See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/284824791

Spectral analyses of basement rocks in El-Sibai-Umm Shaddad area, Central

Eastern Desert, Egypt, using ASTER thermal infrared data

Article  in  Arabian Journal of Geosciences · November 2014

DOI: 10.1007/s12517-014-1729-8

CITATIONS READS

7 311

3 authors, including:

Safaa M. Hassan Mohamed Fouad Sadek

National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences
36 PUBLICATIONS   213 CITATIONS    37 PUBLICATIONS   545 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Geology, Igneous and metamorphic petrology, Remote Sensing applications View project

Tectonic evolution of meatiq dome, central Eastern Desert, Egypt View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Mohamed Fouad Sadek on 14 February 2016.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

Arab J Geosci
DOI 10.1007/s12517-014-1729-8

ORIGINAL PAPER

Spectral analyses of basement rocks in El-Sibai-Umm Shaddad

area, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt, using ASTER thermal
infrared data
Safaa M. Hassan & Mohamed F. Sadek &
Reinhard O. Greiling

Received: 22 July 2014 / Accepted: 19 November 2014

# Saudi Society for Geosciences 2014

Abstract Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and reveals that the applied data of ASTER thermal ratio bands
Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) level 1B (five thermal infra- produced a new geological map with well-discriminated rock
red (TIR) bands) data have been used to discriminate the units.
exposed rock units in the Wadi El-Sibai-Umm Shaddad area
in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt. The quantitative and Keywords El-Sibai-Umm Shaddad . Pan-African basement .
qualitative spectral characteristic analyses of the exposed rock Egypt . Emissivity spectra . ASTER . Thermal infrared . PCA
units have been applied using the data of ASTER TIR
bands (8–12 μm) in order to explain the relationship be-
tween emissivity of these rock units and their mineralogical Introduction
composition. The exposed rock units comprise a variety of
granitic rocks intruded into the ophiolitic and island arc The El-Sibai-Umm Shaddad study area is located in the
metavolcanic assemblages of the Pan-African basement. The Central Eastern Desert of Egypt and covers about 853 km2
ophiolitic serpentinites talc-carbonate rocks, metavolcanics (Fig. 1). It pertains to the northern part of the Pan-African
and granitic rocks are well discriminated by applying the Arabian Nubian Shield, which was formed by suturing of arc
ASTER thermal band ratios (12/13, 10×11/13×14, 12/14) in terranes consisting of arcs, accretionary prisms and back-arc
RGB. In this study, the principal component analyses (PCA) basins that formed in the Mozambique Ocean (e.g. Stern
of the five ASTER thermal bands are applied for the first time 1994; Johnson et al. 2011). The Central Eastern Desert of
to discriminate the basement rocks in the study area. The Egypt is essentially a collage of tectonically assembled
method effectively discriminates between three granitic vari- ophiolitic mélange and intraoceanic arcs, which were cov-
eties forming the El-Sibai-Abu El Tiyur intrusion. They are ered—later on—by molasse-type sediments and continental
biotite granite, leucocratic alkali-feldspar granite and volcanics, and intruded by suites of granitoids and dyke
riebeckite granite. These granitic varieties were previously swarms (El Ramly 1972; EI Gaby et al. 1988 and 1990;
mapped as one unit, namely alkali-feldspar granite. This study Greiling et al. 1994). The lithological units in the Central
Eastern Desert of Egypt have been studied using Landsat
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article TM, Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) and
(doi:10.1007/s12517-014-1729-8) contains supplementary material, Landsat 8 (e.g. Gad and Kusky 2006; Hassan and Ramadan
which is available to authorized users. 2014). Gabal El-Sibai area was previously investigated using
S. M. Hassan (*) : M. F. Sadek the Landsat TM images (Ragab et al. 1993; Tolba et al. 2003).
National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences Landsat 8 has 11 spectral bands, covering the visible near-
(NARSS), Cairo, Egypt
infrared bands (1–9), short-wave infrared bands (6 and 7) and
e-mail: [email protected]
only two thermal infrared bands with spatial resolution of
S. M. Hassan 90 m (10 and 11) reflectance data. On the other hand,
e-mail: [email protected] Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection
Radiometer (ASTER) covers a wide spectral region with 14
R. O. Greiling
Institut für Angewandte Geowissenschaften, Karlsruhe Institute of bands from the visible to the thermal infrared (Table 1).
Technology, Karlsruhe Universitat, Karlsruhe, Germany Several studies have demonstrated the usefulness of remotely
 Arab J Geosci

Fig. 1 a Regional geological

map of the Eastern Desert of
Egypt (after EI Gaby et al. 1988)
illustrating the study area. b The
location map of the study area
shows the distribution of the
basement and granitic rocks in the
Eastern Desert of Egypt

sensed data for lithologic identification and geological map- Hook et al. 2005; Mars and Rowan 2006; Gad and Kusky
ping using both short-wave infrared (SWIR) and thermal 2007; Le Yu, et al. 2008; Amer et al. 2010; Ali-Bik et al. 2012;
infrared data (TIR ASTER) (e.g. Cudahy et al. 2000; Rowan Amer, et al. 2012; Sadek and Hassan 2012; Abou Elmagd
and Mars 2003; Rowan et al. 2003; Ninomiya et al. 2005; et al. 2013; Rajendran et al. 2013). The three visible near-
infrared bands (VNIR) are important sources of information
related to absorption by transition elements especially iron and
Table 1 Characteristics of ASTER data some rare earth elements (Rowan et al. 2003). Other studies
have been focused on the use of remotely sensed data covering
Radiometric Ground Spectral Spectral range Band
resolution region (μm) number the thermal infrared (8–13 μm) in lithologic identification and
geological mapping using multi-band TIR of ASTER
8 bits 15 m VNIR 0.52–0.60 Band 1 (Ninomiya 2002; Ninomiya and Fu 2002 and 2003;
0.63–0.69 Band 2 Ninomiya et al. 2005; Vaughan et al. 2005; Moghtaderi et al.
0.78–0.86 Band 3-N 2007; Le Yu et al. 2008; Aboelkhair et al. 2010).
0.78–0.86 Band 3-B The ASTER thermal data has not previously been applied
30 m SWIR 1.60–1.70 Band 4 in lithological mapping of Gabal El-Sibai area. The main
2.145–2.185 Band 5 scope of the present study is discrimination of the exposed
2.185–2.225 Band 6 rock units on the basis of their mineralogical compositions
2.235–2.285 Band 7 using the data of ASTER thermal band ratioing and principal
2.295–2.365 Band 8 component analyses.
2.360–2.430 Band 9
12 bits 90 m TIR 8.125–8.475 Band 10
8.475–8.825 Band 11
8.925–9.275 Band 12 Geological setting
10.25–10.95 Band 13
10.95–11.65 Band 14
The early studies of Sabet (1961) on Gabal El-Sibai area
indicated low- to medium-grade metamorphism of the schists
Arab J Geosci

with amphibolites which were derived from sediments and Ophiolitic assemblage (serpentinite and talc-carbonate rocks)
volcanics. El Ramly (1972) preferred a metasedimentary ori-
gin for the hornblende schists forming the infrastructure in the The ophiolitic assemblage consists of dismembered slabs of
El-Sibai area. The El-Sibai gneisses have been described by El massive serpentinites and talc-carbonates, which were formed
Gaby (1983) and El Gaby et al. (1984, 1988) as pre- in a back-arc basin setting (Khudeir and Asran 1992). The
Neoproterozoic crust remobilized in the Neoproterozoic– serpentinites are exposed east of Gabal El-Sibai as N–S-
Early Paleozoic (900–520 Ma) during overthrusting of trending lenticular bodies which are tectonically thrusted over
ensimatic cover nappes. In agreement with this, the highly sheared metavolcanics and locally intruded by Nusla
infrastructure-suprastructure model was proposed for the El- alkali-feldspar granite. The sheared talc-carbonate rocks crop
Sibai complex by Kamal El Din et al. (1992), Kamal El Din out at the northern side of Wadi Umm Gheig, forming
(1993) and Khudeir et al. (1992, 1995). The oldest unit was scattered slices within the schistose metavolcanics. The
described as an amphibolite–migmatite complex by Kamal El ophiolitic rocks were emplaced over the metavolcanics by
Din et al. (1992). Geochemically, Kamal El Din (1993) con- remarkable NNW–SSE-trending thrusts, which were affected
sidered the amphibolites to have had a metasedimentary origin by folding of these rocks (Fig. 2a). The exposed serpentinite
pertaining to island arc tholeiitic basalt. rocks are generally sheared and dissected by networks of
The structural history of the El-Sibai complex was magnesite veins and are locally associated with talc graphite
divided into eight deformational phases by Khudeir schist slices and talc ankerite-silica (listwaenite) bodies.
et al. (1992) and Kamal El Din (1993). The core of the Ophiolitic slabs are locally incorporated within the sheared
Deleihimi antiform to the east of the Sibai is occupied by metavolcanics.
high-temperature gneisses and schist (El Gaby et al.
1994). Folding is responsible for the structure of the Schistose metavolcanics and metavolcaniclastics
Sibai complexes (Hamimi 1996, Abdeen and Greiling
2005), while the SE margin of the gneissic complex is The schistose metavolcanics and metavolcaniclastics are the
represented by a low-angle normal fault (Bregar et al. dominant rock unit along Wadi Umm Gheig and in the eastern
1996) and folded thrust (Ibrahim and Cosgrove 2001). and the northern parts of Gabal El-Sibai. The Umm Gheig
Fritz and Messner (1999), Fritz et al. (2002) and Bregar metavolcanic belt is frequently interleaved with serpentinite
et al. (2002) applied the Meatiq metamorphic core com- talc-carbonate rocks in the form of wedges or slices usually in
plex model to the El-Sibai complex. El-Sibai intrusion association with bluish-grey talc-graphite schists. These
was mapped as post-tectonic alkaline granitoids intruding serpentinites have sharp tectonic contacts with the surround-
the surrounding metavolcanics and older granitoids ing metavolcanics.
(EGSMA 1992). Fowler et al. (2007) revealed that the These rocks are basic to intermediate in composition and
gneissic association rocks are not infrastructural, but they include chlorite hornblende schist showing greenschist facies
form a unit within the ophiolitic association nappes and metamorphism, though some rocks reach amphibolite facies.
that the El-Sibai is not antiformal in structure. Abdeen They are overthrust by slabs of talc-carbonate rocks. The
et al. (2014) divided the exposed rocks forming El-Sibai- whole belt is elongated in the NW–SE direction with remark-
Um Gheig area into lower tier composed mainly of am- able macroscale folds and crenulations (Fig. 2b) and included
phibolite–migmatite and granitoid gneisses and an upper a mega-scale open fold in Wadi Umm Lusseifa (Fig. 2c, d).
tier of ophiolitic rocks, metavolcanics and their related
volcaniclastics and molasse-type Hammamat sediments. Intrusive rocks
The exposed rock assemblages in the El-Sibai-Umm
Shaddad area in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt are The ophiolitic and island arc calc-alkaline metavolcanics are
related to the late Neoproterozoic, Pan-African tectono-mag- intruded by three different generations of granitoids: (a) El-
matic episodes. The area is essentially composed of Shush syn-magmatic gneissic tonalite-granodiorite, (b) Umm
metavolcanic schist, metagabbros and serpentinites talc- Shaddad-Delihimmi alkali-feldspar granite and (c) El-Sibai-
carbonate rocks constituting the ophiolitic mélange of Abu Tiyur late- to post-magmatic alkali granites (Kamal El
Shackleton (1979). This association is overlain by Din 1993, Fowler et al. 2007).
Hammamat molasse sediments. The whole association is in-
truded by syn- to late- to post-tectonic granitic intrusions 1. The El-Shush gneissic tonalite-granodiorite forms a NW–
including tonalite-granodiorite, monzogranites and alkali SE-trending elongate intrusion. The gneissosity in this
granites (cf. Fig. 7). In this study, three main assem- granite is weakly developed (Fowler et al. 2007). Flow
blages of rock units are discerned: (1) ophiolitic rocks, banding and flow-oriented feldspar phenocrysts are ob-
(2) calc-alkaline metavolcanics and their related served in the lower more heterogeneous parts of the El-
volcaniclastics and (3) intrusive rocks. Shush intrusion. The transition from the El-Shush tonalite
 Arab J Geosci

