Committee Members Information

• Ph.D. Advisor Name: Prof.  Frans van Buchem
• External Examiner Name: PD Dr. Markus Wilmsen
• Committee Chair Name: Prof.  Paul Martin Mai
• 4th Committee Member Name: Prof.  Volker Vahrenkamp

Abstract

The mid-Cretaceous Cenomanian to Turonian stages include prolific hydrocarbon reservoirs on the northern and northeastern margins of the Arabian Plate and are well-studied. Contrastingly, the northwestern margin, comprising the Levant Platform, is relatively understudied. This work presents a multi-disciplinary study of the uppermost Albian to Coniacian Ajlun Group in west-central Jordan and is organized into three parts. Firstly, an updated age model is constructed based on the integration of carbon isotope stratigraphy and published biostratigraphic data. This expanded record serves as a new anchor point for stratigraphic correlations across the Arabian Plate. High-resolution correlations with Oman highlight the influence of contrasting plate-tectonic settings on shallow water carbonate systems, where Jordan was located on a passive margin setting, whereas Oman saw the transition from passive to active margin. Here, the new correlations pinpoint the transition from passive to active margin to the middle to upper Cenomanian. Secondly, the origins of significant (several %-points total organic carbon) lateral variations of organic matter (OM) concentrations during Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE 2) are investigated. Here, localized increased concentrations of OM in Jordan are attributed to a combination of increased primary productivity, decreased oxygen supply as well as stratigraphic condensation. Moreover, enhanced weathering during early OAE 2 is associated with an increase in detrital input into the Jordanian inner platform setting, introducing nutrients necessary for the increased OM production. A two-part model is proposed for the Levant Platform, where nutrients on the inner platform setting were sourced from the continent, while the platform margin (modern-day Mediterranean coastline) received nutrients from upwelling zones. Thirdly, a high-resolution sequence stratigraphic model, covering the paleo-shoreline to inner platform, is constructed based on the new results of this work. The model highlights the spatio-temporal relationship between platform carbonates and marls, where the latter occur during lowstands and early transgressions, sourced from marine siliciclastics. Moreover, various local features, including a mid-Turonian ~20 m deep incision, are recorded and associated with relative sea level changes. The results of this research provide a new reference point for long-range correlations across the Arabian Plate, while highlighting the power of applying a multi-disciplinary approach.