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Arabian Journal of Geosciences ISSN 1866-7511 Arab J GeosciDOI 10.1007/s12517-013-1137-5

Facies associations of the BathonianHamam Formation from NorthwesternJordan

Fayez Ahmad, Sherif Farouk &Abdelmohsen Ziko

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ORIGINAL PAPER

Facies associations of the Bathonian Hamam Formationfrom Northwestern Jordan

Fayez Ahmad & Sherif Farouk & Abdelmohsen Ziko

Received: 17 June 2013 /Accepted: 20 September 2013# Saudi Society for Geosciences 2013

Abstract Two stratigraphic sections of the Hamam Formation(Bathonian Stage, Middle Jurassic) exposed in the western partof Wadi Zarqa region, northwestern Jordan, are described andinterpreted on the basis of palynoflora and facies analysis inorder to reconstruct their depositional environments and se-quence stratigraphic framework, which not discussed before.Five facies associations have been identified in the HamamFormation characterized by a mixed carbonate–siliciclasticramp setting, ranging from incised fluvial valley fill facies,beach foreshore restricted inner ramp to high-energy shoalsand mid-ramp settings. The palynoflora includes well-preserved miospore assemblages which are recorded only fromthe incised fluvial valley fill facies for the first time and yielded64 miospore species belonging to 40 genera. Most of these taxaare long-ranging and have been reported from Jurassic andCretaceous rocks worldwide, exceptCallialasporites dampieri ,Murospora florida , Granulatisporites jurassicus , Piceitesexpositus , Pityosporites parvisaccatus , Leptolepiditesverrucatus , and Protopinus scanicus which have short rangesin the Middle Jurassic. Furthermore, these rocks are rich inshallow-marine Neo-Tethys macro-invertebrates supporting aBathonian age. Two third-order depositional sequences bound-ed by three regional unconformities at the Bajocian–Bathonian

and Bathonian–Callovian stage boundaries as well aswithin the Bathonian are defined based upon faciescharacteristics and stratal geometries. A regional correla-tion of sequence boundaries of similar age indicates thatthey are eustatic in origin.

Keywords Jurassic . Bathonian . Hamam Formation .

Palynoflora . Mixed carbonate and siliciclastic ramp .WadiZarqa . Northwestern Jordan

Introduction

The Jurassic successions are widely distributed and haveeconomic importance for hydrocarbon reservoirs in theMiddle East region (Rousseau et al. 2005). They are com-posed mainly of mixed shallow-marine carbonate–siliciclasticdeposits. The Jurassic system in Jordan was discussed byvarious geologists from different aspects. Detailed paleonto-logical studies based upon brachiopods and mollusks carriedout on the Jordanian Middle Jurassic strata (Cox 1925; Muir-Wood’s 1925; Ahmad 1998; 1999; Basha and Aqrabawi1994; Pandey et al. 2000; Feldman et al. 2012). The scarcityof the cosmopolitan ammonite species in the JordanianJurassic coupled with the few published studies of the micro-fauna (Basha 1980; Al-Harithi 1993); complicated the con-clusion concerning the precise age of such strata. No detailedage determination is available for the Ramla and Hamamformations in the subsurface (Andrews 1992). In fact, thesequence stratigraphic framework and the floral content ofthe Hamam Formation are not known until now. The aims ofthis paper are three-fold; (1) to determine the facies characteristicsin order to understand relative sea level and paleoenvironmentalchanges during the Bathonian, (2) to record, for the first time, thepalynoflora of the Hamam Formation, and (3) to establish asequence stratigraphic framework and compare its depositional

F. Ahmad (*)Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The HashemiteUniversity, Zarqa 13115, Jordane-mail: fayezahmad3@hotmail.com

S. FaroukExploration Department, Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute,Nasr City 11727, Egypte-mail: geo.sherif@hotmail.com

A. ZikoGeology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University,Zagazig, Egypte-mail: abdelmohsenziko@yahoo.com

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sequences and boundaries with those previously published espe-cially for the Arabian Platform.

Material and methods

Two exposed stratigraphic sections of the Hamam Formationat Arda (32°08′30″N, 35°40′45″E) and Tal el Dhahab (32°12′37″N, 35°44′47″E) in the western part of Wadi Zarqa havebeen measured and sampled in great detail (Fig. 1). The faciesdescriptions are based on field observations, faunal content,lithological samples, and 50 thin-sections. The sandstone and

limestone microfacies have been described following the clas-sification of Pettijohn et al. (1987) and Dunham (1962),respectively.

