Late Pleistocene and Holocene dune activity and wind regimes in the western Sahara Desert of Mauritania

Abstract

Research Article| November 01, 2002 Late Pleistocene and Holocene dune activity and wind regimes in the western Sahara Desert of Mauritania Nicholas Lancaster; Nicholas Lancaster 1Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, Nevada 89512, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Gary Kocurek; Gary Kocurek 2Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ashok Singhvi; Ashok Singhvi 3Planetary and Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380 009, India Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar V. Pandey; V. Pandey 3Planetary and Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380 009, India Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Max Deynoux; Max Deynoux 4Centre de Géochimie de la Surface, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Louis Pasteur, 67084 Strasbourg-Cedex, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jean-Francois Ghienne; Jean-Francois Ghienne 4Centre de Géochimie de la Surface, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Louis Pasteur, 67084 Strasbourg-Cedex, France Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Khalidou Lô Khalidou Lô 5Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Nouakchott, Nouakchott, Mauritania Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Nicholas Lancaster 1Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, Nevada 89512, USA Gary Kocurek 2Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, USA Ashok Singhvi 3Planetary and Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380 009, India V. Pandey 3Planetary and Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380 009, India Max Deynoux 4Centre de Géochimie de la Surface, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Louis Pasteur, 67084 Strasbourg-Cedex, France Jean-Francois Ghienne 4Centre de Géochimie de la Surface, Ecole et Observatoire des Sciences de la Terre, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Louis Pasteur, 67084 Strasbourg-Cedex, France Khalidou Lô 5Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Nouakchott, Nouakchott, Mauritania Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 16 Apr 2002 Revision Received: 27 Jun 2002 Accepted: 16 Jul 2002 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2002) 30 (11): 991–994. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0991:LPAHDA>2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 16 Apr 2002 Revision Received: 27 Jun 2002 Accepted: 16 Jul 2002 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Nicholas Lancaster, Gary Kocurek, Ashok Singhvi, V. Pandey, Max Deynoux, Jean-Francois Ghienne, Khalidou Lô; Late Pleistocene and Holocene dune activity and wind regimes in the western Sahara Desert of Mauritania. Geology 2002;; 30 (11): 991–994. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2002)030<0991:LPAHDA>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The western Sahara Desert in Mauritania is dominated by extensive sand seas consisting largely of linear dunes. Analyses of Landsat images, geomorphic and stratigraphic studies, and optically stimulated luminescence dating of dunes in the Azefal, Agneitir, and Akchar sand seas provide evidence that three main generations of dunes were formed during the periods 25–15 ka (centered around the Last Glacial Maximum), 10–13 ka (spanning the Younger Dryas event), and after 5 ka. The wind regimes that occurred during each of these periods were significantly different, leading to the formation of dunes on three distinct superimposed trends—northeast, north-northeast, and north—and the development of the sand seas as composite geomorphic features. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.