Climatic Changes and the Evolution of Landforms in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Research Article| October 01, 1971 Climatic Changes and the Evolution of Landforms in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia RANDOLPH W CHAPMAN RANDOLPH W CHAPMAN College of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information RANDOLPH W CHAPMAN College of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 10 Aug 1970 Revision Received: 08 Mar 1971 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Copyright © 1971, The Geological Society of America, Inc. Copyright is not claimed on any material prepared by U.S. government employees within the scope of their employment. GSA Bulletin (1971) 82 (10): 2713–2728. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1971)82[2713:CCATEO]2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 10 Aug 1970 Revision Received: 08 Mar 1971 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation RANDOLPH W CHAPMAN; Climatic Changes and the Evolution of Landforms in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. GSA Bulletin 1971;; 82 (10): 2713–2728. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1971)82[2713:CCATEO]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 SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The landforms in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia are features of a relict topography developed during late Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene time under a variety of climates. The forms described in this report occur in the Dammam Dome, a gentle structural topographic rise composed of Eocene limestones, and in the Shedgum Area, a plateau underlain by late Miocene or Pliocene calcareous rocks. In the wetter climatic stages, stream erosion was the principal degradational process, whereas in the dryer stages pedimentation and related processes dominated. Landform development was also influenced by the structure and composition of the bedrock and by tectonic and possibly eustatic movements. During the late Pliocene and Pleistocene, a calcareous duricrust developed progressively on the topography, and in the late Pleistocene or mid-Holocene this crust was deeply weathered. More recently, desertic gradational processes have prevailed. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.