For their palynomorphic content, each sample has beentested for the presence of carbonate by the addition of a fewdrops of dilute hydrochloric acid; 50 g is then crushed in amortar. Hydrofluoric acid (70 %) is added for 72 h. Theinsoluble fluorides are eliminated by boiling the residue in10 % hydrochloric acid and then washing three times withdistilled water. The organic residue is poured into a test tubewith 10 % nitric acid for oxidation, heated in a double boilerfor 1–2 min, then washed and centrifuged. The organic

Fig. 1 Geological map of the study area in northwestern Jordan modified from Muneizel and Khalil (1993) and Swarieh and Barjous (1993)

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residue is sieved through a mesh sieve to remove the large(larger than 100 μm) and small debris (less than 5 μm), thenthe 5–100 μm fraction is washed with distilled water, andconcentrated by centrifuging. The final residue mixed withcellusize (hydroxyl ethyl cellulose) is strewn on a coverslip,dried, and mounted by overturning the coverslip on a coupleof drops of Canada balsam on a microscope slide.

Geological setting and lithostratigraphy

During the Jurassic Period, the Levant was a part of theGondwanian Tethys shelf that extended from Morocco inthe west to the Arabian Peninsula in the east and southwardto the horn of Africa. The opening of the Neo-Tethys in theLate Permian and the inception of the Gondwana rifts

Fig. 2 Stratigraphic columns of the Bathonian Hamam Formation showing microfacies types, components, and depositional sequences

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Table 1 List of the palynomorph taxa

Devision Family Taxa of pollen and spores

Lycopsida Pleuromeiaceae Aratrisporite coryliseminis Klaus 1960

Arthrophyta Equisetites Calamospora tener Leschik 1955

Pteridophyta unknown Conbaculatisporites sp.

(Cyatheaceae/Dicksoniaceae) Concavissimisporites montuosus Döring 1965

Concavissimisporites cf. potoniei Pocock 1964

Concavissimisporites verrucosus Delcourt and Sprumont 1955 emend.Delcourt et al. 1963

Cyathidites asper Bolkhovitina 1953

Cyathidites concavus Bolkhovitina 1953

Cyathidites minor Couper, 1953

Cyathidites punctatus Delcourt and Sprumont 1955 emend. Delcourt et al. 1963

Deltoidospora hallii Miner, 1953

Deltoidospora mesozoica (Thiergart) Schuurman 1977

Verrucosisporites contactus Clarke 1965

Verrucosisporites obscurilaesuratus Pocock 1962

Verrucosisporites triassicus Bharadwaj and Tiwari 1977

?Dicksoniaceae Trilobosporites hannonicus (Delcourt and Sprumont) Potonié 1956

Trilobosporites marylandensis Brenner 1963

Trilobosporites purverulentus (Verbitskaya) Dettmann 1963

Trilobosporites tenuiparietalisDöring 1965

Schizaeaceae Impardecispora trioreticulosus Cookson and Dettmann 1958

Ischyosporites variegates Couper 1958

Trilites tuberculiformis Cookson, 1947

Filicopsida Klukisporites pseudoreticulatus Couper 1958

Klukisporites variegates Couper 1958

Klukisporites sp.

Leptolepidites verrucatus Couper 1953

Lycopsida Selaginellaceae Lundbladispora densispinosa Bharadwaj and Tiwari 1977

Lycopodiaceae Lycopodiumsporites clavatoides Couper 1958

Polypodiales Dennstaedtiaceae Microreticulatisporites fuscus (Nilsson) Morbey 1975

Microreticulatisporites uniformis Singh 1964

Filicopsida Punctatisporites couperi Ravn 1995

Punctatisporites crassiradiata De Jersey 1960

Punctatisporites globosus (Leschik) Lund 1977

Punctatisporites gretensis Balme and Hennelly 1956

Lycopodiaceae Lycopodiaceae Densoisporites microrugulatus Brenner 1963

Densoisporites sp.

Dipteridaceae Dipteridaceae Granulatisporites jurassicus Pocock 1970

Bryophytes Hepatics or Anthocerotaceae Foraminisporis jurassicus Schulz 1967

Foraminisporis paucispinosus Döring 1973

Gemmatriletes clavatus Brenner 1968

Coniferophyta Araucariaceae Araucariacites australis Cookson 1947

Callialasporites dampieri Balme 1957

Callialasporites microvelatus Schulz 1966

Callialasporites trilobatus (Balme 1957) Sukh 1967

Callialasporites sp.

