asthenosphere boundary beneath the Atlantic-Mediterranean Transition Region

Zahie Anka et al.: The Congo deep sea fan: from basin to block-scale.