Neogene Stratigraphic Development of the Persian Gulf
Abstract
The Persian Gulf is a shallow (<110 m), epicontinental basin formed on the Arabian plate in mid-late Miocene. Neogene sediments comprise a northwest-thickening wedge (0.1-2.0 km) of clastics shed from the Zagros uplift. There is little publicly available information on these deposits. Our long-term goal is to understand how variations in source, tectonic subsidence, climate, and sea level affected sedimentary process and stratigraphic development of an arid, shallow-marine environment. The initial objective of this project was to define the broad lateral and temporal patterns in late Cenozoic stratigraphy in the central portion of the basin. Our objectives also include mapping late Quaternary channels, deltas, and sequence stratigraphy across the entire basin and correlating these to wells and surface sediment cores. These data will be used to test our hypothesis that wet-dry cycles in climate are as important to channel and sediment sequence development as sea level change. We will also determine the age and origin of linear seafloor microtopography at the head of the Gulf and in the Straits of Hormuz.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 30, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA618690
Entities
People
- David A. Ross
- Stephen A. Swift
Organizations
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution