Geochemistry of island arc assemblage in the Eastern Desert of Egypt and the role of Pan-African magmatism in crustal growth of the Arabian–Nubian Shield:A review

Neoproterozoic island arc assemblage of the Arabian–Nubian Shield(ANS)in the Eastern Desert(ED)of Egypt comprises juvenile suites of metavolcanics(MV),large amounts of meta-sedimentary rocks(MS),and voluminous metagabbros-diorites(MGD)and syn-tectonic intrusions of older granitoids(OG).We report here the updates of these four rock units in terms of classification,distribution,chemical characteristics,geodynamic evolution,metamorphism,and ages.In addition,we discuss these integrated data to elucidate a reasonable and reliable model for crustal evolution in the ANS.The main features of these rock units indicate their relation to each other and the geodynamic environment dominated by early immature oceanic island arcs to primitive continental arcs.Integrated information of the island arc metavolcanic and plutonic rocks(gabbros,diorites,tonalites,and granodiorites)furnish evidence of the genetic relationships.These include proximity and a coeval nature in the field;all protolith magmas are subalkaline in nature following calc-alkaline series with minor tholeiitic affinities;common geochemical signature of the arc rocks and subduction-related magmatism;their similar enrichment in LREEs;and similar major element compositions with mafic melts derived from metasomatized mantle wedge.The volcano-sedimentary and the OG rocks underwent multiphase deformation events whereas the MGD complexes deformed slightly.Based on the magmatic,sedimentological,and metamorphic evolutions constrained by geochronological data as well as the progressive evolutionary trend from extensional to compressional regimes,a possible gradual decrease in the subducted slab dip angle is the most infl uential in any geodynamic model for arc assemblage in the ED of Egypt.

Zooplankton community response to eddy during dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans blooms off Pakistan,northern Arabian Sea

Eddies are major elements of ocean dynamics that affect ocean production.Understanding their effects on plankton distribution may help understand the dynamics of harmful phytoplankton blooms.Previous studies on the effects of eddies in the northern Arabian Sea have primarily focused on the zooplankton community,and few have observed zooplankton dynamics during winter blooms of Noctiluca scintillans.We investigated zooplankton community structure and the related environmental variability during a N.scintillans bloom that was affected by an eddy in February 2018.The sampling stations were deployed at eddy core and eddy edge distinguished in salinity,temperature,and velocity.Results show that N.scintillans bloomed at the eddy core with high-velocity currents induced by warm eddies that moved from eddy core to eddy edge.As a result,blooms significantly changed the zooplankton community structure.Non-bloom stations had higher zooplankton diversity than bloom stations.Zooplankton at non-bloom stations were dominated by either tunicates or copepods,such as Thalia democratica and Pleuromamma gracilis.In addition to the influence of N.scintillans blooms,the velocity of eddy currents was a crucial factor on the similarities in the zooplankton community composition between eddy edge and eddy core.Moreover,the lower abiotic factors in bloom area contribute to the structuring of the zooplankton community during N.scintillans blooms.

A review on the parasitic isopod genus Notophryxus G.O.Sars,1883(Crustacea:Isopoda),and first report of Notophryxus globularis G.O.Sars,1885 from Lakshadweep Sea(Amini Island)

Isopod crustaceans of the family Dajidae are exclusively marine ectoparasites.The genus Notophryxus G.O.Sars,1883 currently includes nine nominal species,which are very rarely reported as the chances for encountering these specimens are unpredictable.Our comprehension of the taxonomy,biology,ecology,and life cycle of species belonging to the Notophryxus genus is notably lacking.All nominal species of Notophryxus genus are reviewed here to obtain a comprehensive and integrative taxonomic understanding of this genus,in an attempt to address the lacunae.This paper also documents the rediscovery of an ectoparasitic isopod from the genus Notophryxus in Indian waters,after 55 years.Adult isopod specimens obtained from the outer reefs of Amini Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago,Southeastern Arabian Sea,display morphological congruence to Notophryxus globularis G.O.Sars,1885.The only previous report on this species dates back to 1885 from G.O.Sars'description of N.globularis as an ectoparasite on the euphausiid Thysanoessa gregaria G.O.Sars,1883 in the North Pacific.This discovery represents a range extension of N.globularis from the North Pacific to the Arabian Sea.Two cryptoniscid larvae and three adult females of N.globularis(with dwarf males)were found attached to four adult mysid specimens of Siriella aequiremis Hansen,1910.The present study provides an improved diagnosis of N.globularis with the aid of light microscopy images and line drawings which was not given in the original G.O.Sars,1885 report.This research also provides a concise description of cryptoniscid larvae from the same sampling location and same host which is most likely to be N.globularis larvae.

