Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1040628 | Quaternary International | 2015 | 13 Pages |
Abstract
Located at the crossroads between Africa and Eurasia, Arabia occupies a pivotal position for human migration and dispersal during the Late Pleistocene. Deducing the timing of humid and arid phases is critical to understanding when the Rub' al-Khali desert acted as a barrier to human movement and settlement. Recent geological mapping in the northern part of the Rub' al-Khali has enabled the Quaternary history of the region to be put into a regional stratigraphical framework. In addition to the active dunes, two significant palaeodune sequences have been identified. Dating of key sections has enabled a chronology of dune accretion and stabilisation to be determined. In addition, previously published optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates have been put in their proper stratigraphical context, from which a record of Late Pleistocene dune activity can be constructed. The results indicate the record of dune activity in the northern Rub' al-Khali is preservation limited and is synchronous with humid events driven by the incursion of the Indian Ocean monsoon.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Geology
Authors
Andrew R. Farrant, Geoff A.T. Duller, Adrian G. Parker, Helen M. Roberts, Ash Parton, Robert W.O. Knox, Thomas Bide,