The Intra-Continental Al Madinah Volcanic Field, Western Saudi Arabia: A Proposal to Establish Harrat Al Madinah as the First Volcanic Geopark in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization promotes conservation of geological and geomorphological heritage through the promotion and protection of sites of importance and the development of educational programs under the umbrella of geoparks. Here, we identify significant volcanic features that could be organised and promoted as the first geopark in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Al Madinah Volcanic Field, or Harrat Al Madinah, has numerous volcanic geosites relevant to the understanding of the evolution of intraplate volcanic fields dominated by Hawaiian and Strombolian style eruptions, and includes the location of the last historically erupted volcanoes in the Arabian Peninsula. The unique volcanic features of the proposed Harrat Al Madinah Volcanic Geopark (HAMVG) are organised within three precincts, each with specific volcanic phenomena. The first and most accessible precinct, defined as the “Historic Eruption Precinct—1256 AD and 641 AD Historic Eruption Sites”, contains two major geotops with numerous individual geosites representing the youngest volcanoes of the Arabian Peninsula, including the lava spatter and scoria cones of the 1256 AD eruption just 10 km SE of Al Madinah city. The second precinct, “Lava Lakes, Lava Fountains and Volcano Spreading Precinct—The Mosawdah Volcano”, provides an in-depth view of an eruption that produced low lava fountains, clastogenic lava flows, agglutinated lava spatter cones and extensive lava flows from a central, lava lake-occupied crater. In the third precinct, referred to as “Silicic Lava Domes and Explosion Craters Precinct”, the results of explosive eruptions are visible, with deep craters and ash blankets around the vents. Here, there is also evidence for how trachytic lava can protrude from single and multiple vents to build lava domes. This precinct also offers the most dramatic landscape and adventure volcano tourism opportunity in this arid environment. This three-level hierarchy of the proposed HAMVG fits well with the gradual educational program proposed here to demonstrate the recent and potential future volcanism of the region, from the most common but less destructive to the less common but more hazardous eruptions. The proposed HAMVG will promote the protection of this globally unique, young volcanic landscape and offer geoeducational opportunities to the general public and to the scientific community. The Harrat Al Madinah is also located in a culturally significant place near to Al Madinah city, which is one of the holiest places to Muslims. The proposed geopark is easily accessable through highways (and by train in the near future) and it could provide a significant economic benefit to Al Madinah city.