Osmundales Osmundaceae Osmundacidites wellmanii Couper 1953

Osmundacidites sp. Couper 1953

Cycadophyta Cheirolepidiaceae Cerebropollenites thiergartii Schulz 1967

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introduced a fundamental plate reorganization that was asso-ciated with the Mesozoic break-up of Pangaea (Badalini et al.2002). The study area is part of the elevated platform terrain ofthe Arabian Nubian Shield, which is covered by intermittentPaleozoic to Cenozoic sedimentary successions consistingmainly of siliciclastic units with marine carbonates increasingupward (Rybakov and Segev 2005). At the beginning of theJurassic, emergence led to subaerial exposure that was ac-companied by extensive freshwater runoff and subaerialweathering (Goldberg and Friedman 1974). Subsequent sub-sidence allowed the formation of shallow and marginal shelfenvironments interrupted by lagoons resulting in the deposi-tion of thick, partly calcareous sandstones that were overlainby thick, partly gypsiferous carbonates, marls, and sandymarls (Basha 1980).

In northwestern Jordan, Jurassic outcrops can be foundalong the western part of Wadi Zarqa beginning near theold Jerash Bridge and extending westward to Deir-Alla, adistance of about 20 km; toward the south the outcrop beltpasses through Ain-Khuneizir, Subeihi, and Arda Road(Ahmad 2002). The Jurassic succession decreases in thick-ness from the Zarqa River and Wadi Huni eastward towardthe Zarqa Bridge and from there southeast towardSuweileh-1 and Safra-1. All siliciclastic and carbonateJurassic rocks outcropping in Jordan are represented bythe Azab Group and attain of a thickness of about 350 mon average. In Jordan, it is subdivided into seven forma-tions from older to younger: Hihi, Nimr, Silal, Dhahab,Ramla, Hamam, and Mughanniyya (Khalil and Muneizel1992). The Azab Group unconformably overlies Triassicstrata; while its top (Mughanniyya Formation) representsthe youngest exposed Jurassic unit in Jordan and crops outconsistently below the Lower Cretaceous KurnubSandstone Group. During the Late Jurassic, Jordan wasprobably subjected to orogenic movements leading tostrong erosion, where Upper Jurassic rocks are absent(Moullade and Nair 1978). The present study deals withthe Bathonian Hamam Formation and its boundaries. It con-sists mainly of mixed siliciclastic–carbonate rocks and is

divided into three informal members with a combined thick-ness ranging from 35m in the Tal el Dhahab section to 52m inthe Arda section (Fig. 2). The lower member of the HamamFormation is composed of massive fossiliferous limestonewith calcareous algae, bivalves and brachiopods overlyingthe Ramla Formation, which consists of fine- to very fine-grained quartz sandstones with a mud-rich matrix, contains afully marine fauna (echinoid spines) and documents a verticalfacies change with a sharp contact.

The middle member with thickness of about 5 to 10 mconsists of terrestrial sandy mudstone, rich in pollen andspores but lacking dinoflagellates and thus represents a non-marine environment. The upper member with a thickness of25 m consists of a highly fossiliferous oolitic limestonecapped by a massive sandstone containing trace fossils. Thissandstone is overlain by the Mughanniyya Formation, whichrepresents the upper part of the Jurassic succession in Jordan.It consists mainly of moderately indurated limestone withbivalves, gastropods, brachiopods, and echinoids indicatingdeposition in a shallow, open-marine environment with peri-odically strong siliciclastic influx. The presence of calcareousalgae suggests deposition within the photic zone. Up-sectionthe limestones pass into dolomitic limestone that normallydelimit the top of the Mughanniyya Formation (Fig. 2).

The limestones of the Hamam Formation are characterizedby a macrofauna indicative of a Bathonian age. They includethe brachiopods Cererithyis jabbokensis , Cererithyis africa-na , Cererithyis jordanensis , Daghanirhynchia sp. A,Monsardithyris ventricosa , Monsardithyris sp., Tubithyrischouberti , Burmirhynchia moulani , Burmirhynchiatermierae , Eudesia (Sphriganaria) angulocostata , Eudesia(Sphriganaria ) magharensis , Eudesia (Sphriganaria )modesta , Eudesia (Sphriganaria ) subcircularis , Eudesia(Sphriganaria ) bicostata , and Eudesia (Sphriganaria )bramkampi , and the bivalves Arca (Eonavicula) trisulcata ,Acromytilus laitmairensis , Modiolus imbricatus , Bakevelliawaltoni , Eligmus asiaticus , Eligmus rollandi , Eligmusrollandi var. jabbokensis , Eopecten velatus , Ceratomyopsiastriata , Gryphaeligmus jabbokensis , Pholadomya (P.)

Table 1 (continued)

Devision Family Taxa of pollen and spores

Corollina torosa (Reissinger) Klaus emend. Cornet & Traverse 1975

Cycadaceae Cycadopites sp.

