Numerical modeling of the development of southeastern Red Sea continental margin

Abstract

The Red Sea continental margin (RSCM) corresponds to a wide hinge zone between Red Sea and Arabian plate. This margin has been studied through geological and geophysical observations primarily in regard to the evolution of Red Sea rift. This margin is characterized by occurrence of thin sediments, significant onshore uplift, tectonic subsidence of the offshore sedimentary basin, active faulting and seismicity. Studies indicate that sedimentary sequences of the margin are deformed by faults and folds resulting from at least two phases of extension and a phase of uplift. During the two phases of extension due to regional plate stress the sequence was cut by set of extensional faults. While during the phase of uplift the sequence was deformed by folding and faulting. The present paper aims to clear the structural development of RSCM during these tectonic episodes, taken as particular tectonic event, by two-dimensional finite element modeling on plane strain condition. Elastic rheology is assumed for the oceanic, continental and transitional crust along with syntectonic deposits. Stress field, shear stress and fault distribution suggests that mantle plume weakened the crust following rifting due to regional stress and developed the margin. These results are well consistent with those from present seismicity, active faulting and neotectonic studies.