Comparison between Fan Deltas Formed in the Gulf of Suez in Egypt and in the Gulf of Corinth in Greece

By

 Abraham Zelilidis¹, A. Barkooky¹, M. Darwish¹, N. Tewfik¹, J. Vakalas¹

(1) Univesity of Patras, Patras, Greece

 Fan-delta systems that have been studied in Egion and Evrostina areas in Gulf of Corinth in Greece, were formed in restricted and narrow sub-basins at the margins of the main Corinth basin, due to the presence of an intrabasinal basement high, are characterized by the absence of toe-sets, and termed Trapezoidal-type fan-deltas. Evrostina fan-delta system is characterized by an upward change from trapezoidal-type to Gilbert-type fan-delta system, when the prograding system overstepped the high. Fan-delta systems that have been studied in Gulf of Suez in west-central Sinai in Egypt were formed also in restricted sub-basins at the margins of the main basin also due to the presence of a pre-rift basement high. These fan-deltas are characterized by the absence of toe-sets, when they started to form, and gradually passed upwards to Gilbert-type fan-deltas. Both studied examples in Greece and Egypt are characterized by the absence of toe-sets. The later is related to very restricted conditions reducing the space that is necessary in order to develop the toe-sets, and for this reason when the systems overstepped the intrabasinal highs change from trapezoidal-type to Gilbert-type fan-deltas. From the other hand in Egypt the absence of toe-sets is related also to the amount of sediments during the first stage of their development. In both settings it seems that the presence of intrabasinal basement highs was the factor that influenced the type and development of fan-deltas. Trapezoidal-type fan-deltas gradually pass upwards to Gilbert-type fan-deltas when the prograding systems overstepped the intrabasinal highs.