Morphological, drainage and eolian controls on the microtidal Patara Beach sediments (eastern Mediterranean): Textural, geochemical and mineralogical investigations

• Published in: Quaternary international 2013-07, Vol.302, p.135-153
• Main Authors: Ergin, Mustafa, Karakaş, Zehra S., Sözeri, Koray, Eser-Doğdu, Başak, Kadıoğu, Yusuf Kaan, Yiğit-Faridfathi, Füsun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aluminum; barium; calcium; calcium carbonate; chromium; coasts; cobalt; drainage; hematite; hydrodynamics; iron; magnesium; magnetite; manganese; mineral content; nickel; potassium; rocks; sand; sand fraction; silicon; sodium; texture
• ISSN: 1040-6182; 1873-4553
• DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2013.02.023

The effects of dominant hydrodynamic, morphological, fluvial and hinterland geological source conditions on the texture and composition of the microtidal and dissipative Patara Beach (Mediterranean coast of SW Turkey) sediments were investigated at 47 locations. Patara Beach sediments are composed entirely of sand. Fine sand (5–94%) was more abundant in the northwestern section, while medium sand contents (2–94%) increased in the central and southeastern sections. Moderately-to well sorted (mostly 0.3–0.7 Ø) sediments tend to show overall better sorting towards the southeast, in the net longshore current direction. Terrigenous carbonate grains derived from the hinterland constituted 6–50% (as CaCO3) with varying tendencies to increase or decrease within sections alongshore. Total heavy mineral concentrations in bulk sediments (1–17%, mostly