Super Sedimentological Exposures: Huqf Cambrian Clastics - Some Examples from Oman

IAS Newsletter 192 June 2004

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Contents


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Super Sedimentological Exposures

Huqf Cambrian Clastics - Some Examples from Oman

Multi-coloured clastic sedimentaryoutcrops of the Haima Supergroup ofCambrian age are well preserved inOman in an area referred to as “TheHuqf”. Located in the east of Oman,approximately 400 km from the capi-tal Muscat, the Huqf (Figs. 1 & 2) isbounded to the northeast by a veneerof Quaternary alluvial gravels derivedfrom the Oman Mountains and by thesouthern t ip of the Wahiba duneSands. To the west , the area isdel imi ted by an escarpment ofCretaceous/Tertiary carbonates theeastern limit of the edge of the JiddatAl Harasis plateau. Outcrops in theHuqf a lso inc lude Precambr iancarbonate deposi ts of the HuqfSupergroup (Fig. 3).

Strat ig raphical ly, the HaimaSupergroup is divided into the Nimr,Mahatta Humaid and Safiq Groups(Fig. 4). In the subsurface the MahattaHumaid Group (MH) comprises asequence dominated by siliciclasticrocks up to several k i lometres inthickness. Several formations andmembers of the MH Group have beenstudied in outcrop (Mil lson et al.,1996; Buckley, 1997). These, mainlyclastic formations are host to some ofthe most prolific oil and gas reservoirsand constitute a major target for oiland gas exploration in the subsurface

of Oman. The most important of theseformat ions and members inc lude,from top to base, the Barik SandstoneMbr and the mixed clastic-carbonateAl Bashair Mbr of the Andam Fm. Thetwo members represent a series ofstacked t idal /bra id del ta deposi tsseparated by marine flooding surfacesand shallow marine to inter to supratidal deposits respectively. These inturn are overlain by playa to sabkhadeposits of the Miqrat Fm and finallythe aeolian dominated sandstones ofthe Amin.

Rocks in the Huqf outcrop arearange f rom Late Proterozoic toCenozoic and are exposed in the core

Fig. 1.- Satellite map showing Oman’s position in theArabian Peninsula


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of a extensive Huqf structural high(Loosveld et a l ., 1996) (F ig. 5) .Broad open folds of Pan-African ageare present in the core of the uplift.The east edge of the Huqf high isdefined by east dipping normal totranstensional faults in a downfaultedcoastal belt. The unfaulted westernflank dips gently towards the Ghabasalt basin where sediments of the Huqfand Haima supergroups are typicallydeeper than 4 km. Halokenesis hasplayed an important ro le incontrol l ing accommodation space,st ructurat ion/ t rap t iming andhydrocarbon migration/timing in thesubsurface. The Huqf area is dissectedby the sinistral Haushi – Nafun strike-slip fault system (Dubreuilh et al.,1992). Locally structural styles aredominated by the development offo lds associated wi th restra in ingbends and pul l -aparts a long th iscomplex fault system.

Haima SuperGroup DepositionalEnvironments

The deposi ts of the HaimaSupergroup form the thickest clasticfill of the North Oman salt basins (Fig.6). The main clastic source areas arebelieved to be from the south and thedepositional setting was initially con-tinental with a more marine settingdeveloped higher in the sequence. Anumber of transgressive-regressivecycles can be regionally identif iedwithin the Haima Supergroup as awhole. The Nimr Group and the lowerpart of the MH Group are continentalin origin, compirsing fluvial (NimrGroup), f luvial, playa and aeolian(Amin Fm) and inland sabkha/playa/aeol ian (Miqrat Fm) dominateddeposits (Fig. 7).

The overlying Andam and GhudunFormations form three large scaletransgressive–regressive cycles inwhich the Bar ik and Ghudunrepresent two prograding sandy braiddelta systems prograding across a veryshallow shelf. The basal part of the AlBashair consists of tidal flat sedimentswith occasional thin carbonate beds. Adeposi t ional model for the Bar ikSandstone Member suggests aproximal to d is ta l south – nor thbraided delta system.

Plant colonisat ion in moderndeposi t ional systems promotesstabilisation and trapping of water andwind borne sediments, the formationof organic acids in c lays and thedevelopment of soil profiles. In theabsence of land plants pre-Silurianf luvial and shoreface systems arel ikely to have been more stronglyinfluenced by surface run-off. In theabsence of b inding (p lant , so i l )materials, unvegetated coasts wouldbe prone to frequent modification,

Fig. 2.- Simplified geological map of Oman (Hanna,1995)


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with storms playing an important rolein sediment ( re) t ransport . Lowdepositional slopes may have meantthat transgressions were rapid andwidespread, even wi th re lat ive lyminor sea-level fluctuations.

Pre-Si lur ian cont inental f luv ia lenvironments were likely to be havebeen dominated by bra ided r iversystems (Hjel lbakk, 1993). Deltasformed by the progradat ion of abraided river into a standing body ofwater. Depositional units dominatedby braided river and braid plain facieslack muddy fac ies, d isplay s izegrading and lateral bar migration andcommonly have a sheet geometry withhigh lateral continuity.

