Circular Structures in SE Libya

Origin of circular structures

Endogenic mechanisms:
Magmatism
(Jabal Uwaynat, Jabal Arkenu)
Salt/Gypsum diapirism
Karst dissolution
Glacial erosion

Impact origin

„ High-pressure shock waves (50-100

GPa) generate high temperatures
(>1500-2000°C)
Definite Indicators of Impact
• Shatter cones
• Planar Deformation Features
• High-Pressure Diaplectic Glass
glassy phase (isotropic in polarized light)
that is produced by shock
• High-Pressure Minerals
decomposition of zircon (ZrSiO4) to
baddeleyite (ZrO2) (T>1850°C) and the
melting of sphene (CaTiSiO5) (T>1400°C).
High-Temperature Glasses
melting of quartz (SiO2) to a glass
(lechatelierite) at temperatures above 1750°C
Meteorite Fragments
Chemical Signatures from the Projectile
The element iridium (Ir) is probably the
best-known impact indicator because of its
importance in recognizing the Cretaceous-
Tertiary impact event, but other elements (e.g.,
Os, Au, Cr) have also been use
Typical samples of shatter cones

Quartzite from Vredefort impact Dolomite shatter cones from

South Africa Kentland quarry, Indiana USA
Arkenu 1 - Arkenu 2 structures
Arkenu 1 - Arkenu 2 structures
„ were identified by airborne geophysical
survey in 1973, and designated as R33 and
R34A
„ Location: 110 km west from Jabal Arkenu,
250 km southof Kufrah
22°04’ N , 23° 45’ E
Flat area covered aeolian deposits and
Quaternary soils with a NE-SW trending
dunes crossing through
The total relief is less than 20 m
Diameters: Southwestern (Arkenu 2) 10,3 km
Completely flat, hardly visible crater rims
(possibly three concentric annular ridges)
Northeastern (Arkenu 1 ) 6,8 km
Inner and outer rims are similar to the
Aorounga crater in Chad.
Host rock is coarse grained to conglomeatic
sandstone of Lower Crtaceous age with
plant fossils and thin shale interbeds.
Arkenu 1 - Arkenu 2 structures

„ Landscape as seen from the center of the northeastern crater, facing to

the northeast. Horizon corresponds to the inner ridge of the crater.
„ The structure in the middle of the image is an outcrop of breccia close to
the crater center. P.Paillou 2003 April
Different opinions of origin
Philippe Paillou et al.
2003 site investigattion

Proof of impact origin

„ Shatter cone structures

„ Impact Breccias

„ Recrystallized region with

subisotropic area (up)
„ Planar Deformation in the
quartz grain in the breccia
(down)
 Different opinions of origin
Carbonatite plug origin
supported by Dr M.Baegi from the Libyan Remote Sensing Centre Libya

„Hunting, in 1974 was the first to report the presence of a carbonatitic body
associated with the radiometric and magnetic high. Such association has
invoked interest in these structures. Detailed investigation by C.R.G 1980,
reported presence of distinctive abundance of apatite, magnetites, rare earth
elements, nobium, uranium ,thorium and zirconium and document their
carbonatitic origin.”

„The presence of numerous gas tubes, zoned complexes of alkaline igneous

rocks, kaolinized syanites, bleaching zones, magnetite minerals which produces
the positive magnetic anomalies at the central parts of the plugs, and presence
of many volcanic plugs as well as small carbonatite plugs in the surrounding
area that are following a tectonic trend, in NE direction confirm the carbonatite
origin.”
 Different opinions of origin
NON-IMPACT ORIGIN OF THE ARKENU CRATERS (LIBYA), 2007
By M. Di Martino INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino
C. Cigolini Dipartimento di Scienze Mineralogiche e
Petrologiche, Università di Torino
L. Orti Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra,
Università di Firenze

- no PDF in the collected quartz grains

„ November 2007 - shatter cones have been likely produced
„ Preliminary geological by the erosion of sandstones which are
and structural survey. oriented by the dominant winds ( “pseudo-
„ Petrographic and shatter cones”).
textural observations -concretions of diagenetic hematite
-(from mm to 10xcm size).
-magnetite deposits (diagenetic hematite
recrystallized as magnetite),
Suggestion: subvolcanic intrusive body
digisted the sandstone
 Different opinions of origin
NON-IMPACT ORIGIN OF THE ARKENU CRATERS (LIBYA), 2007
By M. Di Martino INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino
C. Cigolini Dipartimento di Scienze Mineralogiche e
Petrologiche, Università di Torino
L. Orti Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra,
Università di Firenze

„We, therefore, suggest the craters forming episode is the result of intrusion of a
paired, nearly cylindrical subvolcanic stocks (coupled with ring dike injection
in the surroundings) accompanied by hydrothermal degassing. This process was
then followed by local structural adjustments, likely due to thermal contraction
of the whole edifices along circular fractures.
This produced moderate folding and subsidence of the “crater sectors” (currently
delimited by the crater rims) as well as the origin of the outer circular
structures. Erosion did its cycle and finally revealed the architecture we are
now observing.”
Jebel Hadid structure

20°52’12.30”N; 22°42’27.47”
Jebel Hadid structure

Structure description:
Location: Jef Jef Plateau on the west and Erg
Idrisi on the east
Diameter: 4,7 km
Height: 625-630 m above sea level
Five concentric annular ridges
No terrain relief indication on SRTM
Hosted by post Herzynian Nubia Sandstone
(Lower Cretaceous)
Crossed by a NE-SW trending fluvial valley
connected to the Eosahabi paleoriver system
(late Miocene- Pliocene)
Hydrocarbon Potential
Two main play concept
1. Paleozoic play
Source: Silurian hot shales
(Tanezzuft F.)
Reservoir:
Cambro-Ordovician Sandstones
(Hassawna F.)
Upper Ordovician glaciogenetic
deposits (Memuniat F. )
Silurian-Carboniferous sediments
(Akakus F., Tadrart F., Binem F.,
Dalma F.)
Cretaceous sandstones (Nubian F.)
Hydrocarbon Potential

2. Infracambrian play
Black shales and organic-rich
limestones
Peak oil generation:
Late Triassic-Early Cretaceous

Thickness of the sediments by

seismic exploration in
Southern Kufrah Basin
Nubian to recent series 2,5 km
Upper palaeozoic 0,8 km
Cambro-Ordovician 2,5 km
 Noname structure

24°32’45.57”N ; 21°07’59.47”E

Structure description

Elongated circle shape

2,4 km largest diameter
1,7 km smallest diameter
Located In a hillside, following
the general terrain elevation, no
central uplift (eroded)

Field investigation shall evaluate

the structure
Paleoriver system in Kufrah Basin
Data were obtained by Radarsat-1 using a
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
single frequency 5,7 cm wavelength
horizontally polarized C-band.
Penetration of the radar waves depend on
two factors in desert conditions:
electrical properties (dielectric constant,
determined by the moisture content)
Moist soils reflect the radar waves, wet
ones absorb them
Grainsize of the reflecting surface
Penetration is possible if the dry surface
grainsize is less than 1/5 of the
wavelength and physically
homogeneous
Interpretation of the radar image
Description of the megasystem
„ The western system extends south into Chad
„ and extends for 317 km
„ Drainage channel exits to the north toward
Tazerbo.
„ Eastern channel is over 100 km.
„ Two large lake systems, one 79.2 km by 79.6 km,
6304 km2
„ the other 37.3 km by 141 km and covering 5260
km2 in area.
„ This lake extends east beyond the scene border in
this
„ Both show elongation along an ENE trend.
„ Smaller tributaries are represented as single lines.
„ Channel widths average 7–8 km and the length of
the
„ Ttopography in this area decreases northward
consistent with the direction of Wadi Kufra.

„ Topographical variations along the main channel

path are ranging from 650 m down to 300 m
 Interpretation of the SRTM image

The SRTM image clearly shows the The photogeological map showing
terrain of the basin delineating the
the aeolian deposits in light color
river branches
correspons with the SRTM