ZMT - Leibniz Zentrum für Marine Tropenforschung

Although the Red Sea is situated within the Saharo-Arabian desert belt, a key-area for palaeoclimatic and palaeoanthropological research, its marine realm, including climate archives, is only locally and sporadically studied. Therefore, the cruise M193 aimed to investigate how Pleistocene humidity-aridity phases are recorded in marine sediments; how these periods affected the development of shallow- and deep-water carbonate systems along offshore western Saudi Arabia; and where unique warm-water (>20°C) high-salinity deep-sea corals assemblages with an unclear taxonomy thrive.

Based on recent seafloor mapping and gravity coring, we are investigating the Al Wajh carbonate platform area that hosts a deep-sea fan fed by one of the largest onshore drainage systems on the Arabian Peninsula during Pleistocene pluvial phases, several isolated mini basins related to salt tectonics, and deep-sea as well as mesophotic coral habitats.

While seismic measurements were conducted to investigate the evolution of the Late Pliocene to Pleistocene marginal sediment system under sea-level and climatic change, gravity coring of isolated and communicating sediment basins allows for high-resolution studies of Upper Pleistocene humidity-aridity phases. Mapping and sampling of the largely unstudied deep-water coral habitats via ROV, and taxonomy studies rounded up our survey.

Expected results will extend our comprehensive understanding of Pleistocene climate development, including sea-level change, and its influence on the development of shallow- and deep-water carbonates, and will help to predict future climate dynamics.