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Contribution of gravity and magnetic data in delineating the subsurface structure of Hammam Faroun area, Gulf of Suez, Egypt

مساهمة بيانات الجاذبية و المغناطيسية فى توضيح التركيب التحت سطحى لمنطقة حمام فرعون بخليج السويس, مصر

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Abstract

The Hammam Faroun has a particular importance due to its geothermal activity which constitutes the main geothermal resource of Egypt. The area is located on the Sinai Peninsula, a subplate bounded by two seismically active structural zones along the Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba. High-resolution ground-based gravity and magnetic data are available for the entire Hammam Faroun area, acquired as part of a national project to explore for mineral, geothermal, and hydrocarbon resources. Gravity and magnetic data were analyzed using Source Edge Detection and Source Parameter Imaging (SPI) techniques to image subsurface structures. These analyses show that the area is characterized by a set of northwest-striking faults lying parallel to the Gulf of Suez. Orthogonal patterns are also present, possibly related to rifting of the Gulf of Suez. Depth analysis using the SPI method indicates that surface faults extend to 5-km depth. Analysis of potential-field data elucidates the structurally complex subsurface structure of the Hammam Faroun area.

الملخص

منطقة حمام فرعون تعتبر من اهم المناطق ذات النشاط الحرارى فى مصر و التى تقع على الجانب الشرقى من خليج السويس بشبه جزيرة سيناء. تعتبر شبه جزيرة سيناء الواقعة بين خليج السويس غربا و خليج العقبة شرقا و البحر الاحمر جنوبا و البحر المتوسط شمالا من اهم المناطق فى العالم ذات النشاط الزلزالى. فى إطار التنمية لشبه جزيرة سيناء, تم اجراء مسوحات مغناطيسة و جاذبية بغرض استخدامها فى البحث عن المعادن و البترول و الحرارة الارضية للجزيرة.تم تحليل البيانات المغناطيسية و الجاذبية باستخدام طريقتين حديثتين: الأولى هى " كشف حواف المصدر" و الثانية " كشف خصائص المصدر" لعمل تصور عن التركيب التحت سطحى لمنطقة الدراسة. اظهرت التحليلات ان منطقة حمام فرعون تتميز بوجود صدوع و فوالق فى اتجاه الشمال الغربى موازية لخليج السويس و بعض الاتجاهات الاخرى التى تتوافق مع انفتاح خليج السويس. تحليل بيانات الاعماق تدل على ان هذه الفوالق تمتد تحت السطح لتصل لاعماق حتى 5 كم. من خلال الدراسة تبين ان بيانات المغناطيسية و الجاذبية ساهمت بشكل كبير فى عمل تصور لمنطقة حمام فرعون.الكلمة الرئيسية : حمام فرعون- خليج السويس- شبه جزيرة سيناء.

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Acknowledgment

I do thank Richard J. Blakley from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) for his comments on the manuscript. I also thank my colleagues from the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics for their help and support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, Cairo, Egypt

    Essam Aboud

  2. Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Damietta, Egypt

    El Sayed Selim

  3. Egyptian Drilling Company, Cairo, Egypt

    Ahmed El Bishlawy

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  1. Essam Aboud
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  2. El Sayed Selim
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  3. Ahmed El Bishlawy
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Correspondence to Essam Aboud.

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Aboud, E., Selim, E.S. & El Bishlawy, A. Contribution of gravity and magnetic data in delineating the subsurface structure of Hammam Faroun area, Gulf of Suez, Egypt. Arab J Geosci 4, 249–257 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-010-0134-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-010-0134-1

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