Ovalipollis pseudoalatus (Krutzsch 1955) Schuurman 1976

Ovoidites spriggii (Cookson & Dettmann) Zippi 1983

Coniferopsida Pinaceae Piceites expositus

?Coniferales Pityosporites parvisaccatus De Jersey 1960

Podocarpaceae ?Podocarpidites sp.

Protopinus scanicus Nilsson 1958

Coniferophyta Quadraeculina anellaformis Maljavkina 1949

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Fig. 3 LM microphotographs ×1,000 unless otherwise specified. (1)Aratrisporite coryliseminis Klaus 1960, (2–3) Araucariacites australisCookson 1947, (4) Corollina torosa (Reissinger) Klaus emend. Cornet& Traverse, 1975, (5) Conbaculatisporites sp., (6 and 10–11).Concavissimisporites montuosus (Döring 1965) Fensome 1987, (7)Apetodinium granulatum Eisenack 1958, (8) Calamospora tener (Leschik1955) Mädler 1964, (9 and 13) Callialasporites dampieri Balme 1957 (12,16, and 18) Concavissimisporites cf. potoniei Pocock 1964, (14–15)Callialasporites microvelatus Schulz 1966, (17) Concavissimisporites

verrucosus Delcourt and Sprumont 1955 emend. Delcourt et al. 1963,(19) Callialasporites trilobatus (Balme 1957) Sukh 1967, (20)Cerebropollenites thiergartii Schulz 1967, (21) Cyathidites asperBolkhovitina 1953, Dettmann 1963, (22–23) Osmundasporites othmaniKlaus 1960, (24–26) Cyathidites minor Couper 1953, (27–29)Triplanosporites sp., (30) Cyathidites concavus Bolkhovitina 1953, (31–32) Cyathidites punctatus Delcourt and Sprumont 1955 emend. Delcourtet al. 1963, (33–34) Densoisporite smicrorugulatus Brenner 1963

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Fig. 4 (1) Deltoidospora hallii Miner 1953, (2) Deltoidosporamesozoica (Thiergart) Schuurman 1977, (3) Densoisporites sp., (4–6)Foraminisporis jurassicus Schulz 1967, (7) Foraminisporispaucispinosus Döring 1973, (8 and 11) Granulatisporites jurassicusPocock 1970, (9) Gemmatriletes clavatus Brenner 1968, (10)Ischyosporites variegatus Couper (1958) Schulz 1967, (12 and 14–17).Klukisporites pseudoreticulatus Couper 1958, (13) Impardecisporatrioreticulosus (Cookson and Dettmann 1958), (18–19) Klukisporites

sp., (20–21) Klukisporites variegatus Couper 1958, (22–25)Lycopodiumsporites clavatoides Couper (26–27) Lundbladisporadensispinosa Bharadwaj and Tiwari 1977, (28–29) Osmundaciditeswellmanii Couper1953, (30) Ovoidites spriggii (Cookson & Dettmann)Zippi, 1983 (31) ?Podocarpidites sp., (32–33) Punctatisporites couperiRavn 1995 (34) Punctatisporites crassiradiata De Jersey 1960, (35)Punctatisporites globosus (Leschik) Lund 1977

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Fig. 5 (1–2) Leptolepidites verrucatus Couper 1953, (3–4)Microreticulatisporites fuscus (Nilsson) Morbey1975, (5) Murosporaflorida (Balme) Pocock 1961, (6) Microreticulatisporites uniformisSingh 1964, (7) Osmundacidites sp., (8–9 and 12) Ovalipollispseudoalatus (Krutzsch 1955) Schuurman 1976, (10) Punctatisporitesgretensis Balme and Hennelly 1956, (11) Piceites expositus Bolchovitina1956, (13) Triplanosporites sp., (14–15) Pityosporites parvisaccatus DeJersey 1960, (16)Protopinus scanicus Nilsson 1958, (17)Quadraeculinaanellaformis Maljavkina 1949, (18) Quadraeculina canadensis Pocock1970, (19) Rugulatisporites ramosus De Jersey, 1960, (20) Sestrosporites

pseudoalveolatus (Couper 1958) Dettmann 1963, (21–22) Tricolpitesvulgaris (Pierce) Srivastava 1969, (23 and 30) Trilites tuberculiformisCookson 1947, (24–25) Trilobosporites marylandensis Brenner 1963,(26–28) Trilobosporites purverulentus (Verbitskaya) Dettmann 1963,(29) Trilobosporites hannonicus (Delcourt and Sprumont) Potonié1956, (30–31) Trilobosporite stenuiparietalis Döring 1965, (32)Verrucosisporites contactus Clarke 1965, (33) Verrucosisporitesobscurilaesuratus Pocock 1962, (34) Verrucosisporites triassicusBharadwaj and Tiwari (1977), (35) cf. Uvaesporites sp.

