Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Wrench structural deformation in Ras Al Hilal-Al Athrun area, NE Libya: a new contribution in Northern Al Jabal Al Akhdar Belt

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Al Jabal Al Akhdar is a NE/SW- to ENE/WSW-trending mobile part in Northern Cyrenaica province and is considered a large sedimentary belt in northeast Libya. Ras Al Hilal-Al Athrun area is situated in the northern part of this belt and is covered by Upper Cretaceous–Tertiary sedimentary successions with small outcrops of Quaternary deposits. Unmappable and very restricted thin layers of Palaeocene rocks are also encountered, but still under debate whether they are formed in situ or represent allochthonous remnants of Palaeocene age. The Upper Cretaceous rocks form low-lying to unmappable exposures and occupy the core of a major WSW-plunging anticline. To the west, south, and southeast, they are flanked by high-relief Eocene, Oligocene, and Lower Miocene rocks. Detailed structural analyses indicated structural inversion during Late Cretaceous–Miocene times in response to a right lateral compressional shear. The structural pattern is themed by the development of an E–W major shear zone that confines inside a system of wrench tectonics proceeded elsewhere by transpression. The deformation within this system revealed three phases of consistent ductile and brittle structures (D1, D2, and D3) conformable with three main tectonic stages during Late Cretaceous, Eocene, and Oligocene–Early Miocene times. Quaternary deposits, however, showed at a local scale some of brittle structures accommodated with such deformation and thus reflect the continuity of wrenching post-the Miocene. D1 deformation is manifested, in Late Cretaceous, via pure wrenching to convergent wrenching and formation of common E- to ENE-plunging folds. These folds are minor, tight, overturned, upright, and recumbent. They are accompanied with WNW–ESE to E–W dextral and N–S sinistral strike-slip faults, reverse to thrust faults and pop-up or flower structures. D2 deformation initiated at the end of Lutetian (Middle Eocene) by wrenching and elsewhere transpression then enhanced by the development of minor ENE–WSW to E–W asymmetric, close, and, rarely, recumbent folds as well as rejuvenation of the Late Cretaceous strike-slip faults and formation of minor NNW–SSE normal faults. At the end of Eocene, D2 led to localization of the movement within E–W major shear zone, formation of the early stage of the WSW-plunging Ras Al Hilal major anticline, preservation of the contemporaneity (at a major scale) between the synthetic WNW–ESE to E–W and ENE–WSW strike-slip faults and antithetic N–S strike-slip faults, and continuity of the NW–SE normal faults. D3 deformation is continued, during the Oligocene-Early Miocene, with the appearance of a spectacular feature of the major anticline and reactivation along the E–W shear zone and the preexisting faults. Estimating stress directions assumed an acted principal horizontal stress from the NNW (N33°W) direction.

Abstract

الجبل الأخضر يمثل حزام رسوبى يأخذ اتجاه شمال شرق-جنوب غرب الي شرق شمال شرق-غرب جنوب غرب فى شمال شرق ليبيا ويعتبر الجزء النشط فى شمال سيرانيكا (Cyrenaica). و منطقة الهلال-الاثرون تقع فى شمال هذا الحزام ومغطاه بتتابع رسوبى من الكريتاسى العلوى حتى الميوسين الاسفل الي جانب مكاشف محدوده من رواسب الرباعى و الحديثه. وتنكشف صخور الباليوسين فى اماكن محدوده جدا ومازالت تحت النقاش :هل هى بقايا لأساس الباليوسين ام انها دلائل لصخور باليوسين منقوله.

وصخور الكريتاسى العلوى تشمل تكوينات الهلال والاثرون وتشغل مناطق منخفضه وتكون لب الطى الكبير بالمنطقه والغاطس غرب جنوب غرب. ويحاط هذا اللب من جهة الغرب والجنوب و الجنوب الشرقى والشرقى بصخور الايوسين (تكوينات ابولونيا ودرنه) والاوليجوسين-الميوسين السفلى (تكوينات البيضا والابرق والفيديه) مما يدل على ان هذا الطى استمر فى تطوره بعد الكريتاس العلوى وبذلك يمثل التطور الثالث والاخير فى المنطقه.

التحليل التركيبى اظهر انقلاب تكتونى على نظام الصدوع العاديه قبل الكريتاسى الاعلى الى التطور التكتونى نتيجة لقوي ضغط افقى مع حركه عكسيه امتدت خلال فترة الكريتاسى العلوى-الميوسين الاسفل وتكوين تشوه تركيبى بنظام تكتونية اللى (wrench tectonics) والذى ساد فيه تشوه لدن ممثلا بالطيات وتشوه قصى فى صورة الصدوع والفواصل. وهذا النظام كان نتيجة للحركه داخل حزام جز على اتجاه شرق-غرب. وهذا التطور اظهر ثلاث مراحل من التشوه وهى:

1- مرحلة التشوه الاول (D1) والذى ساد خلال فترة الكريتاسى العلوى وتكوين طيات اغلبها غاطس فى اتجاه الغرب والشرق شمال شرق الى جانب تكوين صدوع الانزلاق المضربى اليمينى فى اتجاه غرب شمال غرب و شرق-غرب واليسارى فى اتجاه شمال-جنوب مع ظهور تراكيب الورده والصدوع العكسيه على مقياس محدود.

2- التشوه التركيبى الثانى (D2) وله تأثير واضح بالمنطقه خلال فترة الايوسين وظهور الطى الكبير الى جانب اعادة النشاط التركيبى على الصدوع السابقه.

3- التشوه الثالث (D3) والذى تم خلال الاوليجوسين-الميوسين الاسفل وظهور المرحله الاخيره للطى الكبير الى جانب اعادة النشاط مره اخرى على بعض الصدوع السابقه.

هذا وقد اظهر التحليل التركيبى تعرض المنطقه لقوى ضغط افقى يمينى من اتجاه شمال o33غرب عمودى تقريبا على اتجاه محاور الطيات.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abadi AM (2002) Tectonic of the Sirt Basin: inferences from tectonic subsidence analysis, stress inversion and gravity modeling. PhD thesis, Universiteit Vrije, Holland, 187 pp

  • Abdusamad EO (1999) Stratigraphy and paleobiogeography of Tertiary larger foraminifera from Al Jabal al Akhdar (Cyrenaica, NE Libya). Giornale di Geologia, ser. 3a, 61, Bologna, pp 75–98

  • Anketell JM (1996) Structural history of Sirt basin and its relationship to the Sabratah basin and Cyrenaica platform, northern Libya. In: Salem MJ, Busrewil MT, Misallati AA, Sola MA (eds) The geology of Sirt basin, v. III. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 57–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Argyriadis L, Degraciansky PC, Marcoux J, Rico LE (1980) The opening of the Mesozoic Tethys between Eurasia and Arabia–Africa. Geol. of the Alpine chains born of the Tethys, Mem. Bureau Recherchers Geol. Et Min., vol 115, pp 199–214

  • Banerjee S (1980) Stratigraphic lexicon of Libya. Ind Res Cen Tripoli Bull 13:300

    Google Scholar 

  • Barr FT (1972) Cretaceous biostratigraphy and planktonic foraminifera of Libya. Micropaleontology 18(1):1–46 (Am. Mis. Nat. Hist., New York)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barr FT, Berggren WA (1980) Lower Tertiary biostratigraphy and tectonics of northeastern Libya. In: Salem MJ, Busrewil MT (eds) Geology of Libya, vol. 1. Academic, London, pp 161–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Barr FT, Hammuda OS (1971) Biostratigraphy and planktonic zonation of the Upper Cretaceous Atrun Limestone and Hilal Shale, northeast Libya. In: Farinacci A (ed) Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference, Planktonic Microfossils (Rome, 1970), pp 27–40

