Sand dunes as a major proximal dust source for late Pleistocene loess in the Negev Desert, Israel

Crouvi, Onn; Amit, Rivka; Enzel, Yehouda; Porat, Naomi; Sandler, Amir

doi:10.1016/j.yqres.2008.04.011

Cited by 234 publications

(202 citation statements)

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“…Furthermore, because these calculated accretion rates are of primary loess, we can explain their change over time directly in terms of change in dust sources, availability and transport. In this carbonate terrain, Crouvi et al [2008] showed that the Figure 8. Carbonate-free particle size distribution of the three loess units from Mount Harif sequence showing bimodality [Crouvi et al, 2008].…”

Section: Negev Loess Chronology and Dust Accretion Ratesmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…The suggested proximal sources are Wadi El-Arish in northern Sinai [Yaalon, 1971[Yaalon, , 1987Yaalon and Ganor, 1973;Yaalon and Dan, 1974;Ganor et al, 1991], the Mediterranean shelf exposed during periods of low sea level [Gerson and Amit, 1987;Crouvi et al, 2008;Enzel et al, 2008] and sand dunes that advanced into the Sinai and Negev during the late Pleistocene [Crouvi et al, 2008].…”

Section: Loess In the Negev Desertmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The location of the minimum between the two modes is 19 ± 5 mm, and thus 20 mm was chosen as the divide between the two modes [Crouvi et al, 2008]. The amplitude of the coarse mode decreases with increasing depth and age, while the amplitude of the finer mode increases (Figures 7b and 8 and Table 3).…”

Section: Mount Harif Primary Loess Sequencementioning

confidence: 99%

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Significance of primary hilltop loess in reconstructing dust chronology, accretion rates, and sources: An example from the Negev Desert, Israel

Crouvi¹,

Amit²,

Porat³

et al. 2009

J. Geophys. Res.

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[1] Although high-latitude loess sequences have been studied extensively for reconstructing past climates, loess in desert margins has been mostly overlooked. Moreover, many low-latitude loess studies have focused on secondary, reworked sequences for which paleoclimatic inferences are complicated owing to postdepositional processes acting under local control. In this respect, the spatial distribution of the loess and its different types are crucial. In this study, we differentiate primary and secondary loess using remote sensing and field criteria. We present remote sensing and geographic information system procedures for mapping loess distribution, in general, and for identifying pristine hilltop loess sequences in particular. Then, we present the mineralogical and textural analyses combined with optically stimulated luminescence ages of one such primary, hilltop loess sequence in the Negev desert that show that the late Pleistocene Negev loess started accumulating at $95 ka, much earlier than previously proposed ($70 ka). It was preceded by a previously unknown middle Pleistocene period of loess formation at $180-130 ka. The ages also suggest that the threshold of dust accretion rate needed for loess formation is $0.02 mm a À1 ($30 g m À2 a À1 ), a factor of 2 or more lower than previously thought (0.04 to 1.0 mm a À1 ). Our results also provide insights into causes of late Pleistocene loess accretion and its close association with regional dune field activity. The methodology for mapping the loess distribution may potentially be generalized to help understanding loess formation in other, more remote desert areas.

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Section: Negev Loess Chronology and Dust Accretion Ratesmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Loess In the Negev Desertmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Significance of primary hilltop loess in reconstructing dust chronology, accretion rates, and sources: An example from the Negev Desert, Israel

Crouvi¹,

Amit²,

Porat³

et al. 2009

J. Geophys. Res.

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“…There are many significant studies of desert loess; the idea has been discussed for many years (see in particular Butler(1956), Wright(2006) Smalley and Krinsley (1978), Tsoar and Pye (1987), Crouvi et al (2008Crouvi et al ( , 2012. There is, underpinning the discussion on the nature and distribution of desert loess, the question of the origin of the material.…”

Section: Desert Loessmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It can be lifted from desert regions and transported vast distances at great heights. Various particle production mechanisms are involved (Smalley et al 2005, O'Hara-Dhand et al 2010, Crouvi et al 2008). …”

Section: Desert Loessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Loess and Bee-Eaters II: The ‘loess’ of North Africa and the nesting behaviour of the Northern Carmine Bee-Eater (Merops nubicus Gmelin 1788)

McLaren

Svirčev

O’Hara-Dhand

et al. 2014

Quaternary International

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The Northern Carmine Bee-eater lives and breeds in a well demarcated region stretching across Africa close to the 15N line of latitude. The Bee-eater zone appears to be associated with a band of loess, defined by Scheidig on his 1934 map as second-prder loess. Beeeaters are known to favour loess for nesting tunnels and it appears that the 15N material is sufficiently loess-like. Obvious sources of particulate material for the 15N band are the Fonta Djalon highlands which supply sedimentary material to the River Niger; the Bodele depression, the deepest part of old Lake Megachad, source of the dust for the World; the Ethiopian highlands at the eastern end of 15N which supply silt to the Nile system and particulates to the 15N region. In soil moisture terms the region is ustic, which is possibly a necessary condition for bee-eater nests. The clastic material requires an ustic environment. The River Niger can be seen as a loess river, in some senses a mirror image of a major loess river like the Danube, but where a restricted range of particle inputs leads to a restricted range of loess deposit outputs. Nevertheless loess river considerations can be applied. The Niger delivers second-order loess and important loessic admixtures to the landscape. Enough loess for selective nesters like the Carmine Beeeaters to build their nest tunnels in it. It seems likely that climate change will cause a change in bee-eater distribution; it seems unlikely that they will abandon their nesting regions, the living and breeding zones may shift. Quaternary InternationalWe the undersigned declare that this manuscript is original, has not been published before and is not currently being considered for publication elsewhere.We confirm that the manuscript has been read and approved by all named authors and that there are no other persons who satisfied the criteria for authorship but are not listed. We further confirm that the order of authors listed in the manuscript has been approved by all of us.We understand that the Corresponding Author is the sole contact for the Editorial process. He/she is responsible for communicating with the other authors about progress, submissions of revisions and final approval of proofs.Signed by all authors as follows: C.H.Fry AbstractThe Northern Carmine Bee-Eater (Merops nubicus) lives and breeds in a well demarcated region stretching across Africa close to the 15°N line of latitude. The Bee-Eater zone appears to be associated with a band of loess, defined by Scheidig on his 1934 map as second-order loess. Bee-eaters are known to favour loess for nesting tunnels and it appears that the 15°N material is sufficiently loess-like. Obvious sources for particulate materials for the 15°N band are the Fonta-Djalon highlands which supply sedimentary material to the River Niger; the Bodele Depression, the deepest part of Lake Megachad, source of dust for the World; the Ethiopian highlands at the eastern end of 15°N which supply silt to the Nile system and particulates to the 15°N region. In soil moisture ...

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Sands at Gusev Crater, Mars

Cabrol

Herkenhoff

Knoll

et al. 2014

J. Geophys. Res. Planets

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Processes, environments, and the energy associated with the transport and deposition of sand at Gusev Crater are characterized at the microscopic scale through the comparison of statistical moments for particle size and shape distributions. Bivariate and factor analyses define distinct textural groups at 51 sites along the traverse completed by the Spirit rover as it crossed the plains and went into the Columbia Hills. Fine-to-medium sand is ubiquitous in ripples and wind drifts. Most distributions show excess fine material, consistent with a predominance of wind erosion over the last 3.8 billion years. Negative skewness at West Valley is explained by the removal of fine sand during active erosion, or alternatively, by excess accumulation of coarse sand from a local source. The coarse to very coarse sand particles of ripple armors in the basaltic plains have a unique combination of size and shape. Their distribution display significant changes in their statistical moments within the~400 m that separate the Columbia Memorial Station from Bonneville Crater. Results are consistent with aeolian and/or impact deposition, while the elongated and rounded shape of the grains forming the ripples, as well as their direction of origin, could point to Ma'adim Vallis as a possible source. For smaller particles on the traverse, our findings confirm that aeolian processes have dominated over impact and other processes to produce sands with the observed size and shape patterns across a spectrum of geologic (e.g., ripples and plains soils) and aerographic settings (e.g., wind shadows).

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Sand dunes as a major proximal dust source for late Pleistocene loess in the Negev Desert, Israel

Cited by 234 publications

References 46 publications

Significance of primary hilltop loess in reconstructing dust chronology, accretion rates, and sources: An example from the Negev Desert, Israel

Significance of primary hilltop loess in reconstructing dust chronology, accretion rates, and sources: An example from the Negev Desert, Israel

Loess and Bee-Eaters II: The ‘loess’ of North Africa and the nesting behaviour of the Northern Carmine Bee-Eater (Merops nubicus Gmelin 1788)

Sands at Gusev Crater, Mars

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