Geology of Dakhla Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt
33
B
A
C
Fig. 3 SRTM DEM for the Dakhla Depression showing the Mut sub-basin (A) the Mawhub subbasin (B) and Gabal Edmonstone (C)
deposits) which are mainly deposited in topographic basins. The most important of
these lakes are Deir al-Hagar, and Abu Minqar play. The relief of this plain is low
and varying from 100 m. to 150 m.
In the eastern part of the plain, several isolated Nubian Sandstone hills litter its
surface coated with black surface of desert varnish.
3 Stratigraphy
The Late Mesozoic-Early Cenozoic rock units represented in the study area are
subdivided into a number of mappable litho-stratigraphic formations (Fig. 4). The
sedimentary successions are dipping generally to the north. These formations crop
out at the cliff to the north of the depression and they do not appear in the depression itself. The succession are classified generally into two facies, (a) continental
with marine intercalations at the lower units, and (b) a transgressive-regressive open
marine sequence at the upper units.
Two main facies types represent the stratigraphic successions in the study area
(Issawi 1972). They are Nile Valley facies and Garra Al-Arbain facies which belongs
to the Upper Cretaceous—Lower Tertiary ages (Fig. 4).
Quaternary Deposits:
Sand Dunes
Lake Deposits (Playa)
In the study area, the Upper Cretaceous—Lower Tertiary sequence exhibits under
the flowing two different facies:
33
B
A
C
Fig. 3 SRTM DEM for the Dakhla Depression showing the Mut sub-basin (A) the Mawhub subbasin (B) and Gabal Edmonstone (C)
deposits) which are mainly deposited in topographic basins. The most important of
these lakes are Deir al-Hagar, and Abu Minqar play. The relief of this plain is low
and varying from 100 m. to 150 m.
In the eastern part of the plain, several isolated Nubian Sandstone hills litter its
surface coated with black surface of desert varnish.
3 Stratigraphy
The Late Mesozoic-Early Cenozoic rock units represented in the study area are
subdivided into a number of mappable litho-stratigraphic formations (Fig. 4). The
sedimentary successions are dipping generally to the north. These formations crop
out at the cliff to the north of the depression and they do not appear in the depression itself. The succession are classified generally into two facies, (a) continental
with marine intercalations at the lower units, and (b) a transgressive-regressive open
marine sequence at the upper units.
Two main facies types represent the stratigraphic successions in the study area
(Issawi 1972). They are Nile Valley facies and Garra Al-Arbain facies which belongs
to the Upper Cretaceous—Lower Tertiary ages (Fig. 4).
Quaternary Deposits:
Sand Dunes
Lake Deposits (Playa)
In the study area, the Upper Cretaceous—Lower Tertiary sequence exhibits under
the flowing two different facies: