Tropical northeast Africa in the middle-late Eocene: Paleomagnetism of the marine-mammals sites and basalts in the Fayum province, Egypt

Journal of African Earth Sciences

Volumn 47, Issue 3, 2007, Pages 135-152

  Lotfy, Hamza ^a,b   Van der Voo, Rob ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN   (United States)

^b El Minia University ^*  (Egypt)

Author keywords

Cetacea; Egypt; Eocene; Fayum province; Marine mammal fossils; Oligocene; Paleolatitude; Paleomagnetism; Sirenea; Terrestrial vertebrate fossils; Valley of Whales; Zeuglodon

Indexed keywords

BASALT; DEMAGNETIZATION; EOCENE; GEOMAGNETIC FIELD; GRABEN; MAGNETIC ANISOTROPY; MAGNETIC REVERSAL; MARINE MAMMAL; OLIGOCENE; PALEOLATITUDE; PALEOMAGNETISM; SKELETAL REMAINS; TROPICAL REGION;

AFRICA; EGYPT; EL FAIYUM [EGYPT]; NORTH AFRICA;

CETACEA; MAMMALIA; VERTEBRATA;

EID: 33947195263     PISSN: 08995362     EISSN: 1464343X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2006.12.005     Document Type: Article

References (112)

1. Abdallah A., Aboul Ela N., Shamah K., and Abdel Aziz S. Biostratigraphy of the Temple Member (Qasr El Sagha Formation, late Eocene) North El Fayoum depression, Egypt. Egypt. J. Geol. 41 1 (1997) 541-578
2. Abdel Aal A.Y., El-Mahallawi M.M., and Farahat E.S. Petrology, geochemistry and origin of some volcanic rocks from El-Minia province, Western Desert, Egypt. Bull. Fac. Sci., Assiut University 26 1 (1997) 55-89
3. Abdel Aziz, S.M., 1995. Geologic Studies of the Upper Eocene and Oligocene Formations, North of El-Fayoum Province, Egypt. M.Sc. Thesis, Fac. Sc., Cairo University, 225 pp.
4. Abdel Aziz, S.M., 2002. Stratigraphy of the Eocene Sequences of Fayoum - Minia District, Egypt. Ph.D. Thesis, Fac. Sc., Cairo University (Fayoum Branch), 455 pp.
5. Abdeldayem A.L. Paleomagnetism of some Cenozoic sediments, Cairo-Fayum area, Egypt. Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 110 (1999) 71-82
6. Ali J.R., Ward D.T., King C., and Abrajevitch A. First Paleogene sedimentary rock paleomagnetic pole from stable Western Eurasia and tectonic implications. Geophys. J. Int. 154 (2003) 463-470
7. Andrews C.W. Preliminary note on some recently discovered extinct vertebrates from Egypt. Geol. Mag. 8 (1901) 436-444
8. Andrews C.W. Notes on an expedition to the Fayum Egypt, with description of some new mammals. Geol. Mag. 10 (1903) 337-343
9. Andrews, C.W., 1906. The extinct mammals of Egypt. A Descriptive Catalogue of the Tertiary Vertebrata of the Fayum, Egypt. British Museum (Natural history), London, 324 pp.
10. Anson J.L., and Kodama K.P. Compaction-induced shallowing of the post-depositional remanent magnetization in a synthetic sediment. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 88 (1987) 673-692
11. Beadnell H.J.L. The Fayum Depression: a preliminary notice of the geology of a district in Egypt containing a new Paleogene fauna. Geol. Mag. 8 (1901) 540-546
12. Beadnell, H.J.L., 1905. The Topography and Geology of the Fayum Province of Egypt. Surv. Dept., Cairo, 101 pp.
13. Besse J., and Courtillot V. Apparent and true polar wander and the geometry of the geomagnetic field over the last 200 Myr. J. Geophys. Res. 107 B11 (2002) 10.1029/2000JB00005
14. Besse J., and Courtillot V. Correction to "Apparent and true polar wander and the geometry of the geomagnetic field over the last 200 Myr". J. Geophys. Res. 108 B10 (2003) 10.1029/2003JB00268
15. Bosworth, W., McClay, K., 2001. Structural and stratigraphic of the Gulf of Suez rift, Egypt: a synthesis. In: Ziegler, P.A., Cavazza, W, Robertson, A.H.F., Crasquin-Soleau, S. (Eds.), Peri-Tethys Memoir 6: Peritethyan Rift/wrench Basins and Passive Margins, vol. 186. Mém. Mus. Natl. Hist. Paris, pp. 567-606.