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acuminate , Pholadomya (P.) lirata , Pholadomya (P.).kachchhensis ,Mactromya aequalia , Integricardium triboleti ,Acromytilus laitmairensis , E. asiaticus , E . rollandi , E .rollandi var. jabbokensis , Chlamys (C .) textoria ,Africogrypha costellata , and Thracia viceliacensis .

Palynology

The present study was aimed to shed some light on the datingof the non-marine rocks of the Hamam Formation based upontheir palynological content. This will be of great value fordating Jordanian Jurassic strata.

The palynoflora with well-preservedmiospore assemblages isdescribed only from the incised fluvial valley fill facies of theHamam Formation and contains the species Callialasporitesdampieri , Callialasporites trilobatus , Murospora florida ,Corollina torosa , Osmundacidites wellmanii , Granulatisporitesjurassicus , Cyathidites australis, Cyathidites minor, Protopinusscanicus, Klukisporites variegatus (the palynomorphs are listedin Table 1 and photographed in Figs. 3, 4, 5). Together withmany other diagnostic Jurassic species the taxa form a palyno-logical assemblage named the Middle Jurassic C. dampieri–M.florida assemblage (Table 2).

Age of the Hamam Formation

Many different authors working worldwide agreed thatJurassic sporomorphs have a limited role in large-scale corre-lations, as many are long-ranging with disparate ranges indifferent areas (Backhouse 1988; Batten and Koppelhus1996; Truswell et al. 1999; Schrank 2010). Despite thesedifficulties, the commonly cited Australian palynozones(Helby et al. 1987) have been used widely, also in the currentstudy. The genus Callialasporites first appeared worldwide inthe Early Jurassic (Saad 1963; Helal 1965; Filatoff 1975;Sultan and Soliman 1978; Davies 1985; Sultan 1985; Tiwariand Vijaya 1988; Shahin and El-Beialy 1989; Ibrahim et al.2001), and toward the Middle Jurassic became dominant andmore diversified.

Ibrahim et al. (2002), in their study of the Jurassic rockfrom Qatar, recorded Callialasporites trilobatus , from theIzhara Formation dated as Hettangian to Sinemurian, whereasits upper part is Bajocian in age, and from Araej Formationdated as Middle Jurassic (late Bajocian/Bathonian to earlyCallovian) by means of strontium isotopes. Vijaya andBhattacharji (2003) reported the first occurrence ofM. floridain the Oxfordian with a phase of non-deposition between theMiddle Triassic and Middle Jurassic in west Bengal, India.

Table 2 Comparison of palynozonations with different parts of the world

Age

New Zealand Australia Egypt Jordan

De Jersey and Raine 2002

McKellar 1998 Helby et al. 1987

Ibrahim

et al. 2001

The present study

Cal

lovi

an

Not zoned

Cal

lial

aspo

rite

s da

mpi

eri S

uper

zone

Murospora

florida

Association Zone (in

part)

Ver

ruco

sisp

orit

es s

pp. –

Con

verr

ucos

ispo

rite

s sp

p. –

Tri

lobo

spor

ites

spp

.A

ssem

blag

e Z

one

Not

stu

died

Contignisporites glebulentus Zone

Contignisporites cooksoniae Zone

Bat

honi

an

Leptolepidirites

verrucatus Zone

Con

tign

ispo

rite

s gl

ebul

entu

sA

ssoc

iatio

n Z

one

Dic

tyot

ospo

rite

s co

mpl

ex Z

one

Cal

liala

spor

ites

dam

pier

i-M

uros

pora

flor

ida

Zon

e

Aeq

uitr

irad

ites

nor

risi

i A

ssoc

iatio

n Z

one

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McKellar (1998) and Helby et al. (1987) recorded the M.florida Association Zone from the late Middle Callovian toEarly–Middle Oxfordian (Table 2).

Stefanowicz (2008) recorded the dominance of the coolerelement Araucariacites australis as well as all Callialasporitesspecies present here (C . dampieri , C . turbatus , and C . minus)in coastal assemblages in the Bajocian and Bathonian ofScotland. The presence of the mentioned pollen grains in theJordanian Jurassic, may indicate the dominance of a coolerclimate throughout the Middle Jurassic.

