Desert pavement characteristics on wadi terrace and alluvial fan surfaces: Wadi Al-Bih, U.A.E. and Oman

Abstract

In arid mountain areas, the dating and correlation of alluvial depositional surfaces is often uncertain. Especially in regions where the geomorphology is not well known, surface modification by the development of soil and desert pavement may allow the correlation of geomorphic surfaces and estimation of at least their relative ages. Pleistocene wadi terraces and associated alluvial fans occur in Wadi Al-Bih, U.A.E. and Oman, for which correlations and age relationships are not known. Three age-related groups of fans and terraces have been identified and mapped on the basis of their morphostratigraphic relationships. Deposition of the oldest terrace sediments and associated fans followed a long period of sustained incision after Miocene uplift of the region. The younger two groups of terraces and fans are inset within the older group. To identify the gross effects of pavement development, comparisons have been made between terrace surface and subsurface particle-size distributions. The older terraces have finer surface sediments and a greater contrast between finer surface and subsurface sediments than the younger terraces. This reflects the degree of pavement development. Particle size on the fan surfaces is comparable with that on the equivalent terrace surfaces. Criteria for the classification of pavements were developed based on clast fracturing and angularity, size, sorting, packing, and surface texture, from which a simple index of pavement development has been derived. Other properties, rock varnish and weathering characteristics, were also recorded; but these proved to be less discriminatory than pavement characteristics. The pavement data have been augmented by observations on soils. Detailed studies of pavements on terraces (8 sites, 12 samples covering the three age groups) and fans (5 sites, 10 samples covering the three age groups) allow differentiation between age-groups. The three terraces show three different age-related pavement types, expressed by differences in the pavement development index. Weakly-developed pavements (little fracturing, sub-rounded clasts, some modification of the depositional fabric, incipient soil development, stage I CaCO 3 accumulation) occur on the youngest terrace and fan surfaces. Moderately-developed pavements (clast fracturing, sub-angular clasts, moderate sorting and packing, deeper soil development, stage II CaCO 3 accumulation) occur on the middle terrace and fan surfaces. Well-developed pavements (complete clast fracturing into small angular fragments, mature sorting and packing of the pavement surface, deep soil development with strong horizonation, stage III CaCO 3 accumulation) occur on the highest terrace and oldest fan surfaces. There are minor differences between the youngest pavements on terraces and fans, which reflect initial sedimentological differences. These differences become less as the pavements develop. On the basis of comparative studies, the oldest terrace is estimated to date from sometime prior to ca. 100 ka BP, the second terrace and the most extensive fan surface from the Late Pleistocene, and the youngest terrace and fan phase from the Latest Pleistocene or Early Holocene.