Inversion method of deflection of the vertical based on SWOT wide-swath altimeter data

The deflection of the vertical(DOV)is the key information in the study of ocean gravity field.However,in most areas,the precision of the prime component of DoV is significantly lower than that of the meridian component.To obtain higher accuracy and resolution of ocean gravity information,researchers have proposed a novel altimeter called the wide-swath altimeter.This altimeter allows for the simultaneous acquisition of high-precision and high-resolution two-dimensional measurements of sea surface height(SSH).In this paper,the Surface Water and Ocean Topography(SWOT)mission with a wide-swath altimeter on board is selected for research.One cycle of swoT sea surface height data is simulated to inverse the DOV in the Arabian Sea(45°E—80°E,0°-30°N),and the inversion results are compared with those of conventional altimeter data.The results demonstrate that the difference between the meridian and prime components derived from the inversion of swoT wide-swath data is minimal,significantly outperforming the inversion results of conventional nadir altimeter data.The advantage of swoT wide-swath altimeter lies in its ability to use the multi-directional geoid slope at any sea surface measurement point to invert the components in the meridian and prime directions.To investigate the impact of this advantage on inversion precision,this paper employs a method to calculate the gradient of the geoid in multiple directions to invert DoV components.The improvement effect of calculating the gradient of the geoid in multiple directions on the precision of DoV component is analyzed.It is found that the accuracy of DoV inversion has significantly improved with the increase of geodetic gradient calculation direction.In addition,the effects of various errors and grid spacing in SwoT wide sea surface height data on the precision of Dov inversion are also analyzed.

Contribution to the Knowledge of the Afrotropical Spilomelinae (Lepidoptera, Crambidae): A New Genus in the Tribe Nomophilini Kuznetzov & Stekolnikov 1979 Based on Morphology and DNA Barcoding

The new genus Parathrausta gen.n. in the subfamily Spilomelinae (Lepidoptera, Crambidae) is erected based on a series of specimens collected in the Afrotropical region of Saudi Arabia. The new genus is monotypical, with Parathrausta internervalis sp.n. its type species. The adults of the type species, the male genitalia, the female genitalia and the tympanal organs are described and figured. The new genus is recognized as related by characters in the male and female genitalia with genera in the tribes Steniini Guine, 1854 and Nomophilini Kuznetzov & Stekolnikov, 1979, namely with Bradina Lederer, 1863, Perisyntrocha Meyrick, 1894, Diathrausta Lederer, 1863, Diasemiopsis Munroe, 1957, Diasemiodes Munroe, 1957 and with the genera in the Duponchelia Zeller, 1847 group comprising Duponchelia Zeller, 1847, Penestola Mschler, 1890, Tatobotys Butler, 1880 and Hymenoptychis Zeller, 1852. The character states differentiating the new genus from the comparative genera are discussed. Potential autapomorphies of the new genus are listed. The tribal assignment of the new genus to the Nomophilini Kuznetzov & Stekolnikov, 1979 based on morphological characters is discussed. The support of the tribal and cladistic assignment of the new genus as a sister clade to Diathrausta Lederer, 1863 based phylogenetic analyses (NJ, MP and ML) is shown. An unusually strong genetic divergence of the genus in the COI segment of the mt-DNA based on the Tamura-Nei distance measure from the morphologically related genera is recognized and addressed.