Selected outcrops to be visited

Stop 1:Qarn Mahatta Humad (Miqrat S)

The upper par t of the Miqratoutcrops in small hills bordering thesabkha to the east of the localit ies(Fig. 3). Mottled brown mudstones areintercalated with grey feldspathic/micaceous brown very f ine to f inegrained sandstones to s i l ts tones.Grains are typical ly rounded andcontain scattered medium sand togranules. Sandstones mainly occur asth in lenses up to 5cm th ick.Occasional ly th icker beds are

observed (<1m). Sands comprise ca.40% of the uni t . Mud chipconglomerates occur both in the sandsand the mudstones. The sands and thesi l ts conta in a wide range ofsedimentary st ructures such asoscillation ripples, climbing ripples,trough cross-bedding and paral le llamination. Bed boundaries are oftendeformed by sof t sedimentdeformat ion including load casts,flame structures and chaotic bedding.Metre scale mudcracks occur onbedding planes (Fig. 8).

The f ine gra ined nature o f thesediments, numerous sedimentarys t ruc tu res and i nd i ca t i ons fo rshal low water , f requent exposuresugges t a p laya ( i n land sabkha)setting, in a low relief continentalenv i ronmen t . However , recen tev idence in core data suggests a

Fig. 3.- Geological sketch map of the Huqf area (Du-breuilh, 1992)

Fig. 4.- Simplified stratigraphic column of the Paleozoicand Precambrian in Oman


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poss ib le mar ine incurs ion in theLower Miqrat Formation (pers com).The sedimentary features observed inthe outcrops suggest f lash- f looddeposit ion with deposit ion of thinwidespread sheet sands and frequentrework ing of ex is t ing deposi tsresulting in mud-flake conglomerates.Rapid emplacement of many of these

deposit ional units resulted in softsediment deformation.

Stop 2a:SSW Edge Qarn Mahatta Humaid

(Bashair - lower part ,ca. 70m)

The lower part of the Al Bashairconsists of partly cyclical alternationsof very fine grained quartz sandstonesand c layey s i l ts tones wi thintercalat ions of coarser-gra inedlithoclastics and thin carbonate beds.Lithologies are stacked in coarseningupward cycles several metres inthickness, capped by carbonate beds.This layered sequence forms adistinctive series of parasequencestraceable some distance lateral ly.Clayey silts are greenish grey to red incolour and show evidence of low-angle cross-stratification to parallellamination.

Within a number of beds an upwardtransi t ion from symmetr ical waveripples to climbing wave ripples tolow angle wavy lamination occurs inassociation with a fining upward trendinto clayey silts. These bed bases areerosive and contain silty rip-up clasts,the beds range from cm to dm in

Fig. 5.- Simplified tectonic map of Oman showing themajor salt basins (modified from Loosveld et al., 1996)

Fig. 6.- NE SW cross section highlighting the thick sediment deposition of the Haima clastics


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thickness. Oolitic grainstones occur inthese intervals.

Purer carbonate consists of ooliticgrainstones, stromatolitic/oncolithicbeds or wackestones. Stromatolitesoccur in beds up to 35 cm th ick(d iameters up to 1m). Ool i t icgrainstones are cross-bedded and ba-ses are erosional . Accessorycomponents inc lude reworkedbioclast ic components (pr imi t ivecorals, trilobite debris), and reworked/in-situ Lingula sp. Some intervalsshow clear salt hopper moulds and thesediments show a range of burrowsincluding Cruziana.

The presence of g lauconi te andscattered bioclasts throughout thesection suggests a marine influence tothe deposi t ional envi ronment.Coarsening upward uni ts suggestupward shallowing cycles possiblefrom very shallow marine to inter tosupra t idal (sa l t hoppers,st romatol i tes) . The shal lowingupward cycles are stacked in anoverall transgressive trend.

Stop 2b:(Al Bashair - upper part, ca. 150m)

Sediments of the upper part of theAl Bashair consist of poorly exposed,red brown mudstones intercalatedwith sandstone beds. Mudrocks are

sandy and conta in mi l l imetres toseveral centimetres thick sandstonelayers. Sandstones are laminated orr ippled, whi lst the mudstones areusually mottled. Intercalated withinthe mudstone dominated facies areoccasional thicker bedded (typically<100cm) fine – to medium grainedsandstones. These sandstones arenormally sharp based (tool marked,occasionally with Cruziana; Fortey,1995), paral le l laminated tohummocky cross-st rat i f ied. Thesandstones contain coarse-grains ofquartz , ooids and b ioc last iccomponents (L ingula, t r i lob i tedebr is) . B ioc lasts are f requent lyconcentrated in thin coarse-grainedlags at bed tops.

Sedimentary features within thesandstones suggest periodic intensecurrent act iv i ty. The presence ofhummocky cross-stratif ication mayindicate their association with stormor storm–influenced ebb currents. Inaddition, the fauna suggests marineconditions, the mudrock deposits areinterpreted as nearshore marine back-ground. An absence of identifiablemarine fauna/bioturbation may reflectlow preservat ion potent ia l orrestricted (high/low) salinities.

Stop 3: WSW/W Edge QarnMahatta Humaid

(Barik, ca. 70m exposed, 150m total)

The Bar ik Sandstone Memberconsists of th ick bedded, whi tecoloured cross-bedded sandstoneswi th red mudrock intercalat ions.Sandstones are fine grained and mayconta in pebbles of reworkedmudstones at the base.

The boundary with the mudstonesof the Al Bashair member is sharp and

Fig. 7.- Schematic diagram showing the probable depo-sitional environments of the various Haima Clastics(Droste, 1997)


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erosive with relief up to and morethan 1m. Sandstone beds areerosionally based and often stackedinto packages of several meters inthickness. Sedimentary structures inthe sands are dominated by large –scale trough cross- laminat ion andlow-angle planar lamination. Locally,a rhythmic variation in the thicknessof the cross beds is found, inassociation with mud flakes or drapesalong cross-bed foresets. The maincurrent indications are northward.

The sandstones occasionally formlarge-scale channels with widths ofseveral hundred meters within themudstone uni ts . Fragments oftrilobites and lingulids occur scatteredin and at the top of sands. Smal lCruziana trace fossils occur locally.

Mudrocks are typically less than 2mthick and contain thin sand-siltstonelenses and beds paral lel or r ipplelaminated in character. Ball and pillowloading is common. Little structure isapparent in the mudrocks.

The Barik Sandstone Member mayrepresent a series of stacked tidal/bra id del ta deposi ts separated bymarine flooding surfaces. The trough-cross bedded to p lane beddedsandstones are interpreted as t idal

channel deposits, cutting down intomouthbar/shoreface sandstones withlow-angle planar cross-stratification.However, no clear herring-bone crossbedding has been observed indicatingthat the t idal deposi ts are ebb-dominated.

Stop 4:Buah anticline

(Amin, ca. 200m)

The l ight coloured basal par tconsists of trough cross-bedded, wellsorted medium grained sands withgravel lags and r ippled intervals.Mudrocks are absent. The middle partis poorly exposed and consists of anal ternat ion of laminated to th inbedded poorly sorted red siltstonesand grey sandstones. Low angle cross-bedded coarse sandstones are presentlocally near the base. Large meter-scale polygonal mud-cracks areobserved in the red si l tstones andclaystones near the top of the unit.The basal part is overlain by a uniformpackage of clean, grey greyish brownquartzose sandstones, fine to mediumgrained occasionally conglomeratic.Large scale low to high angle crossbedding with foresets up to severalmetres are developed. The outcropconta ins d is t inct ive bal l shapedconcretions.

The basal part of the Amin is anaggrading sandy bra id p la in,occasional ly aeol ian re-worked,followed by a transition to a playaenvi ronment before per iodicdesiccation and the influx of aeoliansheet sands. The sequence is cappedby a fully developed dune system.

(The above outcrop descriptions were

adapted from Vroon ten Hove 1996)

Photo of a typical Miqrat section showing spectacularsoft sedimentation deformation structures. Note the penon the left of the photo for scale


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References

Buckley, R. C. (1997). The sedimentary evolution ofthe Cambrian of east-central Oman: an outcrop study

of the Haima Supergroup. Research School of Geo-logical and Geophysical Sciences, Birkbeck Collegeand University College London, 331 pp.

Droste, H. J. (1997). Stratigraphy of the Lower Palaeo-zoic Supergroup of Oman. GeoArabia, 2, 419-471.

Dubreuilh, J. et al. (1992). Geological Map of Khaluf,

Sheet NF 40-15, Explanatory Notes. Bureau de Re-cherches Géologiques et Minières.

Fortey, R. A. (1995). Cambrian Fossils and Stratigraphy

in the Sultanate of Oman. In: Al Husseini, M. I.(Ed.) Middle East Petroleum Geosciences, GEO’94.Gulf Petrolink, Bahrain, 1, 387-393.

Hjellbakk, A. (1993). A flash-flood dominated braiddelta in the upper Proterozoic Naeringsleva Member,Varanger Peninsula, northern Norway. Norsk Geo-

logisk Tidsskrift, 73, 63-80.Loosveld, R.J.H., Bell, A. & Terken., J.J.M. (1996).

Tectonic Evolution of North Oman. GeoArabia,

1(1), 28-51.Millson, J. A. et al. (1996). The Lower Palaeozoic of

Oman and its context in the evolution of a Gondwa-

nan continental margin. Journal of the GeologicalSociety of London, 153, 213-230.

Vroon-ten Hove (1996). A sedimentological, diagene-

tic and geochemical review of the Barik Sandstonereservoir in the Barik, Saih Rawl and Saih NihaydaFields. Exploration Report 367.

Vroon-ten Hove (1996). A sedimentological, diagene-tic and geochemical review of the Miqrat reservoir inNorth Oman. Exploration Report 373.

