Nature of the Paleocene/Eocene (P/E) boundary in Sinai, Egypt

Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of African Earth Sciences journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jafrearsci Nature of the Paleocene/Eocene (P/E) boundary in Sinai, Egypt Nageh A. Obaidalla a, Nasr A. Abdel-Maksoud a, Atef M. Hosny b, Kamel H. Mahfouz b, * a b Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Egypt Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut Branch, Egypt a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t Article history: Received 24 October 2016 Received in revised form 27 December 2016 Accepted 3 January 2017 Available online 22 February 2017 The P/E boundary is studied at eight stratigraphic sections in Sinai, Egypt, which are nearly distributed in a stratigraphic profile from north to south as follows: Al-Hasanah, Sudr Al-Hitan, Wadi Sudr, Al-Thamad, Abu Qada, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran. This study includes field, litho- and biostratigraphic analyses that enabled to delineate several hiatuses which may be due to the occurrence of tectonic activity that may be related to the echo of the Syrian Arc Orogeny at the P/E boundary. Generally, in Egypt the P/E boundary is marked by the occurrence of distinctive five beds, named by El Dababiya Quarry Member. At Wadi Nukhul, Wadi Matulla and Wadi Feiran sections, El Dababiya Quarry Member is well represented and the P/E boundary is conformable and resembles the GSSP section. Although El Dababiya Quarry Member is represented at Al-Hasanah section, the P/E boundary is marked by the occurrence of a minor hiatus at the end of Paleocene. Moreover, at Al Thamad section, El Dababiya Quarry Member is partially represented. On the other hand, at Sudr Al-Hitan, Wadi Sudr and Abu Qada sections, El Dababiya Quarry Member is completely absent due to a major hiatus. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Paleocene/Eocene boundary Litho-, biostratigraphy Syrian Arc Orogeny Sinai, Egypt 1. Introduction The P-E successions are widely distributed in Sinai, Egypt. These successions are represented by extensive deposits of siliciclastic facies (shale) and carbonate facies (calcareous shale and limestone) that reflected periodic transgressions and regressions and the shifting of local and regional depositional setting. In Egypt, Dupuis et al. (2003) defined the P/E boundary (GSSP) at the base of El Dababiya Quarry Beds in subsection DBH within the lower part of the Esna Formation at the level in which isotope studies have identified the beginning of the Carbon Isotope Excursion (CIE) and the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). Aubry et al. (2007) raised the lithostratigraphic rank of El Dababiya Quarry Beds into El Dababiya Quarry Member. Also, there are many complete P/E sections in Egypt such as El-Qreiya (Berggren and Ouda, 2003b; Knox et al., 2003) and Wadi Tarfa (Obaidalla, 2006). The P-E sequences in Egypt have been studied by different workers such as El-Nagger (1966), Abdel-kireem and Abdou (1979), Abdel-Kireem and Samir (1995), Speijer et al. (1996, 1997, 2000), * Corresponding author. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (N.A. Obaidalla), atef_hosny_62@yahoo. com (A.M. Hosny), [email protected] (K.H. Mahfouz). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2017.01.036 1464-343X/© 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Charisi and Schmitz (1995), Schmitz et al. (1996, 1997), Aubry et al. (1999), Obaidalla (1999, 2000), Bolle et al. (2000), Khozyem et al. (2013), Farouk (2016) and Farouk et al. (2016). There is a controversy in the definition of the P/E boundary in all these studies. Dupuis et al. (2003), Berggren and Ouda (2003a,b), Berggren et al. (2003), Knox et al. (2003), Soliman (2003), Kent and Dupuis (2003), Ouda and Berggren (2003), Ouda et al. (2003), Obaidalla (2006), Aubry et al. (2007), Obaidalla et al. (2015), El-Dawy et al. (2016), and Ouda et al. (2016a,b) accurately defined the P/E boundary at the base of El Dababiya Quarry Member and correlated it with the Morozovella velascoensis (P5)/Acarinina sibaiyaensis (E1) zonal boundary. Discussion of the nature of the P/E boundary in Sinai is the main aim of the present study, by using high-resolution field analyses and planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy for determining the missing intervals of the hiatuses. For achieve this goal, eight sections are studied. These sections are nearly distributed in a stratigraphic profile from north to south as follow (Fig. 1): 1- Al-Hasanah (30 230 4100 N and 33 430 1800 E), 2Sudr Al-Hitan (30 000 5700 N and 33 110 4300 E), 3- Wadi Sudr (29 510 1300 N and 33 070 4000 E), 4- Al-Thamad (29 410 1200 N and 34 110 1000 E), 5- Abu Qada (29 200 5300 N and 33 060 0600 E), 6- Wadi Matulla (29 040 4600 N and 33 090 5500 E), 7- Wadi Nukhul (29 020 0700 N and 33 110 4600 E) and 8- Wadi Feiran (28 460 4700 N and 33 240 2900 E). These sections are measured, described, and sampled in N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 45 Fig. 1. Mosaic of Landsat TM images (Scenes) showing the locations of the study sections; 1- Al-Hasanah, 2- Sudr Al-Hitan, 3- Wadi Sudr, 4- Al-Thamad, 5- Abu Qada, 6- Wadi Matulla, 7- Wadi Nukhul and 8- Wadi Feiran. detail. General legend for symbols used in the present work has been illustrated in Fig. 2. The intervals of these samples vary and reach about 5 cm around the P/E boundary. The sediments are trenched to remove surface contaminations and obtain fresh unweathered bed rock. Samples were disaggregated in water and washed through a 63 mm sieve. This procedure is repeated until foraminifera with clean surface texture were recorded. The planktonic foraminiferal species are picked, identified and mounted on micro slides for permanent record. The identified planktonic foraminifera species are photographed using the Scanning Electron Microscope (JSM 5400 LD), at Assiut University. 2. Geologic setting Sinai Peninsula is located between African in the west, Arabian plates in the east and Mediterranean Sea in the north. The Syrian Arc structures attain more northerly to end aligning themselves with the sinistral Dead Sea fault system and the Pelusium line to the east and northeast of Sinai (Jenkins, 1990). Agah (1981) believed that, the Syrian Arc Mountains in Sinai were initiated in the Late Paleozoic, reactivated throughout the Mesozoic Era and the deformation climaxed in the Oligocene. Coleman (1981) suggested that, this fold system is closely related to the compression stresses between the Afro-Arabian and Eurasian plates, which led to the 46 N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 Syrian Arc Mountains (e.g. Yelleq, Halal and Minshirah). The facies of these rocks are siliciclastic and change to carbonate upward. These sediments were accumulated in local synforms (sub-basins) between the high antiforms of the Syrian Arc Orogeny. Further northward, these strata are often absent as a result of the uplift and/ or erosion (Jenkins, 1990). In the south of Sinai, the P-E rocks are well exposed and attain thickness more than these of the north Sinai. Said (1962) suggested that the P-E sediments basin were subjected to tectonic events especially toward the north of Egypt (unstable shelf). These tectonic events are generated by the plate movements in the Tethyan realm (Kerdany and Cherif, 1990; Keheila, 1999). 3. Lithostratigraphy The Late Paleocene-Early Eocene sediments in Sinai are differentiated into three major lithostratigraphic units. These units are stratigraphically arranged into: Tarawan, Esna and Thebes formations. 3.1. Tarawan Formation (Awad and Ghobrial, 1965) Fig. 2. Symbols of the rocks at all the study sections. closure of Tethys Ocean. The P-E sediments are well exposed in Sinai, Egypt and rest unconformably on the CampanianMaastrichtian strata which is represented by the chalky limestone of Sudr Formation throughout Sinai except for Wadi Matulla and Wadi Nukhul sections where this relationship is conformable (Obaidalla, 2005; Obaidalla et al., 2013). The chalky limestone of Sudr Formation grades upward into argillaceous limestone and marl. The P-E strata are represented by four rock units namely from base to top: Dakhla (shale), Tarawan (chalky limestone), Esna (shale) and Thebes (limestone) formations. In the north of Sinai at Al-Hasanah section, the P-E rocks are exposed on the flanks of the Tarawan Formation composes of yellowish white and light gray chalky limestone, with some intercalations of calcareous shale. The thickness of Tarawan Formation ranges from 1.5 m thick at AlThamad section to 7.3 m thick at Wadi Sudr section (Fig. 3). At all the study sections, Tarawan Formation is conformably overlain by the Esna Formation, except for Sudr Al-Hitan and Wadi Sudr sections, where it is unconformably overlain by Thebes Formation. This unconformity is marked by the occurrence of paleosol between Tarawan and Thebes formations (Fig. 4B). 3.2. Esna Formation (Said, 1962) Esna Formation consists of greenish gray, dark gray shale, with some intercalations of calcareous shale. The distribution of Esna formation changes laterally and vertically from place to another one. It exhibits a lateral and vertical variation in their lithology and thicknesses. The thickness of Esna Formation reaches its maximum Fig. 3. The distribution and thicknesses of the study rock units and their samples at all the study sections. N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 47 Fig. 4. A. Field photograph showing El Dababiya Quarry Member at Al-Hasanah section, B. Field photograph showing the paleosol layer between the Tarawan and the Thebes formations at Sudr Al-Hitan section, C. Field photograph showing El Dababiya Quarry Member at Al-Thamad section, D. Field photograph showing the erosive surface at Esna and Thebes formational boundary at Abu Qada section, E. Field photograph showing El Dababiya Quarry Member at Wadi Matulla section, F. Field photograph showing El Dababiya Quarry Member at Wadi Nukhul section, G. Field photograph showing El Dababiya Quarry Member at Wadi Feiran section, H. Photograph showing the fish skeleton print in bed 2 within El Dababiya Quarry Member at Wadi Feiran section (x ¼ 2). thickness at Wadi Matulla section (about 30.8 m thick), while it is represented by minimum thickness at Abu Qada and Al-Thamad sections (Fig. 3). On the other hand, it is absent at Sudr Al-Hitan and Wadi Sudr sections. Aubry et al. (2007) subdivided Esna Formation into four members; these members are well recorded in the present study and arranged from base to top as follows (Fig. 5): 3.2.1. El-Hanadi Member (Abdel-Razik, 1972) Abdel-Razik (1972) defined the pure shale facies rest on Tarawan Formation as El-Hanadi Member. Aubry et al. (2007) amended the definition of Abdel-Razik (1972) and define El-Hanadi Member to cover the interval between the chalky limestone facies of Tarawan Formation at base and the distinctive phosphatic shale-marly calcarenite limestone facies of El Dababiya Quarry Member at top (Fig. 6). At the study sections, El-Hanadi Member is mainly composed of greenish gray, dark gray shale, with some intercalations of calcareous shale. The thickness of El-Hanadi Member ranges from about 1 m thick at Wadi Feiran section to about 9.5 m thick at Wadi Matulla section (Fig. 3). At Al-Thamad, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections, El-Hanadi Member 48 N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 Fig. 5. A. Field photograph showing the different rock units of Wadi Nukhul section, B. Field photograph showing the different rock units of Wadi Matulla section. is conformably overlain by El Dababiya Quarry Member. At AlHasanah section, there is a minor hiatus between El-Hanadi and El Dababiya Quarry members due to the missing of the latest Paleocene sediments. At Abu Qada section, El-Hanadi Member is unconformably overlain by Thebes Formation. This is documented by the occurrence of erosive surface at the base of Thebes Formation (Fig. 4D). At Sudr Al-Hitan and Wadi Sudr sections, Esna Formation is completely absent and there is a paleosol at the base of the Thebes Formation (Fig. 4B). 3.2.2. El Dababiya Quarry Member (Aubry et al., 2007) This member consists of five remarkable beds, Bed 1 is black clay layer; Bed 2 is thin laminated fish skeletons-rich brown shale; Bed 3 is creamy coprolites-rich shale; Bed 4 is shale, which changes upward into calcareous shale; Bed 5 is limestone. These beds occupy the stratigraphical interval between the underlying El-Hanadi Member and the overlying El-Mahmiya Member where they reflect the biotic and geochemical events associated with the global warming at the P/E boundary. El Dababiya Quarry Member is well N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 49 Fig. 6. Correlation of the rock units of the present work with some pervious works. represented at Al-Hasanah, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections (Figs. 4, 5, 7 and 8) and resembles the GSSP (Dupuis et al., 2003; Aubry et al., 2007) and other P/E complete sections in Egypt such as Qreiya (Berggren and Ouda, 2003b; Knox et al., 2003) and Wadi Tarfa (Obaidalla, 2006). It is conformably overlain by ElMahmiya Member at these sections. At Al-Thamad section, El Dababiya Quarry Member is partially represent as a result of the absence of beds 4&5. On the other hand, it is completely missing at the remainder sections due to a hiatus at the P/E boundary. Generally, the thickness of El Dababiya Quarry Member is variable from place to another one in Egypt. In the present study, the thickness of El Dababiya Quarry Member ranges from about 0.35 m thick at Al-Thamad section to about 1.35 m thick at Wadi Nukhul section (Fig. 3). 3.2.3. El- Mahmiya Member (Aubry et al., 2007) It composes of dark shale without marked bedding and low calcium carbonate content (<50%) and with clear cyclic color variations (Dupuis et al., 2003). At the study sections, El-Mahmiya Member is mainly composed of dark gray shale. The thickness of El-Mahmiya Member ranges from about 1.65 m thick at Al-Thamad section to about 10.5 m thick at Wadi Matulla section (Fig. 3). ElMahmiya Member is conformably overlain by the Abu Had Member at Al-Hasanah, Al-Thamad, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections. 3.2.4. Abu Had Member (Abdel-Razik, 1972) This member composes of siliciclastic facies (shale) which are marked by the intercalation of limestone beds at the base of Thebes Formation (Abdel-Razik, 1972). He (op. cit) considered it as a member of Thebes Formation. On the other hand, Aubry et al. (2007) considered Abu Had Member as a member of Esna Formation because of the clear-cut contact between the massive limestones of the Thebes Formation and the underlying shale of Esna Formation. At the study sections, Abu Had Member is only recoded at Al-Hasanah, Al-Thamad, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections. Abu Had Member rests conformably over ElMahmiya Member in these sections. It represents the vertical gradational change from the siliciclastic facies of Esna Formation to the carbonate facies of Thebes Formation. The thickness of Abu Had Member ranges from about 2 m thick at Al-Thamad section to about 9.8 m thick at Wadi Matulla section (Fig. 3). Fig. 7. Lithostratigraphic correlation showing the beds of El Dababiya Quarry Member along north-south profile. 50 N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 Fig. 8. Lithostratigraphic correlation showing the beds of El Dababiya Quarry Member along east-west profile. Fig. 9. Litho-, bio-stratigraphy and range chart of the important planktonic foraminiferal species across the P-E succession at Al-Hasanah section. N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 51 Fig. 10. Litho-, bio-stratigraphy and range chart of the important planktonic foraminiferal species across the P-E succession at Sudr Al-Hitan section. 3.3. Thebes Formation (Said, 1960) This formation consists of yellowish white limestone with many flint bands. The lower part of Thebes Formation is only considered here. The thickness of Thebes Formation (lower part) ranges from about 1.9 m thick at Wadi Feiran section to about 13.4 m thick at Sudr Al-Hitan section (Fig. 3). 4. Biostratigraphy According to the important planktonic foraminiferal species, eight zones for the Late Paleocene-Early Eocene interval are recognized in the study sections (Figs. 9e16, Plates 1 and 2). The planktonic foraminiferal zonal scheme of Berggren and Pearson (2005) for the Paleogene is here applied with minor modification. The proposed planktonic foraminiferal zones, their definition and occurrence in the study sections are arranged in stratigraphic order as follows: 4.1. Acarinina subsphaerica (P4b) Zone Ac. subsphaerica Zone was defined by Berggren and Pearson (2005) as a Partial-Range Zone from the highest occurrence (HO) of Parasubbotina variospira (Belford) to the lowest occurrence (LO) €nnimann). This Zone is conformably overlain of Ac. soldadoensis (Bro by the Late Paleocene Ac. soldadoensis/Globanomalina pseudomenardii (P4c) Zone at all study sections (Figs. 9e16). 4.2. Acarinina soldadoensis/Globanomalina pseudomenardii (P4c) Zone This zone was defined by Berggren et al. (1995) as a ConcurrentRange Zone to cover the interval from the LO of Ac. soldadoensis €nnimann) to the HO of the G. pseudomenardii (Bolli). Ac. sol(Bro dadoensis/G. pseudomenardii Zone is conformably overlain by the Morozovella velascoensis (P5) Zone at Al-Thamad, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections. It is unconformably overlain by the earliest Eocene Ac. sibaiyaensis (E1) Zone at Al-Hasanah section; and by the Late Ypresian M. aragonensis/M. subbotinae (E5) Zone at Sudr Al-Hitan, Wadi Sudr and Abu Qada sections. 4.3. Morozovella velascoensis (P5) Zone It was defined by Berggren and Pearson (2005) as a PartialRange Zone from the HO of G. pseudomenardii (Bolli) to the LO of the Ac. sibaiyaensis (El Naggar). M. velascoensis Zone covers the interval of pre PETM event. It is conformably overlain by the earliest Ypresian Ac. sibaiyaensis (E1) Zone at Al-Thamad, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections. On the other hand, M. velascoensis Zone is absent at the remainder ones due to the occurrence of a hiatus at the latest Paleocene. 4.4. Acarinina sibaiyaensis (E1) Zone Ac. sibaiyaensis Zone was defined by Pardo et al. (1999) as a 52 N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 Fig. 11. Litho-, bio-stratigraphy and range chart of the important planktonic foraminiferal species across the P-E succession at Wadi Sudr section. Lowest-Occurrence Zone from the LO of the nominate taxon to the LO of Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis (Cushman & Ponton). Berggren and Ouda (2003a,b) and Berggren and Pearson (2005) used this zone to recognize the earliest Eocene which characterizes the onset of PETM. Ac. sibaiyaensis (E1) Zone is well represented at AlHasanah, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections. At these sections, Ac. sibaiyaensis Zone is conformably overlain by the Early Ypresian Ps. wilcoxensis/M. velascoensis (E2) Zone. At AlThamad section this zone is unconformably overlain by the Middle Ypresian M. subbotinae (E3) Zone due to a minor hiatus at the Early Eocene. 4.5. Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis/Morozovella velascoensis (E2) Zone This zone was defined by Berggren and Pearson (2005) as a Concurrent-Range Zone from the LO Ps. wilcoxensis (Cushman & Ponton) to the HO of M. velascoensis (Cushman). It is completely equivalent to Ps. wilcoxensis Subzone of Molina et al. (1999) and the upper part of M. velascoensis (P5) Zone of Berggren et al. (1995) (Fig. 17). The Early Ypresian Ps. wilcoxensis/M. velascoensis Zone is represented at Al-Hasanah, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections and conformably overlain by the Middle Ypresian M. subbotinae (E3) Zone. At Sudr Al-Hitan, Wadi Sudr and Abu Qada sections, the latest Paleocene (M. velascoensis, P5) and the Early Eocene (Ac. sibaiyaensis, E1; Ps. wilcoxensis/M. velascoensis, E2; M. subbotinae E3; M. formosa, E4) zones are missing due to the occurrence of a major hiatus at the P/E boundary. This hiatus is supported by the occurrence of paleosol and erosive surface (Fig. 4B and D). 4.6. Morozovella subbotinae (E3) Zone It was defined by Molina et al. (1999) as Partial-Range Zone from the HO M. velascoensis (Cushman) to the LO of M. formosa (Bolli). M. subbotinae Zone is coeval to M. marginodentata Zone of Berggren and Pearson (2005) (Fig. 17). The Middle Ypresian M. subbotinae (E3) Zone is conformably overlain by the Late Ypresian M. formosa (E4) Zone at Al-Hasanah, Al-Thamad, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections. 4.7. Morozovella formosa (E4) Zone M. formosa (E4) Zone was defined by Berggren and Pearson (2005) as a Lowest-Occurrence Zone from the LO of the nominate taxon to the LO of M. aragonensis (Nuttall). This zone is conformably N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 53 Fig. 12. Litho-, bio-stratigraphy and range chart of the important planktonic foraminiferal species across the P-E succession at Al-Thamad section. Fig. 13. Litho-, bio-stratigraphy and range chart of the important planktonic foraminiferal species across the P-E succession at Abu Qada section. overlain by M. aragonensis/M. subbotinae (E5) Zone at Al-Hasanah, Al-Thamad, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections. 4.8. Morozovella aragonensis/Morozovella subbotinae (E5) Zone This zone was defined by Berggren and Pearson (2005) as a Concurrent-Range Zone from the LO of M. aragonensis (Nuttall) to the HO of M. subbotinae (Morozova). This zone is equivalent to the M. aragonensis/M. formosa Zone (P7) of Berggren et al., 1995 (Fig. 17). M. aragonensis/M. subbotinae (E5) Zone covers the uppermost part of the study sections (the basal part of Thebes Formation). 54 N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 Fig. 14. Litho-, bio-stratigraphy and range chart of the important planktonic foraminiferal species across the P-E succession at Wadi Matulla section. 5. The P/E boundary The P/E boundary at ~55 Ma is marked by a global warming event named as PETM, formerly known as the Late Paleocene Thermal Maximum LPTM by Zachos et al. (1993). It is coincident with an abrupt change in d C13 in marine and terrestrial sequences and abrupt extinction of in benthonic foraminifera (Kennett and Stott, 1991; Pak and Miller, 1992; Kaiho et al., 1996). The signatures of this event are recorded in five distinctive beds of El Dababiya Quarry Member in Egypt (Dupuis et al., 2003; Aubry et al., 2007). N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 55 Fig. 15. Litho-, bio-stratigraphy and range chart of the important planktonic foraminiferal species across the P-E succession at Wadi Nukhul section. In the present study, these beds completely occur at Al-Hasanah section toward the north of Sinai and at Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections toward the south of Sinai, where they represent continuous sedimentation (Figs. 4, 5, 7 and 8). This continuous sedimentation is here documented by the detection of the earliest Eocene planktonic foraminiferal Ac. sibaiyaensis (E1) Zone, corresponding to the PETM/CIE interval. On the other hand, Khozyem et al. (2013) studied the paleoenvironmental and climatic changes during the PETM at Wadi Nukhul section, Sinai, Egypt, and believed that the P/E boundary is marked by a short hiatus, and this is misleading due to the following facts: 1) They (op. cit) placed the boundary within the upper part of Esna Formation at the base of Abu Had Member (see their figure 1, page 342), but the P/E boundary significantly lies within the lower part of Esna Formation at the base of El Dababiya Quarry Member at the GSSP as well as the present study; 2) Although the formal subdivisions of Esna Formation are well represented at Wadi Nukhul as observed in their work (see their figure 1, page 342), they ignored this subdivisions, 3) The P/E boundary in the present study is stratigraphically about 9 m (Figs. 5A and 15) below that of Khozyem et al. (2013). Also, Farouk (2016) and Farouk et al. (2016) studied two sections (AlThamad and Gebel Matulla), in Sinai, Egypt. Although, they defined complete calcareous planktonic (foraminifera and nannofossils) zonal schemes, they noted that there is a hiatus at the P/E boundary, without any field or lithostratigraphic evidences. These authors were not analyzed in details El Dababiya Quarry Member in their works. The latest Paleocene (pre PETM event) sediments at Al-Hasanah are missing due to a minor hiatus. This hiatus is documented by the absence of M. velascoensis (P5) Zone. On the other hand, toward east of Sinai at Al-Thamad section, the beds of El Dababiya Quarry Member are represented partially by beds 1e3, whereas beds 4e5 and the lower part of El Mahmiya Member are missing due to a minor hiatus at this time. This is supported by the absence of the upper part of Ac. sibaiyaensis (E1) and Ps. wilcoxensis/M. velascoensis (E2) zones of the Early Eocene age. The previous two hiatuses are 56 N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 Fig. 16. Litho-, bio-stratigraphy and range chart of the important planktonic foraminiferal species across the P-E succession at Wadi Feiran section. Fig. 17. Comparison between the present planktonic foraminiferal zones with some local and international ones. related to the occurrence of submarine tectonic structure. On the other hand, El Dababiya Quarry Member is completely missing at Sudr Al-Hitan, Wadi Sudr and Abu Qada sections at the middle part between the north and south of Sinai, due to the occurrence of a major hiatus at the P/E boundary. This is biostratigraphically documented by the absence of the Late Paleocene-Early Eocene planktonic foraminiferal zones, M. velascoensis (P5), Ac. sibaiyaensis (E1), Ps. wilcoxensis/M. velascoensis (E2), M. subbotinae (E3) and M. formosa (E4). The field criteria of this event are the occurrence of a paleosol and erosion surface at these sections. This indicates that, the area between Sudr Al-Hitan toward north of Sinai and Abu Qada toward the south of Sinai was aerial positive tectonic structure during the latest Paleocene- Early Eocene age. These tectonic activities might be related to the collision between Africa/Arabia and Eurasia plates during the closure of the Neotethys Ocean, which may have prompted the development of the Syrian Arc Orogeny in northern Egypt (Argyriadis et al., 1980; Sengor and Yilmaz, 1981; Sengor et al., 1984; Robertson and Dixon, 1984; Moustafa and Khalil, 1989). The Syrian Arc Orogeny took placed during the Late Cretaceous (Turonian Age) and continued until the Early Eocene (Robertson and Dixon, 1984). N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 57 Plate 1. (Scale bar is 100 mm): 1e2. Subbotina linaperta (Finlay), sample no. 15, Wadi Feiran section; 3e4. Subbotina triloculinoides (Plummer), sample no. 16, Abu Qada section; 5e6. Acarinina africana (El Naggar), sample no. 18, Wadi Nukhul section; 7e8. Acarinina angulosa (Bolli), sample no. 16, Abu Qada section; 9e10. Acarinina esnehensis (Nakkady), sample no. 16, Abu Qada section; 11e12. Acarinina mckannai (White), sample no. 17, Al-Thamad section; 13e14. Acarinina sibaiyaensis (El Naggar), sample no. 18, Wadi Nukhul € nnimann), sample no. 10, Abu Qada section; 17e18. Acarinina subsphaerica (Subbotina), sample no. 13, Wadi Sudr section; 19e20. section; 15e16. Acarinina soldadoensis (Bro Acarinina wilcoxensis (Cushman &Ponton), sample no. 27, Wadi Sudr section. 6. Conclusions The Late Paleocene-Early Eocene sequences are well represented in Sinai. Eight stratigraphic sections are measured in approximately north-south profile, Al-Hasanah, Sudr Al-Hitan, Wadi Sudr, Al-Thamad, Abu Qada, Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran. Lithostratigraphically, three formations have been recorded within the study area, namely, Tarawan, Esna and Thebes. The distinctive four members of Esna Formation are recorded at most of the study sections. These members are arranged in a stratigraphic order as follow: El-Hanadi, El Dababiya Quarry, ElMahmiya and Abu Had. The P/E boundary lies at the base of El Dababiya Quarry Member, which consists of five distinctive beds arranged from base to top: black clay layer, fish skeleton-rich thin laminated phosphatic brown shale, creamy coprolite phosphatic shale, calcareous shale and limestone. The base of this member is 58 N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 Plate 2. (Scale bar is 100 mm): 1e2. Morozovella aequa (Cushman & Renz), sample no. 10, Abu Qada section; 3e4. Morozovella allisonensis Kelly, Bralower & Zachos, sample no. 18, Wadi Nukhul section; 5e6. Morozovella aragonensis (Nuttall), sample no. 17, Abu Qada section; 7e8. Morozovella edgari (Premoli Silva & Bolli), sample no. 20, Wadi Sudr section; 9e10. Morozovella formosa (Bolli), sample no. 20, Al-Thamad section; 11e12. Morozovella gracilis (Bolli), sample no. 39, Wadi Nukhul section; 13e14. Morozovella subbotinae (Morozova), sample no. 17, Abu Qada section; 15e16. Morozovella velascoensis (Cushman), sample no. 4, Al-Thamad section; 17e18. Globanomalina pseudomenardii (Bolli), sample no. 4, Al-Thamad section; 19e20. Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis (Cushman &Ponton), sample no. 15, Wadi Feiran section. coeval to the PETM which corresponds to the CIE, and coincides with the Benthonic Extinction Event (BEE). Depending on the vertical distribution of the planktonic foraminiferal species, eight planktonic foraminiferal zones are identified: Ac. subsphaerica (P4b), Ac. soldadoensis/G. Pseudomenardii (P4c), M. velascoensis (P5) for the Late Paleocene (Selandian-Thanetian Age), Ac. Sibaiyaensis (E1), Ps. wilcoxensis/M. velascoensis (E2), M. subbotinae (E3), M. formosa (E4) and M. aragonensis/M. subbotinae (E5) for the Early Eocene (Ypresian age). These zones are applied in the age dating of the different rock units, detecting the hiatuses and defining the P/E boundary. The P/E boundary in the south of Sinai at Wadi Matulla, Wadi Nukhul and Wadi Feiran sections is complete due to the continuous sedimentation during the Late Paleocene-Early Eocene age. This boundary at these sections resembles the GSSP section at the Dababiya Village, south Luxor City. It lies at the M. velascoensis (P5)/ N.A. Obaidalla et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 136 (2017) 44e60 Ac. sibaiyaensis (E1) zonal boundary. At Al-Hasanah in the north of Sinai, the P/E boundary is marked by the occurrence of a minor hiatus, due to nondeposition of the latest Paleocene sediments, belonging to the M. velascoensis (P5) Zone. Also, at Al-Thamad in the east of Sinai, the beds 4 & 5 of El Dababiya Quarry Member and the lower part of El Mahmiya Member which are covered by the upper part of Ac. sibaiyaensis (E1) and Ps. wilcoxensis/M. velascoensis (E2) zones are missing due to a hiatus during the Early Eocene Age. These two hiatuses may be related to tectonic events which form a submarine tectonic structure during the latest Paleocene at AlHasanah section and the Early Eocene at Al-Thamad section. On the other hand, at Sudr Al-Hitan, Wadi Sudr and Abu Qada sections in the middle area between the north and the south of Sinai, there is a major hiatus may be due to the occurrence of a tectonic event which has led to form an aerial tectonic structure during the latest Paleocene- Early Eocene age. This aerial tectonic structure is evidenced by the occurrences of erosive surface at Abu Qada section and paleosol at Sudr Al-Hitan and Wadi Sudr sections. 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Faris, M., Ayyad, S., EI Nahass, H., Al-Wosabi, K.A., 2005b. Integrated Planktonic and Calcareous Nannofossil Biostratigraphy of the Upper Cretaceous-Lower Eocene Formations, West Central Sinai, Egypt. In: Proc. 4th International Conference on the Geology of Africa, Assiut University, Egypt, vol. 2, pp. 769e791. Toumarkine, M., Luterbacher, H.P., 1985. Paleocene and Eocene Planktic Foraminifera. In: Bolli, H.M., Saunders, J.B., Perch-Nielsen, K. (Eds.), Plankton Stratigraphy. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp. 87e154. €like, H., 2011. Review and revision of Wade, B.S., Pearson, P.N., Berggren, W.A., Pa Cenozoic tropical planktonic foraminiferal biostratigraphy and calibration to the geomagnetic polarity and astronomical time scale. Earth Sci. Rev. 104, 111e142.