16. Bown, T.M., Kraus, M.J., 1988. Geology and Paleoenvironment of the Oligocene Jebel Qatrani Formation and Adjacent Rocks, Fayum Depression, Egypt. US Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 1452, 60 pp.
17. Brock A., Gibson I.L., and Gacii P. The Paleomagnetism of the Ethiopian flood basalt succession near Addis Ababa. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 19 (1970) 485-497
18. Butler R.F., Herve F., Munizaga F., Beck M.E., Burmester R.F., and Oviedo E.S. Paleomagnetism of the Patagonian Plateau basalts, Southern Chile and Argentina. J. Geophys. Res. 96 (1991) 6023-6034
19. Bylund G. Palaeomagnetism of dykes along the southern margin of the Baltic Shield. Geol. Foren. Stock. For. 96 (1974) 231-235
20. Constable C., and Tauxe L. The bootstrap of the magnetic susceptibility tensors. J. Geophys. Res. 95 (1990) 8383-8395
21. Courtillot, V., Besse, J., 2004. A long-term octupolar component in the geomagnetic field? (0-200 million years B.P.). In: Channell, E.T., Kent, D.V., Lowrie, W., Meert, J.G. (Eds.), American Geophysical Union Monograph on Timescales of the Paleomagnetic Field, Geophysical Monograph Series, vol. 145, pp. 59-74.
22. Dagley P., and Mussett A.E. Paleomagnetism of the Fishnish Dykes, Mull, Scotland. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 53 (1978) 553-558
23. Dames, W., 1883. Über eine Tertiäre Wirbeltierfauna von der westlichen Insel der Birket el-Qarun, im Fayum (Ägypten). Berlin, Sitzungsher. D. k. preuss. Akad. Wissensch. Pt.i, 129-153.
24. Deamer G.A., and Kodama K.P. Compaction-induced inclination shallowing in synthetic and natural clay-rich sediments. J. Geophys. Res. 95 (1990) 4511-4529
25. Demarest Jr. H.H. Error analysis for the determination of tectonic rotation from paleomagnetic data. J. Geophys. Res. 88 (1983) 4321-4328
26. Diehl J.F., Beck M.E., Beske-Diehl S., Jacobson D., and Hearn B.C. Paleomagnetism of the Late Cretaceous-early Tertiary north-central Montana alkalic province. J. Geophys. Res. 88 (1983) 10593-10609
27. Domning, D.P., Gingerich, P.D., 1994. Protosiren Smithae, New Species (Mammalia, Sirenia) from late Middle Eocene of Wadi Hitan, Egypt. Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan, vol. 29 (3), pp. 69-87.
28. Domning D.P., Gingerich P.D., Simons E.L., and Ankel-Simons F.A. A new early Oligocene Dugongid (Mammalia, Sirenia) from the Fayum province, Egypt. Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology vol. 29 (1994), University of Michigan pp. 89-108
29. Elewa A.M., Omar A.A., and Dakrory A.M. Biostratigraphical and paleoenvironmental studies on some Eocene ostracodes and foraminifera from the Fayoum Depression, Western Desert, Egypt. Egypt. J. Geol. 42 2 (1998) 439-469
30. El-Younsy, A.R., Mansour, H.H., Youssef, M.M., Makram, M.H.M., 1999. Facies, paleoenvironments and mineralogy of the upper Eocene-Oligocene sequence northwest of Birket Qarun, Fayum Depression, Western Desert, Egypt. In: Proceedings of the First International Conference on the Geology of Africa, Assiut, Egypt, vol. 1, pp. 137-159.
31. Faller A.M. Palaeomagnetism of the oldest Tertiary basalts in the Kangerdlugssuaq area of East Greenland. Bull. Geol. Soc. Denmark 24 (1975) 173-178
32. Faller A.M., and Soper N.J. Paleomagnetic evidence for the origin of the coastal flexure and dyke swarm in central E. Greenland J. Geol. Soc. 136 (1979) 737-744
33. Farahat, E.S., 1996. Petrological Studies of some Extrusive Igneous Rocks in the Western Desert, Minia District, Arab Republic of Egypt. M.Sc. Thesis, Fac. Sc., El-Minia University, 162 pp.
34. Fisher R.A. Dispersion on a sphere. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A217 (1953) 295-305
35. Flinn D. On folding during three-dimensional progressive deformation. Quart. J. Geol. Soc. London 118 (1962) 385-433
36. Flynn J.J. Correlation and geochronology of middle Eocene strata from the western United States. Palaeogeog. Palaeoclim. Palaeoecol. 55 (1986) 335-406
37. Fraas E. Neue Zeuglodonten aus dem unteren Mitteleocän vom Mokattam bei Cairo. Geol. Paläontol. Abh., Jena, Neue Folge 6 (1904) 197-220
38. Gaina C., Roest W.R., and Müller R.D. Late Cretaceous-Cenozoic deformation of northeast Asia. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 197 (2002) 273-286
39. Gingerich, P.D., 1992. Marine Mammals (Cetacea and Sirenea) from the Eocene of Gebel Mokattam and Fayum, Egypt: Stratigraphy, Age and Paleoenvironments. University of Michigan Papers on Paleontology, vol. 30, pp. 1-84.
40. Gingerich, P.D., Domning, D.P., Blane, C.E., Uhen, M.D., 1994. Cranial Morphology of Protosiren fraasi (Mammalia, Sirenia) from the Middle Eocene of Egypt: A New Study using Computed Tomography. Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan, vol. 29, 2, pp. 41-67.
41. Gingerich P.D., Smith D.H., and Simons E.L. Hind limbs of Basilosaurus: evidence of feet in whales. Science 249 (1990) 154-157
42. Gradstein F.M., Ogg J., and Smith A. A Geologic Time Scale 2004 (2004), Cambridge University Press pp. 384
43. Guiraud R., and Bosworth W. Phanerozoic geodynamic evolution of northeastern Africa and the northwestern Arabian Platform. Tectonophysics 315 (1999) 73-108
44. Haggag, M.A., 1990. Globigerina pseudoampliapertura Zone; A New Late Eocene Planktonic Foraminiferal Zone (Fayum Area, Egypt). N. Jb. Geol. Paläontol., Monatsh. 1990, Stuttgart, pp. 295-307.
45. Hailwood E.A. Configuration of the geomagnetic field in early Tertiary times. J. Geol. Soc. London 133 (1977) 23-36
46. Harlan S.S., Geissman J.W., Lageson D.R., and Snee L.W. Paleomagnetic and isotopic dating of thrust-belt deformation along the eastern edge of the Helena salient, northern Crazy Mountains Basin, Montana. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 100 (1988) 492-499
47. Heller F. Rock magnetic studies of Upper Jurassic limestones from southern Germany. J. Geophys. 44 (1978) 525-543
48. Hussain A.G., Schult A., and Soffel H.C. Paleomagnetism of basalts of Wadi Abu Tereifiya, Mandisha and dioritic dikes of Wadi Abu Shihat, Egypt. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 56 (1979) 55-61
49. Jackson M.J., Banerjee S.K., Marvin J.A., Lu R., and Gruber W. Detrital remanence, inclination errors, and anhysteretic remanence anisotropy: quantitative model and experimental results. Geophys. J. Int. 104 (1991) 95-103
50. Jelinek V. Statistical processing of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility measured on groups of specimens. Stud. Geophys. Geol. 22 (1978) 50-62
51. Kafafy A.M., Tarling D.H., ElGamili M.M., Hamama H.H., and Ibrahim E.H. Contributions to the Cretaceous-Tertiary paleomagnetism in the Nile valley, Egypt. Proc. Egypt. Acad. Sci. 45 (1995) 121-139
52. Kappelman J. The age of the Fayum primates as determined by paleomagnetic reversal stratigraphy. J. Human Evol. 22 (1992) 495-503
53. Kellogg, A.R., 1936. A Review of the Archaeoceti. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publications, vol. 482, pp. 1-366.
54. Kent D.V., and Dupuis C. Paleomagnetic study of the Paleocene-Eocene Tarawan chalk and Esna shale: dual polarity remagnetizations of Cenozoic sediments in the Nile Valley (Egypt). Micropalaeontology 49 1 (2003) 139-146
55. Khan M.A. The remanent magnetization of the basic Tertiary igneous rocks of Invernesshire. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 3 (1960) 45-62
56. Kim B., and Kodama K.P. A compaction correction for the paleomagnetism of the Nanaimo Group sedimentary rocks: implications for the Baja British Columbia hypothesis. J. Geophys. Res. 109 B2 (2004) B02102 10.1029/2003JB00269
57. Kirschvink J.R. The least-squares line and plane and the analysis of paleomagnetic data. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 62 (1980) 699-718
58. Kodama K.P. A successful rock magnetic technique for correcting paleomagnetic inclination shallowing: a case study of the Nacimiento formation, New Mexico. J. Geophys. Res. 102 (1997) 5193-5206
59. Lotfy H.I. The African Plate was still far south at the end of the Eocene: a paleomagnetic study on the late Eocene marine sediments in northeast Egypt. Bull. Fac. Sci., Assiut University 28 1-F (1999) 69-83
60. Lottes A.L., and Rowley D.B. Reconstruction of the Laurasian and Gondwana segments of Permian Pangaea. In: McKerrow W.S., and Scotese C.R. (Eds). Paleozoic Paleogeography and Biogeography. Geol. Soc. Lond. Mem vol. 12 (1990), Geological Society, London 383-395
61. Lowrie W. Identification of ferromagnetic minerals in a rock by coercivity and unblocking temperature properties. Geophys. Res. Lett. 17 2 (1990) 159-162
62. McElhinny M.W. Statistical significance of the fold test in paleomagnetism. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 8 (1964) 338-340
63. McElhinny M.W., Embleton B.J.J., and Wellman P. A synthesis of Australian Cenozoic paleomagnetic results. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 36 (1974) 141-151
64. McFadden P.L., and Lowes F.J. The discrimination of mean directions drawn from Fisher distributions. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 67 (1981) 19-33
65. McMahon B.E., and Strangway D.W. Stratigraphic implications of paleomagnetic data from upper Paleozoic-Lower Triassic red beds of Colorado. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 79 (1968) 417-428
66. Moustafa, A.R., El-Badrawy, R., Gibali, H., 1998. Pervasive E-ENE oriented faults in Northern Egypt and their effect on the development and inversion of prolific sedimentary basins. In: Proceedings of the 14th Petroleum Conference, October Exploration, vol. 1, Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, Cairo, pp. 51-67.
67. Moustafa Y.S. Critical observations on the occurrence of Fayum fossil vertebrates. Ann. Geol. Surv. Egypt 4 (1974) 41-78
68. Müller R.D., Royer J.-Y., and Lawver L.A. Revised plate motions relative to the hot spots from combined Atlantic and Indian Ocean hotspot tracks. Geology 21 (1993) 275-278
69. Müller R.D., Royer J.-Y., Cande S.C., Roest W.R., and Maschenkov S. New constraints on the Late Cretaceous/Tertiary plate tectonic evolution of the Caribbean. In: Mann P. (Ed). Caribbean Basins, Sedimentary Basins of the World vol. 4 (1999), Elsevier Science, New York, Amsterdam 33-59
70. Mussett A.E., Dagley P., and Eckford M. The British Tertiary igneous province: palaeomagnetism and age of dykes, Lundy Island, Bristol Channel. Geophys. J. R. Astr. Soc. 46 (1976) 595-603
71. Nairn A.E.M., and Negendank J. Paleomagnetic investigations of the Tertiary and Quaternary igneous rocks, VII. The Tertiary rocks of southwest Germany. Geol. Rundsch. 62 (1973) 126-137
