Holocene relative sea-level changes and coastal evolution along the coastlines of Kamaran Island and As-Salif Peninsula, Yemen, southern Red Sea

Ahmed Saif Al-Mikhlafi; Fiona D. Hibbert; Lawrence R. Edwards; Hai Cheng

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2020.106719

Holocene relative sea-level changes and coastal evolution along the coastlines of Kamaran Island and As-Salif Peninsula, Yemen, southern Red Sea

Ahmed Saif Al-Mikhlafi, Fiona D. Hibbert, Lawrence R. Edwards, Hai Cheng

Earth and Environmental Sciences-Twin Cities

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Geomorphic features (fossil terraces, notches and sea cliffs) from the southern Red Sea coasts provide valuable indicators of past sea-level change that enable the quantification of both the timing and magnitude of the mid-Holocene sea-level highstand. We demonstrate the utility of wave-cut notches in the southern Red Sea, and present U-series dated sea-level indicators from two locations on the As-Salif Peninsula that suggest a mid-Holocene highstand of ∼0.5–1 m above present mean sea level (apmsl) at about 5–5.4 ka BP. In addition, the similarity of the elevations of the different sea-level indicators at the two locations in As-Salif Peninsula and Kamran Island suggest relative tectonic stability, with limited influence of salt diapirism. Comparison of our data to other estimates of the Red Sea mid-Holocene highstand, and glacio-isostatic predictions suggest that water loading (and deformational response) is the primary factor in the spatial and temporal variability the mid-Holocene highstand, with some possible localized tectonic and neotectonic overprinting.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	106719
Journal	Quaternary Science Reviews
Volume	252
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2020.106719
State	Published - Jan 15 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This project was funded by U.S Fulbright Association and is a research scholarship given to the first author. Hai Cheng acknowledges NSF financial support ( NSFC 41888101 ). The help extended by Prof. Mohammed Al-Wosabi and Dr. Aref Al-Sageer during the fieldwork is gratefully acknowledged. Many thanks go to Julie Retrum, Mellissa Cross, Yanbin for their help during U-isotope analysis at the University of Minnesota. Special thanks go to Rick Knurr for assistance in XRD analysis. Einas Al-Alimey, a Cultural Affairs Specialist at the U.S Embassy in Sana’a was of great help to this study. We are most grateful to Christopher Hein (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) for detailed reviews and comments that led to substantial improvements to this work.

Funding Information:
This project was funded by U.S Fulbright Association and is a research scholarship given to the first author. Hai Cheng acknowledges NSF financial support (NSFC 41888101). The help extended by Prof. Mohammed Al-Wosabi and Dr. Aref Al-Sageer during the fieldwork is gratefully acknowledged. Many thanks go to Julie Retrum, Mellissa Cross, Yanbin for their help during U-isotope analysis at the University of Minnesota. Special thanks go to Rick Knurr for assistance in XRD analysis. Einas Al-Alimey, a Cultural Affairs Specialist at the U.S Embassy in Sana'a was of great help to this study. We are most grateful to Christopher Hein (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) for detailed reviews and comments that led to substantial improvements to this work.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

Coastal geomorphology
Fossil corals
Mid-holocene sea level
Red sea
U-series dating
Wave-cut notches

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.quascirev.2020.106719

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title = "Holocene relative sea-level changes and coastal evolution along the coastlines of Kamaran Island and As-Salif Peninsula, Yemen, southern Red Sea",

abstract = "Geomorphic features (fossil terraces, notches and sea cliffs) from the southern Red Sea coasts provide valuable indicators of past sea-level change that enable the quantification of both the timing and magnitude of the mid-Holocene sea-level highstand. We demonstrate the utility of wave-cut notches in the southern Red Sea, and present U-series dated sea-level indicators from two locations on the As-Salif Peninsula that suggest a mid-Holocene highstand of ∼0.5–1 m above present mean sea level (apmsl) at about 5–5.4 ka BP. In addition, the similarity of the elevations of the different sea-level indicators at the two locations in As-Salif Peninsula and Kamran Island suggest relative tectonic stability, with limited influence of salt diapirism. Comparison of our data to other estimates of the Red Sea mid-Holocene highstand, and glacio-isostatic predictions suggest that water loading (and deformational response) is the primary factor in the spatial and temporal variability the mid-Holocene highstand, with some possible localized tectonic and neotectonic overprinting.",

keywords = "Coastal geomorphology, Fossil corals, Mid-holocene sea level, Red sea, U-series dating, Wave-cut notches",

author = "Al-Mikhlafi, {Ahmed Saif} and Hibbert, {Fiona D.} and Edwards, {Lawrence R.} and Hai Cheng",

