scholarly journals Gabbro Discovery in Discovery Deep: First Plutonic Rock Samples From the Red Sea Rift Axis

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg Follmann ◽  
Froukje M. van der Zwan ◽  
Jonas Preine ◽  
Christian Hübscher ◽  
Romain Bousquet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oceanic Crust ◽  
Red Sea ◽  
Late Stage ◽  
Normal Fault ◽  
Sampling Location ◽  
Rock Composition ◽  
Rock Fragments ◽  
Red Sea Rift ◽  
Magmatic History ◽  
Sill Intrusion

Plutonic rocks such as gabbros provide information on magmatic and tectonic processes which occur beneath a mid-ocean rift axis as well as on the formation of the oceanic crust. Igneous rocks, reported from the Red Sea Rift valley, have been limited to extrusive basalts so far. The only deeper crustal rocks found in the Red Sea area are from the rift flanks and are interpreted as late-stage continental rift magmatism. Here, we present the geochemistry of the first recovered gabbro fragments from the axis of the Red Sea Rift, sampled from a crater structure within the brine-filled Discovery Deep at the axis of the Red Sea Rift. Petrology and geochemistry show characteristics of a typical mid-ocean ridge gabbro formed at shallow crystallization depth. Clinopyroxene core mineral data fall within two groups, thus pointing to a multiphased magmatic history, including different magma batches and a joint late-stage fractional crystallization. Geobarometry, based on clinopyroxene cores, suggests lower crystallization pressures than similar geobarometric data reported for gabbroic samples from Zabargad (8–9 kbar) and Brother’s Islands (2.5–3.5 kbar) at the rift flanks. However, based on the evolved whole rock composition, its multiphase history, the thickness of the crust, the current location of the samples, and the uncertainties in the barometer, geobarometric estimates for the samples are likely overestimated. Instead, we propose that these rock fragments originate from the upper part of a fully developed oceanic crust in the central Red Sea Rift. High-resolution bathymetry and sparker seismic data reveal that the Discovery Deep is characterized by a significant normal fault and a strong reflector near the rift axis, which we interpret as a potential sill intrusion in an approximate depth of 400 m. Based on the lack of progressive alteration and the sampling location within a sediment-free crater structure, we interpret that the emplacement of the gabbros has to be geologically recent. We interpret the gabbro either as a xenolith transported by the eruptive volcanism that formed the crater, potentially related to the sill intrusion visible at depth, or as intrusive gabbro, which was uplifted and deposited in a talus fan by the adjacent normal fault, exposed by the formation of the volcanic crater.

Thermal Imaging of the Lithosphere beneath Arabian Shield and Implications for "Harrats" Volcanic Field

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Sobh ◽  
Khaled Zahran ◽  
Nils Holzrichter ◽  
Christian Gerhards
Keyword(s):  
Red Sea ◽  
Seismic Velocity ◽  
Volcanic Field ◽  
Arabian Plate ◽  
Thickness Variation ◽  
Arabian Shield ◽  
Lithospheric Thickness ◽  
Lithospheric Thinning ◽  
Red Sea Rift ◽  
Seismic Swarms

<p><span>Widespread Cenozoic volcanisms in the Arabian shield including “Harrats” have been referring to lithospheric thinning and/or mantle plume activity as a result of Red Sea rift-related extension.</span></p><p><span>A fundamental key in understanding the deriving mechanism of these volcanic activities and its relationship to 2007-2009 seismic swarms required a reliable model of the present-day lithospheric thermo-chemical structure.</span></p><p><span>In this work, we modeled crustal and lithospheric thickness variation as well as the variations in thermal, composition, seismic velocity, and density of the lithosphere beneath the Arabian shield within a thermodynamically self - consistent framework.</span></p><p><span>The resulting thermal and density structures show large variations, revealing strong asymmetry between the Arabian shield and Arabian platform within the Arabian Plate.</span></p><p><span>We model negative density anomalies associated with the hot mantle beneath Harrats, which coincides with the modelled lithosphere thinned (~ 65 km) as a result of the second stage of lithospheric thinning following the initial Red Sea extension.</span></p>

Impact of basin architecture on diagenesis and dolomitization in a fault-bounded carbonate platform: outcrop analogue of a pre-salt carbonate reservoir, Red Sea rift, NW Saudi Arabia

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 448-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid Al-Ramadan ◽  
Ardiansyah Koeshidayatullah ◽  
Dave Cantrell ◽  
Peter K. Swart
Keyword(s):  
Red Sea ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Carbonate Platform ◽  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Carbonate Reservoir ◽  
Carbonate Platforms ◽  
Hydrocarbon Reservoir ◽  
Red Sea Rift ◽  
Platform Margin ◽  
Clumped Isotope

The early Miocene Wadi Waqb carbonate in the Midyan Peninsula, NE Red Sea is of great interest not only because of its importance as an archive of one of the few pre-salt synrift carbonate platforms in the world, but also as a major hydrocarbon reservoir. Despite this importance, little is known about the diagenesis and heterogeneity of this succession. This study uses petrographical, elemental chemistry, stable isotope (δ13C and δ18O) and clumped isotope (Δ47) analyses to decipher the controlling processes behind the formation of various diagenetic products, especially dolomite, from two locations (Wadi Waqb and Ad-Dubaybah) that have experienced different diagenetic histories. Petrographically, the dolomites in both locations are similar, and characterized by euhedral to subhedral crystals (50–200 µm) and fabric-preserving dolomite textures. Clumped isotope analysis suggests that slightly elevated temperatures were recorded in the Ad-Dubaybah location (up to 49°C), whereas the Wadi Waqb location shows a sea-surface temperature of c. 30°C. These temperature differences, coupled with distinct δ18OVPDB values, can be used to infer the chemistry of the fluids involved in the dolomitization processes, with fluids at the Wadi Waqb location displaying much higher δ18OSMOW values (up to +4‰) compared to those at the Ad Dubaybah location (up to −3‰). Two different dolomitization models are proposed for the two sites: a seepage reflux, evaporative seawater mechanism at the Wadi Waqb location; and a fault-controlled, modified seawater mechanism at the Ad-Dubaybah location. At Ad-Dubaybah, seawater was modified through interaction with the immature basal sandstone aquifer, the Al-Wajh Formation. The spatial distribution of the dolostone bodies formed at these two locations also supports the models proposed here: with the Wadi Waqb location exhibiting massive dolostone bodies, while the dolostone bodies in the Ad-Dubaybah location are mostly clustered along the slope and platform margin. Porosity is highest in the slope sediments due to the interplay between higher precursor porosity, the grain size of the original limestone and dolomitization. Ultimately, this study provides insights into the prediction of carbonate diagenesis in an active tectonic basin and the resultant porosity distribution of a pre-salt carbonate reservoir system.

The formation of new oceanic crust

1965 ◽  
Vol 258 (1088) ◽  
pp. 123-136 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Oceanic Crust ◽  
Red Sea ◽  
Gulf Of California ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Continental Drift ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Seismic Exploration ◽  
Seismic Velocities ◽  
Crustal Structures ◽  
Rift Zones

Seismic exploration at sea has established that the oceanic crust is completely different from that of the continents. If we accept continental drift, it is therefore necessary to invoke a mechanism for the evolution of new oceanic crust. An attempt is made to locate regions where new oceanic crust may be forming and it is suggested that these regions are related to regions of uprising convection in the mantle. The crustal structures beneath the Red Sea and the Gulf of California are very similar and closer to oceanic than continental. As these are seismically active regions of extension, it seems reasonable to suppose that they represent areas where new oceanic crust is evolving in regions of continental break-up. These rift zones are in continuity with the seismically active oceanic rifts where similar seismic velocities (about 7 km/s) have been found and it is inferred that the oceanic rifts also represent regions where new oceanic crust is evolving. These are generally near the centres of the oceans. The tensional rift zones which are regions of shallow seismicity help to locate regions of rising convection currents in the mantle. It is further suggested that regions of deep and intermediate focus earthquakes locate regions of descending convection currents and maps of earthquake distributions are used to reveal a possible large-scale pattern of mantle convection. It is supposed that new oceanic crust evolves over the rising convection currents. A study is therefore made of the crustal sections for the Red Sea, Gulf of California and mid-oceanic rift regions and these are compared with typical continental and oceanic crusts. A possible mechanism for the evolution of new oceanic crust is given based on the isostatic equilibrium of oceans and continents.

Hydrothermal activity at the ultraslow- to slow-spreading Red Sea Rift traced by chlorine in basalt

2015 ◽  
Vol 405 ◽  
pp. 63-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Froukje M. van der Zwan ◽  
Colin W. Devey ◽  
Nico Augustin ◽  
Renat R. Almeev ◽  
Rashad A. Bantan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Red Sea ◽  
Hydrothermal Activity ◽  
Red Sea Rift ◽  
Slow Spreading

scholarly journals Receiver function constraints on crustal seismic velocities and partial melting beneath the Red Sea rift and adjacent regions, Afar Depression

2014 ◽  
Vol 119 (3) ◽  
pp. 2138-2152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cory A. Reed ◽  
Sattam Almadani ◽  
Stephen S. Gao ◽  
Ahmed A. Elsheikh ◽  
Solomon Cherie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Partial Melting ◽  
Red Sea ◽  
Receiver Function ◽  
Seismic Velocities ◽  
Afar Depression ◽  
Red Sea Rift

scholarly journals Early magmatism in the greater Red Sea rift: timing and significance

2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (11) ◽  
pp. 1158-1176 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Bosworth ◽  
Daniel F. Stockli
Keyword(s):  
Red Sea ◽  
Plate Boundary ◽  
Rift System ◽  
Northern Ethiopia ◽  
Gulf Of Suez ◽  
East African ◽  
Red Sea Rift ◽  
Lithospheric Extension ◽  
Extensional Faulting ◽  
Northern Red Sea

Throughout the greater Red Sea rift system the initial late Cenozoic syn-rift strata and extensional faulting are closely associated with alkali basaltic volcanism. Older stratigraphic units are either pre-rift or deposited during pre-rupture mechanical weakening of the lithosphere. The East African superplume appeared in northeast Africa ∼46 Ma but was not accompanied by any significant extensional faulting. Continental rifting began in the eastern and central Gulf of Aden at ∼31–30 Ma coeval with the onset of continental flood volcanism in northern Ethiopia, Eritrea, and western Yemen. Volcanism appeared soon after at Derudeb in southern Sudan and at Harrats Hadan and As Sirat in Saudi Arabia. From ∼26.5 to 25 Ma a new phase of volcanism began with the intrusion of a dike field reaching southeast of Afar into the Ogaden. At 24–23 Ma dikes were emplaced nearly simultaneously north of Afar and reached over 2000 km into northern Egypt. The dike event linked Afar to the smaller Cairo mini-plume and corresponds to initiation of lithospheric extension and rupture in the central and northern Red Sea and Gulf of Suez. By ∼21 Ma the dike intrusions along the entire length of the Red Sea were completed. Each episodic enlargement of the greater Red Sea rift system was triggered and facilitated by breakthrough of mantle-derived plumes. However, the absence of any volumetrically significant rift-related volcanism during the main phase of Miocene central and northern Red Sea – Gulf of Suez rifting supports the interpretation that plate–boundary forces likely drove overall separation of Arabia from Africa.

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