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Lithologic and diagenetic attributes of the Sharwayn (Maastrichtian) and Umm Er Radhuma (late Paleocene–Eocene) formations and their significance to the K-T unconformity, Jabal Samhan area, Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman

الخصائص الصخرية ذات النشأة المتأخرة لمتكون شارواين Sharwayn (ماسترختي) (Maestrichtian) وأم الرضمة (باليوسين متأخر – ايوسين) (late Paleocene–Eocene) وتفسيرها لعدم توافق K-T، بمنطقة جبل سمهان Samhan، دوفار Dhofar، سلطنة عُمان.

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Abstract

The boundary separating Maastrichtian Sharwayn Formation from late Paleocene Eocene Umm Er Radhuma (UER) Formation in Dhofar, southern Oman, is characterized by a regionally extensive unconformity. The Jabal Samhan escarpment, north of Marbat-Sadh transect, preserves this unconformable boundary. This paper addresses the lithologic and diagenetic differences of the strata across the boundary and discusses their significance and link to the development of the upper Maastrichtian to lower Paleocene unconformity. The upper part of the Sharwayn Formation is characterized by lower thickly bedded, bioclastic, and peloidal mudstone to wackestone lithofacies overlain by a thick ledge (~5.5 m) of medium to coarse crystalline, (sucrosic) dolostone. Poorly preserved outlines of the framework grains suggest an original peloidal and bioclastic grainstone texture for the dolostone unit. The contact with the overlying UER Formation is sharp. The UER Formation is characterized by thickly bedded, bioclastic mudstone to wackestone overlain by coarse-grained, foraminiferal grainstone. The dolomitization process of the dolomite unit at the top of the Sharwayn Formation is envisaged to a shallow subsurface mixed meteoric and sea water diagenetic realm. This interpretation is supported by an inferred timing of dolomitization of latest Maastrichtian (post-Sharwayn Formation) to early Paleocene (pre-EUR Formation), preservation (although poorly recognizable) of the original depositional texture and diagenetic features that postdate the sucrosic dolomite. Pervasive dolomitization of the dolomite unit was controlled by its original grainstone texture, which permitted efficient percolation of the dolomitizing fluids. Correlation between the reference section of the formation and the section studied in this work raises the thickness of the formation to 28.5 m (relative to a thickness of 22 m at the reference section). Analysis of the new composite section suggests that deposition of the formation took place in a shallowing-upward setting where low-energy subtidal sediments (the lower limestone unit) were succeeded by a high energy sand shoal (upper dolomitized unit).This shallowing-upward succession is attributed to a third-order sea-level drop. The later is also recognized in many parts of the Arabian Peninsula, as well as globally, and interpreted as eustatic sea-level fluctuation.

مجردة

الحد الفاصل بين متكون شارواين (ماسترختي) ومتكون أم الرضمة (باليوسين متأخر – ايوسين)، في دوفار جنوب سلطنة عُمان، بوجود عدم توافق اقليمي شاسع. يظهر عدم التوافق هذا في منحدر جبل سمهان شمال ماربات Marbat – سدح Sadh. يهتم هذا البحث بدراسة الفروق الصخرية ذات النشأة المتأخرة للطبقات على جانبي هذا التماس. وترجع أهمية هذه الفروق وترابطها في تواجد عدم التوافق للماسترختي العلوي والباليوسين السفلي. يتميز الجزء العلوي من متكون شارواين بوجود سحنات سفلية سميكة من الأحجار الطينية والواكي ذات النسيج العقدي والفتات الحيوي يعلوها 5.5 مترا من الدولوميت خشن إلى متوسط التبلور، حيث تظهر الحدود الحبيبية غير واضحة النسيج الأصلي للحجر الحبيبي ذو النسيج العقدي والفتات الحيوي لوحدة الدولوميت، بحيث يظهر بوضوح التماس مع متكون أم الرضمة الواقع إلى الأعلى. يتميز متكون أم الرضمة بكونه سميك من الحجر الطيني والواكي ذو الفتات الحيوي ويعلوه حجر حبيبي خشن يحتوي على الفورامنيفرا. يُفسر ظهور الدلمتة في الجزء العلوي من متكون شارواين التحت سطحي نتيجة خليط من المياه العذبة والمالحة الضحلة. لدعم هذا التفسيرهوالاعتقاد بأن وقت الدلمتة للماسترختي المتأخر (متكون شارواين) إلى الباليوسين المبكر (متكون أم الرضمة) تم حفظ النسيج الأصلي للدولوميت. يُوضح تواجد الدلمتة الشاسع مدى تحكم سحنات الحجر الحبيبي الأصلية بمرور السوائل التي أدت للدلمتة. كما أظهرت المضاهاة بين القطاع المرجعي للمتكون والقطاع المدروس في هذا البحث إلى ارتفاع سمك المتكون إلى 28.5 مترا (حيث كان 22 مترا). ولقد أظهرت التحاليل للقطاع المدروس أن ترسيب المتكون نتج من انخفاض عمق المياه وكذلك تناقص الرسوبيات المغمورة (الوحدة الجيرية السفلية) والمتعاقبة بتكون رمال مرتفعة نشطة (وحدة الدولوميت العلوية). هذا التتابع نتج عن تذبذب مستوى سطح البحر والمشهودة في أجزاء كثيرة من شبه الجزيرة العربية وكذلك عالميا.

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Acknowledgments

This contribution is part of a bigger project funded by the Strategic Research Grant (His Majesty Grant) of Sultan Qaboos University (SR/SCI/ETHS/07/01). The author extends his thanks to Dr. Ali Al-Lazki of SQU for his field assistance. The author would also like to thank to the technicians of the department for their laboratory work assistance, Saif Al-Ma’mari for SEM and EDX analyses, and Hilal Al-Zidi and Hamdan Al-Zidi for thin-section preparation.

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  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

    Osman Salad Hersi

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Salad Hersi, O. Lithologic and diagenetic attributes of the Sharwayn (Maastrichtian) and Umm Er Radhuma (late Paleocene–Eocene) formations and their significance to the K-T unconformity, Jabal Samhan area, Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman. Arab J Geosci 4, 147–160 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-009-0105-6

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