Abstract

Geological, geochemical and geochronological approaches were implemented to investigate the geological characteristics and thepaleoenvironment of the Pleistocene deposits of Hamra Faddan area in southern Jordan. These sediments Faddan were attributed to the Lisan Marl Formation. The current study investigated the possessing characteristics of these sediments marked at 48-79m above sea level were different depositional environments have been recognized. Furthermore, the highest stand recorded for Lake Lisan was at 130m below sea level. Therefore, these deposits could not be considered as a part of the Lisan Marl Formation. The Late Pleistocene sediments of Hamra Faddan area comprise mainly carbonate-rich fine grained sands and carbonate-rich silty sand, with thicknesses ranging from 0.7m to 2.6m. The major mineral composition of these sediments includes calcite, quartz, kaolinite, halite, gypsum, dolomite, anorthoclase and merlinoite. Integration of chronological information with the new results of geochemical, sedimentological and microfossils studies, the paleoenvironment of Hamra Faddan sediments is interpreted in terms of shallow in-stream wetland with low energy and a dry warm climate, with an increase in temperature through the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), followed by another episode through the Younger Dryas (YD) periods in which a shallow-low-energy wetland existed with a dry warm climate and an increase of temperature.

Keywords:

Jordan, last glacial maximum, lisan marl formation, optically stimulated luminescence, pleistocene lakes, younger dryas,

References

Competing interests

The authors have no competing interests.

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The authors have no competing interests.