Analysis of Temperature Trends and Variations in the Arabian Peninsula’s Upper Atmosphere

In this study, the trends of upper-air temperatures are analysed by utilising radiosonde observations for the barometric levels at 700, 500, 300, 200, 150, 100 and 50 hPa from five meteorological stations within the Arabian Peninsula from January 1986 to August 2015. The mean monthly variations of the temperatures at these levels are characterised and established. The magnitudes of the annual trends of the mean temperatures for each site for the selected barometric levels are studied and statistically tested using Mann-Kendall rank statistics at different significance levels. The temperature trends at different pressure levels show that the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere are warming, while the middle troposphere is cooling which is consistent with the findings of other studies. The variations in upper air temperature observed in this study can be attributed to a range of factors, including increasing greenhouse gas concentrations, changes in atmospheric circulation patterns, variations in solar activity, aerosols and volcanic eruptions, and land use and land cover change.

Seasonal variability of salinity budget and water exchange in the northern Indian Ocean from HYCOM assimilation

Based on HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) assimilation and observations, we analyzed seasonal variability of the salinity budget in the southeastern Arabian Sea (AS) and the southern part of the Bay of Bengal (BOB), as well as water exchange between the two basins. Results show that fresh water flux cannot explain salinity changes in salinity budget of both regions. Oceanic advection decreases salinity in the southeastern AS during the winter monsoon season and increases salinity in the southern BOB during the summer monsoon season. In winter, the Northeast Monsoon Current (NMC) carries fresher water from the BOB westward into the southern AS; this westward advection is confined to 4°-6°N and the upper 180 m south of the Indian peninsula. Part of the less saline water then turns northward, decreasing salinity in the southeastern AS. In summer, the Southwest Monsoon Current (SMC) advects high-salinity water from the AS eastward into the BOB, increasing salinity along its path. This eastward advection of high-salinity water south of the India Peninsula extends southward to 2°N, and the layer becomes shallower than in winter. In addition to the monsoon current, the salinity difference between the two basins is important for salinity advection.

The Role of Barrier Layer in Southeastern Arabian Sea During the Development of Positive Indian Ocean Dipole Events

Using data from Argo and simple ocean data assimilation (SODA), the role of the barrier layer (BL) in the southeastern Arabian Sea (SEAS: 60°E-75°E, 0°-10°N) is investigated during the development of positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) events from 1960 to 2008. It is found that warmer sea surface temperature (SST) in the northern Indian Ocean appears in June in the SEAS. This warm SST accompanying anomalous southeastern wind persists for six months and a thicker BL and a corresponding thinner mixed layer in the SEAS contribute to the SST warming during the IOD formation period. The excessive precipitation during this period helps to form a thicker BL and a thinner mixed layer, resulting in a higher SST in the SEAS. Warm SST in the SEAS and cold SST to the southeast of the SEAS intensify the southeasterly anomaly in the tropical Indian Ocean, which transports more moisture to the SEAS, and then induces more precipitation there. The ocean-atmosphere interaction process among wind, precipitation, BL and SST is very important for the anomalous warming in the SEAS during the development of positive IOD events.

Statistical and Comparative Analysis of Tropical Cyclone Activity over the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal(1977-2018)

