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230236

Geomorphology of the Al-Umrani paleo-karst cave (southeastern Egypt): its morphological determinants and links to the Nile Quaternary terraces

Article

Last updated: 26 Dec 2024

Subjects

-

Tags

Climate change.

Abstract

This work presents –for the first time- the geomorphological characteristics of a recently explored karst cave (Al-Umrani karst cave) in eastern Egypt, allowing for better understanding of paleoclimate of Egypt in particular and the Sahara in general. This study provided a detailed geomorphological map and topographic profiles for the cave, which is located 12 km from the eastern bank of the Nile.  With a total area of 61 m2, the cave extends over only 32 m, with a breadth of about 17 m and a depth of 14 m from the entrance to the deepest point.  Al-Umrani Cave is a classic karst cave created by groundwater near the western edge of the Eocene limestone of the Northern Plateau of the Eastern Desert. The cave was formed in a shallow marine limestone hill (Mokattam Group, Samalout Formation) of the Middle Eocene. Inside the cave several paleo-karst features were recognized such as stalactites, columns, and few stalagmites. These geomorphological features indicate that the area was a relatively humid tropical environment during the karistirization activities up to the Quaternary. The cave led to the opening of an entranceway to multi-stages steeply passage to the major double karst chambers, it is formed along a fault line through the limestone hill. In this study, we also assessed effects of the Quaternary fluvial terraces of Wadi Al-Amrani on the cave morphology. This assessment was made based on extensive field work, combined with employing geomorphic mapping, digital elevation model (DEM) analysis, hydro-morphological analysis of Wadi Al-Umrani basin and its network, and detailed surveying of the interior cave using a laser Total Station, in addition to a laboratory analysis of stalactites samples and 14C dating.

DOI

10.21608/ejec.2022.230236

Keywords

Al-Umrani paleo-cave, Wadi Al-Umrani, paleo-karst cave, paleo-karst, The Quaternary, Assiut, Egypt

Volume

14

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

32971

Issue Date

2022-04-01

Receive Date

2022-02-07

Publish Date

2022-04-01

Page Start

1

Page End

24

Print ISSN

2090-2271

Online ISSN

2090-6005

Link

https://ejec.journals.ekb.eg/article_230236.html

Detail API

https://ejec.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=230236

Order

1

Type

Peer-reviewed articles

Type Code

1,344

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

The Egyptian Journal of Environmental Change

Publication Link

https://ejec.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Geomorphology of the Al-Umrani paleo-karst cave (southeastern Egypt): its morphological determinants and links to the Nile Quaternary terraces

Details

Type

Article

Created At

23 Jan 2023