University of Mosul College of Sciences

Early Cretaceous Early Eocene Tectonic Evolution of a Part of Zagros Foreland Basin Northern Iraq

A PH.D. Thesis

by

Rabeea Khalaf Hasan Znad

Msc. 1992

Supervised by

Dr. Kamal Haji Karim Professor 3414 A.H

Dr. Ibrahim Saad Al Jumaily Ass. Professor 2013 A.D

rabeeazinad@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT The Early Cretaceous Early Eocene tectonic evolution of a part of zagros foreland basin of high folded zone has been studied at northern Iraq. The stratigraphic sequence of studied area includes the Formations of Qamchuca, Bekhme, Shiranish, Aqra, Tanjero and Kolosh. It has been shown from this study that, during the cretaceous (Albian Cenomanian) there was a geodynamic shift from the passive margin phase to the foreland basin phase. The shift, however, took place on the northnortheastern margin of Arabian- Nubian Plate (ANP), the advance of continental margin of ANP toward subduction zone imposed a tectonic load leading to the formation of a flexural wave. The consequences of the last tectonic event were reflected by continuous deposition of carbonate Balambo formation in a foredeep depozone, concomitant with a flexural emergence of the continental shelf further to the west forming a forbulge depozone which was represented by deposition of reefal Qamchuqa formation. The configuration of wave can be traced through the formation of a back-bulge depozone leading to the deposition of Jawan and Sarmored formations according to their own tectonic setting The Megasequence boundary between AP8and AP9 is considered to be the representative of that geodynamic changes. The last sequence of the passive margin is Qamchuqa Fn. Which is called Later the Pre-orogenic Carbonate Platform, and separated from Bekhme Fn. by regional unconformity. The Last one is represented by the Lower Sequence of the foreland basin, which is called later the syn-orogenic carbonate platform. The Rheological properties of the Arabian Lithosphere and the structural properties of the inherited structures have led to inhomogeneity of created the forebulge (Qamchuqa Fn.). These represent the height and extension parallel with (along Strike) the front of orogeny during the approaching of the Plates convergence. Other effects are on the sequence stratigraphy in the study area, as well as the effect of geographical distribution of the contact between Ap8/Ap9 (forebulge unconformity) from the southern east (Sulaimania District) toward the northern west, parallel to the front of orogen, where the stratgraphic gap between Qamchuqa Fn. and other youngest Fns. are getting successively larger.

During the middle Campanian, the zagros foreland basin started with the underfilled stage, and it was entirely clear by the end of Cretaceous comprising a broad threefold subdivision of depositional realms that translated into three stratigraphic units known as- trinity underfilled units- of foreland basin. The lower carbonate unit represented by Bekhme formation,the pelagic and hemipelagic unit are represented by Shiranish formation, while the upper flysch clastic unit is represented by Tanjero formation. All these units were superimposed during basin migration and they tend to get younger in the direction opposite to the advancing orogenic wedge toward Arabian craton. In Rawandoz, Bekhme and Shaqlawa areas, the contact between Shiranish and Bekhme formations has been studied from the fossiliferous point of view. Calcareous nanofossiliferous assemblages have been used to verify that the base of the Shiranish Fn. is in the lower part of the Late Campanian, and in the Middle Campanian for the zones of Bekhme, Shaqlawa and Rawandoz Successively. The older age of the base of the Shiranish Fn. in Rawanduz area is attributed to early drowning (flexing downward) of the Arabian platform under the effect of progressive advancing tectonic load of the orogenic wedge toward Arabian craton. According to the aforementioned discussion evidence, the progressive velocity of the orogenic wedge during the estimated period was (12.10 11.02, 3mm/year), and the paleodrowning line, was generally trending north-south. Interpretation of the Isopach map of kolosh fn. revealed the tectonic effect on the aerial spreading of this formation such a distribution is characterized by non-deposition on the forebulge depozone (the present Amadiya, Gara and Aqra anticlines) which were exposed at that time, while this Formation was deposited in the foredeep and back-bulge depozone. This forebulge was also hindering the spreading Tanjero formation southwest the line joined between Gara, Aqra and Harir Anticlines. Two of parallel main depocenters of kolosh Fn. which extends northwest- southeast, have been identified. The First is called Kand-Dohuk basin with its axis deviated by (35) degrees clockwise from the current axis of Bekhair anticline, and more than (80) degrees from the axes of Matin and Gara anticlines.

The second, which extends northwest-southeast, is called Shaqlawa basin, it represents an extension of the deposition Kolosh formation in foredeep basin.The hight of forebulge zone could not be an obstacle to the transportation of sediments, especially after the sedimentation of upper part of Kolosh formation during the filling stage of foredeep. This basin deviates (15) degree clockwise from the current axis of Safin anticline and extended southeast out of the Study Area. The anticlockwise rotation of Arabian Plate and its oblique collision with the Eurasian Plate as well as the reactivation of the basement faults during the paroxysmal phase of orogeny in Pliocene produced structures which differently oriented than the orientation of the existing basin during the Late Cretaceous Paleocene. The link between tectonic lithosphere proposed in the Model and the facts of the sedimentary stratigraphy situations in the study area, demonstrate that the Zagros Foreland Basin belong to(Broken Foreland Basin).