Turbidites in R/V Thuwal Cores 17 and 18 in the northern part of the Gulf - ~1200-~1300 CE (1σ)
Bektaş et al. (2024:13)
report that
turbidites
were identified in R/V Thuwal Cores 17 and 18
in the northern part of the Gulf of Aqaba, where
"the turbidite in core 18 is thicker and better
preserved with its
laminated internal structure."
Based on
Probability Density Functions (PDFs)
presented in Fig. 8 of their paper, the turbidites
in cores 17 and 18 should have been deposited
between ~1200 and ~1300 CE
1σ.
Bektaş et al. (2024:13)
suggested that the
1212 CE earthquake
was responsible for these turbidites. Since only
two cores recorded the event,
Bektaş et al. (2024:13)
concluded "that the
CE 1212
earthquake was likely significantly smaller than
the
CE 1068
and
CE 1588 events"
while noting that "the exact location of this
event north of the gulf remains uncertain, but it
might have caused a discontinuous rupture on fault
segments of the
Wadi Arabah Fault system."
This reasoning was based on the probable presence
of the
1212 CE earthquake
as Event E2 in the
Qatar Trench,
its supposed absence in the
Elat Sabkha Trenches,
and its supposed absence in the imprecisely dated
Shehoret, Roded, and Avrona Alluvial Fan Trenches.
It should be noted, however, that
Kanari et al. (2020)
listed the
1212 CE earthquake
and the
1068 CE earthquake(s)
as possible causes of a
dewatering structure
(aka liquefaction fluid escape structure) in
Trench T1 of the
Elat Sabkha Trenches,
and that [opinion by JW] while Events 7, 8, and 9
in Trench T-18 in the
Shehoret, Roded, and Avrona Alluvial Fan Trenches
have a wide spread of ages, taken together, the
evidence suggests that the
1212 CE earthquake,
the
1068 CE earthquake(s),
and one earlier earthquake, perhaps between
~500 CE and 1000 CE, struck the area.
Bektaş et al. (2024:13)
characterizes the
Shehoret, Roded, and Avrona Alluvial Fan Trenches
and
Elat Sabkha Trenches
researchers
(Zilberman et al. (2005)
and
Kanari et al. (2020)
respectively) as claiming that "the
CE 1212 earthquake
was likely generated by a secondary fault on the
eastern edge of the
Eilat depression in the
Wadi Arabah Fault system."
Bektaş et al. (2024:13)
also noted that "there are no turbidites in cores
14 and 15 around [the] 1200s" but that a
turbidite from the 1200s may be present in core 13.
