Outcrop-scale Investigation of Faulting in the Gorge of the Nile, Ethiopia
Department
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
Major
Geological Engineering
Research Advisor
Abdel Salam, Mohamed G.
Advisor's Department
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
Funding Source
National Science Foundation; Office of International Science and Engineering; International Research Experience for Students
Abstract
This work investigates normal faulting in the sedimentary rocks of the Gorge of the Nile, Ethiopia. It focuses on an outcrop at the middle of the Triassic Gohatsion Formation. The outcrop is dominated by wavy-bedded and nodular gypsum alternated with dolomite, limestone, and shale. This formation is part of 1.1 km thick Mesozoic sedimentary section of clastic and carbonate rocks exposed along the Gorge of the Nile carved by the Blue Nile River. This work shows that the normal faulting is the form of NW-trending, SW-dipping listric fault. The hanging wall is characterized by a long wavelength syncline whereas the footwall is characterized by comparable wavelength anticline. The fault is accompanied by mezoscopic scale bookshelf faulting with detachment dipping in the same direction, but shallows down to become layer-parallel displacement plane. The examined fault is likely of the same orientation and style as map-scale faults in the region.
Biography
Matthew is a junior at Missouri University of Science and Technology studying Geological Engineering. He is a member of Engineers Without Borders, Christian Campus Fellowship and Tau Beta Pi, National Engineering Honors Society. Matthew plans on finishing his undergraduate degree here at Missouri S&T and then pursuing Graduate School.
Research Category
Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Location
Upper Atrium/Hallway
Presentation Date
10 Apr 2012, 9:00 am - 11:45 am
Outcrop-scale Investigation of Faulting in the Gorge of the Nile, Ethiopia
Upper Atrium/Hallway
This work investigates normal faulting in the sedimentary rocks of the Gorge of the Nile, Ethiopia. It focuses on an outcrop at the middle of the Triassic Gohatsion Formation. The outcrop is dominated by wavy-bedded and nodular gypsum alternated with dolomite, limestone, and shale. This formation is part of 1.1 km thick Mesozoic sedimentary section of clastic and carbonate rocks exposed along the Gorge of the Nile carved by the Blue Nile River. This work shows that the normal faulting is the form of NW-trending, SW-dipping listric fault. The hanging wall is characterized by a long wavelength syncline whereas the footwall is characterized by comparable wavelength anticline. The fault is accompanied by mezoscopic scale bookshelf faulting with detachment dipping in the same direction, but shallows down to become layer-parallel displacement plane. The examined fault is likely of the same orientation and style as map-scale faults in the region.
