Age Assignment, Palaeoecology and Sequence Stratigraphic Framework of the Nukhul Formation at Wadi Baba, West-Central Sinai (Egypt)

Abstract The Nukhul Formation has been a point of controversy until now due to lack index fossils, varied facies modifications, and different time gaps. As result, the calcareous nannofossils exposed Miocene rocks at Wadi Baba, west-central Sinai have studied quantitatively for first time. An important sequence nannofossil bioevents recorded in Formation, including FOs Discoaster druggii , Sphenolithus dissimilis Helicosphaera ampilaperta, disbelemnos, which correspond Aquitanian age upper NN1 NN2 zones. contains four intervals that reflect eutrophic conditions nearshore habitats with substantial nutrient input from terrigenous influx, as shown by dominance cool-water taxa, Coccoliths pelagicus Reticulofenestra minuta . lithofacies, microfacies types, abundance, dominance, diversity assemblages classified interval into two depositional sequences system tracts. These tracts refer fluctuations relative sea level changes response eustatic sea-level curve.