Pleistocene Coral Reef Terraces on the Saudi Arabian Side of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

A major geomorphic feature of the coastal Red Sea region is represented by Pleistocene raised marine terraces that occur on both sides of the Gulf of Aqaba. Those bordering the Saudi Arabian sector have received little attention thus far, and are comparatively less known than their counterparts in the Sinai sector of the Gulf and in the Red Sea. As is the rule in the Red Sea region, the best developed marine terrace system is reefal and pertains to the last interglacial (Marine Isotope Stage 5e = MIS5e, ~125 ka BP), although older Pleistocene terraces also occur. All such deposits are very fossiliferous and most carbonates are relatively unaltered, providing suitable material for geochronological purposes. Syndepositional marine botryoidal aragonite cements have been identified infilling vugs in the host bedrock at some sites.