A discussion on the structure and evolution of the Red Sea and the nature of the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Ethiopia rift junction - The shear along the Dead Sea rift

Abstract

Recent surface and subsurface geological investigations in Israel and Jordan provide new data for the re-examination of Dubertret’s (1932) hypothesis of the left-hand shear along the Dead Sea rift. It is found that while none of the pre-Tertiary sedimentary or igneous rock units extend right across the rift, all of them resume a reasonable palaeographical configuration once the east side of the rift is placed 105 km south of its present position. It is therefore concluded that the 105 km post-Cretaceous, left-hand shear along the Dead Sea rift is well established. The 40 to 45 km offset of Miocene rocks and smaller offsets of younger features indicate an average shear movement rate of 0.4 to 0.6 cm a -1 during the last 7 to 10 Ma. Unfortunately, the 60 km pre-Miocene movement cannot be dated yet. Along the Arava and Gulf of Aqaba and in Lebanon the shear is divided over a wide fault zone within and outside the rift.