Sedimentation and Tectonics in Rift Basins Red Sea:- Gulf of Aden

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1 Sedimentation and Tectonics in Rift Basins Red Sea:- Gulf of Aden Edited by Bruce H. Purser Emeritus Professor of Sedimentology Universite de Paris Sud France and Dan W. J. Bosence Professor of Carbonate Sedimentology Royal Holloway University of London UK Much of the research presented in this book was supported by the SCIENCE Programme of the European Community. CHAPMAN & HALL London Weinheim New York Tokyo Melbourne Madras

2 Contents Contributors Preface X XV B1. Geophysical studies on early tectonic controls on Red Sea rifting, opening and sedimentation R. Rihm and C.H. Henke 27 SECTION A. INTRODUCTION A1. Organization and scientific contributions in sedimentation and tectonics of rift basins: Red Sea-Gulf of Aden B.H. Purser and D.W.J. Bosence 3 Significance of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as a natural laboratory for rift basin studies, 3 The organization of this volume, 4 Some major contributions of this volume, 4 A2. Stratigraphic and sedimentological models of rift basins D.W.J. Bosence 9 Introduction, 9 Rift basin models, 10 Stratigraphic response to different geotectonic rift-basin models, 11 Application of rift models to the Gulf of Suez, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, 14 Rift sub-basins and facies models, 18 Sequence stratigraphic concepts in rift basins, 21 Conclusions, 25 SECTION B. GEOPHYSICAL, MAGMAT1C AND STRUCTURAL FRAMEWORK Introduction, 29 Crustal domains of the Red Sea inferred from seismic data, 30 Gravity field of the Red Sea, 37 Magnetic trends in the southern and central Red Sea and onshore Yemen, 41 Geometry of Red Sea margins, 41 Plate tectonic reconstruction of the Red Sea, 45 Discussion and conclusions, 48 B2. Pre-, syn- and post-rift volcanism on the southwestern margin of the Arabian plate G. Chazot, M.A. Menzies and J. Baker 50 Introduction, 50 Chronology of magmatism, 50 Arabian plate magmatism, 53 Conclusions, 55 B3. Tectonic and sedimentary evolution of the eastern Gulf of Aden continental margins: new structural and stratigraphic data from Somalia and Yemen P.L. Fantozzi and M. Sgavetti 56 Introduction, 56 General geologic setting, 57 Stratigraphic framework of the study areas, 59 Tectonic setting of the areas, 61 Discussion, 73 Conclusions, 74

3 vi Contents B4. Structure, sedimentation, and basin dynamics during rifting of the Gulf of Suez and north-western Red Sea W. Bosworth, P. Crevello, R.D. Winn Jr. and J. Steinmetz 11 Introduction, 78 Regional setting, 78 Fault block evolution and stratigraphic development, 82 Conclusions, 90 B5. Rift development in the Gulf of Suez and the north-western Red Sea: structural aspects and related sedimentary processes C. Montenat, P. Ott d'estevou, J.-J. Jarrige and J.-P. Richert 97 General setting, 97 Structural framework, 102 Tectonic evolution, 104 Structural stages and sedimentary processes, 107 Initial doming versus uplift of the rift shoulders, 114 Short comparisons with other tectono-sedimentary rift sequences, 115 Conclusion, 116 C2. Sedimentary evolution of early rift troughs on the central Red Sea margin, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia M.A. Abou Oufand A.M. Gheith 135 Introduction, 135 Geological setting of the Usfan and Shumaysi Formations, 136 Methods, 139 The Usfan Formation, 139 The Shumaysi Formation, 140 Discussion, 141 Conclusions, 144 C3. The sedimentary record of the initial stages of Oligo-Miocene rifting in the Gulf of Suez and the northern Red Sea C. Montenat, F. Orszag-Sperber, J.-C. Plaziat and B.H. Purser 146 Introduction, 146 Geodynamic framework, 146 Early rift sediments, 147 Climate, 154 Synsedimentary deformation related to early rifting, 155 Evolution of relief during early rifting, 156 Asymmetry of rift initiation in space and time, 157 Discussion and conclusions, 160 SECTION C. EARLY RIFT SEDIMENTATION AND TECTONICS C1. Pre-rift doming, peneplanation or subsidence in the southern Red Sea? Evidence from the Medj-zir Formation (Tawilah Group) of western Yemen A.-K. Al-Subbary, G.J. Nichols, D.W.J. Bosence and M. Al-Kadasi 119 Introduction, 119 Definition and distribution of uppermost Tawilah Group sediments, western Yemen, 121 Discussion, 130 Conclusions, 133 SECTION D. SYN-RIFT SEDIMENTATION AND TECTONICS D1. Rift-related sedimentation and stratigraphy, southern Yemen (Gulf of Aden) F. Watchorn, G.J. Nichols and D. W.J. Bosence Introduction, 165 Previous work, 168 Regional stratigraphy, 168 Tectonic architecture, 168 Pre-rift stratigraphy, 171 Rift sediments, 172 Discussion, 185 Conclusions, 189 Appendix,

