Table Of ContentQuaternary Period
in Saudi Arabia
1: Sedimentological, Hydrogeological, Hydrochemical,
Geomorphological, and Climatological Investigations
in Central and Eastern Saudi Arabia
A Cooperative Research Project
of the University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran
and the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna
Edited by
Saa d S. AI-Sayari
and Josef G. Zotl
Springer-Verlag Wien NewY ork
Dr. SAAD S. AL-SAYARI
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Petroleum and Minerals,
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Prof. Dr. JOSEF GEORG Zou
Department of Hydrogeology, Technical University, Graz, Austria,
and Quaternary Commission, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
This work is subject to copyright
All rights arc reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically
those of translaTion, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, broadcasting, reproduction by photo
copying machine or similar means, and storage in data banks
© 1978 by Springer-Verlag/Wicn
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1978
With 101 Figures and I Puilout
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data. Main entry under title: Quaternary
period in Saudi Arabia. Bibliography: p. Includes index. Contents: 1. Sedimentological,
hydrogeological, hydrodtemical, geomorphological, and climatological investigations in central
and eastern Saudi Arabia. I. Geology, Stratigraphic-Quaternary. 2. Geology-Saudi Arabia.
I. AI-Sayari, Saad S. II. Zotl, Josef. Ill. Jami 'at al-BitTiil wa-al-Ma 'adin. IV. Akademie
deT Wisscnschaften, Vienna. QE696.Q34. 551.7'9'09538. 78-]708.
ISBN 978-3-7091-8496-7 ISBN 978-3-7091-8494-3 (eBook)
DOl 10.1007/978-3-7091-8494-3
Foreword
The publication of this first volume on the Quaternary Period in Saudi
Arabia marks a significant milestone in the study of this Kingdom's basic
geology. It also represents a major achievement in international cooperation
in scholarship.
The study of the Quaternary Period of Saudi Arabia was first proposed
by Austrian scientists and by the officers of the Austrian Academy of Sciences
early in 1972. A meeting was arranged between representatives of that
Academy and of the University of Petroleum and Minerals, in Vienna, during
May and June of that year, and tentative agreement was reached on the
details of this cooperative venture. An exchange of letters, 15th June 1972
from the Austrian Academy of Sciences and 21th June 1972 from the Uni
versity of Petroleum and Minerals, formally recorded the basis of the agree
ment and arranged for the first visit to Saudi Arabia of the initial research
team and accompanying officials from Austria. This team was headed by
Professor Dr. JOSEF ZOTL, of the Department for Hydrogeology, Technical
University of Graz, the initial project director.
Many scientists, administrators, and officials have contributed to the
success of this fundamental research project. Their number is too extensive
to mention in this Foreword, but the principal contributors have been listed
in the body of this text in conjunction with the specific areas of investigation
in which they participated. The enormous contribution of Professor Dr. ZOTL,
however, merits exceptional commendation. His was the initial conception
of the study. His participation in the field studies and later with the reduction
and interpretation of data was an inspiration to all his collaborators. His
unflagging enthusiasm ensured high morale and surmounted all difficulties.
If a single name may be associated with this important research, it must be
that of Professor Dr. ZOTL.
The study of the Quaternary Period of Saudi Arabia is remarkable not
only for its contribution to basic scientific knowledge, but also as a demon
stration of successful international cooperation in the area of open research.
The agreement between the two organizational partners in the Project,
the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the University of Petroleum and
Minerals, was not a contract. It was consciously designed to be an under
standing between peers, in their mutual self interest and enforceable only
because of their mutual respect.