Fig. 2 a Ophiolitic serpentinites

(sp) thrusting over schistose
a b
metavolcanics (mv) (SW-dipping
thrust contact), Wadi Umm
Lusseifa. b Wadi Umm Gheig
strongly deformed, highly sp
tectonized metavolcanics mv
showing folding and crenulation.
c Primary bedding in
metavolcaniclastic rocks, Wadi
Umm Lusseifa. d Folding in
metavolcaniclastic rocks, Wadi
Umm Lusseifa. The photo shows
the dark hornblende-rich bands
alternating with light felsic-rich c d
bands

into tonalite gneiss is marked by conformable bands of intruded into the metavolcanics, gneissic tonalite
varying mafic mineral contents (Khudeir et al. 1995). and granodiorite. They are intersected by a group
2. The Umm Shaddad and Delihimmi alkali-feldspar granit- of faults trending mainly NW and NE and are
oids intruded the metavolcanic assemblages. They have traversed by quartz and fluorite veins and small
been mapped as alkali granites (EGSMA 1992) and as pegmatitic patches. These rocks are related to the
granites (Khudeir et al. 1995). Fowler et al. (2007) G3 granites of Hussein et al. (1982) and considered
mapped Umm Shaddad intrusion as alkali granite and as A-type granites by Abdel-Rahman and El-Kibbi
Delihimmi as granodiorite. Bregar et al. (1996) mentioned (2001) and El-Sayed et al. (2002) or as Late
that the Umm Shaddad intrusion shows a gently SE Cryogenian-Ediacaran granitoids of Johnson et al.
dipping tabular geometry constrained by low-angle nor- (2011). The El-Sibai-Abu Tiyur granitic intrusion
mal faults that controlled its intrusion. The Umm Shaddad shows a wide variation in its mineralogical compo-
and related red granites are mainly alkali-feldspar granites sition, including monzogranites, syenogranites and
associated with syenogranites with high K-calc-alkaline alkali granites. Petrographically, these granitic rocks
affinity (El-Sayed et al. 1999). Sometimes, these rocks are subdivided by Kamal El Din (1993) into (1)
show schlieren and gneissic texture with flow-aligned biotite granite which occupies the eastern and west-
large microcline phenocrysts. ern parts of Gabal El-Sibai; (2) leucocratic alkali-
feldspar granite forming the entire ring of the El-
The Delihimmi alkali-feldspar granite intrusion was iden- Sibai intrusion (Fowler et al. 2007); and (3)
tified by EGSMA (1992) as alkali granite, while Hamimi riebeckite granite occurring at the eastern part and
(1996) recognized it as a gneissic body and an extension of the southern rim of the El-Sibai ring, which consists
the gneissic association exposed in the core of an anticlinal essentially of K-feldspars and Na-plagioclase, with
structure. Akaad and Abu El Ela (2002) regarded the subordinate amounts of quartz, riebeckite, aegirine
Delihimmi intrusion as younger granite, while Fowler et al. and biotite. Ragab et al. (1993) suggested that the
(2007) mapped this intrusion as gneissic granodiorite. presence of some riebeckite needles and flakes
enclosed in as well as on the expense of large
3. El-Sibai-Abu Tiyur-El-Atawi late- to post-magmatic in- biotite crystal may be due to post-magmatic sodic
trusions form a ring-shaped intrusion at the northern west- metasomatism. All of these basement rocks are tra-
ern part of the mapped area. They mainly comprise alkali- versed by many dykes and quartz veins with vari-
feldspar granites, in parts associated with syeno-granite. able trends, lengths and widths. They are mafic,
These rocks represent the youngest granitic varieties felsic and trachytic in composition.
Arab J Geosci

Materials and methods ASTER thermal band ratioing

TIR spectra of the exposed rock units Band ratioing is a helpful technique that can be applied for the
discrimination of surface materials. The basic idea of this
One scene of ASTER level 1B covering the study area dated technique is to emphasize or exaggerate the anomaly of the
on 7 April 2007 “radiance at-sensor data” has been used with target object (Abrams et al. 1983). This technique is typically
and without atmospheric correction (Ninomiya et al. 2005) in used to enhance the spectral differences between surface
order to propose indices of the exposed rock units and im- materials that are difficult to detect in raw images
prove the extraction of different lithological aspects. The (Aboelkhair et al. 2010). For discrimination of the widely
ASTER scene was processed and analysed using Earth exposed rock units in the study area using ASTER thermal
Resources Data Analyses System (ERDAS) IMAGINE ver- data, many referenced and unreferenced band ratios have been
sion 2014. Five ASTER thermal bands with 90-m spatial tested. The ratios (Fig. 5) b10×b11/b13×b14 for granitic
resolution TIR data were geometrically corrected and rocks, b12/b14 for metavolcanics and b12/b13 for serpentinite
resampled applying nearest neighbour resampling method to talc-carbonate rocks have been selected based on the charac-
maintain the original pixel values of the image. Quantitative teristic analyses of thermal spectrum of these rock units
analyses have been applied to the ASTER thermal bands using (Fig. 3).
ERDAS IMAGINE spectral profile viewer. Finally, the
ASTER data was interpreted to produce the geological map.
Principal component analysis transformation
The spectral profile viewer of the image processing software
(ERDAS IMAGINE, version 2013) allows user to visualize
Principal component analysis (PCA) transformation technique
the reflectance or emission spectrum of a single pixel through-
has been applied to the five derivative ASTER emissivity
out many bands. This kind of image processing technique is
bands as a method of data compression and to reduce redun-
particularly useful for multi-spectral data that have several
dant information in highly correlated bands (Fig. 6). It allows
layers. It allows estimation of the mineralogical composition
redundant data to be compacted into fewer bands, that is, the
of the material in the pixel. In the present study, the average of
dimensionality of the data is reduced. The bands of PCA data
thermal spectral values of the mapped rock units are listed in
are non-correlated and independent and are often more inter-
Table 2, and the thermal characteristic curves have been
pretable than the source data.
delineated (different pixels) representing the exposed rock
In the present study, the PCA transformation was carried
units (Fig. 3a–e) and the average values are defined. The
out on the five ASTER thermal images of the ophiolitic
average spectral curves of these rocks are also compared
serpentinite and talc-carbonate, schistose metavolcanics and
(Fig. 3f).
granitic intrusions. The obtained PCA eigenvector loadings
and eigenvalues show that the first, second and third principal
Converting to emissivity and temperature
components (PCs) account for most of the total data variance
(Table 3 and Fig. 6).
Before converting the ASTER thermal data to emissivity and
temperature, atmospheric correction for ASTER level 1B
“radiance at-sensor data” (8 to 14 μm) bands was applied to Fieldwork
approximate and remove the atmospheric contributions from
thermal infrared radiance data using ENVI version 5.1 soft- The produced geological map of the area, using the processed
ware. ENVI emissivity normalization technique was applied ASTER thermal images, was revised and verified through two
to the five ASTER thermal bands to separate the emissivity field trips, whereas the different lithological units and their
values of the exposed rock units (Fig. 4). contacts have been checked with emphasis on the Gabal El-

Table 2 The average ASTER thermal values for the main exposed rock units in the study area

Rock types Ophiolitic (serpentinite- Metavolcanics Biotite granite Leucocratic alkali- Riebeckite granite
ASTER bands talc-carbonate rocks) feldspar granite (alkaline granites)

10 0.48 0.57 0.69 0.91 0.69

11 0.50 0.50 0.74 0.99 0.60
12 0.45 0.49 0.62 0.79 0.62
13 0.46 0.52 0.49 0.72 0.60
14 0.42 0.45 0.55 0.88 0.55
 Arab J Geosci

Fig. 3 The average ASTER TIR

spectral curves characterizing the
exposed rock units in study area.
a Serpentinite talc-carbonate
rocks. b Metavolcanic rocks. c
El-Sibai biotite granite. d El-Sibai
leucocratic alkali-feldspar granite.
e El-Sibai riebeckite granite. f
TIR spectral curve of the widely
exposed rock units

Sibai-Abu El Tiyur pluton. The structural features such as 1992; Kamal El Din 1993; Abdel-Rahman and El-Kibbi 2001;
thrust and normal faults and lineaments have been checked, Fowler et al. 2007). Based on the spectral characteristic anal-
and many representative field photographs showing some yses of principal component (PCA) of the five ASTER ther-
field observations have been taken. mal bands (Table 3 and Fig. 6) as well as the field verification,
the boundaries between these three petrographical varieties
are clearly discriminated in this image as well as on the present
geological map (Fig. 7).
Results and discussions The new three discriminated granitic varieties are described
as follows:
The igneous rocks are composed mainly of silicate minerals
which do not show any spectral feature in VNIR or SWIR 1. Biotite granite forms the main mass of Gabal El-Sibai and
ASTER bands. They have pronounced spectral features in the well exposed in the western part of Gabal El-Sibai-Abu Tiyur
TIR region due to asymmetric Si–O–Si stretching vibrations intrusion. It consists essentially of quartz, plagioclase, K-
(Le Yu et al. 2008). Ninomiya et al. (2005) proposed that the feldspar and biotite. These rocks show higher thermal values
series of the alkali-feldspar, which often coexist with quartz in in ASTER band 11 than in bands 10 and 12 due to their
felsic igneous rocks, have lower emissivity in band 11 than in enrichment with quartz and low content of alkali-feldspar
bands 10 and 12, contrary to the quartz characteristics through minerals (Fig. 3c and Table 2). Biotite granite can be discrim-
the ASTER thermal band. inated by its very bright colour in the derivative emissivity
Petrographically, Kamal El Din (1993) identified three image (Fig. 4a).
granitic varieties forming El-Sibai-Abu Tiyur late tectonic 2. Leucocratic alkali-feldspar granite (Fig. 3d) is very poor in
intrusion without discrimination on his geological map. In mafic minerals and consists essentially of microcline,
all previous geological maps, this intrusion was mapped as microperthite and subordinate quartz. The thermal value in
one granitic type, namely alkali-feldspar granite (e.g. EGSMA band 11 is higher than in both bands 10 and 12 due to the low
Arab J Geosci

