EarthRef.org Digital Archive (ERDA) -- Paleomagnetism of Miocene volcanism from South Syria

Description
Syrian Miocene alkali basalts have been sampled in the area south of Damascus. Thirty two flows were collected from short vertical sections (one to six flows) at ten sites. The sequence of polarity observed at each site is compatible with a magmatic event taking place during a reversal. Change of polarity and the presence of transitional directions allows: (1) correlation of flows between sites, (2) the assessment of the short duration of this volcanism. Moreover, the mean direction of magnetization (D = 179, I = -34, K = 28, a95=6 degrees) shows clearly that since Miocene times no tectonic rotation occurred in this deformed area close to the east side of the Levant fault and south of the Palmyra chain.

This paper not available from the original source so it has been put here to have it online and a DOI assigned. DOI:10.7288/V4/ERDA/2512