4.2 Article

Evidence for Upper Cretaceous seismites in the Abu Tartur area, Western Desert, Egypt

Journal

JOURNAL OF AFRICAN EARTH SCIENCES
Volume 187, Issue -, Pages -

Publisher

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2022.104452

Keywords

Soft-sediment deformation structures; Upper cretaceous; Seismites; Quseir and Duwi formations; Abu Tartur; Egypt

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The Upper Cretaceous tidal-flat sediments in the Abu Tartur region of the Western Desert of Egypt contain a variety of complex and large softsediment deformation structures (SSDSs). These structures, including water-escape structures, folds, faults, and others, were likely triggered by earthquakes and syn-sedimentary liquefaction. The recognition of these structures provides insight into the geological history and tectonic activity of the area.
Upper Cretaceous tidal-flat sediments of the Abu Tartur region, Western Desert of Egypt, contain a variety of softsediment deformation structures (SSDSs) in the Mut Member of the Quseir Formation and the overlying Duwi Formation. Here, we document recognition of a set of SSDSs characterized by complex morphology and large size. The SSDS include: 1) water-escape structures, 2) minor recumbent, chevron, and slump folds, 3) synsedimentary minor faults, 4) neptunian dykes, 5) regular ball-and-pillow structures, flattened pseudo-nodules, and load casts, 6) syn-sedimentary undulations, 7) fractures and joints, 8) sand injectites, and 9) autoclastic breccia and brecciated siderite clasts. The dimensions of the SSDSs range from a few centimeters to several decimeters. Both extensional and contractional forces appear to have been involved in development of these structures. A detailed analysis of facies relationships, combined with consistent orientations of SSDSs and the regional tectonics of the target area suggests earthquakes as the triggering mechanism for sediment deformation and large-scale mass failure. The deformed strata are consistent with most of the well-known criteria of typical seismites. Thus, syn-sedimentary liquefaction was identified as the primary driving force in most of the observed deformation horizons for these Upper Cretaceous SSDSs in the Abu Tartur area.

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