72. Omar, A.A., 1999. Benthic Foraminifers of Wadi El-Rayan area, Fayoum province, Egypt (stratigraphy and paleoecology). In: GAW4, Proceedings of International Conference on Geology of the Arab World. Cairo University, pp. 905-923.
73. Patriat P., and Segoufin J. Reconstruction of the Central Indian Ocean. Tectonophysics 155 (1988) 211-234
74. Pouchan P., and Roche A. Etude paléomagnétique de formations volcaniques du territoire des Afars et Issas. C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris, D 272 (1971) 531-534
75. Raja P.K.S., and Vise J.B. Paleomagnetism of the Tororo ring Complex, SE Uganda. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 19 (1973) 438-442
76. Ramsay J. Folding and Fracturing of Rocks (1967), McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York
77. Rasmussen D.T., Bown T.M., and Simons E.L. The Eocene-Oligocene transition in continental Africa. In: Prothero D.R., and Berggren W.A. (Eds). Eocene-Oligocene Climatic and Biotic Evolution (1992), Princeton University Press, Princeton 548-566
78. Riisager J., Riisager P., and Pedersen A.K. Paleomagnetism of large igneous provinces: case study from west Greenland, North Atlantic province. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 214 (2003) 409-425
79. Riisager P., Riisager J., Abrahamsen N., and Waagstein R. New paleomagnetic pole and magnetostratigraphy of Faroe Islands flood volcanics, North Atlantic igneous province. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 201 (2002) 261-276
80. Robertson W.A. Palaeomagnetic results from some Sydney Basin igneous rock deposits. J. Proc. Roy. Soc. NSW 112 (1979) 31-35
81. Saber, S.G., 1998. Stratigraphy and Facies Analysis of the Eocene Rocks in the Area between Fayum and Nile Valley, Egypt. MERC, Ain Shams University, Earth Science Series, vol. 12, pp. 106-122.
82. Said R. The Geology of Egypt (1962), Elsevier Publ. Co., Amsterdam and New York pp. 377
83. Said R. Cenozoic. In: Said R. (Ed). The Geology of Egypt (1990), A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam 451-486
84. Salem R. Evaluation of Eocene-Miocene sedimentation patterns in parts of Northern Egypt. Am. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull. 60 (1976) 34-64
85. Schneider D.A., and Kent D.V. Testing models of the Tertiary paleomagnetic field. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 101 (1990) 260-271
86. Schult A. Paleomagnetism of Tertiary volcanic rocks from the Ethiopian Southern Plateau and the Danakil Block. J. Geophys. 40 (1974) 203-212
87. Schult A., and Soffel H.C. Paleomagnetism of Tertiary basalts from Lybia. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 32 (1973) 373-380
88. Schult A., Hussain A.G., and Soffel H.C. Paleomagnetism of Upper Cretaceous volcanics and Nubian sandstones of Wadi Natash, SE Egypt and implications for the polar wander path for Africa in the Mesozoic. J. Geophys. 50 (1981) 16-22
89. Schwarz E.J., Coleman L.C., and Cattroll H.M. Paleomagnetic results from Skaergaard Intrusion, East Greenland. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 42 (1979) 437-443
90. Shamah K., Khalifa M., and Abuel Ghar M. Stratigraphy of the middle Eocene succession from south El-Fayum province, Western Desert, Egypt. J. Fac. Sci., Menoufia University 8 (1994) 91-123
91. Sheriff S.D., and Shive P.N. The Rattlesnake Hills of central Wyoming revisited: further paleomagnetic results. Geophys. Res. Lett. 7 (1980) 589-592
92. Simons E.L., and Rasmussen D.T. Vertebrate paleontology of Fayum: history of research, faunal review and future prospects. In: Said R. (Ed). The Geology of Egypt (1990), A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam 627-638
93. Smith P.J. Tertiary geomagnetic field reversals in Scotland. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 1 (1966) 341-347
94. Stromer E. Zeuglodon-Reste aus dem oberen Mitteleocän des Fajum. Beiträge zur Paläontologie und Geologie Österreich-Ungarns und des Orients. Vienna 15 (1903) 65-100
95. Strougo A. The middle Eocene/upper Eocene transition in Egypt reconsidered. Neues Jahrb. Geol. Paläont. Abh. 186 1-2 (1992) 71-89
96. Strougo A., and Boukhary M. The middle Eocene-upper Eocene boundary in Egypt: Present state of the problem. Rev. Micropaleont. 30 (1987) 122-127
97. Strougo, A., Haggag, M.A., 1984. Contribution to the age determination of the Gehannam formation in the Fayum Province, Egypt. Neues Jahrb. Geol. Paläont., Monatshefte 1984, Stuttgart, 46-52.
98. Strougo, A., Hottinger, L., 1987. Biostratigraphic Significance of some Larger Foraminifera from Lower and Upper Eocene Rocks from Egypt. Middle East Research Center, Ain Shams University, Earth Sci. Res. Series, vol. 1, pp. 35-47.
99. Strougo A., Bignot G., Boukhary M., and Blondeau A. The upper Libyan (possibly Ypresian) carbonate platform in the Nile Valley, Egypt: biostratigraphic problems and paleoenvironments. Rev. Micropaleont. 33/1 (1990) 54-71
100. Sweedan, A.H., 1986. Contribution to the Geology of the Fayum Area. Ph.D. Thesis, Fac. Sci., Cairo Univ., 255 pp.
101. Tan X., and Kodama K.P. An analytical solution for correcting paleomagnetic inclination error. Geophys. J. Int. 152 (1998) 228-236
102. Tauxe L. Paleomagnetic Principles and Practice (1998), Kluwer, Norwell, Mass pp. 299
103. Tauxe L., Besse J., and LaBrecque J.L. Paleolatitudes from DSDP leg 73 sedimentary cores: implications for the apparent polar wander path for Africa during the late Mesozoic and Cenozoic. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 73 (1983) 315-324
104. Tikku A.A., and Cande S.C. On the fit of broken ridge and Kerguelen Plateau. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 180 (2000) 117-132
105. Torsvik T.H., Van der Voo R., Meert J.G., Mosar J., and Walderhaug H.J. Reconstructions of the continents around the North Atlantic at about the 60th parallel. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 187 (2001) 55-69
106. Uhen, M.D., 1996. Dorudon atrox (Mammalia, Cetacea): Form, Function and Phylogenetic Relationships of an Archaeocetus from the Late Middle Eocene of Egypt. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Michigan, 608 pp.
107. Uhen M.D. Form, Function and Anatomy of Dorudon Atrox (Mammalia, Cetacea): An Archaeocete from the Middle to Late Eocene of Egypt vol. 34 (2003), University of Michigan Papers on Paleontology pp. 222
108. Van der Voo R. Paleomagnetism of the Atlantic, Tethys and Iapetus Oceans (1993), Cambridge University Press pp. 411
109. Vondra C.F. Upper Eocene transitional and nearshore marine Qasr el Sagha Formation, Fayum Depression, Egypt. Annals Geol. Surv. Egypt 4 (1974) 79-94
110. Wellman P., McElhinny M.W., and McDougall I. On the polar wander path for Australia during the Cenozoic. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 18 (1969) 371-395
111. Wilson R.L., Hall J.M., and Dagley P. The British Tertiary igneous province: palaeomagnetism of the dyke swarm along the Sleat coast of Skye. Geophys. J.R. Astr. Soc. 68 (1982) 317-323
112. Zijderveld J.D.A. A.C. demagnetization of rocks. In: Collinson D.W., Creer K.M., and Runcorn S.K. (Eds). Methods in Paleomagnetism (1967), Elsevier, NewYork 256-286