Possible diapirs in the gulf of Elat, Southern Dead Sea rift

Elongate trending diapiric structures occur along faulted rifts in the Gulf of Elat. Those diapirs in the southern part of the Gulf, believed to be of salt origin were formed in the embryonic continental margin during the separation of the Nubian and Arabian plates. The diapirs farther to the north are believed to be of shale origin. These findings support other recent geological evidence suggesting that the tectonic regime in the region is obliquely extensional. Comparison with the structure of the Suez Rift indicates a jump of the northern extension of the Red Sea spreading center during the early Pliocene period.