Thus, each party to the agreement supplied those elements in specialized
manpower, equipment, laboratory facilities, and support logistics which it
was best fitted to contribute. Transportation outside the Kingdom and the
VI Foreword
Middle East was supplied by the Academy; that within the Kingdom and
Middle East was provided by the University. Hospitality for visiting
scientists in Europe was supplied by the Academy; in Saudi Arabia by the
University. Data was reduced in Europe or in Saudi Arabia depending upon
the laboratory best suited for the study. Where equipment was contributed,
it was supplied in kind and its value determined by the cost to the contri
buting partner, thus avoiding the troublesome problem of widely different
costs for the same item in Europe and Arabia. Each party maintained its
separate accounts, each according to its own accounting rules for its own
contribution to the total project.
The agreement provided that all findings of the investigation would be
considered "open research", and as such would be published and made a
contribution to science. Publication would be made periodically and not upon
final completion of the entire project, so that new discoveries might be
reported on a timely basis and made immediately useful to contemporary
students of the geology of this area. Copyrights would be held by the
University and the Austrian Academy of Sciences, which have transferred
the copyrights of this first volume to Springer-Verlag Wien thus providing
for an adequate presentation of the scientific results. The quality of scholar
ship was ensured by the established reputation of the Austrian Academy of
Sciences and the rapidly growing reputation of the University of Petroleum
and Minerals.
It is, therefore, with quiet pride that we present this first result of the
work of many scientists from many countries who have spent the past five
years in its preparation. In a world troubled by dissension and materialism,
it is an achievement of some merit to record this fundamental research on the
silent eternal geology of this Kingdom, motivated only by the selflessness of
scholarshi p.
Dhahran, March 1978 BAKR ABDULLAH BAKR
Contents
Introduction
Acknowledgements 3
1. General Information on the Arabian Peninsula 4
1.1. Geology (R. W. CHAPMAN) . 4
1.1.1. Introduction . 4
1.1.2. Structure and Geologic History of the Peninsula 4
1.1.3. Arabian Shield. 5
1.1.4. Arabian Shelf 9
1.1.5. Mobile Belt . 15
1.1.6. Red Sea . 16
1.1.7. Economic Geology 18
1.2. Geomorphology (R. W. CHAPMAN) 19
1.2. 1. Introduction 19
1.2. 2. Arabian Gulf Coastal Region 20
1.2. 3. As Summan Plateau. 22
1.2. 4. Eolian Sand Areas . 23
1.2. 5. Cuesta Region . 25
1.2. 6. Central Plateau Region 26
1.2. 7. Mountains of Western Arabia 27
1.2. 8. Red Sea Coastal Plain . 28
1.2. 9. Mountains of Southern Arabia 29
1.2.10. Oman Mountains 29
1.3. Climate (E. SCHYFSMA) 31
1.3.1. Introduction. 31
1.3.2. Temperatures 33
1.3.3. Precipitation 37
1.3.4. Relative Humidities 39
1.3.5. Prevailing Wind Directions 42
1.3.6. Seasons 43
1.3.7. Solar Radiation 44
2. Regions of Investigation . 45
2.1. Gulf Coastal Region and Its Hinterland 45
2.1.1. General Geology (D. H. JOHNSON) 45
2.1.1.1. Topography 45
2.1.1.2. Stratigraphy . . 45
2.1.1.3. Structure 50
2.1.1.4. Economic geology 50
VIII Contents
2.1.2. Sea Level Fluctuations During the Quaternary Period (H. FELBER,
H. HOTZL, V. MAURIN, H. MOSER, W. RAUERT, J. G. ZOTL) . 50
2.1.2.1. Prewiirmglacial sea level fluctuations . 51
2.1.2.2. Sea level fluctuations during the Wiirm time . 54
2.1.2.3. Holocene sea level fluctuations. 56
2.1.3. Geologic History of the Al Hasa Area Since the Pliocene (H. HOTZL,
V. MAURIN, J. G. ZOTL). . . . .. ..... 58
2.1.3.1. Terrestrial sedimentation of the Lower Pliocene 58
2.1.3.2. Pliocene-Pleistocene marine transgression and regression . 59
2.1.3.3. Breakers terraces and caves of Jabal Al Qarah. . 63
2.1.3.4. The Pliocene/Pleistocene Delta of Wadi As Sah'ba . 67
2.1.3.5. Quaternary erosion and sedimentation. . . . 70
2.1.3.6. Climatic and hydrologic conditions. 74
2.1.4. Geomorphology of the Eastern Margin of the Shedgum Plateau (R. W.
CHAPMAN) 77
2.1.4.1. Introduction . 77
2.1.4.2. Factors controlling the geomorphogeny . 78
2.1.4.3. Landforms . . . . . . . . . . 79
2.1.4.4. Calcareous duricrust . . 82
2.1.5. Sabkhahs of Eastern Saudi Arabia (D. H. JOHNSON, M. R. KAMAL, G. O.
PIERSON, J. B. RAMSAY). . . 84
2.1.5.1. Introduction . 84
2.1.5.2. Reconnaissance observations 86
2.1.5.3. Observations on Sabkhat Ar Riyas 87
2.1.5.4. Brine studies at Sabkhat Ar Riyas 91
2.1.6. Hydrochemical Investigations in the Areas of Al Qatif and Al Hasa
With Some Remarks on Water Samples From Wadi Al Miyah and Wadi
As Sah'ba Near Haradh (c. JOB) 93
2.1.6.1. Al Qatif oases . 93
2.1.6.2. Al Hasa oasis . 119
2.1.6.3. Wadi Al Miyah . 127
2.1.6.4. Wadi As Sah'ba near Haradh . 130
2.1.6.5. Final remarks 134
2.1.7. Cluster Analyses of Water Wells of the Al Qatif and Al Hasa Areas
(R. J. BECKMAN, J. B. RAMSAY) 135
2.1.7.1. Introduction. . . . . 135
2.1.7.2. Cluster analysis 136
2.1.7.3. Combined Al Hasa and Al Qatif areas. 138
2.1.7.4. Al Hasa area 140
2.1.7.5. Al Qatif area 145
2.1.7.6. Discriminant analysis 148
2.1.7.7. Discussion. . . . . 150
2.1.7.8. Appendix . 151
2.1.8. Isotopic Composition of Waters of Al Qatif and Al Hasa Areas (H.
MOSER, E. PAK, W. RAUERT, W. STICHLER, J. G. ZOTL) . 153
2.1.8.1. Introduction. . . . 153
2.1.8.2. Deuterium and oxygen-18 153
2.1.8.3. Tritium 156
2.1.8.4. Carbon-14 159
2.1.8.5. Sulfur-34 160
2.2. As Sulb Plateau. . . 163
2.2.1. General Geology (E. SCHYFSMA) 163
2.2.2. Karstification and Geomorphogeny of As Sulb Plateau (H. FELBER,
H. HOTZL, H. MOSER, W. RAUERT, J. G. ZOTL) . 166
Contents IX
2.3. Wadi Ar Rimah 173
2.3.1. The Quaternary Development of the Upper Part of Wadi Ar Rimah
(H. HOTZL, H. FELBER, J. G. ZOTL). . . 173
2.3.1.1. General remarks on wadi investigations . 173
2.3.1.2. Geological conditions in the area of Wadi Ar Rimah . 174
2.3.1.3. Geomorphological features. . . . . 174
2.3.1.4. Quaternary sediments. . . . . . . . 178
2.3.1.5. The cycle of accumulation and erosion. . 181
2.3.2. Hydrogeological and Hydrochemical Investigations in the Upper Part of
Wadi Ar Rimah (H. HOTZL, C. JOB, H. MOSER, W. RAUERT, W. STICHLER) 182
