Characters of Nummulites multiplicutiospiralis n. sp. from theQarara Formation,Maghagha, Nile Valley,Egypt

Nummulites multiplicutiospiralis n.sp.is described and illustrated for both generations from a claystone of Lutetian age in the Middle Eocene Qarara Formation, Maghagha,Nile valley,Egypt.Previously considered to be Nummulites gizehensis,we describe this form as a new species based on diameter of the test and protoconch sizes,septal shape and granulations.The primary feature of this species is spiral multiplication,seen in spiral section.The species is also characterized morphologically by lenticular to flat tests with rounded periphery,wrinkled to broadly meandering septal filaments and few granules on the periphery in microspheric forms.The granules are spirally arranged on the septal filaments in megalospheric forms.Chambers are longer than high and the spire is irregular.The new taxon belongs to the Nummulites partschi Group,Subgroup N.gizehensis.Reflexive coiling in the spiral may develop through ontogeny as in N.rollandi,the species which was considered to be an index species in the southern Tethys (Boukhary et al.,1982 and Boukhary et al.2010).The characters of the new species,as well as its retrogenesis and reflexive coiling,should be further studied in general in Nummulites spp.,to understand the importance of such characters phylogenetically.     

Could the conventionally known Abu Roash “G” reservoir (upper Cenomanian) be a promising active hydrocarbon source in the extreme northwestern part of Egypt? Palynofacies,palaeoenvironmental, and organic geochemical answers

In different areas of the Western Desert of Egypt, the Abu Roash “G” Member exhibits either a reservoir or source affinity. Thus, thirteen cutting samples covering the Abu Roash “G” Member were selected from the Nest-1A well at Matruh Basin to investigate its hydrocarbon source potential. Palynological age dating of the section that is calibrated with foraminifera and ostracodes enabled a proper identification of the “G” Member. Detailed analysis of the vertical distribution of particulate organic matter of this member shows two palynofacies types. PF-1 reflects an outer middle shelf depositional environment of prevailed reducing (suboxic-anoxic) conditions for the organic-rich shales of the lower “G” Member (samples 1–8). While, PF-2 reflects a minor regression that resulted in deposition of another organic-rich shales of the upper “G” Member (samples 9–13) in an inner middle shelf setting under the same prevailing reducing (suboxic-anoxic) conditions.Organic geochemical analysis reveals good to very good potential of the “G” Member as a hydrocarbon source rock (1.8–2.41, avg. 2.15 total organic content wt %). It also shows good to very good petroleum potential (PP: 4.8–11 , avg. 8 mg HC/g rock). Pyrolsis and palynofacies analyses show kerogen type II for the lower “G” Member (samples 1–8), which is characterized by high Hydrogen index (HI: 396 and 329 mg HC/g TOC at depths 1500 and 1560 m) and very high dominance of oil-prone material (amorphous organic matter “AOM”, marine palynomorphs, and sporomorphs) and very rare occurrence of gas-prone material (brown phytoclasts). The upper “G” Member (samples 9–13) shows kerogen type II-III, which is characterized by a lower HI value of 213 mg HC/g TOC at depth 1340 m and it contains fewer amounts of gas-prone material and relatively lower AOM and marine palynomorphs in comparison to the upper “G” Member. Maturation parameters T_max (430–433 °C), production index (PI: 0.1 mg HC/g rock), and thermal alteration index (TAI: 2+) indicate the lower “G” Member has already entered the early oil-window kitchen, and it is expected to produce oil. The upper “G” Member is expected to produce only oil with no gas shows, because it is marginally mature (T_max 426 °C, PI 0.2, TAI 2). The source potential index (SPI: 5.3 t HC/m²) of the “G” Member shows it as currently generating moderate quantities of oil in the area of Nest-1A well.Consequently, the organic-rich shales of the “G” Member are suggested here as a promising, active oil source rock in that extreme northwestern part of the Western Desert of Egypt. However, for commercial oil recovery from the Abu Roash “G” Member, it is highly recommended to explore the depocentre of Matruh Basin at about 150 km east the Nest-1A well.     