Fig. 4 a Biotite granite has a higher emissivity value (bright colour) in alkali-feldspar granite exhibits light grey colour in band 12. d False
band 11. b Riebeckite granite and alkali-feldspar granite show nearly the colour composite emissivity image (b10, b11 and b12) in RGB
same emissivity values (dark grey colour) in band 10. c Leucocratic

content of quartz. This granitic type is emphasized by light discriminated from the surrounding rocks in the false colour
grey colour in band 12 in the derivative emissivity image composite emissivity image (b10, b11, b12) in RGB (Fig. 4d).
(Fig. 4c).
3. Riebeckite granite intrudes the eastern part of El-Sibai-Abu The ultramafic rocks in the study area are represented by
Tiyur circular mass, the southern rim of Gabal El-Sibai and serpentinite and talc-carbonate rocks. Serpentinite consists
Wadi El-Shush nappe assemblage (Fig. 3e). It consists essen- essentially of antigorite and chrysotile replaced by carbonate,
tially of K-feldspars and Na-plagioclase, with subordinate talc and magnesite, while talc-carbonate rocks consist mainly
assemblages of quartz, riebeckite, aegirine and biotite. This of magnesite and antigorite (Kamal El Din 1993). The major
granite displays higher thermal values in band 11 than in band carbonate minerals show spectral emissivity minima in
14 (Table 2) due to the very low content of quartz and high ASTER band 14 attributed to the C–O bending mode. This
content of K-feldspars (Ninomiya et al. 2005). In the emissivity feature in the emissivity spectra shifts to shorter wavelengths
image (Fig. 4b), this granitic variety shows dark grey colour in (i.e. magnesite) depending on the type of the carbonate min-
band 10. The three mentioned granitic types are well erals (Ninomiya et al. 2005). As shown in Table 2 and Fig. 3a,
 Arab J Geosci

Fig. 5 a Grey scale band ratio image (b12/b13) of ASTER thermal data metavolcanic rocks with light grey regions. d False colour band ratio
differentiates the serpentinite talc-carbonate rocks with very bright image (b12/b13, b10×b11/b13×b14, b12/b14) in R, G and B for best
regions. b Band ratio (b10×b11/b13×b14) of the same ASTER data discrimination of granitic rocks (greenish cyan), metavolcanics (dark red)
discriminates the granitic intrusions rocks as very bright regions. c Grey and serpentinite (bright red)
scale band ratio (b12/b14) of the same ASTER data emphasizes the

the serpentinite and talc-carbonate rocks in the study area have 10 and 12 (Fig. 3b) comparable with the characteristic
higher emissivity values in ASTER bands 10 and 11 than in behaviour of the intermediate rocks (Ninomiya et al.
bands 12 to 14 due to the presence of carbonate and magnesite 2005). However, they have minimum spectral values
associated and replacing serpentine minerals. shifted to longer wavelengths at ASTER band 14 due
The schistose metavolcanics along Wadi Umm Gheig to the presence of carbonate minerals (Ninomiya et al.
and northeast of Gabal El-Sibai area range in composi- 2005) incorporated as talc-carbonate slices within the
tion from metabasalts, meta-andesites and metadacites. metavolcanic schist. For comparison, the TIR spectral
Petrographically, these rocks consist mainly of variable characteristics of all mapped rock units are shown in
amounts of plagioclase, quartz, hornblende and chlorite Fig. 3f.
(Kamal El Din 1993). They exhibit a relatively lower The applied ASTER thermal band ratio image (b10×b11/
emissivity value in ASTER band 11 than that in bands b13×b14) discriminates all granitic rocks with bright colour
Arab J Geosci

Fig. 6 a–c Grey scale bands of principal component transformation images of ASTER thermal data (PC1, PC2 and PC3). d False colour composite
image (PC1, PC2 and PC3) in RGB showing the variation of the discriminated granitic varieties (see Fig. 7) for more visual interpretation details

areas (Fig. 5b), while the surrounding serpentinites and the alkali-feldspar granite displays slightly darker tone than
metavolcanics show darker colour areas. On the other hand, the other granitic rock types.
The band ratio image (b12/b14) differentiates the highly
Table 3 Eigenvector loadings and eigenvalues of PCs for the derivative schistose metavolcanics by their dark grey colour (Fig. 5c).
ASTER emissivity bands Figure 5a shows the serpentinite-talc-carbonate rocks as hav-
ing a very bright colour on the ASTER thermal band ratio
PC1 PC2 PC3 PC4 PC5
image (b12/b13).
B10 0.63 −0.70 0.28 0.14 −0.00 The newly proposed false colour combination ASTER
B11 0.60 0.21 −0.75 −0.12 −0.00 thermal image of band ratios (b12/b13, b10×b11/b13×b14
B12 0.47 0.64 0.58 −0.10 0.00 and b12/b14) distinguishes the serpentinite-talc-carbonate
B13 0.03 0.19 −0.06 0.93 0.28 rocks as very bright red colour. Most of the granitic rocks
B14 −0.00 −0.06 0.01 −0.27 0.95 show greenish cyan colour, and the metavolcanics display
Eigenvalues 72.88505 4.891007 0.016048 0.012686 0.000673
greenish red colour (Fig. 5d). Based on the PCA eigenvector
Information% 92.39072 7.571454 0.020626 0.016305 0.000865
analyses (Table 3 and Fig. 6), the PC1 image (Fig. 6a) corre-
lates with granitic rocks as positive eigenvector values (0.63)
 Arab J Geosci

Fig. 7 Geological map of the El-

Sibai Abu Tiyur area modified
after Fowler et al. (2007) and
Kamal El Din (1993) using the
ASTER thermal data

