dc.contributor.author |
Karanouh, Rena Darwich, |
dc.date |
2014 |
dc.date.accessioned |
2015-02-03T10:43:34Z |
dc.date.available |
2015-02-03T10:43:34Z |
dc.date.issued |
2014 |
dc.date.submitted |
2014 |
dc.identifier.other |
b18268936 |
dc.identifier.uri |
http://hdl.handle.net/10938/10215 |
dc.description |
Thesis. M.S. American University of Beirut. Department of Geology, 2014. T:6057 |
dc.description |
Advisor : Dr. Ali Haidar, Assistant Professor, Geology, ; Members of Committee : Dr. Mutasem Fadel, Professor, Environmental Engineering Program ; Dr. Joanna Doummar, Assistant Professor, Geology ; Dr. Ian Fairchild, Professor and Head of School, GEES (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences), University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham |
dc.description |
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 177-197) |
dc.description.abstract |
Two stalagmites were investigated from the coastal El-Kassarat cave, EKC-01 (located in central Lebanon), and a high elevation Rahwe cave, RC-01 (located in North Lebanon), respectively. The paleo-climatic records observed are based on oxygen and carbon stable isotope ratios, absolute dating of U-Th series, petrographic analysis, and growth patterns. Groundwater, dripwater, rainwater, and snow samples were acquired for isotope analyses and physico-chemical parameter determination. Continuous temperature measurements were conducted for a whole year. Glass plates were placed inside each cave, and modern calcite precipitates were collected for calibration. All these measurements allowed for a detailed calibration of the stable isotopic and age data collected from the two stalagmites. Four samples were drilled in the RC-01 stalagmite for U-Th dating. This stalagmite showed age reversals and alteration, thus requiring further assessment in the future. The candlestick section of EKC-01 was drilled for U-series dating (3 samples). This stalagmite segment was also analyzed for carbonate δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C isotopes (64 samples), and for trace elements. Dating results show that this stalagmite started to grow at about 62 ka BP. Isotopic results from the EKC-01 stalagmite indicates that major changes in local and global climatic records have been recorded in the stalagmites’ laminae. These can be subdivided into five major climatic phases; Phase 1 (27.5 to 15.0 ka) was characterized by lower temperatures and lesser rainfall, with a mixture of C₃ (e.g. shrubs, wheat, trees) and C₄ (e.g. maize, sugar cane) vegetation types present in the region. As glaciers in much of the northern hemisphere melted, there was a sharp increase in temperature and rainfall, and a possible increase in C₃ vegetation between 15.0 and 13.0 ka. The climatic phase spanning from 13.0 to 9.0 showed comparatively more humid conditions, with an increase in rainfall during the early Holocene epo |
dc.format.extent |
1 online resource (xviii, 247, 4 folded leaves) : color illustrations ; 30cm |
dc.language.iso |
eng |
dc.relation.ispartof |
Theses, Dissertations, and Projects |
dc.subject.classification |
T:006057 AUBNO |
dc.subject.lcsh |
Paleoclimatology -- Lebanon. |
dc.subject.lcsh |
Isotopes. |
dc.subject.lcsh |
Speleothems -- Lebanon. |
dc.subject.lcsh |
Stalactites and stalagmites -- Lebanon. |
dc.subject.lcsh |
Caves -- Lebanon. |
dc.title |
Low resolution paleoclimate reconstruction, from stable isotope analysis of two speleothems from the El-Kassarat and Rahwe caves, in Lebanon - |
dc.type |
Thesis |
dc.contributor.department |
American University of Beirut. Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Department of Geology, degree granting institution. |