Possible Effect of Storm on Sediments of Upper Cretaceous Foreland Basin: A Case Study for Tempestite in Tanjero Formation, Sulaimanyia Area, NE-Iraq

Abstract

Previously, the basin of Tanjero Formation (Campanian-Maastrichtian) has been given the setting of trench or miogeosyncline in which turbidite sedimentation had occurred. In the present study, conversely, many sedimentary structures are found that shows shallow environment of the lower and upper part of Tanjero Formation.These sedimentary structures revealed that during deposition of these parts the sea level is so lowered that the sediments are affected repeatedly by storms surges. These storms reworked sediments to form storm deposits (Tempestite) or to be transported to deeper water and deposited as turbidite. The recoded sedimentary structures are such as hummocky- cross stratification, interference and longitudinal ripple marks, plant debris and grass body fossils in addition to clean sandstone (Arenite).