and serpentinite with positive eigenvector values (0.60) and white tone, while the biotite granite is emphasized with very
metavolcanics with positive eigenvector values (0.47), while bright grey tone. Figure 5d shows that the biotite, alkali-
the PC2 image (Fig. 6b) correlates with the serpentinite, feldspar and riebeckite granites are discerned by dark blue,
granitic and metavolcanic rock units. This is verified by dark green and light cyan colours, respectively.
negative eigenvector loadings for serpentinite (−0.70) and
positive eigenvector value (0.64) for the metavolcanics and
granitic intrusion with positive values (0.21). PC3 image has
positive eigenvector loadings for riebeckite granite (−0.75) Conclusions
and positive value (0.58) for alkali-feldspar granite and posi-
tive eigenvector value (0.28) for biotite granite. Both PC4 and The Pan-African nappe assemblage in Umm Gheig El-Sibai-
PC5 show noisy data. The band combination (PC1, PC2 and Umm Shaddad area was intruded by syn- to late- and post-
PC3) of the principal component image (Fig. 6d) discrimi- tectonic granitoids. This study is concerned with the litholog-
nates three different granite bodies in the El-Sibai-Abu Tiyur ical mapping of the basement rocks exposed in this area with
granitic intrusion which are biotite granite, alkali-feldspar emphasis on the El-Sibai-Abu Tiyur granitic intrusion. The
granite and riebeckite granite that are poorly discriminated interpretation is based on the data of ASTER thermal band
on images of band ratios (b12/b13, b10×b11/b13×b14 and ratios (b12/b13, b10×b11/b13×b14 and b12/b14) in RGB,
b12/b14). The PC1 and PC2 grey scale images (Fig. 6a, b) do the average TIR spectral curves characterizing the exposed
not discriminate between granitic varieties, while the PC3 rock units as well as the quantitative/ qualitative principal
grey scale image (Fig. 6c) emphasizes the alkali-feldspar component transformation (PC1, PC2 and PC3) analyses.
granite by the dark grey tone and the riebeckite granite by This study reveals that the mineralogical composition of these
Arab J Geosci

rocks is an effective factor controlling spectral charac- Acknowledgments The first author would like to express her thanks to
the scientists in the Institut für Angewandte Geowissenschaften, Karlsru-
teristics. The results derived from this newly proposed
he University, Germany for their valuable discussions and great help
method for lithological discrimination in the study area during her visit to the institute, where she was kindly invited by Prof.
show consistency with the field check. Compared with Reinhard Greiling and funded by DFG. Grateful thanks to Prof. Fowler
the previous geological maps of the study area, the for reading the manuscript and his valuable comments. Thanks also for
the editor and the reviewers of this manuscript for their valuable revisions.
produced geological map (Fig. 7) shows some differ-
ences, which can be summarized as follows: (1) The
NW–SE-trending belt located between Gabal Nusla and
Gabal Abu Tiyur granitic intrusions is differentiated in
References
the present geological map into serpentinite talc-
carbonate rocks and metavolcanic schists intruded by
biotite granite. These rock units were previously Abdeen MM (2003) Tectonic history of the Pan-African orogeny in Umm
Gheig area, Central Eastern Desert. Egypt J Geol 47(1):239–254
mapped collectively as one unit, namely tectonic
Abdeen MM, Greiling RO (2005) A quantitative structural study of late
mélange of serpentinite talc magnesite, pillow basaltic Pan-African compressional deformation in the Central Eastern
lava with rare microgabbro and microdiorite (EGSMA Desert (Egypt) during Gondwana assembly. Int Gondwana Res
1992; Ibrahim and Cosgrove 2001). (2) Two main dif- 8(4):457–471
Abdeen MM, Greiling RO, Sadek MF, Hamad SS (2014)
ferent granitic intrusive bodies are discerned by Fowler
Magnetic fabrics and Pan-African structural evolution in the
et al. (2007) in the study area including (a) granitic Najd Fault corridor in the Eastern Desert of Egypt. J Afr
intrusions in the ophiolitic association and (b) gneissic Earth Sci 99:93–108
associations of granodiorite and granite (Umm Shaddad, Abdel-Rahman AM, El-Kibbi MM (2001) Anorogenic magmatism:
chemical evolution of the Mount El-Sibai A-type complex
Nusla and El-Shush), while this study revealed that the
(Egypt), and implications for the origin of within-plate felsic
granitic rocks forming the intrusions of Gabals Nusla, magmas. Geol Mag 138:67–85
Umm Shaddad, Al Atawi and the central part of El- Aboelkhair H, Ninomiya Y, Watanabe Y, Sato I (2010) Processing and
Sibai slightly show the same spectral characteristics in interpretation of ASTER TIR data for mapping of rare-metal-
enriched albite granitoids in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt. J
the ASTER thermal band ratio image (Fig. 5d) due to
Afr Earth Sci 58:141–151
the similarities in their mineralogical composition, al- Abou Elmagd K, Emam A, Ali-Bik MW (2013) Chemostratigraphy,
though they show some differences in tectonic relations petrography and remote sensing characterization of the Middle
and probably age of magma differentiation. Accordingly, Miocene-Holocene sediments of Ras Banas peninsula, Red Sea
Coast, Egypt. Carpathian J Earth Environ Sci 8(3):27–42
they are mapped as alkali-feldspar granites. (3)
Abrams JM, Brown D, Lepley L, Sadowski R (1983) Remote sensing for
Petrographically, Kamal El Din (1993) identified three porphyry copper deposits in Southern Arizona. Econ Geol
granitic varieties forming El-Sibai-Abu Tiyur intrusion, 78:591–604
namely biotite granite, alkali-feldspar granite and Akaad, M.K., Abu El Ela, A.M., 2002. Geology of the basement rocks in
riebeckite granite without discrimination in his geologi- the eastern half of the belt between latitudes 25° 30- and 26° 30-N
Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. The Geological Survey of Egypt,
cal map. In this study, these three granitic varieties are Paper No. 78, EGSMA, Cairo, p. 118
discriminated in the present geological map. This pluton Ali-Bik MW, Taman Z, El Kalioubi B, Abdel Wahab W (2012)
is previously mapped as one unit of alkali-feldspar Serpentinite-hosted talc-magnesite deposits of Wadi Barramiya area,
granite (e.g. EGSMA 1992; Kamal El Din 1993; Eastern Desert, Egypt: characteristics, petrogenesis and evolution. J
Afr Earth Sci 64:77–89
Ibrahim and Cosgrove 2001; Abdeen 2003; Fowler et al. Amer R, Kusky T, Ghulam A (2010) Lithological mapping in the Central
2007). (4) The ophiolitic serpentinite talc-carbonate rocks Eastern Desert of Egypt using ASTER data. J Afr Earth Sci
and the schistose metavolcanics are well discriminated, 56:75–82
and the boundaries between these rocks are modified in Amer R, Kusky T, El Mezayen A (2012) Remote sensing detection of
gold related alteration zones in Um Rus area, Central Eastern Desert
the produced geological map compared with the previ- of Egypt. Adv Space Res 49:121–134
ous mapping of the study area. This study reveals that Bregar M, Fritz H, Unzog W (1996) Structural evolution of low-angle
the applied data of ASTER thermal spectral characteris- normal faults SE of the Gebel El-Sibai Crystalline Dome; Eastern
tic analyses, band ratios, principal component and de- Desert, Egypt: evidence from paleopiezometry and vorticity analy-
ses. Zbl Geol Palaont 3/4:243–256, Teil I, H
rivative emissivity images are helpful tools in litholog- Bregar M, Bauernhofer A, Pelz K, Kloetzli U, Fritz H, Neumayr P (2002)
ical discrimination of some exposed rock units. ASTER A late Neoproterozoic magmatic core complex in the Eastern Desert
data processing shows good correlation with fieldwork for of Egypt: emplacement of granitoids in a wrench-tectonic setting.
the discriminated rock units. The analyses of ASTER TIR Precambrian Res 118:59–82
Cudahy TJ, Okada K, Yamato Y, Huntington JF and Hackwell JA (2000)
datasets have been found to be appropriate for the detection
Mapping skarn alteration mineralogy at Yerington, Nevada, using
of the mineralogical composition of different rock units in airborne hyperspectral TIR SEBASS imaging data. ERIM
other similar tectonically and geologically arid regions in the Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Applied
Eastern Desert and worldwide. Geologic Remote Sensing: 70–79
 Arab J Geosci