4 Contents D2. Miocene isolated platform and shallow-shelf carbonates in the Red Sea coastal plain, north-east Sudan J.H. Schroeder, R. Toleikis, H. Wunderlich and H. Kuhnett 190 Introduction, 190 Previous work, 191 Location of outcrops and geological framework, 192 Field and laboratory work, 193 Facies analysis, 193 Biostratigraphy, 201 Discussion, 204 Conclusions, 210 D3. Stratigraphy of the Egyptian syn-rift deposits: correlations between axial and peripheral sequences of the north-western Red Sea and Gulf of Suez and their relations with tectonics and eustacy J.-C. Plaziat, C. Montenat, P. Barrier, M.-C. Janin, F. Orszag-Sperber and E. Philobbos 211 Introduction, 211 Overview of stratigraphic evolution, 211 The early-rift strata, 212 The open-marine syn-rift strata (Group B), 215 The outcropping evaporites series (Group C 2 ), 219 The post-evaporitic unit (Group D), 220 Conclusion, 222 D4. Extensional tectonics and sedimentation, eastern Gulf of Suez, Egypt K.R. McClay, G.J. Nichols, S.M. Khalil, M. Darwish and W. Bosworth 223 Introduction, 223 Tectonic setting and geological history of the Gulf of Suez, 224 Stratigraphy of the eastern margin of the Gulf of Suez, 231 Tectono-stratigraphic evolution of the eastern margin of the Gulf of Suez, 237 D5. Carbonate and siliciclastic sedimentation in an active tectonic setting: Miocene of the north-western Red Sea rift, Egypt B.H. Purser, P. Barrier, C. Montenat, F. Orszag-Sperber, P. Ott d'estevou, J.-C. Plaziat and E. Philobbos 239 Introduction, 240 The Middle Miocene syn-rift platforms of the north-western Red Sea, 241 Discussion, 263 Conclusions, 270 D6. The tectono-sedimentary evolution of a rift margin carbonate platform: Abu Shaar, Gulf of Suez, Egypt N.E. Cross, B.H. Purser and D.W.J. Bosence 271 Introduction, 271 Structural setting, 274 Regional syn-rift stratigraphy, 276 Depositional sequences, facies and environments, 277 Discussion, 291 Conclusions, 295 D7. Miocene coral reefs and reef corals of the southwestern Gulf of Suez and north-western Red Sea: distribution, diversity and regional environmental control C. Perrin, J.-C. Plaziat and B.R. Rosen 296 Introduction, 296 Age and regional setting of reef development, 297 Occurrence, geometry and development of coral reefs, 298 Discussion, 312 Conclusions, 318 D8. Miocene periplatform slope sedimentation in the north-western Red Sea rift, Egypt B.H. Purser and J.-C. Plaziat 320 Introduction, 320 The mid-miocene slopes and their sediments, 323 Specific slope features and sedimentary dynamics, 333 Discussion and conclusions, 343 D9. The tectonic significance of seismic sedimentary deformations within the syn- and post-rift deposits of the north-western (Egyptian) Red Sea coast and Gulf of Suez J.-C. Plaziat and B.H. Purser 347 Introduction, 347 Deformation processes and morpho-structural influence on seismite types, 349 Chronological distribution of seismicity in the syn-rift series, 351

