The formation of beachrock on the North Cyprus Coast

Year 2008, Volume: 14 Issue: 2, 117 - 128, 01.08.2008

T. Ahmet Ertek A. Evren Erginal Mustafa Bozcu And Gülen Türker

Abstract

Abstract Beachrocks were determined along the northern coasts of Cyprus Island. Their petrographic composition and nature of cementation were studied based mainly on detailed field descriptions, thin section interpretations and ICP-AES analyses. The present findings show that beachrocks take place preferentially on beaches backed by coastal sand dunes and marine terraces, but exceptionally on tectonically uplifted wave-cut platforms. Beachrocks show an enrichment of sand and gravel derived from Troodos massive and Girne range. Commonly, cementation has been likely occurred in the salt water-fresh water mixing zone.

Keywords

Key words: Beachrock; intertidal cementation; coastal geomorphology; Cyprus Island; Mediterranean Sea.

References

• Alexanderson, T. (1969). Recent littoral and sublittoral high-Mg calcite lithification in the Mediterranean. Sedimantology 17: 47-61.
• Avşarcan, B. (1997). Yalıtaşı oluşumu ile ilgili kuramlar ve Türkiye Kıyılarındaki Yalıtaşlarının Bazı Özellikleri. I.U. Cografya Dergisi 5: 259- 282.
• Beier, J.A. (1985). Diagenesis of Quaternary Bahamian beachrock: petrographic and isotopic evidence. J. Sedimentary Petrology 55: 755-761.
• Bener, M. (1974). Alanya-Gazipaşa Kıyı Kesiminde Yalıtaşı Oluşumu. İ.Ü. Coğ. Enst. Yay. No: 75, 95 p.
• Dreghorn, W. (1978). Landforms of the Girne Range, Northern Cyprus. The Mineral Research and Exploration Institute of Turkey Report, No172.
• El-Sayed, M.K.H. (1988). Beachrock cementation in Alexandria, Egypt. Marine Geology 80: 29-35.
• Erol, O. (1983). Historical changes on the coastline of Turkey. In: C.F.E. Bird and P. Fabbri (eds). Coastal Problems in the Mediterranean Sea, proc. Symp. Venice, 10-14 May 1982, I.G.U. Comm. on the Coastal Env. 95-108. Ertek, T.A., Erginal, A.E. (2003). Physical properties of beachrocks on the coasts of Gelibolu Peninsula and their contribution to the Quaternary sea level changes. Turkish J. Mar. Sci. 9: 31-49.
• Ertek, T.A., Erginal, A.E. (2004). K.K.T.C. Kıyılarında Yalıtaşı Oluşumları. TURQUA, Turkiye Kuvaterner Sempozyumu V, 02-03 Haziran 2005, Bildiriler, s: 71-72, I.T.U. Avrazya Yerbilimleri Enst. İstanbul.
• Ginsburg, R.N. (1953). Beachrock in South Florida. J. Sedimentary Petrology 23: 85-92.
• Goudie, A. 1966. A preliminary examination of the beach conglomerates of Arsuz, South Turkey. Geographical Articles, Geogr. Depart. Cambridge University 6: 6-9.
• Guilcher, A. (1965). Precis d’Hydrologie. Marine et Continentale. Masson, Paris, New-York, Barcelone, Milane.
• Hanor, J.S. (1978). Precipitation of beachrock cements: mixing of marine and meteoric waters vs. CO2 degassing. J.Sedimentary Petrology 48: 489- 501.
• Ketin, İ. (1987). Outlines of the geology of Cyprus and its comparison with the southern Anatolia. Yerbilimleri 14: 207-229.
• Mayers, J.H. (1987). Marine vadose beachrock cementation by cryptocristalline mahnesian calcite-Maui, Hawaii. J. Sedimentary Petrology 57: 558-570.
• Moore, C.H. (1973). Intertidal carbonate cementation Grand Cayman, West Indies. J. Sedimentary Petrology 43: 591-602.
• Poole, A.J., Robertson, A.H.F. (1990). Quaternary uplift and sea-level change at an active plate boundary, Cyprus. J.Geological Society, London 148: 909-921.
• Robertson, A.H.F. (1977). Tertiary uplift of the Troodos Massif, Cyprus. Geological Society of America Bulletin 88: 1763-1772.
• Scoffin, T.P. (1970). A conglomeratic beachrock in Bimini, Bahamas. J. Sedimentary Petrology 40: 756-758.
• Taylor, J.C.M., Illing, L.V. (1969). Holocene intertidal calcium carbonate cementation, Qatar, Persian Gulf. Sedimantology 12: 69-107.
• Webb, G.E., Jell, J.S., Baker, J.C. (1999). Cryptic intertidal microbialites in beachrock, Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef: implications for the origin of microcrystalline beachrock cement. Sedimentary Geology 126: 3.