Nature and human impact on Nile Delta coastal sand dunes,Egypt

This paper deals with the types, distribution and origin, of recent sand dunes in the coastal sector extending between El Burullus Lake and the Damietta Nile River branch, Egypt. Sand samples were studied for grain size distribution and mineralogical composition. It has been found that most of the dunes in the study area have been subjected to deterioration and removal due to the construction of summer resort buildings and making the international coastal highway. The remnant constitutes a belt of foredunes on the shore of Baltium extending westward to Burg El Burullus village.The dunes origin is interpreted as the result of coastal drifting and the subsequent transport of the former Sebennitic Nile branch sediments eastward by the predominant longshore current and by Aeolian processes. The blown sand grains accumulated to form a belt of coastal sand dunes with longitudinal and crescentic forms. Urbanization of the coast has severely altered the landscape. Gaps and damaged dunes are included within the dune belt. The dunes natural cycle of advance and retreat is upset and attains its destruction phase. The consequences of its destruction are numerous and lead to hazardous impacts on the shoreline, coastal building and the nearby international highway.     

The Wadi Zaghra metasediments of Sinai,Egypt: new constraints on the late Cryogenian–Ediacaran tectonic evolution of the northernmost Arabian–Nubian Shield

ABSTRACT

The La Tinta mélange is a small but singular ultramafic mélange sheet that crops out in eastern Cuba. It is composed of dolerite-derived amphibolite blocks embedded in a serpentinite matrix. The amphibolite blocks have mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB)-like composition showing little if any imprint of subduction zone component, similar to most forearc and MOR basalts worldwide. Relict Cr-spinel and olivine mineral chemistry of the serpentinized ultramafic matrix suggest a forearc position for these rocks. These characteristics, together with a hornblende ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of 123.2 ± 2.2 Ma from one of the amphibolite blocks, suggest that the protoliths of the amphibolite blocks correspond to forearc basalt (FAB)-related rocks that formed during the earlier stage of subduction initiation of the Early Cretaceous Caribbean arc. We propose that the La Tinta amphibolites correspond to fragments of sills and dikes of hypoabyssal rocks formed in the earlier stages of a subduction initiation scenario in the Pacific realm (ca. 136 Ma). The forearc dolerite-derived amphibolites formed by partial melting of upwelling fertile asthenosphere at the beginning of subduction of the Proto-Caribbean (Atlantic) slab, with no interaction with slab-derived fluids/melts. This magmatic episode probably correlates with Early Cretaceous basic rocks described in Hispaniola (Gaspar Hernandez serpentinized peridotite-tectonite). The dikes and sills cooled and metamorphosed due to hydration at low pressure (ca. 3.8 kbar) and medium to high temperature (up to 720ºC) and reached ca. 500ºC at ca. 123 Ma. At this cooling stage, serpentinite formed after hydration of the ultramafic upper mantle. This process might have been favoured by faulting during extension of the forearc, indicating an early stage of dike and sill fragmentation and serpentinite mélanges formation; however, full development of the mélange likely took place during tectonic emplacement (obduction) onto the thrust belt of eastern Cuba during the latest Cretaceous.     

A regional stratigraphic correlation for the upper Campanian phosphorites and associated rocks in Egypt and Jordan

Facies analyses and a sequence stratigraphical framework with regional correlation of the upper Campanian phosphate province are presented, based on three main sections located in Egypt (Gebel Duwi and Abu Tartur sections) and north Jordan (Umm Qais section). Fifteen facies types were grouped into: phosphate (FT1–5), carbonate (FT6–11) and siliciclastic (FT12–15) facies associations. The main component of phosphate rocks is pellets in situ and common reworked biogenic debris, especially in the upper phosphate beds (e.g. fish teeth and bones), which along with abundant Thalassinoides burrows suggests that the skeletal material was the main source for phosphates in Egypt; in contrast the common authigenic phosphatic grains (pristine) in Jordan reflect an upwelling regime. Based on age assignment as well as stratigraphical position, the phosphorite beds show great similarity that may suggests a similar origin and proximity during the period of deposition of the Duwi Formation of the Red Sea coast of Egypt and its equivalent, the Al-Hisa Phosphorite Formation in Jordan, which represents an early transgressive system tract of a depositional sequence. On the Abu Tartur plateau, the presence of sandy pyritic phosphatic grainstone (FT1) and glauconitic quartz arenite (FT12) in the middle part of the studied section, along with the absence of chert facies (FT14), reflects a more shallow marine depositional environment with increased fluvial sediment supply compared to those along the Red Sea coast and north Jordan.     

Facies analysis and palaeoclimatic significance of ironstones formed during the Eocene greenhouse

Lower and middle Eocene ironstone sequences of the Naqb and Qazzun formations from the north‐east Bahariya Depression, Western Desert, Egypt, represent a proxy for early Palaeogene climate and sea‐level changes. These sequences represent the only Palaeogene economic ooidal ironstone record of the Southern Tethys. These ironstone sequences rest unconformably on three structurally controlled Cenomanian palaeohighs (for example, the Gedida, Harra and Ghorabi mines) and formed on the inner ramp of a carbonate platform. These palaeohighs were exposed and subjected to subaerial lateritic weathering from the Cenomanian to early Eocene. The lower and middle Eocene ironstone sequences consist of quiet water ironstone facies overlain by higher energy ironstone facies. The distribution of low‐energy ironstone facies is controlled by depositional relief. These deposits consist of lagoonal, burrow‐mottled mud‐ironstone and laterally equivalent tidal flat, stromatolitic ironstones. The agitated water ironstone facies consist of shallow subtidal–intertidal nummulitic–ooidal–oncoidal and back‐barrier storm‐generated fossiliferous ironstones. The formation of these marginal marine sequences was associated with major marine transgressive–regressive megacycles that separated by subaerial exposure and lateritic weathering. The formation of lateritic palaeosols with their characteristic dissolution and reprecipitation features, such as colloform texture and alveolar voids, implies periods of humid and warm climate followed major marine regressions. The formation of the lower to middle Eocene ironstone succession and the associated lateritic palaeosols can be linked to the early Palaeogene global warming and eustatic sea‐level changes. The reworking of the middle Eocene palaeosol and the deposition of the upper Eocene phosphate‐rich glauconitic sandstones of the overlying Hamra Formation may record the initial stages of the palaeoclimatic transition from greenhouse to icehouse conditions.     

Maastrichtian carbon cycle changes and planktonic foraminiferal bioevents at Gebel Matulla,west-central Sinai,Egypt

Comparison between the planktonic foraminiferal bioevents from different palaeolatitudes suggests that the biostratigraphic criteria used to identify the Maastrichtian stage boundaries are problematic. A new high-resolution calibration of planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphic, carbon-isotope, and sequence-stratigraphic criteria has been recorded for the first time from the Maastrichtian Sudr Formation at Gebel Matulla, west-central Sinai. The sedimentary successions allow the identification of prominent long-term carbon isotope events in the Maastrichtian, namely the negative excursion of the Campanian–Maastrichtian Boundary Event (CMBE), the positive excursion of the mid-Maastrichtian Event (MME), and the decline towards the Cretaceous-Palaeogene transition (KPgE). Termination of these well known δ¹³C events is associated with unconformities, created by eustatic sea-level changes, although the long duration argues for superimposed local tectonic control.     

Geochemistry and mineral chemistry of Pan-African amphibolites of South Sinai,Egypt

In the Wadi Feiran area, amphibolites occur as inclusions, bands, linear bodies of variable thickness and irregular lenses in para-geneisses. Chemical evidence indicates that these amphibolites display an igneous origin and were derived from magma essentially of tholelitic rather than alkaline composition; transitional in character between continental and island-arc. The chemistry of amphiboles, related to pressure and temperature conditions of meta-morphism, showed that they were formed under low pressure and high temperature conditions.     

Statistical Relationship Between UVB(280-320nm) and Broadband Solar Radiation(295-2800nm) at a Subtropical Location(Qena,Egypt)

The present study quantifies the relationship between ultraviolet-B(UVB) and broadband solar radiation(G) at Qena,Egypt.Data from 10-year hourly integrated totals for both UVB and G on a horizontal surface were used to determine the best fit between the two radiation types.On the basis of the correlation of determination(r2),a second-order polynomial was determined to provide the best fit.For the purpose of developing an empirical model to estimate UVB,all of the cases of UVB and G from a nine-year study from 2001 to 2009 were introduced.Monthly and seasonal empirical models,as well as a general expression,were established for UVB as a function of G.The values of r2 ranged from 0.90 to 0.97.By using a new dataset of G,the estimated and the corresponding measured values of UVB were determined to be in good agreement whereby the values of r2 between the two ranged from 0.91 to 0.98.In addition,the significance and performance of the regression forms were evaluated with the aid of several statistical analysis procedures.The values of the index of modeling(d) and coefficient of modeling efficiency(ME) were close to one.Moreover,the values of RMSE,mean bias error(MBE),and mean absolute error(MAE) were lower than the experimental errors.On the basis of this analysis,it has been determined that the suggested regression forms can be used to estimate UVB when it difficult to obtain measurements or when measurements are available only for limited periods at the studied region.