TY - JOUR
T1 - Discovery of high-level terraces of Last Glacial Lake Lisan (Dead Sea) and Eastern Mediterranean paleoclimatic implications
AU - Ghazleh, Shahrazad Abu
AU - Kempe, Stephan
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank Mohammad Abu Ghazleh (Amman) for his exceptional assistance in the field and help with DGPS data processing; Ingo Sass (TU, Darmstadt) for providing DGPS and PC equipments; Horst-Volker Henschel (Darmstadt) for his support in the field; Günter Landmann (Darmstadt) for his useful discussions; Frank Nobert and Augusto Mangini (Heidelberg University) for U/Th dating; René Eichstädter (Heidelberg University) for technical assistance in U/Th dating; Andrea Schröder-Ritzrau (Heidelberg University) for her valuable comments and U/Th dating discussion; Zalfa Rihani (Canada) for her help in proof-editing the article; and BGR Hannover for providing aerial photos for Lake Lisan/Dead Sea. We would like also to thank the journal editor and both anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions, which improved this manuscript. This work was supported by grants from the German Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Research Foundation (DFG; Ke-287/28-1).
Funding Information:
We would like to thank Mohammad Abu Ghazleh (Amman) for his exceptional assistance in the field and help with DGPS data processing; Ingo Sass (TU, Darmstadt) for providing DGPS and PC equipments; Horst-Volker Henschel (Darmstadt) for his support in the field; Günter Landmann (Darmstadt) for his useful discussions; Frank Nobert and Augusto Mangini (Heidelberg University) for U/Th dating; René Eichstädter (Heidelberg University) for technical assistance in U/Th dating; Andrea Schröder-Ritzrau (Heidelberg University) for her valuable comments and U/Th dating discussion; Zalfa Rihani (Canada) for her help in proof-editing the article; and BGR Hannover for providing aerial photos for Lake Lisan/Dead Sea. We would like also to thank the journal editor and both anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments and suggestions, which improved this manuscript. This work was supported by grants from the German Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Research Foundation ( DFG; Ke-287/28-1 ).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021
PY - 2021/12/10
Y1 - 2021/12/10
N2 - Series of lake terraces were discovered on unconsolidated Cambrian siltstones in Al-Tayan Wadi along the eastern escarpment of the Dead Sea Rift (DSR). Altitudes were studied with DGPS and calcareous stromatolitic crusts were U/Th-dated and analysed for microstructure, mineral composition and Mg/Ca ratios. These terraces represent high stands of the glacial Lake Lisan, ~100 m higher than previously known. Terraces up to −19 m (with respect to present sea level) were discovered and dated to the early MIS 5a. At 79.2 ± 3.3 to 76.5 ± 5.6 ka, Lake Lisan stood at −56 to −66 m, indicating extraordinary humid conditions in the Levant during MIS 5a. Then the lake level dropped dramatically to −350 m at ~63.6 ± 0.56 ka, implying drier conditions during H6 and MIS 4. Just before 32 ka the lake recovered to > −137 m, suggesting a higher water input to Lake Lisan during MIS 3. At ~30 ka, during early MIS 2, the lake receded to −148 m associated with H3, further dropping to −152 m at ~27 ka BP and to −154 m at ~23 ka. Afterward, the lake receded sharply to −200 m at ~22.5 ka, consistent with dry conditions of H2. During LGM, Lake Lisan recovered to −160 m at ~19 ka, which implies a return to a positive water balance. Correspondence of Lisan regressions to MIS 4 and 2, and to Heinrich events of the North Atlantic 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 indicates a dry climate of the Levant during these periods. Otherwise, the highest lake stands during MIS 5a and the sharp transgression of the lake during MIS 3 suggest wet climate of the Eastern Mediterranean during aforementioned periods.
AB - Series of lake terraces were discovered on unconsolidated Cambrian siltstones in Al-Tayan Wadi along the eastern escarpment of the Dead Sea Rift (DSR). Altitudes were studied with DGPS and calcareous stromatolitic crusts were U/Th-dated and analysed for microstructure, mineral composition and Mg/Ca ratios. These terraces represent high stands of the glacial Lake Lisan, ~100 m higher than previously known. Terraces up to −19 m (with respect to present sea level) were discovered and dated to the early MIS 5a. At 79.2 ± 3.3 to 76.5 ± 5.6 ka, Lake Lisan stood at −56 to −66 m, indicating extraordinary humid conditions in the Levant during MIS 5a. Then the lake level dropped dramatically to −350 m at ~63.6 ± 0.56 ka, implying drier conditions during H6 and MIS 4. Just before 32 ka the lake recovered to > −137 m, suggesting a higher water input to Lake Lisan during MIS 3. At ~30 ka, during early MIS 2, the lake receded to −148 m associated with H3, further dropping to −152 m at ~27 ka BP and to −154 m at ~23 ka. Afterward, the lake receded sharply to −200 m at ~22.5 ka, consistent with dry conditions of H2. During LGM, Lake Lisan recovered to −160 m at ~19 ka, which implies a return to a positive water balance. Correspondence of Lisan regressions to MIS 4 and 2, and to Heinrich events of the North Atlantic 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2 indicates a dry climate of the Levant during these periods. Otherwise, the highest lake stands during MIS 5a and the sharp transgression of the lake during MIS 3 suggest wet climate of the Eastern Mediterranean during aforementioned periods.
KW - Highest stand
KW - Lake Lisan
KW - Last Glacial
KW - Paleoclimatic changes
KW - Shoreline terraces
KW - Stromatolite
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U2 - 10.1016/j.quaint.2021.04.037
DO - 10.1016/j.quaint.2021.04.037
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85111313193
SN - 1040-6182
VL - 604
SP - 38
EP - 50
JO - Quaternary International
JF - Quaternary International
ER -