In contrast, the Hamam Formation is characterized byan abundant macrofauna indicative of a Bathonian age,based on which Ahmad (1998) described two biozones; theCererithyris jabbokensis–Daghanirhynchia Biozone and theCererithyris–Eligmus–Gryphaeligmus–AfricogryphaeaBiozone. The ammonite Micromphalites (Jordaniceras )jordanicum and the brachiopod Eudesia cardium occurringin the Hamam Formation at Arda indicate a Bathonian age(Bandel K and Zeiss 1987). Aqrabawi (1987) dated the Ramlaand Hamam Formation as Bajocian to Bathonian in age,

Table 3 Facies types of the Hamam Formation

FT Name Description Depositional environments and remarks

1 Quartz wacke Very fine to fine quartz sandstone, well sorted, grains angular,finely laminated, mud cemented. With occasional clay andsilt inter-beds with plant remains

The abundant pollen and spores and the absence ofdinoflagellates reflect deposition in a terrestrialenvironment as incised valley fill deposits

2 Echinoid quartzwacke (Fig. 8a)

Well-sorted fine-to medium-grained sandstones with low-angle stratification, moderate sorting, angular to subangulargrains, glauconitic, echinoid fragments; cemented by mud

High-energy lower shoreface

3 Bioclasticglauconiticquartz wacke

Consisting of quartz grains, lithic fragments, and glauconitegrains with ferruginous patches in a calcareous mud matrix

Beach facies

4 Pel-bio-packstone(Fig. 8g)

Bioclastic, grain-supported, dominated by calcareous algae,foraminifera, and rounded to ellipsoidal peloids cementedin a micrite to microsparite matrix

Protected, fully marine mid-ramp environment below the fair-weather wave-base, with moderately high water-energy(packstone fabrics)

5 Algal foraminiferalwackestone(Fig. 8d)

Mainly molluscan shell fragments and bioclastic grains ofjuvenile brachiopods, bivalves, gastropods, red algae,ostracods, and foraminifera. They are loosely packed in adense micritic matrix, which due to aggradingneomorphism becomes granular as well as mosaic sparry inparts

The low-diversity foraminifera and sponge spicules inaddition to the juvenile brachiopods in a micritic matrixindicates a mid-ramp position below the fair-weather wave-base with low-energy conditions and open circulation(Wilson, 1975; Flügel, 2004; Hughes 2006)

6 Brachiopodpackstone(Fig. 8e)

Major components are bioclasts, mainly brachiopods.Fragments of thin bivalves are abundant, ostracods andechinoderms are rare, sponge spicules are common

The brachiopod fauna characterizes somewhat deeper parts ofthe subtidal zone (Flügel, 2004). The predominance ofmud-supported textures as well as the well-preservedinfaunal and epifaunal associations suggests a mid-rampenvironment

7 Bioclastic limemudstone/wackestone(Fig. 8b)

Rare skeletal particles closely packed in a dark dense micritematrix with black spots of organic material. Skeletalparticles are represented by low diversity of poorlypreserved foraminiferal tests, well rounded micritic pellets,ostracods oyster shell fragments and juvenile brachiopods.Some of these skeletal particles are replaced by microsparby aggrading neomorphism while their internal structure isstill well preserved

Restricted inner ramp environments in quiet water condition.Comparable to the standard ramp microfacies 20 of Flügel(2004)

8 Miliolid-textulariidwackestone(Fig. 8f)

Benthic foraminifera (miliolids and textulariids) and peloidsembedded in a micrite matrix

Such recorded shallow-water biota of reduced diversity refersto warm water, restricted inner ramp above the fair-weatherwave-base

9 Bio-grainstone/bio-packstone(Fig. 8c)

Mainly skeletal debris of crinoid stems, bivalves andgastropods embedded in a sparry calcite cement. Most ofshell debris is rounded to sub-rounded, coarse- to medium-grained and subjected to complete micritization

High-energy sand shoals

10 Onco-oo-grainstone(Fig. 8h)

Mainly well sorted, rounded peloids (diameter: 0.05–0.27 mm) with elongated to rounded algal oncoids (0.48–1.7 mm in diameter). The allochems are cemented in asparry calcite with mosaic cement types; syntaxial typeswere also recognized in some samples

High-energy intertidal shoal

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although the equivalent Sherif Formation of Palestine is datedas Bathonian (Hirsch and Picard 1988). Therefore, in thepresent study, we suggest a Bathonian age for the miosporeC. dampieri–M. florida Assemblage Biozone based on thecorrelation with different parts of the world.

Facies analysis and depositional environments

Ten different (micro-) facies types could be distinguished inthe Bathonian Hamam Formation by thin-section studies ofthe composition and texture, which are briefly described andillustrated (Table 3).

Jordan and its neighboring regions were situated at themargin of the Neo-Tethys during the Middle Jurassic andrepresented a wide-mixed carbonate–siliciclastic ramp setting(Fig. 6). At the end of the Triassic, the area was uplifted, andconsequently subjected to intensive weathering, resulting in athick pile of sand deposited over an extensive area in Levant toproduce a succession of mixed carbonates and siliciclastics(Hirsch 1986).

The siliciclastic rocks of the Hamam Formation representthree alternating quartz wacke microfacies types (Fig. 2):quartz wacke (FT1), echinoid quartz wacke (FT2), andbioclastic glauconitic quartz wacke (FT2) reflect two deposi-tion environments: the quartz wacke (FT1) reflects fills ofmarginal river channels and estuaries as is indicated by thedominant pollen and spores and the absence of dinoflagellates,while the other two facies types (FT2 and FT3) were depositedin high-energy lower shoreface of the beach face.

The carbonate rocks of the Hamam Formation comprisepeloidal bioclastic packstone (FT4), algal foraminiferalwackestone (FT5), brachiopodal packstone (FT6), bioclasticlime mudstone/wackestone (FT7), miliolid-textulariid peloidalwackestone (FT8), bioclastic grainstone/packstone (FT9), andonco-oo-grainstone (FT10). They suggest a depositional envi-ronment ranging from inner ramp to mid-ramp, reflectingminor fluctuations in relative sea level (Fig. 7). The sedimentsare arranged in coarsening-upward depositional cycles.

The inner ramp comprises a restricted inner ramp includingbioclastic lime mudstone/wakestone (FT7) and miliolid-textulariid peloidal wackestone (FT8) as well as high-energyshoals characterized by bioclastic grainstone/packstone (FT9)and onco-oo-grainstone (FT10).

A middle ramp comprises peloidal bioclastic packstone(FT4), algal foraminiferal wackestone (FT5) and brachiopodalpackstone (FT6). It reflects the deepest part of the ramp settingin a quieter environment below the fair-weather wave-basewith open circulation. In analogy to the lower Bathoniancarbonate deposits in Syria with abundant foraminifera, bra-chiopods, and bivalves (Fig. 8) (Kuznetsova et al. 1996),deposition took place in an open-marine basin with normalsalinity related to an outer ramp, which deepened towards theeast–northeast, where the siliciclastic facies is missing(Fig. 7).

Sequence stratigraphic framework

The Hamam Formation of northwestern Jordan is interpretedin two third-order depositional sequences (Fig. 2). Thesedepositional sequences are bounded by three regional hiatusesat the ?Bajocian–Bathonian stage boundary, within theBathonian, and at the Bathonian–Callovian stage boundary.

Hamam Sequence A

The Hamam Sequence A is ca. 20 m thick and is representedby the lower part of the Hamam Formation. It is tracedbetween the shallow-marine, mixed siliciclastic–carbonatedeposits of the basal part of the Bathonian HamamFormation and the siliciclastic sandstones of the underlying

Fig. 6 Paleogeographic position of the study area, modified afterRiccardi (1991) and Fürsich et al. (2004)

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?Bajocian Ramla Formation and is associated with a strongvertical facies change (Fig. 2).

This sequence boundary (SB1) may be coinciding with theBajocian Bir Maghara and the Bathonian Safa formationalboundary in Sinai, Egypt (El-Araby 2003). It is also recordedin western Iraq between the Bajocian Amij Formation andLower Muhaiwir Formation (Al-Naqib and Al-Juboury 2013).The Hamam Sequence A includes the following systems tracts.

The transgressive systems tract (TST) corresponds to thefirst appearance of fossiliferous limestone beds overlying thebeach deposits (echinoid quartz wacke FT2) of the RamlaFormation to bioclastic lime mudstone/wackestone (FT7),deposited during rising sea level within a hypersaline, low-energy shallow lagoonal setting. No underlying lowstandsystems tract (LST) has been recognized due to the low-relief ramp setting. In this case, the transgressive systems tract(TST) coincides with the sequence boundary (SB1). Themaximum flooding surface (MFS) is represented by the toppart of first carbonate beds and includes the maximum occur-rence of the macrofauna in this interval. The highstand sys-tems tract (HST) comprises oncoid-ooid grainstone (FT10)characterizing a high-energy intertidal shoal.

The Hamam Sequence A is terminated by sequence bound-ary SB2 separating the incised valleys fill above from the HSTbelow. This boundary can apparently be traced to many coun-tries of the Arabian Plate, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait,

Bahrain, western Iraq, and Qatar (Al-Husseini and Matthews2006; Al-Naqib and Al-Juboury 2013).

Hamam Sequence B

The Hamam Sequence B is ca. 40m thick and is represented bythe middle and upper part of the Hamam Formation (Fig. 2).

The LST is related to infilling starting in incised valleys inthe late phase of the lowstand. It is represented by the massive,channeled sandstone alternating with 2–10 cm thick silt andclay. It matches well the terrestrial conditions during deposi-tion of the coal seams of the Safa Formation at GebelMaghara, Egypt. The coal seams of the Sherif Formation inthe wells of the Negev are thin (Goldberg and Friedman1974), which were dated as Bathonian (Hirsch and Picard1988) and were replaced by terrestrial sandstone in Jordancompared to thicker coal seams in Gebel Maghara, Egypt.

