Open AccessGenesis of the Sinkholes at Al-Najaf Governorate, South Iraq
Author(s) -
Varoujan K. Sissakian,
Hayder Al-Rammahi,
Mohammad K. Mohammad
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
iraqi geological journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.2
H-Index - 5
eISSN - 2663-8754
pISSN - 2414-6064
DOI - 10.46717/igj.55.1a.6ms-2022-01-25
Subject(s) - sinkhole , marl , geology , karst , evaporite , breccia , quaternary , geomorphology , geochemistry , dolostone , archaeology , paleontology , carbonate rock , sedimentary rock , geography , structural basin
Al-Najaf Governorate covers a large part of the western side of the Southern Desert of Iraq and extends to the Iraqi-Saudi Arabian borders. The western and southern western parts have almost a desert environment with flat terrain, which is dissected by tens of valleys; all trend in SW- NE direction and drain to the Euphrates River. The area under consideration is covered by Umm Er Radhuma, Dammam, Euphrates, Ghar, Nfayil, Injana, and Zahra formations ranging in age from Paleocene to Pleistocene age, with different types of Quaternary sediments. The main rock types are limestone and dolostone, with subordinate amounts of marl, sandstone, claystone, and breccia. One of the main characteristics of this wide and flat plain is the karstification, which is expressed by development of sinkholes. Seven large sinkholes were studied with detailed characteristics of each sinkhole to indicate the genesis of their development and relation between them. From the seven studied sinkholes, six are still active, and one of them called Soga’a sinkhole was developed in 1944.