EGSMA (1992) Wadi Al Barramiyah quadrangle map, Egyptian Johnson PR, Andresen A, Collins AS, Fowler AR, Fritz H, Ghebreab W,
Geological Survey, Cairo. El Kusky T, Stern RJ (2011) Late Cryogenian–Ediacaran history of the
EI Gaby S, List FK, Tehrani R (1988) Geology, evolution and Arabian–Nubian Shield: a review of depositional, plutonic, struc-
metallogenesis of the Pan African belt in Egypt. In: EI Gaby S, tural, and tectonic events in the closing stages of the northern East
Greiling RO (eds) The Pan-African belt of northeast Africa and African Orogen. J Afr Earth Sci 61:167–232
adjacent areas. Vieweg & Sohn, Braunsehweig / Wiesbaden, Kamal El Din, GM (1993) Geochemistry and tectonic significance of the
pp 17–68 Pan- African El-Sibai Window, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt.
EI Gaby S, List FK, Tehrani R (1990) The basement complex of the Scientific Series of the International Bureau, Forschungzentrum
Eastern Desert and Sinai. In: Said R (ed) The geology of Egypt. Julich, 19: 154p
Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 175–184 Kamal El Din GM, Khudeir AA, Greiling RO (1992) Tectonic evolution
El Gaby S (1983) Architecture of the Egyptian basement complex. of a Pan-African gneiss culmination, Gabal El-Sibai area, Central
International Basement Tectonics Assoc., Publ., 5: 8 Eastern Desert. Egypt Zbl Geol Palaontol 11:2637–2640, Teil I, H
El Gaby S, El Nady O, Khudeir A (1984) Tectonic evolution of the Khudeir AA, Asran AH (1992) Back-arc Wizr Ophiolites at Wadi Umm
basement complex in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt. Geol Gheig district, Eastern Desert, Egypt. Bull Fac Sci Assiut Univ 21:
Rundsch 73:1019–1036 1–22
El Gaby S, Khudeir AA, Asran AM (1994) Geology and geochemistry of Khudeir AA, El Gaby S, Greiling RO and Kamal El Din GW (1992)
the Pan-African volcano-sedimentary belt at Wadi Umm Gheig, Geochemistry and tectonic significance of polymetamorphosed am-
Eastern Desert. Egypt Bull Fac Sci Assiut Univ 23:185–219 phibolites in the Gebel El-Sibai window, Central Eastern Desert,
El Ramly MF (1972) A new geological map for the basement rocks in the Egypt. In: Geology of the Arab World Conference, Cairo University,
eastern and south Western Deserts of Egypt. Ann Geol Surv Egypt Egypt: 461–476
2:1–18 Khudeir AA, El-Gaby S, Kamal El Din GM, Asran AMH, Greiling RO
El-Sayed MM, Hassanen MA, Obeid MA (1999) Geochemistry and (1995) The pre-Pan-African deformed granite cycle of the Gabal El-
petrogenesis of Late Precambrian tonalite-granodiorite- Sibai swell, Eastern Desert, Egypt. J Afr Earth Sci 21:395–406
syenogranite series at Umm Shaddad district (Egypt). Neues Jb Le YU L, LI X, Zhang D and Dong C (2008) Characteristics of remote
Miner Abh 175:29–51 sensing emission spectra of composite igneous rocks. International
El-Sayed MM, Mohamed FH, Fumes H, Kanisawa S (2002) Workshop on Education Technology and Training and International
Geochemistry and petrogenesis of the Neoproterozoic granitoids in Workshop on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, IEEE
the Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. Chem Erde 62:317–346 Mars JC, Rowan LC (2006) Regional mapping of phyllic-and argillic-
Fowler AR, Khamees H, Dowidar H (2007) El-Sibai gneissic complex, altered rocks in the Zagros magmatic arc, Iran, using Advanced
Central Eastern Desert, Egypt: folded nappes and syn-kinematic Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer
gneissic granitoid sheets—not a core complex. J Afr Earth Sci 49: (ASTER) data and logical operator algorithms. Geosphere 2(3):
119–135 161–186
Fritz H, and Messner M (1999) Intramontane basin formation during Moghtaderi A, Moore F, Mohammadzadeh A (2007) The application of
oblique convergence in the eastern Desert of Egypt: magmatically advanced space-borne thermal emission and reflection (ASTER)
versus tectonically induced subsidence. Tectonophysics, 145–162 radiometer data in the detection of alteration in the Chadormalu
Fritz H, Dallmeyer DR, Wallbrecher E, Loizenbauer J, Hoinkes G, paleocrater, Bafq region, Central Iran. J Asian Earth Sci 30:238–252
Neumayr P, Khudeir AA (2002) Neoproterozoic tectonothermal Ninomiya Y (2002) Mapping quartz, carbonate minerals and mafic-
evolution of the Central Eastern Desert, Egypt: a slow velocity ultramafic rocks using remotely sensed multispectral thermal infra-
tectonic process of core complex exhumation. J Afr Earth Sci 34: red ASTER data. Proc SPIE 5234:180–190
137–155 Ninomiya Y, Fu B (2002) Quartz index, carbonate index and SiO2
Gad S, Kusky TM (2006) Lithological mapping in the Eastern Desert of content index defined for ASTER TIR data. J Remote Sens Soc
Egypt, the Barramiya area, using Landsat thematic mapper (TM). J Jpn 22:50–61
Afr Earth Sci 44(2006):196–202 Ninomiya Y, Fu B (2003) Extracting lithologic information from ASTER
Gad S, Kusky TM (2007) ASTER spectral ratioing for lithological multispectral thermal infrared data in the northeastern Pamirs.
mapping in the Arabian-Nubian shield, the Neoproterozoic Wadi Xinjiang Geol 21:22–30
Kid area, Sinai, Egypt. Gondwana Res 11(3):326–335 Ninomiya Y, Fu B, Cudahy TJ (2005) Detecting lithology with Advanced
Greiling RO, Abdeen MM, Dardir AA, El Akhal H, El Ramly MF, Kamal Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer
El Din GM, Osman AA, Rashwan AA, Rice AHN, Sadek MF (ASTER) multispectral thermal infrared “radiance-at-sensor” data.
(1994) A structural synthesis of the Proterozoic Arabian-Nubian Remote Sens Environ 99:127–139
Shield in Egypt. Geol Rundsch 83:484–501 Ragab AI, El-Kalioubi B, El-Alfy Z (1993) Petrotectonic assemblages
Hamimi Z (1996) Tectonic evolution of the shield rocks of Gabal El Sibai and crustal evolution of the area north of Abu El-Tiyur,
area, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. Egypt J Geol 40:423–453 central Eastern Desert, Egypt. MERC Ain Shams Univ Earth
Hassan SM, Ramadan TM (2014) Mapping of the late Neoproterozoic Sci Ser 7:1–16
Basement rocks and detection of the gold-bearing alteration zones at Rajendran S, Nasir S, Kusky TM, Ghulam A, Gabr S, El-Ghali AKM
Abu Marawat-Semna area, Eastern Desert, Egypt using remote (2013) Detection of hydrothermal mineralized zones associated with
sensing data. Arab J Geosci. doi:10.1007/s12517-014-1562-0 listwaenites in Central Oman using ASTER data. Ore Geol Rev 53:
Hook SJ, Dmochowski JE, Howard KA, Rowan LC, Karlstrom KE, 470–488
Stock JM (2005) Mapping variations in weight percent silica mea- Rowan LC, Mars JC (2003) Lithologic mapping in the Mountain Pass,
sured from multispectral thermal infrared imagery. Examples from California area using Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and
the Hiller Mountains, Nevada, USA and Tres Virgenes-La Reforma, Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data. Remote Sens Environ 84(3):
Baja California Sur, Mexico. Remote Sens Environ 95:273–289 350–366
Hussein AAA, Ali MM, El Ramly MF (1982) A proposed new classifi- Rowan LC, Hook SJ, Abrams MJ, Mars JC (2003) Mapping hydrother-
cation of the granites of Egypt. J Volcanol Geotherm Res 14:187–198 mally altered rocks at Cuprite, Nevada, using the Advanced
Ibrahim S, Cosgrove J (2001) Structural and tectonic evolution of the Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer
Umm Gheig/El-Shush region, Central Eastern Desert of Egypt. J Afr (ASTER). A new satellite-imaging system. Econ Geol 98(5):
Earth Sci 33:199–209 1019–1027
Arab J Geosci

