Formation of the Nkob talc deposit by contact metamorphism and fluid infiltration into siliceous dolostones (Moroccan Anti-Atlas)

peer reviewe

From Geoheritage to Geoparks : case studies from Africa and beyond

xii,269hlm.;bib.;ill

Proposed geo-educational activities at the Sidi Bouzid geosite, Safi Province, Marrakech-Safi region, Morocco

The Sidi Bouzid escarpment is one of the geosites that present high educational and tourism values in the Safi Province, extending for several kilometers along the Atlantic coast southwest of the city of Safi, Safi Province, Marrakech-Safi region, Morocco. It offers panoramic views over the town and the Atlantic Ocean, as well as a beautiful beach much frequented by holidaymakers. The sedimentary and paleontological information preserved in the rocks that form the escarpment makes a valuable contribution to paleobiogeographic and paleoclimatic interpretations and stratigraphic correlations on a regional and global scale. This paper focused on promoting and popularizing earth sciences among students at universities, research centers, colleges, schools, and the general public by developing an educational program adapted to the Sidi Bouzid geosite. Survey was employed to collect the data, the results of which was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the educational program. The results showed that the program had a significant impact on all visitor categories since it offered visitors a holistic view of how geological processes shaped the Earth, revealing the interconnections between many components of the Earth system (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere)

Study of the effect of temperature and water content on radon exhalation from phosphate using LR-115 detectors

International audienceA study of the influence of moisture content on the radon exhalation rate from phosphate samples (with and without consideration of the back diffusion effect) was performed using the sealed cup technique. The mass exhalation rate was found to increase with an increase in moisture content, reaching a maximum value of 2.414 ± 0.034 Bq kg^−1 h^−1 with a moisture content of 10%. However, the mass exhalation rate decreased with a continued increase in moisture content above 25%. The mass exhalation rate was also measured at different temperatures between −10 and 50°C. The obtained results show that the mass exhalation rate increases linearly with temperature. We point out that all the obtained values of radon exhalation rate are lower than the world average radon exhalation rate (57.6 Bq m^−2 h^−1)

Hydrogeoethics in sustainable water resources management facing water scarcity in Mediterranean and surrounding regions

The Mediterranean region and surrounding areas comprise the semi-enclosed sea, which shares a coastline of over 46,000 km, between the southern borders of mainland Europe (namely, Iberian, Italian, Balkan Peninsulas and France), Anatolian Peninsula, western Middle East region and northern Africa. The narrow Strait of Gibraltar connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean

Arkarua-like fossils from the Anti-Atlas region (Morocco): A new opportunity to test the Ediacaran-Cambrian radiation

The Ediacaran period represents a remarkable stage in the diversification of life on Earth. During this time, the first complex ecosystems were established in shallow and deep marine environments, and were inhabited by a wide range of macro-organisms known as the Ediacaran biota. The study of the biological aspects of the Ediacaran biota focuses mainly on classic localities (Nama, Newfoundland, Flinders Ranges...), and therefore the search for and study of new fossiliferous localities is of key importance.This contribution describes a new fossiliferous locality in the Ougnate inlier, in the Anti-Atlas region (Morocco). The fossiliferous unit is the Izelf Formation (567-550 Ma), which belongs to the Ouarzazate Group. Sedimentological surveys indicate that the Izelf Formation consists of 200 meters of siliciclastic (sandstone, siltstone) and carbonate (stratified carbonate, carbonate stromatolites, and carbonate phosphate levels) sediments deposited in a shallow marine environment. The fossil-bearing sediments of the Izelf Formation yielded four types of fossils: Aspidella, ivesheadiomorphs, Charniodiscus, and Arkarua-like forms. Arkarua is represented by four specimens with pentaradial symmetry. These Arkarua-like specimens are very similar to those found in Australia (Gehling, 1987), offering a new opportunity to test the link between the Ediacaran fauna and the Cambrian radiation of echinoderms

Arkarua-like fossils from the Anti-Atlas region (Morocco): A new opportunity to test the Ediacaran-Cambrian radiation

The Ediacaran period represents a remarkable stage in the diversification of life on Earth. During this time, the first complex ecosystems were established in shallow and deep marine environments, and were inhabited by a wide range of macro-organisms known as the Ediacaran biota. The study of the biological aspects of the Ediacaran biota focuses mainly on classic localities (Nama, Newfoundland, Flinders Ranges...), and therefore the search for and study of new fossiliferous localities is of key importance.This contribution describes a new fossiliferous locality in the Ougnate inlier, in the Anti-Atlas region (Morocco). The fossiliferous unit is the Izelf Formation (567-550 Ma), which belongs to the Ouarzazate Group. Sedimentological surveys indicate that the Izelf Formation consists of 200 meters of siliciclastic (sandstone, siltstone) and carbonate (stratified carbonate, carbonate stromatolites, and carbonate phosphate levels) sediments deposited in a shallow marine environment. The fossil-bearing sediments of the Izelf Formation yielded four types of fossils: Aspidella, ivesheadiomorphs, Charniodiscus, and Arkarua-like forms. Arkarua is represented by four specimens with pentaradial symmetry. These Arkarua-like specimens are very similar to those found in Australia (Gehling, 1987), offering a new opportunity to test the link between the Ediacaran fauna and the Cambrian radiation of echinoderms

Arkarua-like fossils from the Anti-Atlas region (Morocco): A new opportunity to test the Ediacaran-Cambrian radiation

International audienceThe Ediacaran period represents a remarkable stage in the diversification of life on Earth. During this time, the first complex ecosystems were established in shallow and deep marine environments, and were inhabited by a wide range of macro-organisms known as the Ediacaran biota. The study of the biological aspects of the Ediacaran biota focuses mainly on classic localities (Nama, Newfoundland, Flinders Ranges...), and therefore the search for and study of new fossiliferous localities is of key importance.This contribution describes a new fossiliferous locality in the Ougnate inlier, in the Anti-Atlas region (Morocco). The fossiliferous unit is the Izelf Formation (567-550 Ma), which belongs to the Ouarzazate Group. Sedimentological surveys indicate that the Izelf Formation consists of 200 meters of siliciclastic (sandstone, siltstone) and carbonate (stratified carbonate, carbonate stromatolites, and carbonate phosphate levels) sediments deposited in a shallow marine environment. The fossil-bearing sediments of the Izelf Formation yielded four types of fossils: Aspidella, ivesheadiomorphs, Charniodiscus, and Arkarua-like forms. Arkarua is represented by four specimens with pentaradial symmetry. These Arkarua-like specimens are very similar to those found in Australia (Gehling, 1987), offering a new opportunity to test the link between the Ediacaran fauna and the Cambrian radiation of echinoderms