FISSION-TRACK ANALYSIS OF BASEMENT APATITES AT THE WESTERN MARGIN OF THE GULF-OF-SUEZ RIFT, EGYPT - EVIDENCE FOR SYNCHRONEITY OF UPLIFT AND SUBSIDENCE

Abstract

Fifty-six apatite fission-track ages and 52 horizontal confined track-length measurements are reported from Precambrian crystalline rocks along the western margin of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt. Ages fall in the range of ca. 11-385 m.y. and older ages often occur within very close geographic proximity to younger ones, indicating non-uniform uplift. The wide range in ages is accompanied by a systematic variation in the distribution of horizontal confined fission track lengths. On the basis of apatite fission track ages and their length distributions, data fall into three distinct groups. Group I: ages ranging from 43 to 385 m.y. Length distributions are all positively skewed and with decreasing a..