Bed-thickness reduction of the upper cretaceous limestone of Ajlun area, north Jordan : stylolite study

Abstract EN

Intensive horizontal and interconnecting network types of diagenetic stylolites characterize the Upper Cretaceous limestone of Ajlun Area, North Jordan.

The host rocks consist mainly of biomicrite.

The materials filling the stylolites consist mainly of sparite, dolomite, chalcedony and ferruginous with clayey materials.

Chemical analyses show that these materials are mostly encriched with major and trace elements relative to the host rocks.

Bed-volume reduction caused by styloliti/ation was estimated using the relation between the calcite content of the stylolites and the host rocks, and was found to range between 6% and 13%.