CENOZOIC TECTONIC INVERSION IN THE BANDAR JISSAH AREA, OMAN

The diverse and unique geology of northern Oman evolved from a history rich with tectonic activity, erosional processes, and deformation — and yet, key elements relating to its geological history have yet to be pieced together. We aim to conduct a structural analysis of a complex system of faults and tectonic structures near Bandar Jissah, Oman. The study region, measuring approximately 2.5x1.7 km², consists of a Paleogene sedimentary cover sequence underlain by Triassic-age carbonate rocks, and a metamorphic sole that formed during the obduction of the Semail ophiolite. It includes a massive fold structure containing the aforementioned Triassic and Paleogene sedimentary units. This fold is associated with the Wadi Kabir Fault, which stretches from Ruwi Valley to the east of Bandar Jissah, as well as the Marina Fault, which extends to the northeast from a juncture with the Wadi Kabir Fault.

There are two major models to describe the structures present in the study area; 1) the fold is a product of basin formation, where the region experienced purely extensional stressors; 2) the fold resulted from tectonic inversion, where contraction following an initial period of extension formed the anticline. Prior evaluations of this region yielded incomplete conclusions of the tectonic events that resulted in the features we see today. We propose evidence for the tectonic inversion model. We have utilized structural measurements and petrological analyses to determine the kinematic history of the region, employing maps, stereographs, thin sections, and cross-sections, among other techniques. The final product incorporates an interactive 3-D model, which visually depicts the kinematic and structural findings within the study area. The results will be useful in defining the larger geologic history of northern Oman.