2.3.2.1. Hydrogeological conditions in Wadi Ar Rimah between Aqlat
As Suqur and 'Unayzah (H. HOTZL). . . . . . . . .. 182
2.3.2.2. Hydrochemical investigations and isotope measurements in the
areas of Riyadh Al Khabra, Wadi Ar Rimah and Wadi Maraghan
(c. JOB, H. MOSER, W. RAUERT, W. STICHLER) . 187
2.4. Cuesta Region of the Tuwayq Mountains . . . . 194
2.4.1. General Geology and Stratigraphy (E. SCHYFSMA) . 194
2.4.2. Accumulation Terraces of Wadi Hanifah and Wadi Al Luhy (H. HOTZL,
H. FELBER, V. MAURIN, J. G. ZOTL). . . . . . 202
2.4.2.1. Morphological and sedimentological features. 202
2.4.2.2. Paleontological description of Gastropoda . 205
2.4.2.3. Biogeographic and ecological aspects. 208
2.4.3. Wadi Birk (H. HOTZL, V. MAURIN) 209
2.4.3.1. Wadi deposits . . . . . . . . . 209
2.4.3.2. Accumulation terrace in the area of Al Hawtah . 213
2.4.3.3. Morphogeny of Wadi Birk. . . . . 214
2.4.4. Chemistry and Isotope Content of Some Wadi Groundwaters in the
Central Parts of the Tuwayq Mountains (c. JOB, H. MOSER, W. RAUERT,
W. STICHLER) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
2.4.4.1. Wadi Hanifah, Wadi Nisah, Wadi Al Luhy . 216
2.4.4.2. Wadi Al Hawtah, Wadi Birk. . 222
2.4.4.3. The Ii D-Ii 180 relation of waters in the central parts of the
Tuwayq Mountains 224
2.5. Wadi Ad Dawasir and Its Hinterland . 226
2.5.1. General Geology (H. HOTZL). . 228
2.5.2 Quaternary Studies on the Recharge Area Situated in Crystalline Rock
Regions (H. HOTZL, H. J. LIPPOLT, V. MAURIN, H. MOSER, W. RAUERT) 230
2.5.2.1. Wadi Ranyah between the villages of Al Amlah and Rawdhah. 230
2.5.2.2. Age determination of basalt rocks and its significance in the
reconstruction of climate conditions during the Quaternary. 234
2.5.2.3. Ranyah-Bishah accumulation plain . 236
2.5.2.4. Wadi Bishah's lower part . . . . . . . . . 238
2.5.3. Studies of the Quaternary Development of the Eastern Part of the
Recharge Area of Wadi Ad Dawasir (H. HOTZL, V. MAURIN, J. G. ZOTL) 239
2.5.3.1. The area between the oases of Al Khamasin and AI Lidam . 239
2.5.3.2. The break-through in the Tuwayq Mountains . 243
2.5.3.3. The wadi's transition into Ar Rub' Al Khali. . 244
2.5.4. Hydrochemical Investigations and Measurements of the Content of Iso-
topes of Wells in Wadi Ad Dawasir (c. JOB, H. MOSER, E. PAK, W.
RAUERT, W. STICHLER) . 246
2.6. Ar Rub' AI Khali (H. A. MCCLURE) 252
2.6.1. Introduction. . . . . . . 252
2.6.2. Stratigraphy and Sedimentation 252
2.6.2.1. Geomorphic processes. 256
x Contents
2.6.2.2. Late Quaternary history . 258
2.6.2.3. Late Pleistocene lakes. 260
2.6.2.4. Holocene lakes 261
2.6.3. Paleoclimate 262
3. Summary and General Conclusions 264
3.1. Quaternary Sediments (H. HaTzL, F. KRAMER, V. MAURIN) 264
3.1.1. Scope of Investigations . 264
3.1.2. Sedimentation in Wadis. 265
3.1.2.1. General conditions of accumulation 265
3.1.2.2. Description of sediments. 266
3.1.3. Sediments in the Area of Vast Accumulation Plains. 277
3.1.3.1. Alluvial fans 277
3.1.3.2. Sand dunes 280
3.1.3.3. Lacustrine deposits. 282
3.1.3.4. Duricrust . 284
3.1.4. Marine Sediments and Sabkhahs in the Coastal Region of the Arabian Gulf 290
3.1.5. Chronological and Stratigraphic Classification of Processes of Erosion and
Sedimentation During the Quaternary . 292
3.1.5.1. Development of the drainage system. . . . . 292
3.1.5.2. Processes of marine transgressions .... 294
3.1.5.3. Age determination of the sequence of sediments. 295
3.2. Climatic Changes During the Quaternary Period (H. HaTzL, J. G. ZaTL) 301
3.2.1. Holocene . 301
3.2.2. Climatic Fluctuations During the Wiirm. . . . . . 303
3.2.3. Prewiirm Pleistocene . 305
3.2.4. Geochronological Delimitation and Division of the Quaternary 306
3.2.5. The Late Pliocene/Early Pleistocene Phase 310
References. 312
Index of Geographical Names 331
Transcription of Names Used in Some Figures 335
List of Authors
AL-SAYARI, SAAD S., Chairman, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Petroleum and
Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
BECKMAN, RICHARD J., Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, University of California, Los
Alamos, NM 87545, U.S.A.