A statistical comparative analysis of tropical cyclone activity over the Arabian Sea (AS) and Bay of Bengal(BoB) has been conducted using best-track data and wind radii information from 1977 to 2018 issued by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Results show that the annual variation in the frequency and duration of tropical cyclones has significantly increased over time over the AS and insignificantly decreased over the BoB. The monthly frequency of tropical cyclones over the AS and the BoB shows a notable bimodal character, with peaks occurring in May and OctoberNovember, respectively. The maximum frequency of tropical cyclones occurs in the second peak as a result of the higher moisture content at mid-levels in the autumn. However, the largest proportion of strong cyclones (H1-H5 grades) occurs in the first peak as a result of the higher sea surface temperatures in early summer. Tropical cyclones over the AS break out later during the first peak and activity ends earlier during the second peak, in contrast with those over the BoB. This is related to the onset and drawback times of the southwest monsoon in the two basins. Tropical cyclones over the AS are mainly generated in the eastern basin, whereas in the BoB the genesis locations are meridionally (zonally) distributed in May-June (October-November) as a result of the seasonal movement of the low-level positive vorticity belt. The Arabian Sea is dominated by tropical cyclones that track west and northwest, accounting for about 74.6%of all the tropical cyclones there, whereas the tropical cyclones with a NE track account for only 25.4%. The proportions of the three types of tracks are similar in the BoB, with each accounting for about 33%of the tropical cyclones. The mean intensity and size of tropical cyclones over the AS are stronger and larger, respectively, than those over the BoB and the size of tropical cyclones over the North Indian Ocean in early summer is larger than that in the autumn. The asymmetrical structure of tropical cyclones over the North Indian Ocean is affected by topography and the longest radius of the 34 kt surface wind often lies in the eastern quadrant of the tropical cyclone circulation in both sea areas.

Zooplankton Research in Indian Seas:A Review

To promote long-term studies on the distribution and diversity of marine zooplankton in Indian seas,a comprehensive review has been carried out based on the available literature.Zooplankton studies in Indian waters started in the early 1900 s,and a plethora of literature has accumulated dealing with various aspects of zooplankton,especially from the Bay of Bengal,Arabian Sea and their associated estuaries and backwaters.From this review,a comprehensive description is offered on the species composition and distribution of zooplankton in the Indian Seas.Emphasis is given to reflect the existing knowledge on the variations in zooplankton species composition in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea.Copepods emerge as the most dominant component in all of these marine waters,as is the case worldwide.Copepods are more diverse in the Bay of Bengal than in Arabian Sea.

REASONS FOR THE LATE ONSET AND ANOMALOUS SOUTHWARD PERSISTENCE OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA SUMMER MONSOON IN 2005

Features of atmospheric circulation and thermal structures are discussed using the NCAR/NCEP data to reveal the reasons for the late onset and anomalous southward persistence of the South China Sea Summer Monsoon(SCSSM) in 2005.The results show that three factors are crucial.First,a strong Arabian High overlaps with a high-latitude blocking high and channels strong cold air to southern Asia.Second,the Tibetan Plateau has a bigger snow cover than usual in spring and the melting of snow cools down the surface.Third,the Somali Jet breaks out at a much later date,being not conducive to convection over Indochina.The former two factors restrict atmospheric sensible heating over the Tibetan Plateau and nearby regions while the third one limits latent heating over Indochina.All of the factors slow down atmospheric warming and postpone the onset of SCSSM.Long after the onset of SCSSM,strong cold air over India advances the Southwest Monsoon northward slowly,resulting in weaker convection and latent heating over the Tibetan Plateau and nearby areas.The negative feedback conversely inhibits further northward movement of Southwest Monsoon.

Basement tectonics and flexural subsidence along western continental margin of India

The Paleocene-recent post-rift subsidence history recorded in the Mumbai Offshore Basin off western continental margin of India is examined. Results obtained through 2-D flexural backstripping modelling of new seismic data reveal considerable thermo-tectonic subsidence over last ca. 56 Myr. Reverse postrift subsidence modelling with variable β stretching factor predicts residual topography of ca. 2000 m to the west of Shelf Margin Basin and fails to restore late Paleocene horizon and the underlying igneous basement to the sea level. This potentially implies that:(1) either the igneous basement formed during the late Cretaceous was emplaced under open marine environs; or(2) a laterally varying cumulative subsidence occurred within Mumbai Offshore Basin(MOB) during ca. 68 to ca. 56 Ma. Pre-depositional topographic variations at ca. 56 Ma across the basin could be attributed to the extensional processes such as varied lower crustal underplating along Western Continental Margin of India(WCMI). Investigations about basement tectonics after unroofing of sediments since late Paleocene from this region support a transitional and heavily stretched nature of crust with high to very high β factors. Computations of past sediment accumulation rates show that the basin sedimentation peaked during late Miocene concurrently with uplift of Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau and intensification of Indian monsoon system. Results from basin subsidence modelling presented here may have significant implications for further studies attempting to explore tectono-climatic interactions in Asia.