Compiled byOmar S. Al-Ja’aidi 1 and Khalil Al-

Riyami 2

Sedimentologist 1

Carbonate Research CentreSultan Qaboos University

P.O. Box 36Postal Code 113

Sultanate of [email protected]

Exploration Geologist 2

Occidental of OmanBuilding 182, Street 72,

Way 4457, AzaibahP.O. Box 717 RUWI Postal Code 130

Muscat, Sultanate of Oman [email protected]


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Sedimentological research in Norway - a shortreview

edimentological research in Norway spans the spectrum from deep marine tocontinental environments. It involves investigations of clastics, carbonates,

calcarenites and evaporites/chemical rocks, identified at outcrop, in cores ormodern environments. Field areas stretch from New Zealand, southern Africaand South America in the southern hemisphere, to the Svalbard archipelago inthe north, including both onshore and offshore localities. Being one of themajor oil-producing nations in the world it is probably not surprising that muchof our sedimentological research is in one way or another linked to petroleumgeology. Such links include analyses of core and well data; sedimentologicalanalyses of seismic data, reservoir modelling at all scales, investigations ofancient and/or modern field analogues, computational modelling of reservoirsand deposi t ional mechanisms, or as exper imental s tudies of d i f ferentsedimentary rock properties. Research is spread between the Universities andColleges in Norway, in addition to both national and international oil companies,and research centres.

A broad group of university and industry researchers have ongoing projectson Svalbard. The great exposures of seismic-scale deltaic, shallow marine andcarbonate systems provide excellent conditions for hands-on experience with awide variety of sedimentological facies. Results are published in internationaland national journals and much of the information is also available for studentsand others through different field courses. Some of the concepts of sequencestratigraphy evolved from sedimentological investigatons at Svalbard. A moremodern approach to sequence stratigraphic analysis is the study of the relationsbetween facies stacking patterns in nearshore deposits and the correspondingshoreline trajectories from well, seismic and outcrop data. The study of shorelinetrajectories has been tested on datasets from all around the world, and hasevolved into an important tool for stratigraphic predictions.

Beginning in the 1950s, sedimentary basins off the Norwegian coast havebeen extensively investigated, with the focus of investigation gradually shiftingnorthward, from the southern North Sea to the Barents Sea. As the number of bigdiscoveries has decreased during recent years, it has become increasinglyimportant to extract as much hydrocarbons as possible from existing reservoirs.This has triggered a massive research into enhanced oil recovery, involving: -improved reservoir understanding through detailed core studies, - investigationsof both ancient and modern f ie ld analogues from di f ferent basins andgeographic set t ings, - the re lat ionship between tectonics, c l imate andsedimentation, - interpretation of seismic geometries, - reservoir modeling, -characterization and - visualization. The research covers both macro- (seismicand outcrop) and micro-scale (petrographical details) investigations, and results

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have greatly improved existing depositional models of several importantreservoirs. A wide variety of tools and methods are constantly being developed.One such method is the construction of reservoir models directly from digital3D photorealistic outcrop models.

Research on improved oil recovery is the main focus of the Centre forIntegrated Petroleum Research (CIPR). One of the aims of CIPR is to combinegeology, chemistry, physics and mathematics in the order to obtain a betterunderstanding of multiphase flow phenomena in porous media. The center wasawarded the status of national Center of Excellence by the Research Council ofNorway in 2002.

Problems related to submarine mass movements along both passive and activecontinental margins have received significant focus over the last years. Severalmeetings, symposia and conferences have been, and will be, arranged on thistopic, covering both modern and ancient systems. Areas of research cover thefundamental processes of mass movements, regional differences, effects of massmovements, triggering mechanisms such as tsunamis, climate, as well aspetroleum exploration aspects. Being able to identify the controlling factors fordeep-marine sedimentation, what controls the geometry and architecture ofdeep-marine deposits, are important tools for improved reservoir prediction onboth the explorational and reservoir scale.

Another branch of sedimentology that has received much attention duringrecent years is tidally-influenced deposits. Such deposits have commonly beenlinked to transgressive systems, but they also occur in other sequence-stratigraphic settings. Tidally influenced deposits form important reservoirs onthe Norwegian continental shelf and much effort has been put into developingsequence stratigraphic models, involving detailed investigations of both modernand ancient field analogues in different geographical and tectonic settings,detailed core investigations and seismic analysis. The complexity and greatvariety of these deposits raise many interesting questions.

Other depositional systems undergoing detailed sedimentological analysis arefan deltas. The international research on alluvial-fan deltas has somehow lostmomentum during recent years, but this exciting topic has now been rejuvenatedby a series of detailed cases studies. Studies focus on facies anatomy andsequence stratigraphy of fan-deltaic complexes. A case study from Spitsbergenrecognizes high-arct ic fan deltas to be important recorders of regionaldeglaciation history and relative sea-level changes.

Palaeoclimatic reconstructions based on sedimentological investigationsconstitute an important part of university research. Such studies have beenperformed on core material from the deep marine, continental shelf, lakes andbogs from all around the world, in addition to investigations of moraines,col luv ia l and a l luv ia l deposi ts . High resolut ion palaeocl imat ic andsedimentological reconstructions from active rift basins provide importantinsight into the complex interplay between tectonics, sedimentation and climate.

The Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research (BCCR) is a joint climate researchventure that integrates observat ional ists and model lers in a concertedinterdisciplinary research effort, with the ambition to be a world-class centre on


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studies of high-latitude climate change. The BCCR is the largest climate researchgroup in Norway and in 2002 it was awarded the status of a national Center ofExcellence by the Research Council of Norway.

In addition to siliciclastic deposits, there is a growing interest in carbonates, arelatively new venture for Norway, prompted in part by the northward spread ofexploration activities into the Barents Sea region, and by the increased attentionbeing given to international prospects by the large Norwegian oil companies. Ajoint chalk research project involves the development of a stratigraphicframework, characterization of fractured chalk reservoirs and geomechanics. Incommon with several of the earlier mentioned projects, one of the main goalshere is related to improved oil recovery. The carbonate deposits of Spitsbergenhave been extensively investigated at both the macro- and micro-scales. Inrecent years there has also been a growing interest in carbonate shelf and slopedeposits in Spain and Italy, and high-resolution investigations of mixedsiliciclastic/carbonate systems aimed at improving our understanding of thesecomplex systems.

Dr. Tine LærdalNational correspondent of the IAS in Norway.

Department of Earth Sciences,University of Bergen


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REPORT

Sedimentology in Australia

Australia is a strongly resource-industry oriented country, hence muchsedimentological work is done with companies. This is quite evident in theAnnual and bi-annual petroleum conferences held within Australia, with a largeproportion of applied sedimentological work being displayed, especially clasticsedimentology. Most work there is currently done on reservoir characterisationand sequence stratigraphy for petroleum reservoirs and for CO

2 sequestration

sites.

The Geological Society of Australia also has a sedimentological group andshowcases work at their bi-annual meetings. Here, hydrogeological andenvironmental research increasingly makes use of clastic sedimentology to solvewater migration issues. This is especially important in understanding andmanaging dryland salinity, a large problem associated with irrigation in the aridparts of Australia.

Carbonate sedimentology is remaining strong in Australia with much workcontinuing on the tropical carbonates of northern Australian regions and thecool water carbonates in the southern margins.

Planned meetings in Australia

* Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists (ASEG) – Petroleum Exploration Society ofAustralian (PESA) joint Conference, August 2004, Sydney

* 2nd Eastern Australasian Basin Symposium, September 2004, Adelaide

* Society of Petroleum Engineers Asia Pacif ic Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibit ion,October 2004, Perth

* Consortium for Ocean Geosciences of Australian Universities (COGS), June 2005, JamesCook University, Townsville

* International Geological Correlation Program (IGCP), Project 447, visiting Australia inJune 2005

* Central Australian Basin Symposium, NT BIRD, 2005, Darwin

* Western Australasian Basin Symposium IV, part of AAPG International Conference, October2006, Perth

* Society of Petroleum Engineers Asia Pacific Oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition, MonthTBC 2006, Adelaide

Tobias H.D. PayenbergIAS Correspondent in AustraliaAustralian School of Petroleum

(formerly NCPGG)University of Adelaide

E-mail:[email protected]


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IGCP Project 499 - Devonian land-seainteraction: evolution of ecosystems and

climate

he Devonian was a critical period with respect to the diversification of earlyterrestrial ecosystems. The geotectonic setting was characterized by the switch

from the post-Caledonian to the pre-Variscan situation. Plant life on land evolvedfrom tiny tracheophytes to trees of considerable size in combination with a globalincrease in terrestrial biomass, and vertebrates started to conquer the land. Extensiveshallow marine areas and continental lowlands with a wide range of different habitatsexisted which are preserved in a large number of basins all around the world.Climate change finally led from greenhouse to icehouse conditions towards the endof the Devonian. Both rapid evolution of terrestrial ecosystems and climate changehad a pronounced influence on sedimentation and biodiversity not only in theterrestrial but also in the marine realm (“Devonian Change”). A major goal of theproposed project will be to focus on controls and interactions of the respectivefacies parameters in different paleogeographic settings in order to refine the globalpicture by international co-operation in a number of case studies. Geoscientific co-operation will include a variety of disciplines, such as sedimentology, paleontology,stratigraphy, paleoclimatology, paleogeography, geochemistry, paleoceanography,and structural geology.

The rapid evolution of early life on land and its interaction with sedimentaryprocesses, climate, and paleogeography, both on land and in marine settings, will becovered by studies in different terrestrial and marine facies. Increasing colonizationof the land by plants in combination with soil-forming processes and changingrunoff led to major changes of sediment input into the marine system. On the otherhand, sediment input and climate are major controls for carbonate production andreef development. The study of responses and interactions thus needs detailedcharacterization of facies and high-resolution correlation which can only beprovided by a refined stratigraphy, including biostratigraphy, lithostratigraphy,chronostratigraphy, etc. Characterization of facies and correlation of stratigraphicunits is especially difficult in marine-terrestrial transitions and will be an importantfocus of the project. Resolution of sea-level changes will be enhanced byrecognition and exact correlation of their effects which may be hidden just in thesetransitions. On the background of the global geotectonic situation (paleogeographys.l.), this will be an important prerequisite for a better discrimination of eustatic,climatic, and biotic controls, both on regional and global scale.

The focus of the project concerns the interrelated evolution of terrestrial andmarine paleoecosystems with respect to biotic and abiotic factors in space and time.Studies will include individual paleoecosystems and their components as well astheir paleobiogeographic distribution. Biotic and abiotic factors of paleoecosystemsare controlled by both, earthbound and extraterrestrial triggers causing eithercyclicity and/or distinct events. Thus in turn, such studies may give a clue to

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underlying causes of global changes. The project will include sedimentologic andclimatic controls of reef development and distribution as well as diversity, andpaleoecology of reef building organisms throughout the Devonian, because theMiddle to Late Devonian was a peak in reef development with reefs spreading intolatitudes as high as 45-60 degrees. On the other hand, accomodation space for EarlyDevonian reefs was greatly reduced due to major input of sediment from thecontinents in combination with sea-level lowstand(s). A marked decline in reefdevelopment towards the end of the Devonian was probably caused by climaticdeterioration.

The integrative kind of research which is needed for the success of the proposedproject can only be carried out by a worldwide network of research groupsrepresenting different disciplines. Such a network can now be based on core groupssuccessfully participating in the recently terminated IGCP 421. Furthermore, theproject will extend the results of the former IGCP 328. It will actively interlink withthe existing IGCP 491 which is mainly centered around vertebrate research. But, theproposed project will concentrate on the correlation and interaction of differentecosystems in a more general way. Special attention will be paid to coupling effectsbetween the terrestrial and marine realm. Co-operation is also intended with theproposed IGCP “The Rheic Ocean: its origin, evolution and correlatives”.Furthermore, an active network is represented by the members of the“Subcommission on Devonian Stratigraphy” (SDS). These existing networks willbe integrated and thus providing the necessary base for an improved understandingof the Devonian period. A number of the respective colleagues and working groupshave already agreed to contribute to the proposed project (see letters of support).

For supporting the network and communication among the participants there willbe a website provided which will be hosted at the Senckenberg Research Instituteand Natural History Museum(http://www.senckenberg.de/igcp-499/ ). It willinclude links to participating groups/institutions and other relevant sites such asfunding agencies.

For further information see website and/or contact the leaders of the project atthe following addresses:

Dr. Peter Königshof (*), Dr. Jurga Lazauskiene (**), Dr. Eberhard Schindler (*), PD Dr.Volker Wilde (*) and Prof. Dr. M. Namik Yalçin(***)

* Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum Senckenberg, Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325Frankfurt am Main, Germany (E-mail [email protected], Phone: +49-69-97075686, Fax: +49-69-97075120; [email protected], Phone: +49-69-

97075132, Fax: +49-69-97075137; [email protected], Phone: +49-69-97075160,Fax: +49-69-97075137)

** Geological Survey of Lithuania, Department of Lithostratigraphy and Tectonics,Konarskio 35, LT-2009 Vilnius, Lithuania ([email protected],

Phone: 370 2 332889, Fax: 370 2 3361 56)*** Istanbul University, Engineering Faculty, Department of Geological Engineering, TR-

34850 Avcilar-Istanbul, Turkey (E-mail [email protected], Phone: 0212 4210704,Fax: 0212 5911997)


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ANNOUNCEMENT

Holocene Environmental Catastrophes inSouth America: From the Lowlands to the

Andes

A joint meeting of IGCP 490 and ICSU/IUGS

Laguna Mar Chiquita, Córdoba Province, Argentina

13-19 March 2005

he aim of IGCP 490 (The role of Holocene environmental catastrophes inhuman history) and ICSU/IUGS (Dark Nature, Rapid natural change and

human response) joint meetings is to promote the interdisciplinary investigationof Holocene geological catastrophes, which are of importance for civilizationsand ecosystems. Meetings involve earth scientists, biologists, archaeologists,anthropologists, historians, meteorologists, astrophysicists and health experts.

The main fundamental issues to be addressed in joint IGCP 490 - ICSU/IUGSmeetings are:

* Chronology of climatic catastrophes (sudden event or short-durationchain of events). Three timescales are considered: 1) the entireHolocene (sedimentary and other paleo-records), 2) the last 5,000-4,000 years (written documents); and 3) the last few centuries (ins-trumental record).

* Causes and mechanisms of past environmental catastrophes* Impacts on past civilizations and ecosystems* Mechanisms of recovery

The meeting, hosted by the Research Center for Geochemical and SurficialProcesses (University of Córdoba, Argentina; http://www.efn.uncor.edu/investigacion/ciges/index.htm) will be held in Miramar, a small village in thesouthern coast of Laguna Mar Chiquita in the pampean plains of central Argen-tina. Laguna Mar Chiquita is a highly variable and shallow saline lake. At presentis the largest saline lake in South America (~ 6,000 km2) and also one of world’slargest saline lakes. The 20th century history of the lake was characterized byalternating low and highstands intervals that have been disrupting humanactivities in the region.