CHAPMAN, RANDOLPH W., Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Petroleum
and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
FELBER, HANS, Oberrat, Institut fiir Radiumforschung und Kernphysik der tisterreichischen
Akademie der Wissenschaften, Boltzmanngasse 3, A-1090 Wien, Austria.
HOTZL, HEINZ, Professor, Institut fiir Geologie, Universitat Karlsruhe, KaiserstraBe 12,
D-7500 Karlsruhe, Federal Republic of Germany.
JOB, CARLO, Professor, Institut fiir Balneologie, Universitat Innsbruck, Fritz-Pregl-StraBe 3,
A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
JOHNSON, DONALD H., Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Petroleum
and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
KAMAL, MARWAN R., Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Petroleum and
Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
KRAMER, FRIEDRICH, Akad. O.-Rat, Institut fiir Geologie, Universitat Karlsruhe, Kaiser
straBe 12, D-7500 Karlsruhe, Federal Republic of Germany.
LIPPOLT, HANS ]., Professor, Laboratorium fiir Geochronologie, Universitat Heidelberg,
1m Neuenheimer Feld 234, D-6900 Heidelberg, Federal Republic of Germany.
MAURIN, VIKTOR, Professor, Institut fiir Geologie, Univcrsitat Karlsruhe, KaiserstraBe 12,
D-7500 Karlsruhe, Federal Republic of Germany.
MCCLURE, HAROLD A., Arabian American Oil Company, Box 2376, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
MOSER, HERIBERT, Professor, Institut fiir Radiohydrometrie der Gescllschaft fiir Strahlen
und Umweltforschung mbH Miinchen, Ingolstadter LandstraBe I, D-8042 Neuherberg,
Federal Republic of Germany.
PAK, EDWIN, Institut fiir Radiumforschung und Kernphysik der Clsterreichischen Akademie
der Wisscnschaften, Boltzmanngasse 3, A-I090 Wien, Austria.
PIERSON, GARY 0., Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Petroleum and
Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
RAMSAY, JOHN B., Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Petroleum and
Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
RAUERT, WERNER, Institut fiir Radiohydrometrie der Gesellschaft fiir Strahlen- und Umwelt
forschung mbH Miinchen, Ingolstadter LandstraBe I, D-8042 Neuherberg, Federal Repub
lic of Germany.
SCHYFSMA, ERNEST, Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Petroleum and
Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
STlCHLER, WILLlBALD, Institut fiir Radiohydrometrie der Gesellschaft fiir Strahlen- und
Umweltforschung mbH Miinchen, Ingolstadter LandstraBe 1, D-8042 Neuherberg, Federal
Republic of Germany.
ZOTL, JOSEF G., Professor, Abteilung fiir Hydrogeologie, Technische Universitat Graz,
Rechbauerstralle 12, A-8010 Graz, Austria.
