Stable isotope records of corals from the northern Red Sea

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Main Authors: Moustafa, Yaser Ahmed, Pätzold, Jürgen, Loya, Y, Wefer, Gerold
Format: Dataset Open Access
Language:en
Published: PANGAEA 2000
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author Moustafa, Yaser Ahmed
Pätzold, Jürgen
Loya, Y
Wefer, Gerold
author_facet Moustafa, Yaser Ahmed
Pätzold, Jürgen
Loya, Y
Wefer, Gerold
collection Datos científicos de ciencias marinas y ambientales
contents We present a study based on X-ray chronologies and the stable isotopic composition of fossil Porites spp. corals from the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) covering the mid-Holocene period from 5750 to 4450 14C years BP (before present). The stable oxygen and carbon isotopic compositions of five specimens reveal regular annual periodicities. Compared with modern Porites spp. from the same environment, the average seasonal delta18O amplitude of the fossil corals is higher (by ca. 0.35-0.60 per mil ), whereas annual growth rates are lower (by ca. 3.5 to 2 mm/year). This suggests stronger seasonality of sea surface temperatures and increased variability of the oxygen isotopic composition of the sea water due to changes in the precipitation and evaporation regime during the mid-Holocene. Most likely, summer monsoon rains reached the northern end of the Red Sea at that time. Average annual coral growth rates are diminished probably due to an increased input and resuspension of terrestrial debris to the shallow marine environment during more humid conditions. Our results corroborate published reports of paleodata and model simulations suggesting a northward migration of the African monsoon giving rise to increased seasonalities during the mid-Holocene over northeastern Africa and Arabia.
format Dataset Open Access
id pangaea_https___doi_org_10_1594_PANGAEA_712061
institution PANGAEA
language en
publishDate 2000
publisher PANGAEA
record_format pangaea
spellingShingle Stable isotope records of corals from the northern Red Sea
Moustafa, Yaser Ahmed
Pätzold, Jürgen
Loya, Y
Wefer, Gerold
Drill, hydraulic; DRILLHY; Egypt93_98; Eilat; EILAT-F24; EILAT-F3; EILAT-F8; EILAT-H2; EILAT-H5; Red Sea Program on marine sciences; RSP; Sampling/drilling corals
We present a study based on X-ray chronologies and the stable isotopic composition of fossil Porites spp. corals from the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) covering the mid-Holocene period from 5750 to 4450 14C years BP (before present). The stable oxygen and carbon isotopic compositions of five specimens reveal regular annual periodicities. Compared with modern Porites spp. from the same environment, the average seasonal delta18O amplitude of the fossil corals is higher (by ca. 0.35-0.60 per mil ), whereas annual growth rates are lower (by ca. 3.5 to 2 mm/year). This suggests stronger seasonality of sea surface temperatures and increased variability of the oxygen isotopic composition of the sea water due to changes in the precipitation and evaporation regime during the mid-Holocene. Most likely, summer monsoon rains reached the northern end of the Red Sea at that time. Average annual coral growth rates are diminished probably due to an increased input and resuspension of terrestrial debris to the shallow marine environment during more humid conditions. Our results corroborate published reports of paleodata and model simulations suggesting a northward migration of the African monsoon giving rise to increased seasonalities during the mid-Holocene over northeastern Africa and Arabia.
title Stable isotope records of corals from the northern Red Sea
topic Drill, hydraulic; DRILLHY; Egypt93_98; Eilat; EILAT-F24; EILAT-F3; EILAT-F8; EILAT-H2; EILAT-H5; Red Sea Program on marine sciences; RSP; Sampling/drilling corals
url https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.712061