Iraqi National Journal of Earth Sciences

Abstract

The microfacies analysis of the Shiranish Formation (Early-Late Maastrichtian) at the Bekhair anticline, Dohuk area, northern Iraq revealed that the succession is composed of alternation of seven microfacies, which are wholly micritic groundmass and rich in Planktonic Foraminifera. Based on the mode of vertical and lateral distribution, the present study deduced that this succession was deposited at Dohuk area by two environmental zones: upper-middle bathyal and outer shelf within one of the half-graben basin, which formed by Lisstric rifts. The latter was formed by the what so-called "piggy-back" basins at Foreland of the Arabian shelf. It is thought that the lithological and thickness variations at the bases of half-graben basin topography are due to tectonic irregularity