T


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Presentations on catastrophic and rapid environmental changes anywhere inthe world will be welcome. The meeting will focus on the multidisciplinarystudy of well-dated high resolution records of climatic and other environmentalcatastrophes in South America. Contributions should deal with these majortopics:

* Holocene climate changes in South America* High resolut ion and cont inuous records of c l imat ic and

environmental changes* Holocene fire history records* Recent hydrological changes in South America* Monitoring rapid geologic changes in semi-arid regions (i.e. dust

storms, dune formations and reactivations, eolian deflations,hydrological changes)

* Environmental and social consequences of earthquakes, landslides,volcanic eruptions, cosmogenic impacts, karst collapses, tsunamis,floods, droughts

* Holocene climate and South American culture collapse* Environmental impact on human health

Conference conveners: Eduardo Piovano (Research Center for Geochemical andSurficial Processes, CIGES University of Córdoba, Argentina) and SuzanneLeroy (Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Brunel University, UK).

Organizing Committee: Marcelo Zárate (Universidad Nacional de La Pampa,Argentina), Marcela Cioccale (CIGES, UNC, Argentina), Eduardo Piovano(CIGES, UNC, Argentina), Gabriela García (CIGES, UNC, Argentina), KarinaLecomte (CIGES, UNC, Argentina), Diego Gaiero (CIGES, UNC, Argentina),Gabriela Zanor (CIGES, UNC, Argentina), José Sagayo (Universidad deTucumán, Argentina)

The meeting will include keynote lecturers, a short course on tracking rapidgeological change organized by the IUGS Geoindicators initiative as well as 2day post-meeting field trip. The First Circular and further information on themeeting can be obtained by entering the web page of the conference: http://www.efn.uncor.edu/investigacion/ciges/EVENTS.htm

Eduardo L. PiovanoCIGES

Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y NaturalesAv. Velez Sarsfield 1611

X5016GCA – Córdoba, ArgentinaPhone: +54 351 434 4983

Fax: +54 351 433 4139E-mail: [email protected]


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TIDALITES-20046TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TIDAL SEDIMENTOLOGY

August 2-5, 2004Copenhagen,

Denmark

Jesper BartholdyInstitute of Geography, University of Copenhagen,

Oster Voldgade 10, Dk-1305 Copenhagen KDenmark

E-mail: [email protected]: www.geogr.ku.dk\tidalites

Fax nr. +45 35 32 25 01Tel. nr.: +45 35 32 25 00

32ND INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGICAL CONGRESS

August 20-28, 2004Florence

Italy

Chiara ManettiDipartimento di Scienze della Terra

Via La Pira, 450121 Firenze Italy

e-mail: [email protected]/Fax: + 39 055 2382146

Web-page: www.32igc.org

CLIMATIC & TECTONIC CONTROLS ON TRAVERTINE-FORMA-TION: THE CASE OF THE PANNONIAN BASIN*

Regional field course for graduates and undergraduates

July 4-8 2004,Tata

Hungary

A.Mindszenty or Z.SiklosyDepartment of Applied & Environmental Geology

H-1117. Pazmany Peter setany 1/cHungary

E-mail: [email protected]: http://travertinecourse.geology.elte.hu

CALENDAR


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WORKSHOP ON:“MICROBIALITES AND MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES IN SEDIMENTARY SYSTEMS.

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, BIOGEOCHEMICAL FUNCTIONING, DIAGENETIC PROCESSES,TRACERS OF MODERN AND PAST ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES”

September 6-9, 2004Paris

France

Gilbert CamoinCEREGE, UMR CNRS 6635

Europole Mediterraneen de l’Arbois B.P. 80F-13545 Aix-en-Provence cedex 4

Tel.: +33-4-42-97-15-14 Fax: +33-4-42-97-15-40E-mail: [email protected]

2nd INTERNATIONAL MAAR CONFERENCE*

September 15-29, 2004Kecskemet-Lajosmizse

Hungary

Dr. Ulrike MartinTU-Bergakademia, Institute fuer Geologie

Bernhardt-von-Cotta-str-2Freiberg, D-09596, Germany

E-mail: [email protected]. Karoly Nemeth

Geological Institute of HungaryStefania ut 14 Budapest H-1143, Hungary

E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.mafi.hu/2IMC_Homepage/

2IMC_Homepage_Files/WelcomePagePictures/2IMC.html

September 1-3, 2004Erlangen, Germany(followed by a Field

Meeting: ”Ordovicianand Silurian of Southern

Sweden (Fägelsäng,Öland, Gotland)”) –

September 4-12

INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON ”EARLY PALAEOZOIC PALAEOGEOGRAPHY AND

PALAEOCLIMATE” (IGCP 503 OPENING MEETING)

Axel MunneckeInstitute of Palaeontology, Erlangen University

Loewenichstr. 28, D-91054 Erlangen, GermanyPhone: +49 (0)9131 / 85-26957

Fax: +49 (0)9131 /85-22690E-mail: [email protected]