5 viii Contents Discussion: relationships between seismites and tectonic history, 365 Conclusion, 366 Introduction, 427 'Pliocene' sedimentation and tectonics, 429 Discussion and conclusions, 444 SECTION E. SYN-RIFT CARBONATE DIAGENESIS E1. Syn-rift diagenesis of the Middle Miocene carbonate platforms on the north-western Red Sea coast, Egypt B.H. Purser 369 Introduction, 369 The principal diagenetic attributes of the mid- Miocene carbonates, 371 Discussion, 386 Conclusion, 387 E2. The dolomitization and post-dolomite diagenesis of Miocene platform carbonates: Abu Shaar, Gulf of Suez, Egypt N. Clegg, G. Harwood and A. Kendall 390 Geological setting, 390 Methods, 391 Diagenesis, 392 Conclusions, 402 SECTION F. EVAPORITES AND SALT TECTONICS F1. A review of the evaporites of the Red Sea-Gulf of Suez rift F. Orszag-Sperber, G. Harwood, A. Kendall and B.H. Purser 409 Introduction, 409 The temporal distribution of the evaporites (Miocene-Recent), 410 Age of the Miocene evaporite formations, 411 Miocene evaporitic facies and sedimentation, 414 Relationships between Miocene evaporite sedimentation and rift structure, 418 Evaporite tectonics, 422 Post-Miocene evaporites, 423 Discussion and conclusions, 425 F2. Post-Miocene sedimentation and rift dynamics in the southern Gulf of Suez and northern Red Sea F. Orszag-Sperber, B.H. Purser, M. Rioual and J.-C. Plaziat All F3. Salt domes and their control on basin margin sedimentation: a case study from the Tihama Plain, Yemen D.W.J. Bosence, M.H. Al-Aawah, I. Davison, B.R. Rosen, C. Vita-Finzi and E. Whitaker 448 Introduction, 448 Geological setting of south-eastern Red Sea salt domes, 449 Sedimentology of Salif cover rocks (Kamaran Limestone and Al Milh Sandstone), 457 Discussion concerning the role of salt diapirism in controlling margin sedimentary evolution, 460 Conclusions and implications, 462 Appendix, 463 SECTION G. POST-RIFT AXIAL SEDIMENTS AND GEOCHEMISTRY G1. Axial sedimentation of the Red Sea transitional region (22-25 N): pelagic, gravity flow and sapropel deposition during the late Quaternary M. Taviani 467 Introduction, 467 Geological and hydrological setting of the study area, 468 Axial zone sediments, 469 Discussion, 476 G2. Sedimentation, organic chemistry and diagenesis of cores from the axial zone of the southern Red Sea: relationships to rift dynamics and climate P. Hofmann, L. Schwark, T. Brachert, D. Badaut, M. Riviere and B.H. Purser 419 Introduction, 479 The mineralogical and textural properties of the axial zone of the Red Sea, 481 Organic geochemical properties and origins of sapropels, 491 Diagenetic properties and origin of lithified crusts, 497 Comparisons with other areas of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, 501

6 Contents ix Discussion and conclusions, 502 Appendix: analytic methods, 503 G3. Metalliferous sedimentation in the Atlantis II Deep: a geochemical insight G. Blanc, P. Anschutz and M.-C. Pierret 505 Introduction, 506 Mineralogy of the lithological units, 507 Geochemical history of the Atlantis II Deep, 517 SECTION H. POST-RIFT COASTAL SEDIMENTS, REEFS AND GEOMORPHOLOGY H1. Present-day sedimentation on the carbonate platform of the Dahlak Islands, Eritrea F. Carbone, R. Matteucci and A. Angelucci 523 Introduction, 524 Environmental parameters, 524 General geological setting, 524 Local structural pattern, 526 Sedimentary patterns, 529 Discussion and conclusions, 533 H2. Quaternary marine and continental sedimentation in the northern Red Sea and Gulf of Suez (Egyptian coast): influences of rift tectonics, climatic changes and sea-level fluctuations J.-C. Plaziat, F. Baltzer, A. Choukri, O. Conchon, P. Freytet, F. Orszag-Sperber, A. Raguideau and J.-L. Reyss 537 H3. Post-Miocene reef faunas of the Red Sea: glacio-eustatic controls M. Taviani 574 Introduction, 574 Late Quaternary faunal turnovers, 579 Conclusions, 582 H4. Modern Red Sea coral reefs: a review of their morphologies and zonation W.-C. Dullo and L. Montaggioni 583 Introduction, 583 Siliciclastic control, 584 Modern reefs of the Aqaba-Eilat Gulf areas, 585 Tectonic control, 587 Salt diapir control on reefs, 592 Sea-level control and reef terraces, 593 Conclusions, 594 H5. Tectonic geomorphology and rates of crustal processes along the Red Sea margin, north-west Yemen /. Davison, M.R. Tatnell, L.A. Owen, G. Jenkins and J. Baker 595 Introduction, 595 Geologic history, 596 Stratigraphy, 598 Geomorphology of north-west Yemen, 599 Rates of crustal processes, 605 Discussion, 610 Conclusions, 611 Introduction, 537 Geographic and climatic context, 538 Chronology of Quaternary deposits and problems of dating, 539 Regional synthesis and discussion, 563 Conclusion, 572 References Index