Late Neoproterozoic adakitic magmatism of the eastern Arabian Nubian Shield

Late Neoproterozoic adakitic magmatism within the Eastern Arabian Nubian Shield has been dated at633.2±9.0 Ma(2σ).These magnas intrude the forearc Ad Dawadimi Basin,which is composed of metapelitic schists and greywacke along with ophiolitic melanges of boninitic affinity which underwent inversion and deformation by^620 Ma.This adakitic magmatism,while intruding parts of the Ad Dawadimi Basin,predates this deformation,but is possibly coincident with basin closure.As adakitic magmatism requires melting of an amphibolite or eclogitic source,empirical and experimental constraints require anomalously hot supra-subduction zone mantle.Considering that this magmatism immediately predates basin inversion,these magmas possibly pinpoint the timing of the slab breaking,marking the terminal stages of arc magmatism,terrane accretion and the influx of hot oceanic asthenospheric mantle.This influx of hot asthenospheric mantle may also be responsible for postcolltsional A-type magmatism.

Inter-ethnic marriages and severity of coronary artery disease:A multicenter study of Arabian Gulf States

AIM To assess the association of inter-ethnic vs intra-ethnic marriage with severity of coronary artery disease(CAD) in men undergoing angiography.METHODS We conducted a prospective multicenter,multi-ethnic,cross sectional observational study at five hospitals in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates,in which we used logistic regression analysis with and without adjustment for baseline differences. RESULTS Data were collected for 1068 enrolled patients undergoing coronary angiography for clinical indications during the period of April 1^(st),2013 to March 30^(th),2014. Ethnicities of spouses were available only for male patients. Of those enrolled,687 were married men and constituted the cohort for the present analysis. Intra-ethnic marriages were reported in 70% and inter-ethnic marriages in 30%. After adjusting for baseline differences,interethnic marriage was associated with lower odds of having significant CAD [adjusted odds ratio 0.52(95%CI:0.33,0.81)] or multi-vessel disease(MVD) [adjusted odds ratio 0.57(95%CI:0.37,0.86)]. The adjusted association with left main disease showed a similar trend,but was not statistically significant [adjusted odds ratio 0.74(95%CI:0.41,1.32)]. The association between interethnic marriage and the presence of significant CAD and MVD was not modified by number of concurrent wives(P interaction > 0.05 for both).CONCLUSION Among married men undergoing coronary angiography,inter-ethnic,as compared to intra-ethnic,marriage is associated with lower odds of significant CAD and MVD.

Morphometric Analysis of Drainage Basins in the Western Arabian Peninsula Using Multivariate Statistics

The uplift of the Arabian Shield and the opening of the Red Sea led to the development of steep drainage systems in the Western Arabian Peninsula. Although the Peninsula has been studied from a geological perspective, in relation to oil production, plate tectonics and eolian systems such as sand dunes, the steep mountainous drainage basins have received much less attention. This paper aims to assess the characteristics and development of 36 drainage basins in the Western Arabian Peninsula, using a digital elevation model (DEM), principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical cluster analysis (CA). Three major principal components (PC1 to PC3) are found to explain 73% of total variance. CA divided the basins into two or four groups. The division by CA strongly reflects PC1, showing that the two analyses give comparable results. PC1 strongly reflects basin dimensions and drainage texture, and their positive correlations indicate the significant effect of basin relief and slope on mass wasting and limited stream incision in small basins under an arid climate. PC2 mainly reflects the effect of bedrock geology, suggesting that volcanic rocks tend to produce more elongated and less eroded immature basins than crystalline rocks do. PC3 mainly reflects the basin relief and slope and the length of each stream segment, which may also reflect the effect of mass wasting on stream development.

New high-resolution 2D seismic imaging of fluid escape structures in the Makran subduction zone,Arabian Sea

Seabed fluid escape is active in the Makran subduction zone,Arabian Sea.Based on the new highresolution 2D seismic data,acoustic blanking zones and seafloor mounds are identified.Acoustic blanking zones include three kinds of geometries:Bell-shaped,vertically columnar and tilted zones.The bellshaped blanking zone is characterized by weak and discontinuous reflections in the interior and upbending reflections on the top,interpreted as gas chimneys.Vertically columnar blanking zone is interpreted as side-imaged gas chimneys associated with focused fluid flow and topped by a seafloor anomaly expressed as a localized reflection discontinuity,which may together serve as a vent structure.Tilted acoustic blanking zone could be induced by accretionary thrust activity and rapid sedimentation surrounding slope.Seafloor mounds occur at the sites of bell-shaped acoustic blanking zone and may be associated with the material intrusion.Bottom simulating refectors(BSRs)are widely distributed and exhibit a series of characteristics including diminished amplitude,low continuity as well as local shoaling overlapping with these acoustic blanking zones.The large amount of gases dissociated from the gas hydrates migrated upwards and then arrived at the near-seafloor sediments,followed by the formation of the gas hydrates and hence the seafloor mound.

Sequence stratigraphy of the petroliferous Dariyan Formation (Aptian) in Qeshm Island and offshore (southern Iran)

After sea level rises during the Early Cretaceous, upper parts of the Khami Group sediments （Fahliyan, Gadvan, and Dariyan Formations） deposited over Jurassic sediments. The Lower Cretaceous （Aptian） Dariyan Formation （equivalent to the Shu＇aiba Formation and Hawar Member of the Arabian Plate） carbonates, which have hydrocarbon reservoir potential, form the uppermost portion of the Khami Group that unconformably overlays the Gadvan Formation and was unconformably covered by the Kazhdumi Formation and Burgan sandstones. Detailed paleontological, sedimentological, and well log analysis were performed on seven wells from Qeshm Island and offshore in order to analyze the sequence stratigraphy of this interval and correlate with other studies of the Dariyan Formation in this region. According to this study, the Dariyan Formation contains 14 carbonate lithofacies, which deposited on a ramp system that deepened in both directions （NE-wells 5, 6 and SWIwells 1, 2）. Sequence stratigraphy led to recognition of 5 Aptian third-order sequences toward the Bab Basin （SW-well 1） and 4 Aptian third-order sequences toward Qeshm Island （NE-wells 5 and 6） so these areas show higher gamma on the gamma ray logs and probably have higher source rock potential. Other wells （wells 2-4 and 7） mainly deposited in shallower ramp systems and contain 3 Aptian third-order sequences. On the other hand, rudstone and boundstone lithofacies of studied wells have higher reservoir potential and were deposited during Apt 3 and Apt 4 sequences of the Arabian Plate. The Dariyan Formation in Qeshm Island （well 6） and adjacent well （well 5） was deposited in an intrashelf basin that should be classified as a new intrashelf basin in future Aptian paleogeographic maps. We interpret that salt-related differential subsidence, crustal warping, and reactivation of basement faults of the Arabian Plate boundary were responsible for the creation of the intrashelf basin in the Qeshm area.

Upper ocean high resolution regional modeling of the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal

In this paper, effort is made to demonstrate the quality of high-resolution regional ocean circulation model in realistically simulating the circulation and variability properties of the northern Indian Ocean(10°S–25°N,45°–100°E) covering the Arabian Sea(AS) and Bay of Bengal(BoB). The model run using the open boundary conditions is carried out at 10 km horizontal resolution and highest vertical resolution of 2 m in the upper ocean.The surface and sub-surface structure of hydrographic variables(temperature and salinity) and currents is compared against the observations during 1998–2014(17 years). In particular, the seasonal variability of the sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, and surface currents over the model domain is studied. The highresolution model's ability in correct estimation of the spatio-temporal mixed layer depth(MLD) variability of the AS and BoB is also shown. The lowest MLD values are observed during spring(March-April-May) and highest during winter(December-January-February) seasons. The maximum MLD in the AS(BoB) during December to February reaches 150 m (67 m). On the other hand, the minimum MLD in these regions during March-April-May becomes as low as 11–12 m. The influence of wind stress, net heat flux and freshwater flux on the seasonal variability of the MLD is discussed. The physical processes controlling the seasonal cycle of sea surface temperature are investigated by carrying out mixed layer heat budget analysis. It is found that air-sea fluxes play a dominant role in the seasonal evolution of sea surface temperature of the northern Indian Ocean and the contribution of horizontal advection, vertical entrainment and diffusion processes is small. The upper ocean zonal and meridional volume transport across different sections in the AS and BoB is also computed. The seasonal variability of the transports is studied in the context of monsoonal currents.

