Abstract

UBEID, Khalid F. The origin, nature and stratigraphy of Pleistocene-Holocene palaeosols in Wadi Es-Salqa (Gaza Strip, Palestine). Ser. correl. geol. [online]. 2013, vol.29, n.2, pp.33-42. ISSN 1666-9479.

The Gaza Strip is located in the southwestern part of Palestine. Its topography is defined by three ridges (locally termed “kurkar ridges”) that are parallel to the Mediterranean coastline. The ridges consist of Pleistocene-Holocene calcareous sandstones (kurkar) and reddish fine-grained deposits (hamra). The ridges are intersected by three main wadis, firom north to south: Wadi Beit Hanoun, Wadi Gaza, and Wadi Es-Salqa (Wadi Silka). During winter Wadi Es-Salqa collects water firom a 40 km² catchment area. The subcrop geological cross-section at Wadi Es-Salqa shows that the succession consists of kurkar and hamra of the Pleistocene-Holocene Gaza Formation, which belongs to the Pliocene-Holocene Kurkar Group and sharply overlies the Saqia Group. The outcrop successions in Wadi Es-Salqa consist of reddish-brown palaeosols of Gaza Formation. These palaeosols are loessial soils that developed in loam to sandy loam soils, as well as sandy soils. The model distribution of the loessial soil grains refects atmospheric dust that accumulated firom the Sinai and Saharan Deserts. The sandy soils are derived firom sandy parent materials that generally cover the western part of the southern coastal plain of Palestine.

Keywords : Gaza Strip; Wadi Es-Salqa; Wadi Silka; Pleistocene-Holocene; Kurkar; Hamra; Palaeosols; Gaza Formation.

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