Paleoclimatic changes in Central Sinai, Egypt

Two profiles of 'loess-like sediments' from two basins near Tarfat and near Firan in the Wadis Esh Sheikh/Firan,Central Sinai, have been compared. From petrographical, geochemical, sedimentological and soil fabric properties the paleoclimatological changes since the time of loess accumulation have been reconstructed. The upstream basin near Tarfat is characterized by (at least) seven cycles of loess accumulation in small lakes under stillwater facies conditions and followed desiccation (aridification) processes. Each cycle is completed by sheet flood events which lead to significant truncations and to the deposition of (in its grain size) strongly inhomogeneous fluvial-torrential covers. The downstream basin II near Firan includes several soil horizons which generally mirror an increase of humidity compared with their substrata, and some extremely arid horizons as well.