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Aspects of Ordovician glacial deposits in southern Saudi Arabia

Keller, M. ; Hinderer, Matthias ; Ajmi, H. al ; Rausch, R.
eds.: Harper, D. A. T. ; McCorry, M. (2009)
Aspects of Ordovician glacial deposits in southern Saudi Arabia.
IGCP 505. Copenhagen (31.08. - 03.09.2009)
Conference or Workshop Item

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Abstract

In southern Saudi Arabia, the Sanamah Formation is of Ordovician or Early Silurian age. Its deposits are mainly found in channels incised into the underlying Cambrian – Ordovician sediments. The channel fill consists of red conglomeratic sandstone with rounded to well-rounded quartz pebbles and cobbles. Repeatedly, large angular clasts of friable, coarse-grained sandstone have been observed in the conglomerates. Above these sediments, there is a succession of light-coloured sandstones, which show almost no internal structure. On outcrop scale, however, it is evident that the sandstones and the conglomerates were deposited in giant foresets comparable to coarse-grained deltas. Above this succession and onlapping the confining borderlands of the valleys are conglomeratic sandstones, badly sorted and with striated clasts. In several sections, striations have been found in the friable sandstones, locally 5 horizons within 40 m of section, that closely resemble glacial striations carved onto hard rock such as basement. We question whether such striations are evidence of direct glacial contact with the sediment. Although there is no doubt that the Sanamah Formation represents a proglacial to periglacial depositional environment, we will discuss the general palaeogeography in which the Sanamah Formation was deposited, why so many features are different from the modern analogues, and why the Sanamah Formation is restricted to broad channels probably draining the Arabian Shield as a hinterland. Finally, we will propose a new model for the generation and preservation of multiple levels of glacial striations in soft sediment.

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Erschienen: 2009
Editors: Harper, D. A. T. ; McCorry, M.
Creators: Keller, M. ; Hinderer, Matthias ; Ajmi, H. al ; Rausch, R.
Type of entry: Bibliographie
Title: Aspects of Ordovician glacial deposits in southern Saudi Arabia
Language: English
Date: 2009
Place of Publication: Copenhagen
Book Title: Absolutely final meeting of IGCP 503: Ordovician palaeogeography and palaeoclimate, Copenhagen 2009, Abstracts
Event Title: IGCP 505
Event Location: Copenhagen
Event Dates: 31.08. - 03.09.2009
URL / URN: http://sarv.gi.ee/igcp503/pdfs/copenhagen2009_abstracts.pdf
Abstract:

In southern Saudi Arabia, the Sanamah Formation is of Ordovician or Early Silurian age. Its deposits are mainly found in channels incised into the underlying Cambrian – Ordovician sediments. The channel fill consists of red conglomeratic sandstone with rounded to well-rounded quartz pebbles and cobbles. Repeatedly, large angular clasts of friable, coarse-grained sandstone have been observed in the conglomerates. Above these sediments, there is a succession of light-coloured sandstones, which show almost no internal structure. On outcrop scale, however, it is evident that the sandstones and the conglomerates were deposited in giant foresets comparable to coarse-grained deltas. Above this succession and onlapping the confining borderlands of the valleys are conglomeratic sandstones, badly sorted and with striated clasts. In several sections, striations have been found in the friable sandstones, locally 5 horizons within 40 m of section, that closely resemble glacial striations carved onto hard rock such as basement. We question whether such striations are evidence of direct glacial contact with the sediment. Although there is no doubt that the Sanamah Formation represents a proglacial to periglacial depositional environment, we will discuss the general palaeogeography in which the Sanamah Formation was deposited, why so many features are different from the modern analogues, and why the Sanamah Formation is restricted to broad channels probably draining the Arabian Shield as a hinterland. Finally, we will propose a new model for the generation and preservation of multiple levels of glacial striations in soft sediment.

Divisions: 11 Department of Materials and Earth Sciences
11 Department of Materials and Earth Sciences > Earth Science
11 Department of Materials and Earth Sciences > Earth Science > Applied Sedimentary Geology
Date Deposited: 03 Feb 2010 12:52
Last Modified: 12 Aug 2021 08:43
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