Sabet, A.H.A., 1961. Geology and mineral deposits of Gebel Stern RJ (1994) Arc assembly and continental collision in the
El-Sibai Area, Red Sea Hills, Egypt, U.A.R. Unpubl. Neoproterozoic East African orogen implications for consolidation
Ph.D. thesis, Leiden State University, the Netherlands, of Gondwanaland. Ann Rev Earth Planet Sci 22:319–351
189p Tolba ME, Ramadan TM, Abdeen MM, Gabr SS (2003) Structural
Sadek MF, Hassan SM (2012) Application of Egyptsat-1 and Landsat- controlling factors of the mineralization in the Central Eastern
ETM data fusion in discrimination of volcanic and granitic rocks at Desert using remote sensing data and geographic information sys-
Gabal Gharib area, northeastern Egypt. Austr J Basic Appl Sci tems. 5th International Scientific Conference (F.I.S.C), Sciences,
6(13):471–480 Development and Environment, Cairo: 25–27 March, 2003
Shackleton RM (1979) Evaluation and mineralization of the Arabian- Vaughan RG, Hook SJ, Calvin WM, Taranik JV (2005) Surface mineral
Nubian Shield. In: A.M.S. Al-Shanti (ed.), Pergamon Press, Oxford, mapping at Steamboat Springs, Nevada, USA, with multi-wavelength
1–16 thermal infrared images. Remote Sens Environ 99:140–158

View publication stats