Web-site: http://www.pal.uni-erlangen.de/IGCP503/first_circular.html

23rd IAS MEETING OF SEDIMENTOLOGY*(including Special Session to honour Peter Friend)

September 15-17,2004, Coimbra

Portugal

Rui Pena dos ReisUniversidade de Coimbra, Dpto. Ciências da TerraLargo Marquês de Pombal, 3014 Coimbra (Portugal)

E-mail: [email protected]: www1.ci.uc.pt/ias/


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Marianne BliksasGeological Society of Norway c/o NGU

N-7491 Trondheim, NORWAYPhone: +47 73 904468

E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.geologi.no/cgi-bin/geologi

DEEP-WATER SEDIMENTARY SYSTEMS OF ARCTIC AND NORTH ATLANTIC

MARGINS

October 18-20, 2004StavangerNorway

SEDIMENTARY BASINS OF LIBYA, 3RD SYMPOSIUM. GEOLOGY OF EASTERN LIBYA

BASINS AND ADJACENT AREAS.

November 21-23, 2004Binghazi

Libya

The organising committeeNational Oil Corporation (NOC)

P.O. Box 2855Tripoli, Libya

Tel./Fax: (+218) 21-480 46 43E-mail: [email protected]

12TH CONGRESS R.C.M.N.S.

2005 (exact date notyet fixed)

Vienna, Austria

Martin ZuschinDepartment of Palaeontology University of Vienna

A-1090 Vienna, Althanstrasse 14Austriae-mail: [email protected]

Mathias HarzhauserGeological-Palaeontological Department

Natural History Museum VienaA-1014 Vienna, Burgring 7 Austria

e-mail: [email protected]

24th IAS MEETING OF SEDIMENTOLOGY*(Scenic Sedimentology)

Peter HomewoodCarbonate Centre

Sultan Qaboos UniversityP.O. Box 36, P.C. 123

Al Khod, Sultanate of OmanGSM: +968 924 14 68

Phone: +968 515 030 / Fax: +968 513 147E-mail: [email protected]

Web-page: http://www.squ.edu.om/sci/Centers/VR/IAS/home.htm.

January, 10-13, 2005MuscatOman


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THE NONMARINE PERMIAN

October 21-29, 2005Albuquerque,

New Mexico, USA

Dr. Spencer G. LucasNew Mexico Museum of Natural History

1801 Mountain Road NWAlbuquerque, NM 87104 USA

Phone: 505-841-2873/ Fax: 505-841-2866E-mail: [email protected]

7TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE CRETACEOUS

September 5-9, 2005Neuchâtel

Switzerland

Karl B. Föllmi or Thierry AdatteInstitut de Géologie, Université de Neuchâtel, case

postale 2, CH-2007 Neuchâtel, SwitzerlandE-mail: [email protected] ;

[email protected]: http://www.unine.ch/geologie/isc7/

Fax nr.: 0041-718 26 01

8TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FLUVIAL SEDIMENTOLOGY

August 7-12, 2005Delft

The Netherlands

Salomon B. KroonenbergDepartment of Geotechnology

Delft University of Technology Mijnbouwstraat 1202628 RX Delft, The Netherlands

e-mail: [email protected]: http://www.8thfluvconf.tudelft.nl/

HOLOCENE ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHES IN SOUTH AMERICA: FROM THE

LOWLANDS TO THE ANDES

Joint meeting of IGCP 490 and ICSU/IUGS

March 13-19, 2005Laguna Mar Chiquita,Province of Córdoba,

Argentina

Eduardo PiovanoCIGES

Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y NaturalesAv. Velez Sarsfield 1611 X5016GCA

Córdoba, ArgentinaPhone: +54 351 434 4983 Fax:+54 351 433 4139

e-mail: [email protected]: http://www.efn.uncor.edu/investigacion/

ciges/EVENTS.htm


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*THESE EVENTS HAVE FULL ORPARTIAL IAS SPONSORSHIP

17TH INTERNATIONALSEDIMENTOLOGICAL CONGRESS*

Ryo MatsumotoDepartment of Earth & Planetary Sciences

University of TokyoHongo, Tokyo 113, Japan

E-mail: [email protected]: http://sediment.jp/

August 27 –September 1, 2006

FukuokaJapan

GONDWANA 12 CONFERENCE

November 6-11, 2005MendozaArgentina

Carlos W. Rapela & Luis A. SpallettiWeb-page: http://cig.museo.unlp.edu.ar/gondwana

PALAEOPEDOLOGY: NEW PERSPECTIVES ON OLD SOILS

July 10-13, 2006Cardiff

UK

Susan B. MarriottSchool of Geography and Environmental Management

Faculty of the Built EnvironmentUniversity of the West of England

Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1QY, UKe-mail: [email protected]

V. Paul WrightDepartment of Earth Sciences

Cardiff UniversityCardiff CF10 3YE, UK

e-mail: [email protected]


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Super Sedimentological Exposures: Huqf Cambrian Clastics - Some Examples from Oman

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