Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Science - Department of Geology

Palynological and palynofacies analyses were carried out on one hundred and thirty seven samples from the subsurface lower cretaceous albian cenomanian succession of the Kharita and Bahariya formations, encountered in Elnoor and south sallum wells which are located at the North western desert, Egypt. In the studied interval, south sallum well yielded 42 species of palynomorphs (15 sporomorphs, 20 pollen species and 7 dinoflagellate cysts). Elnoor well yielded 45 species of palynomorphs (9 sporomorphs, 23 pollen species and 13 dinoflagellate cysts). Nine biozones (six miospore zones and three dinocyst zones) were recognized throughout the studied interval. The sporomorph biozones are arranged from top to bottom as follows: CE.1 Afropolis jardinus acme zone (early cenomanian). CE.2 Elaterosporites klaszii acme zone (early cenomanian). CE.3 Trilobosporites laevigatus interval zone (early cenomanian). AL.1 Araucariacites australis acme zone (late albian). AL.2 Concavissimisporites punctatus interval zone (middle late albian). AL.3 Scortea hamosa Interval Zone (early albian). The dinoflagellate cyst biozones are arranged from top to bottom as follows: CE.I Florentinia spp. Acme zone (early cenomanian). AL.I Oligosphaeridium complex interval zone (middle late albian). AL.II Subtilisphaera perlucida interval zone (early albian). The deposition of kharita formation took place in steady and relatively stable deltaic to marginal environments which is characterized by abundant phytoclasts and relatively less amounts of palynomorphs and AOM

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