Mehdi Sarfi

Remote sensing imagery has become an operative and applicable tool for the preparation of geological maps by reducing the costs and increasing the precision. In this study, ASTER satellite remote sensing data were used to extract lithological information of Deh-Molla sedimentary succession, which is located in the southwest of Shahrood city, Semnan Province, North Iran. A robust and effective approach named Band Ratio Matrix Transformation (BRMT) was developed to characterize and discriminate the boundary of sedimentary rock formations in Deh-Molla region. The analysis was based on the forward and continuous division of the visible-near infrared (VNIR) and the shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectral bands of ASTER with subsequent application of principal component analysis (PCA) for producing new transform datasets. The approach was implemented to ASTER spectral band ratios for mapping dominated mineral assemblages in the study area. Quartz, carbonate, and Al, Fe, Mg –OH bearing-altered minerals such as kaolinite, alunite, chlorite and mica were appropriately mapped using the BRMT approach. The results match well with geology map of the study area, fieldwork data and laboratory analysis. Accuracy assessment of the mapping result represents a reasonable kappa coefficient (0.70%) and appropriate overall accuracy (74.64%), which verified the robustness of the BRMT approach. This approach has great potential and capability for mapping sedimentary succession with diverse local–geological–physical characteristics around the world. © 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

The microfloral and microfaunal assemblages of the MFZ11 foraminiferal biozone (late early SomervilleViséan; formerly V2a) are well developed in the Kiyasar section of the Sari area (central Alborz; northern Iran). Regionally, this biozone MFZ11 may be subdivided into three subzones. The lower subzone, MFZ11A, is characterized by the appearances of the algae Koninckopora tenuiramosa, coeloporellacean indet. Fourstonella fusiformis, and Nanopora anglica and, among the foraminifers, by the occurrence of Ammarchaediscus bozorgniai and the disappearance of Eoparastaffella simplex; the absence of Uralodiscus rotundus, U. spp., and primitive Glomodiscus spp. in this subzone is noticeable. The next subzone, MFZ11B1, is well characterized by the appearance of Glomodiscus spp. (G. oblongus and G. cf. miloni) and the local range zone of Pararchaediscus, a genus emended herein and interpreted as a junior synonym of Archaediscus at the involutus stage and Propermodiscus; only a few characteristic issinellacean and palaeoberesellacean algae are present in this subzone. Then, the last subzone, MFZ11B2, is characterized by Hemiarchaediscus (emended herein) and Glomodiscus miloni; the upper part of this latter subzone is only marked by the apparent absence of the archaediscids and the presence of two incertae sedis algae: Crassikamaena scabrosa and Epistacheoides bozorgniai nov. sp. These assemblages indicate that at that time, Alborz remained located on the Perigondwanan southern border of the Palaeotethys, and was probably connected with the Urals as well as the northwestern branch the Palaeotethys, from Belgium to the Donets Basin. © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS

The Sarcheshmeh and Sanganeh formations are the Lower Cretaceous deep marine sequences of the Koppeh-Dagh sedimentary basin, which revealed a diverse assemblage of dinoflagellates. The paper discusses palynostratigraphy, palynofacies and palaeoenvironment of these rock units in a borehole drilled in the eastern part of this basin. Ninety-five ditch-cutting samples were prepared and studied palynologically, which resulted in recognition of 76 species of dinoflagellate cysts belonging to 29 genera. The recorded assemblages are in accordance with the Odontochitina operculata Zone suggesting a Barremian?–Aptian age for the formations. Palynological data extracted led to identification of five palynofacies types based on the categories of Tyson (1995). These indicate a marginal, proximal and distal shelf environment of deposition. The obtained data from calculated palaeoecological factors revealed a gradual sea level rise during the deposition of these rock units, resulting in replacement of the oxic/dysoxic Sarcheshmeh Formation by the dysoxic/anoxic Sanganeh Formation. © 2018, Polish Geological Institute. All rights reserved.

En este trabajo se reportan las secuencias del Devónico Medio a Tardío de la Formación Khoshyeilagh en el cuello de Khoshyeilagh. Dicha formación es muy fosilífera en el área estudiada. La especie de coral rugoso Hexagonaria davidsoni de los estratos del Frasniense de esta formación es el primer reporte de esta especie en el Devónico de Irán y se describe aquí sistemáticamente. © 2018, Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana.
The Middle to Late Devonian Khoshyeilagh Formation successions are here reported from the Khoshyeilagh neck, Alborz Mountains, Northeastern Iran. This formation is very fossiliferous. The rugose coral Hexagonaria davidsoni occurs within Frasnian strata and is the first report of this species from the Khoshyeilagh Formation. © 2018, Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana.

Orbitolinid foraminifers are reported for the first time from lower Barremian shallow marine carbonate deposits of the Moghan area, NW Iran. According to geologic map of the Razi, these rocks were previously assigned to general age of the Early Cretaceous. The early Barremian age is documented based on stratigraphic range of the marker Valserina turbinata (Foury). Other orbitolinids such as Eopalorbitolina charollaisi Schroeder, Eopalorbitolina pertenuis (Foury), Paleodictyoconus cf. cuvillieri (Foury), Montseciella cf. alguerensis Cherchi and Schroeder, Paracoskinolina cf. maynci (Chevalier), Orbitolinopsis cf. buccifer Arnaud-Vanneau and Thieuloy, and Dictyoconus? pachymarginalis Schroeder also coexist. Obtained biostratigraphic data suggest that the range of Dictyoconus? pachymarginalis, hitherto known from the Aptian, has to be extended into the early Barremian. Most of the orbitolinid taxa are well known in Europe as northern Tethyan margin endemic forms. Therefore, the study area can be considered as part of the northern Tethys margin during the Barremian. This study also extends the palaeobiogeographic distribution of northern Tethyan orbitolinids eastwards as far as northwest Iran. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd