@article{f046c032eace49fc95323be2d396ea47,
title = "Mid-Holocene stable isotope record of corals from the northern Red Sea",
abstract = "We present a study based on X-ray chronologies and the stable isotopic composition of fossil Porites spp. corals from the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) covering the mid-Holocene period from 5750 to 4450 14C years BP (before present). The stable oxygen and carbon isotopic compositions of five specimens reveal regular annual periodicities. Compared with modern Porites spp. from the same environment, the average seasonal δ18O amplitude of the fossil corals is higher (by ca. 0.35-0.60‰), whereas annual growth rates are lower (by ca. 3.5 to 2 mm/year). This suggests stronger seasonality of sea surface temperatures and increased variability of the oxygen isotopic composition of the sea water due to changes in the precipitation and evaporation regime during the mid-Holocene. Most likely, summer monsoon rains reached the northern end of the Red Sea at that time. Average annual coral growth rates are diminished probably due to an increased input and resuspension of terrestrial debris to the shallow marine environment during more humid conditions. Our results corroborate published reports of paleodata and model simulations suggesting a northward migration of the African monsoon giving rise to increased seasonalities during the mid-Holocene over northeastern Africa and Arabia.",
keywords = "African monsoon, Corals, Holocene, Northern Red Sea, Stable isotopes",
author = "Moustafa, {Y. A.} and J. P{\"a}tzold and Y. Loya and G. Wefer",
note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements We thank T. Felis and M. Fine for the collection of the coral samples. Special thanks are due to M. Segl for performing the stable isotopic measurements and preparation of the sample for AMS 14C dating. AMS 14C measurements were carried out at the Leibniz Laboratory for Radionuclide Dating and Isotope Research, Christian Albrechts University (Kiel, Germany), and the Center for Isotope Research, University of Groningen (The Netherlands). All stable isotopic measurements were carried out at the isotope laboratory at Bremen University (Germany). We also thank S. Draschba, T. Felis, and H. Kuhnert for critical discussions, their help during preparation of the X-rays and guidance to take the isotope samples. J. Bijma improved the English of the manuscript. The manuscript was substantially improved by the review comments of T. Correge and C. Dullo. This work was partly supported by the “Red Sea Program” (RSP) of the “Bundesministerium f{\"u}r Bildung, Wis-senschaft, Forschung und Technologie” (BMBF, 03F0151A6), a grant from the University of Bremen, and a grant of the Gradui-erten Kolleg “Stoff-Fl{\"u}sse in marinen Geosystemen” funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.",
year = "2000",
month = mar,
doi = "10.1007/s005310050302",
language = "אנגלית",
volume = "88",
pages = "742--751",
journal = "International Journal of Earth Sciences",
issn = "1437-3254",
publisher = "Springer Verlag",
number = "4",
}
