Geochronology of the Arabian Shield, western Saudi Arabia: K-Ar results

GSA Bulletin
By: , and 

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Abstract

An orogenic event, correlated with the Pan-African event in eastern Africa, affected the Arabian Peninsula between 510 and 610 m.y. ago and is well-recorded geochronologically. The event probably included two thermal pulses or maxima, the first occurring between 560 and 610 m.y. ago and the second between 510 and 540 m.y. ago. The earlier pulse, the more severe one, included the majority of the igneous activity and metamorphism. During the last part of the 510- to 610-m.y. period, left-lateral strike-slip faulting occurred along a set of northwest-trending en echelon fracture zones, whose composite displacement may be as large as 240 km. At least one and probably more orogenic events affected the Arabian Peninsula before the Pan-African event, but only minimum ages can be assigned to these, because thermal effects of the 510- to 610-m.y. event have reset K-Ar ages. Major diorite-granite batholiths, however, formed before 760 m.y. ago.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Geochronology of the Arabian Shield, western Saudi Arabia: K-Ar results
Series title GSA Bulletin
DOI 10.1130/0016-7606(1976)87<9:GOTASW>2.0.CO;2
Volume 87
Issue 1
Year Published 1976
Language English
Publisher GeoScienceWorld
Description 13 p.
First page 9
Last page 21
Country Saudi Arabia
Other Geospatial Arabian Shield
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