The TST is represented by a deepening-upward trend infacies and a decreasing-upward trend in sand/mud ratio aresignificant within the upper part of the Hamam Formation,documented by the presence of thin bivalves accompanied bymonaxon and tetraxon sponge spicules and dwarfed, or juve-nile costate brachiopods. This facies corresponds to the tran-sition from the restricted inner ramp to the mid-ramp, boundedabove by aMFS, which correlates with the Arabian PlateMFSJ30 of Sharland et al. (2001).

Fig. 7 Lithofacies associationswithin the Bathonian HamamFormation showing the rampinclined towards the east–northeast

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During the HST a progradational package of mixedbioclastic glauconitic quartz wacke (FT2), onco-oo-grainstone (FT10) and bioclastic grainstone/packstone (FT9)was deposited. The HST is terminated by the sequence bound-ary (SB3) separating the Hamam Formation from theMughanniyya Formation.

A correlative hiatus coincides with the missing UpperBathonian–Lower Callovian stage boundary between theMiddle and Upper Dhruma Formation in Saudi Arabia(Fischer 2001). During the Lower Callovian, a significanttransgressive episode is characterized by widespread shelfcarbonate deposition of the Mughanniyya Formation with

fe

c d

a b

g h

Fig. 8 Scale bar 250 μm. (a)Echinoid quartz wackestoneconsisting of fine sand-sizedquartz grains and echinoid plates,sample 12, Arda section. (b)Bioclastic lime mudstone/wackestone, sample 2, Tal elDhahab section. (c) Bio-o-grainstone dominated bycalcareous algae, foraminiferawith rounded to ellipsoidalpeloidc cemented by micrite tomicrosparite, sample 7, Tal elDhahab section. (d) Algalforaminiferal wackestonecomprising monaxon andtetraxon sponge spicules, withforaminiferal tests and juvenilebrachiopods embedded in limemud, sample 26, Arda section. (e)Brachiopod packstone composedmainly of brachiopods with fewbivalves, sample 18, Ardasection. (f) Wackestone rich inbenthic forams of miliolids andtextulariids, sample 25, Ardasection. (g) Pel-bio-packstonecomprising rounded circular andelliptical normal and superficialooids as well as calcareous algae,sample 13, Arda section. (h)Onco-oo- grainstone /rudstonewith sparitic cement, sample 20,Arda section

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high densities of shelly fossils in Jordan. The base of theMughanniyya Formation is dominated by miliolid-textulariidpeloidal wackestone (FT10) and calcispheres are well devel-oped in this microfacies, which indicates another phase oftransgression at the beginning of Callovian. This deepeningis observed in many areas of Arabian–African plates such asEgypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Syria (Said 1990;Kuznetsova et al. 1996; Rousseau et al. 2005; Al-Naqib andAl-Juboury 2013).

Conclusions

The Bathonian Hamam Formation of northern Jordan wasdeposited mainly in shallow-marine environments on the shelfof the Neo-Tethys. It consists of mixed carbonate–siliciclasticrocks, assigned to a Bathonian age on the basis of ammonites,brachiopods, and foraminifers. These mixed carbonate–siliciclastic depositional systems were composed of an incisedfluvial valley fill facies (FT1), beach foreshore (FT2 and FT3),restricted inner ramp (FT4, FT5, and FT6), high-energy shoals(FT9 and FT10), and mid-ramp facies (FT7 and FT8).

Two depositional sequences are recognized in the BathonianHamam Formation bounded by three regional hiatus at theBajocian–Bathonian boundary, within the Bathonian, and atthe Bathonian–Callovian stage boundary. These sequenceboundaries can be correlated with those of neighboring coun-tries, suggesting a eustatic origin. Three types of stacked sys-tems tracts are defined: LST, TST, and HST.

The LST was identified from sequence A only. It consistsof quartz wackes, contains abundant and well-preservedspores, pollen grains and other organic debris, and is indica-tive of an incised fluvial valley fill environment. It yielded 64miospore species belonging to 40 genera. The miospore C.dampieri–M. florida Assemblage Biozone introduced hereinsupports the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) age of the HamamFormation.

The transgressive systems tracts are represented by restrict-ed inner ramp and mid-ramp settings, while the highstandsystems tracts are characterized by high-energy shoals follow-ed by siliciclastic sediments.

Acknowledgments We are gratefully acknowledging Prof. Dr. Franz T.Fürsich (Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg) for readingand comments of the revised version of this work.

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