note = "Funding Information: This project was funded by U.S Fulbright Association and is a research scholarship given to the first author. Hai Cheng acknowledges NSF financial support ( NSFC 41888101 ). The help extended by Prof. Mohammed Al-Wosabi and Dr. Aref Al-Sageer during the fieldwork is gratefully acknowledged. Many thanks go to Julie Retrum, Mellissa Cross, Yanbin for their help during U-isotope analysis at the University of Minnesota. Special thanks go to Rick Knurr for assistance in XRD analysis. Einas Al-Alimey, a Cultural Affairs Specialist at the U.S Embassy in Sana{\textquoteright}a was of great help to this study. We are most grateful to Christopher Hein (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) for detailed reviews and comments that led to substantial improvements to this work. Funding Information: This project was funded by U.S Fulbright Association and is a research scholarship given to the first author. Hai Cheng acknowledges NSF financial support (NSFC 41888101). The help extended by Prof. Mohammed Al-Wosabi and Dr. Aref Al-Sageer during the fieldwork is gratefully acknowledged. Many thanks go to Julie Retrum, Mellissa Cross, Yanbin for their help during U-isotope analysis at the University of Minnesota. Special thanks go to Rick Knurr for assistance in XRD analysis. Einas Al-Alimey, a Cultural Affairs Specialist at the U.S Embassy in Sana'a was of great help to this study. We are most grateful to Christopher Hein (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) for detailed reviews and comments that led to substantial improvements to this work. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Elsevier Ltd",

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T1 - Holocene relative sea-level changes and coastal evolution along the coastlines of Kamaran Island and As-Salif Peninsula, Yemen, southern Red Sea

AU - Al-Mikhlafi, Ahmed Saif

AU - Hibbert, Fiona D.

AU - Edwards, Lawrence R.

AU - Cheng, Hai

N1 - Funding Information: This project was funded by U.S Fulbright Association and is a research scholarship given to the first author. Hai Cheng acknowledges NSF financial support ( NSFC 41888101 ). The help extended by Prof. Mohammed Al-Wosabi and Dr. Aref Al-Sageer during the fieldwork is gratefully acknowledged. Many thanks go to Julie Retrum, Mellissa Cross, Yanbin for their help during U-isotope analysis at the University of Minnesota. Special thanks go to Rick Knurr for assistance in XRD analysis. Einas Al-Alimey, a Cultural Affairs Specialist at the U.S Embassy in Sana’a was of great help to this study. We are most grateful to Christopher Hein (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) for detailed reviews and comments that led to substantial improvements to this work. Funding Information: This project was funded by U.S Fulbright Association and is a research scholarship given to the first author. Hai Cheng acknowledges NSF financial support (NSFC 41888101). The help extended by Prof. Mohammed Al-Wosabi and Dr. Aref Al-Sageer during the fieldwork is gratefully acknowledged. Many thanks go to Julie Retrum, Mellissa Cross, Yanbin for their help during U-isotope analysis at the University of Minnesota. Special thanks go to Rick Knurr for assistance in XRD analysis. Einas Al-Alimey, a Cultural Affairs Specialist at the U.S Embassy in Sana'a was of great help to this study. We are most grateful to Christopher Hein (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) for detailed reviews and comments that led to substantial improvements to this work. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Elsevier Ltd

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N2 - Geomorphic features (fossil terraces, notches and sea cliffs) from the southern Red Sea coasts provide valuable indicators of past sea-level change that enable the quantification of both the timing and magnitude of the mid-Holocene sea-level highstand. We demonstrate the utility of wave-cut notches in the southern Red Sea, and present U-series dated sea-level indicators from two locations on the As-Salif Peninsula that suggest a mid-Holocene highstand of ∼0.5–1 m above present mean sea level (apmsl) at about 5–5.4 ka BP. In addition, the similarity of the elevations of the different sea-level indicators at the two locations in As-Salif Peninsula and Kamran Island suggest relative tectonic stability, with limited influence of salt diapirism. Comparison of our data to other estimates of the Red Sea mid-Holocene highstand, and glacio-isostatic predictions suggest that water loading (and deformational response) is the primary factor in the spatial and temporal variability the mid-Holocene highstand, with some possible localized tectonic and neotectonic overprinting.

AB - Geomorphic features (fossil terraces, notches and sea cliffs) from the southern Red Sea coasts provide valuable indicators of past sea-level change that enable the quantification of both the timing and magnitude of the mid-Holocene sea-level highstand. We demonstrate the utility of wave-cut notches in the southern Red Sea, and present U-series dated sea-level indicators from two locations on the As-Salif Peninsula that suggest a mid-Holocene highstand of ∼0.5–1 m above present mean sea level (apmsl) at about 5–5.4 ka BP. In addition, the similarity of the elevations of the different sea-level indicators at the two locations in As-Salif Peninsula and Kamran Island suggest relative tectonic stability, with limited influence of salt diapirism. Comparison of our data to other estimates of the Red Sea mid-Holocene highstand, and glacio-isostatic predictions suggest that water loading (and deformational response) is the primary factor in the spatial and temporal variability the mid-Holocene highstand, with some possible localized tectonic and neotectonic overprinting.

KW - Coastal geomorphology

KW - Fossil corals

KW - Mid-holocene sea level

KW - Red sea

KW - U-series dating

KW - Wave-cut notches

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SN - 0277-3791

VL - 252

JO - Quaternary Science Reviews

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ER -

Holocene relative sea-level changes and coastal evolution along the coastlines of Kamaran Island and As-Salif Peninsula, Yemen, southern Red Sea

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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