  • Ben Ferjani A, Buollet PF, Mejri F (1990) Petroleum geology of Tunisia. E. T. A. P., Tunis, 194 pp

  • Benomran O, Nairan AE, Shamel S (1987) Sources and dispersal of mid-Cenozoic clastic sediments in the central Mediterranean region. Mem Soc Geol Ital 38:47–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonnefous J (1972) Geology of the quartizitic ‘Gargaf Formation’ in the Sirt Basin, Libya. Bull. Centre Rech., Pau-SNPA, vol 6, pp 225–261

  • Biju-Duval B, Letouzey J, Montadert L (1979) Variety of margins and deep basins in the Meditteranean. AAPG Memoire 29:293–317

    Google Scholar 

  • Demets C, Gordon RG, Argus DF, Stein S (1990) Current plate motions. Geophys J Int 101:425–478

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dercourt J, Zonenshain LP, Ricou LE, Kazmin VG, Le Oichon X, Knipper AL, Grandjacquet C, Sbortshikov IM, Geyssant J, Lepverier C, Pechersky DV, Boulin J, Sibuet JC, Savostin LP, Sorokhtin D, Westphal M, Bazhenov ML, Laurer JP, Bijou-Duval B (1986) Geological evolution of the Tethys belt from the Atlantic to the Pamirs since the Lias. Tectonophysics 123:241–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Desio A (1968) History of geologic exploration in Cyrenaica. In: Barr FT (ed) Geology and archaeology of Northern Cyrenaica, Libya. Petrol. Explor. Soc. Libya, 10th Annual Field Conference, Tripoli, pp 79–113

  • Destro N, Alkmim FF, Magavita LP, Szatmari P (2003) The Jereabo transpressional transfer fault, Reconcavo-Tucano rift, NE Brazil. Jour Str Geol 25(8):1263–1279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duronio P, Dakshe A, Bellini E (1991) Stratigraphy of offshore Cyrenaica (Libya). In: Salem MJ, Hammuda OS, Eliagoubi BA (eds) The geology of Libya, IV. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 1589–1620

    Google Scholar 

  • Dewey JF, Holdsworth RE, Strachan RA (1998) Transpression and transtension zones. In: Holdsworth RE, Strachan RA, Dewey JF (eds) Continental transpressional and transtensional tectonics. Geol. Soc. London, Special Publications, 135, pp 1–14

  • El Arnauti A, Lawrence SR, Mansouri AL, Sengor AM, Soulsby AMC, Hassan H (2008) A structural style in NE Libya. Geology of East Libya, vol 4. Gutenberg Press, Tripoli, pp 153–178

    Google Scholar 

  • El Hawat AS (1986) Fine grained current drift carbonates and associated facies in a slope to shelf shoaling-up sequences; the Eocene, NE Libya. The 7th European I.A.S. Mtg. Ext. Abs. Krakow, Poland, pp 208–210

  • El Hawat AS, Abdulsamad EO (2004) The geology of Cyrenaica: a field seminar. Earth Sci Soc, Libya, Tripoli, p 130

    Google Scholar 

  • El Hawat AS, Pawellek T (2004) A field guidebook to the geology of Sirt Basin, Libya. REW Dea North Africa∕Middle East GmbH, 69 pp

  • El Hawat AS, Shelmani M (1993) Short notes and guidebook on the geology of Al Jabal al Akhdar, Cyrenaica, NE Libya. ESSl, Tripoli, p 70

    Google Scholar 

  • El Hawat AS, Missalati AA, Bezan AM, Taleb MT (1996) The Nubian sandstone in Sirt Basin and its correlatives. In: Salem MJ, El Hawat AS, Sbeta AM (eds) The geology of Sirt Basin, II. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 3–30

    Google Scholar 

  • El Hawat AS, Stephan J, Caline B, Davaud E, Masse P (2008) The Ypresian—early Lutetian facies, sequences, and unconformities of Cyrenaica: their correlation and implications in North Africa. In: Salem MJ, El Hawat AS (eds) Geology of East Libya, I. Gutenberg, Malta, pp 85–120

