Analytical Comparison Study Between Khabour and Tanjero Formations Northern Iraq

Abstract

Tanjero Formation is one of the best studied stratigraphic units and recently shown to be deposited in foreland basin in different shallow and deep environments. Conversely, Khabour Formation is not studied in detail in term of environment, tectonic and sequence stratigraphy. Therefore, the lower part of the former formation assigned as a norm or model for comparison for the latter one. The comparison is achieved concerning the stratification characteristics; types of trace fossils, type of system tracts, type of environments, source area tectonics and their relation with red beds. The result of this comparison revealed that Khabour Formation, in many aspects, is analogous to lower part of Tanjero Formation. The result of the comparison is showed that Khabour Formation is deposited in different environments include fluvial, deltaic, shelf, slope and deep marine. Among these, now, only the sediments of shelf and slope are cropped out. The thick succession of sandstone with interbeds of shale of this formation is deposited in lowstand system tract forming lowstand wedge. The paleocurrent was possibly toward southwest and the basin may be bordered by active fault during Ordovician. The source area was dioritic or gneissoid body which was possibly weathered in wet climate.