학술논문

New Discovery of Oligocene Strata in the Topernawi Formation, Turkana County, Kenya
Document Type
article
Source
Frontiers in Earth Science, Vol 10 (2022)
Subject
East Africa rift system
oligocene
hominid evolution
stratigraphy
geochronology
Turkana basin
Science
Language
English
ISSN
2296-6463
Abstract
New field observations and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology reveal that the Topernawi Formation of the Ekitale Basin, northern Turkana Depression, Turkana County, Kenya was deposited entirely during the Oligocene between 29.7 ± 0.5 Ma and 29.24 ± 0.08 Ma. These bracketing ages are determined via new 40Ar/39Ar geochronology on a basaltic lava flow at the base of the section and a felsic ignimbrite near the top. A newly discovered basal unit and interbedded lava flow result in a new total sedimentary thickness of 92 m. The Topernawi Formation is the oldest dated syn-rift sedimentary section in the northern Turkana Depression.