    Google Scholar 

  • El Mehaghag AA, Muftah AM (1996) Calcareous nannofossils and foraminiferal biostratigraphy of the Al Hilal Formation, North-East Libya. Geology of the Arab World, 3rd International Conference, Cairo, pp 501–520

  • El Mehaghag AA, El Mehdawi AD (2006) A review of the calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy of the Al Athrun and Apollonia Formations, Cyrenaica, NE Libya. J Nannoplankton Res, no. 28, 2, Cambridge University Press, UK, pp 89–93

  • El Mehdawi AD (1991) Preliminary palynological study of the upper cretaceous Al Hilal Formation, Ras Al Hilal area, NE Libya. In: Salem MJ, Hammuda OS, Eliagoubi BA (eds) The geology of Libya, IV. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 1351–1355

    Google Scholar 

  • El Mehdawi AD, El Beialy SY (2008) Palynological contribution to the stratigraphy of the Al Faidiyah Formation, Al Jabal al Akhdar, NE Libya. In: Salem MJ, El-Arnauti A, Saleh AE (eds) Geology of east Libya, III. Gutenberg Press, Malta, pp 171–186

    Google Scholar 

  • El Werfalli A, Muftah A, El Hawat A, Shelmani M (2000) A guidebook on the geology of Al Jabal al Akhdar, Cyrenaica, NE Libya. Sedimentary Basins of Libya, 2nd Symposium Geology of Northwest Libya, 71 pp

  • Foder L, Turkey SM, Dalub H, Al Gerbi A (2005) Fault-related folds and along-dip segmentation of preaching faults: syn-diagenetic deformation in the southwestern Sirt Basin, Libya. Terra Nova 17(2):121–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guiraud R, Bellion Y, Benkhelil J, Moreau C (1987) Post Hercynian tectonics in northern and western Africa. Geol J 22:443–466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haq BU, Aubry MP (1980) Early cenozoic calcareous nannoplankton biostratigraphy and paleobiogeography of North Africa and the Middle East and Trans-Tethyan correlation. Libya. In: Salem MJ, Busrewil MT (eds) Geology of Libya, vol. 1. Academic, London, pp 271–304

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallett D (2002) Petroleum geology of Libya. Elsevier, Amsterdam, p 503

    Google Scholar 

  • Harding T (1984) Graben hydrocarbon occurrence and structural style. Bull, AAPG 68:333–369

    Google Scholar 

  • Huguen C, Mascle J (2001) La Margie continentale libyenne, entre 23° 30 et 25° 30 de longitude est. CR Acad Soci Paris, Earth and Planetary Sciences 332:553–556

    Google Scholar 

  • Issawi B, El Hinnawai M, Francis M, Mazhar A (1999) The Phanerozoic geology of Egypt: a geodynamic approach. The Egyptian Geol. Survey, Cairo, 462 pp

  • Jamison WR (1983) Wrench tectonics. Amoco Prod Comp., Res. Dept., Compendium of Str. Styles, 50 pp

  • Kleinsmiede WFJ, Van Den Berg NJ (1968) Surface geology of the Jabal al Akhdar, northern Cyrenaica, Libya. In: Barr FT (ed) Geology and archaeology of northern Cyrenaica, Libya. Petrol. Explor. Soc. Libya. 10th Annual Field Conference, Tripoli, pp 115–123

  • Klitzsch E (1970) Die Strukturgeschichte der zentralsahara: Neuerkenntnisse zum Bau und zur Palaogeographie eines Tafellandes. Geol Rundsch 59/2:459–527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klitzsch E (1971) The structural development of parts of North Africa since Cambrian time. In: Gray C (ed) Symp. Geology of Libya. Fac. Sci., University of Libya, Tripoli, pp 253–262

  • Laubscher H, Bernoulli D (1977) Mediterranean and Tethys. In: Nairn AEM, Kanes WH, Stehli FG (eds) The ocean basins and margins, vol 4. Plenum, New York, pp 1–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowell JD (1990) Structural styles in petroleum exploration, 3rd edn. OGCI Publications, Tulsa, p 470

    Google Scholar 

  • Lüning S, Kuss J, Bachmann M, Marzouk A, Morsi A (1998) Sedimentary response to basin inversion: Mid Cretaceous–Early Tertiary Pre- to syndeformational deposition at the Areif El Naga. Facies 38:103–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mc Clay KR (1997) The mapping of geological structures. Geol. Soc. London handbook. Wiley, New York, p 161

    Google Scholar 

  • Megerisi M, Mamgain VD (1980) The upper Cretaceous— tertiary formations of Northern Libya. In: Salem MJ, Busrewil MT (eds) The geology of Libya, I. Academic, London, pp 67–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Moustafa AR, Khalil MH, Moustafa AR, Khalil MH (1989) North Sinai structures and tectonic evolution. M E R C Ain Shams Univ, Earth Sci Ser 3:215–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Moustafa AR, Khalil SM (1995) Rejuvenation of the Tethyan passive continental margin of northern Sinai, deformation style and age (G. Yelleg area). Tectonophysics 241:225–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muftah AM, El-Mehaghag AA, Ben Shatwan MS, Badi SM (2002) A revised biozonation for the late paleocene Al-Uwayliah Formation, North-East Libya. The Seventh Mediterranean Petroleum Conference and Exhibition Proceedings, MPC2002, International Energy Foundation, Tripoli, pp 101–112

  • Robertson AHF, Dixon JE (1984) Introduction: aspects of the geological evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean. In: Dixon JE, Robertson AHF (eds) Geol. Sci. London, Special Publ. 17, pp 1–74

  • Röhlich P (1974) Geological map of Libya, 1:250.000: Sheet Al Bayda NI 34-15. Explanatory booklet, Ind. Res. Cent., Tripoli, 70 pp

  • Röhlich P (1980) Tectonic development of Al Jabal al Akhdar. In: Salem MJ, Buserwil MT (eds) The geology of Libya, vol III. Academic, London, pp 923–931

    Google Scholar 

  • Suleiman AS (2007) Active tectonics and earthquakes of Cyrenaica platform and Sirt Basin, Northern Libya. 2nd International Conference on the Geology of the Tethys, Cairo University, pp 349–44

  • Suleiman AS, Doser DI (1995) Seismicity seismotectonics and earthquake hazards of Libya, with detailed analysis of the April 19, 1935, M = 7.1 earthquake sequence. Geophys J Int 120:312–322

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wennekers JHN, Wallace FK, Abugares YI (1996) The geology and hydrocarbons of the Sirt Basin: a synopsis. In: Salem MJ, Mouzughi AJ, Hammuda OS (eds) Geology of the Sirt Basin, I. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 3–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox RE, Harding TP, Seeley DR (1973) Basic wrench tectonics. AAPG Bull 57(1):74–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Zert B (1974) Geological map of Libya, 1:250.000: Sheet Darnah NI 34-16. Explanatory booklet, Ind. Res. Cent., Tripoli, 49 pp

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Benha University, Benha, Egypt

    Maher A. El Amawy

  2. Garyounis University, Benghazi, Libya

    Ahmed M. Muftah

  3. Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

    Mohamed Abd El-Wahed

  4. Omar Al Mokhtar University, Al Beida, Libya

    Mohamed Abd El-Wahed & Aymn Nassar

Authors
  1. Maher A. El Amawy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ahmed M. Muftah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mohamed Abd El-Wahed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Aymn Nassar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maher A. El Amawy.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

El Amawy, M.A., Muftah, A.M., Abd El-Wahed, M. et al. Wrench structural deformation in Ras Al Hilal-Al Athrun area, NE Libya: a new contribution in Northern Al Jabal Al Akhdar Belt. Arab J Geosci 4, 1067–1085 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-009-0114-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-009-0114-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation