Fig. 9.39. The sabkha of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Anhydrite, gypsum, dolomite, magnesite, and
intermittently halite form in this environment, both replacing and displacing lagoonal carbonate mud, as the
sabkha advances seaward across the shelf. Sabkhas such as this have existed along the edge of the Arabian
platform since the deposition of the Khuff Group in the Permian Period. Their deposits are characterized by
cyclicity and great lateral continuity (A1-Jallal, 1994).
I
/
Intertidal alcjal m a t s ~
~>
4.8 km in :5,000 years
~ Supratidal carbonates
Intertidal algal mats
Subtidal carbonates
i
.k::~i.. " Carbonate and
I
I
nodular
.....
anhydrite
-
-
-
-- A~gol "mots-o ndgy~sum
-- S-u'btid-al carbonat~s -'
9
j
"".".
9
/
.:~:.
Carbonate and
/
J
~_.~..~;~.-.~..:Jl-- nodular
. . . .
'z;': ~-C~' A~c' ~:.~ anhydrite
f
I
L~ 0 ~
Gypsum mush
"-~ =~ ~176
_ ~,{7~ ~I
__ __ __ ~-~-~,,~ Gypsum/anhydrite
Subtidal carbonate
I
gypsum
Fig. 9.40. Schematic cross-section of the United Arab Emirates sabkha showing present-day regressive sequence with superimposed early diagenetic sabkha evaporites.
intermittently halite form in this environment, both replacing and displacing lagoonal carbonate mud, as the
sabkha advances seaward across the shelf. Sabkhas such as this have existed along the edge of the Arabian
platform since the deposition of the Khuff Group in the Permian Period. Their deposits are characterized by
cyclicity and great lateral continuity (A1-Jallal, 1994).
I
/
Intertidal alcjal m a t s ~
~>
4.8 km in :5,000 years
~ Supratidal carbonates
Intertidal algal mats
Subtidal carbonates
i
.k::~i.. " Carbonate and
I
I
nodular
.....
anhydrite
-
-
-
-- A~gol "mots-o ndgy~sum
-- S-u'btid-al carbonat~s -'
9
j
"".".
9
/
.:~:.
Carbonate and
/
J
~_.~..~;~.-.~..:Jl-- nodular
. . . .
'z;': ~-C~' A~c' ~:.~ anhydrite
f
I
L~ 0 ~
Gypsum mush
"-~ =~ ~176
_ ~,{7~ ~I
__ __ __ ~-~-~,,~ Gypsum/anhydrite
Subtidal carbonate
I
gypsum
Fig. 9.40. Schematic cross-section of the United Arab Emirates sabkha showing present-day regressive sequence with superimposed early diagenetic sabkha evaporites.