Does Glacial-Interglacial Transition Affect Sediment Accumulation in Monsoon-Dominated Regions?

The spatio-temporal changes in sedimentation rate along the continental margin of the monsoon-dominated eastern Arabian Sea during the last 24 kyr have been estimated from a compilation of 58 radiocarbon dated cores, in order to understand the effect of glacial-interglacial variation on sedimentation. The sedimentation rate has been computed for four-time slices, viz. the last glacial maximum, glacial-interglacial transition, early Holocene and late Holocene. We report that the average sedimentation rate in the slope to the abyssal region of the entire eastern Arabian Sea, although higher during the Holocene as compared with that during the last glacial maximum and glacial-interglacial transition, does not significantly vary during all four-time intervals. The sedimentation rate during any particular time interval, however, varies from core to core, thus indicating zonal changes. We report four zones of relatively high sedimentation rate, viz. the northeastern Arabian Sea, the region off the Gulf of Khambhat, the region off Goa and Mangalore, and off the southern tip of India. We suggest that a complex interaction of land-ocean-atmospheric processes controlled sedimentation rate in the eastern Arabian Sea during the last 24 kyr in such a way that the average sedimentation rate does not vary significantly, even during highly contrasting climatic conditions.

Comparisons of the suture zones along a geotraverse from the Scythian Platform to the Arabian Platform

The area from the Greater Caucasus to the southeast Turkey is characteri：;.ed and shaped by several major continental blocks. These are Scythian Platform, Pontian-Transcaucasu.,; Continent-Arc System （PTCAS）, the Anatolian-lranian and the Arabian Platforms. The aim of this paper is to define these continental blocks and describe and also compare their boundary relationships along the suture zones. The Scythian Platform displays the evidence of the Hercynian and Alpine orogens. This platform is separated from the PTCAS by the Greater Caucasus Suture Zone. The incipient collision began along this suture zone before middle-late Carboniferous whereas the final collision occurred before Oligocene. The PTCAS can be divided into four structural units： （1） the Georgian Block - northern part of the Pontian-Transcaucasian island-arc, （2） the southern and eastern Black Sea Coast-Adjara-Trialeti Unit, （3） the Artvin-Bolnisi Unit, comprising the northern part of the southern Transcaucasus, and （4） the Imbricated Bayburt-Garabagh Unit. The PTCAS could be separated from the Anatolian Iranian Platform by the North Anatolian-Lesser Caucasus Suture （NALCS） zone. The initial collision was developed in this suture zone during Senonian-early Eocene and final collision before middle Eocene or Oligocene-Miocene. The Anatolian-lranian Platform （AIP） is made up of the Tauride Platform and its metamorphic equivalents together with Iranian Platform. It could be separated from the Arabian Platform by the Southeastern Anatolian Suture （SEAS） zone. The collision ended before late Miocene along this suture zone. The southernmost continental block of the geotraverse is the Arabian Platform, which constitutes the northern part of the Arabian-African Plate. This platform includes a sequence from the Precambrian felsic volcanic and clastic rocks to the Campanian-early Maastrichtian fiyschoidal clastics. All the suture zones include MORB and SSZ-types ophiolites in different ages. However, the ages of the suture zones and the crustal thicknesses along the suture zones are different, as the age becoming younger, the thickness decreasing from north to south. The emplacements of the ophiolites have similar pattern of a flower structure, reflecting both the north- and south-dipping overthrusts along the suture zones.