Late Holocene Paleoclimate Reconstruction of the Northern
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LATE HOLOCENE PALEOCLIMATE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE NORTHERN GULF OF AQABA USING FORAMINIFERA AS A PROXY A THESIS IN Environmental and Urban Geosciences Presented to the Faculty of the University of Missouri-Kansas City in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science By Julie Louise Galloway B.S. Geology, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2009 Kansas City, Missouri 2011 © 2011 JULIE LOUISE GALLOWAY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii LATE HOLOCENE PALEOCLIMATE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE NORTHERN GULF OF AQABA USING FORAMINIFERA AS A PROXY Julie Louise Galloway, Candidate for the Master of Science Degree University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2011 ABSTRACT A multiproxy analyses of sediment from a 4.3 m core extracted from 25 m water depth on the shelf of the northern Gulf of Aqaba suggest shifts in depositional environments over the past 4000 yrs. Foraminifera assemblages, grain-size distribution, sediment characterization, and radiocarbon age dating indicate several eco-stratigraphic zones including two periods of aridity from ~3900 to 2900 yr BP and ~1130 yr BP to present, a transitional period from ~2900 to 2500 yr BP, and an abrupt shift to wetter conditions between ~2500 to 1130 yr BP. Furthermore, this study records two foraminifera-barren horizons at 170 and 190 cm that correlate to grain size anomalies at that depth. A tsunami wave generated sometime during 2200-1800 yr BP is one possible explanation for this occurrence. Seismic stratigraphy indicates a reflector at approximately 3 m below the seafloor that delineates the boundary between a relict, coral fringing reef horizon, U8, and the overlying U9 strata. Sedimentation rates that adjust for sediment compaction suggest the sequence lies near the foraminifera-barren horizons at ~200 cm in the core. These data signify a dramatic environmental event possibly corresponding to reef termination on the Northern Gulf of Aqaba shelf. iii The faculty listed below, appointed by the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences have examined a thesis titled “Late Holocene Paleoclimate Reconstruction of the Northern Gulf of Aqaba Using Foraminifera as a Proxy,” presented by Julie Louise Galloway, a candidate for the Master of Science degree, and certify that in their opinion it is worthy of acceptance. Supervisory Committee Tina M. Niemi, Ph.D., Committee Chair Professor Department of Geosciences Caroline P. Davies, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Geosciences James B. Murowchick, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Geosciences iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................................................ viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....................................................................................................x Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................1 2. STUDY AREA .........................................................................................................4 Location ........................................................................................................4 Hydrography ................................................................................................5 Geologic Setting ............................................................................................6 Dead Sea Transform ......................................................................................8 Strike-slip Faults ................................................................................9 Modern Physiography ................................................................................. 11 Geomorphology ............................................................................... 11 3. FORAMINIFERA .................................................................................................. 12 Life Cycle ................................................................................................... 12 Classification .............................................................................................. 13 Seasonality .................................................................................................. 14 Paleoenvironment Indicators ....................................................................... 15 Modern Analog ........................................................................................... 16 4. METHODS............................................................................................................. 17 Coring ......................................................................................................... 17 Laboratory Procedures and Analyses ........................................................... 23 v Foraminifera Analysis ...................................................................... 23 Matrix Composition ......................................................................... 24 Grain Size ........................................................................................ 25 Multivariate Statistics ...................................................................... 25 Radiocarbon Dating ......................................................................... 25 5. RESULTS .............................................................................................................. 27 Lithology .................................................................................................... 27 Foraminifera Results ................................................................................... 30 Matrix Composition .................................................................................... 36 Grain Size ................................................................................................... 37 Multivariate Statistics .................................................................................. 39 Radiocarbon Dating..................................................................................... 40 6. DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................ 42 Data Synthesis and Interpretation ................................................................ 42 Climate ....................................................................................................... 47 Modern Climate ............................................................................... 47 Paleoclimate .................................................................................... 47 Possible Mechanisms ....................................................................... 50 Anthropogenic Influences ............................................................... 53 Foraminifera Barren Zone ........................................................................... 54 Possible Origins ............................................................................... 54 Flash Flood .......................................................................... 56 Tsunamis .............................................................................. 58 vi Correlation to Seismic Stratigraphy ............................................................. 61 7. CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................... 65 Appendix A: FORAMINIFERA SPREADSHEET .................................................................. 67 B: FORAMINIFERA GRAPHS .............................................................................. 79 C: GRAIN SIZE ..................................................................................................... 91 D: MATRIX COMPOSITION .............................................................................. 106 E: CORE LITHOLOGY AND FIELD DESCRIPTION ........................................ 110 REFERENCES................................................................................................................. 112 VITA................................................................................................................................ 120 vii List of Illustrations Figure Page 2.1 Study area; Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba ...............................................................4 2.2 Location of core MG10H02 .......................................................................................5 2.3 Thermohaline driven circulation pattern of the Gulf of Aqaba ....................................6 2.4 Pull apart basin model .............................................................................................. 10 3.1 Schematic diagram illustrating the life cycle of a foraminiferan ................................ 13 4.1 Location of MERC cores retrieved during 2010 coring campaign ............................. 18 4.2 Diver assisted coring devices and apparatus ............................................................. 20 4.3 Seismic lines and interpretations for W03a ............................................................... 21 4.4 Seismic lines and interpretations for N06a ................................................................ 22 5.1 Photo of MG10H-02 core and interpreted zones ....................................................... 28 5.2 Photo of MG10H-02 close image of foraminifera-rich zones .................................... 29 5.3 Foraminifera per gram of sediment