(2022). Geomorphology of the Al-Umrani paleo-karst cave (southeastern Egypt): its morphological determinants and links to the Nile Quaternary terraces. test, 14(1), 1-24. doi: 10.21608/ejec.2022.230236
. "Geomorphology of the Al-Umrani paleo-karst cave (southeastern Egypt): its morphological determinants and links to the Nile Quaternary terraces". test, 14, 1, 2022, 1-24. doi: 10.21608/ejec.2022.230236
(2022). 'Geomorphology of the Al-Umrani paleo-karst cave (southeastern Egypt): its morphological determinants and links to the Nile Quaternary terraces', test, 14(1), pp. 1-24. doi: 10.21608/ejec.2022.230236
Geomorphology of the Al-Umrani paleo-karst cave (southeastern Egypt): its morphological determinants and links to the Nile Quaternary terraces. test, 2022; 14(1): 1-24. doi: 10.21608/ejec.2022.230236

Geomorphology of the Al-Umrani paleo-karst cave (southeastern Egypt): its morphological determinants and links to the Nile Quaternary terraces

The Egyptian Journal of Environmental Change
Article 1, Volume 14, Issue 1, April 2022, Pages 1-24    PDF (7.75 M)
Document Type: Peer-reviewed articles
DOI: 10.21608/ejec.2022.230236
Abstract
This work presents –for the first time- the geomorphological characteristics of a recently explored karst cave (Al-Umrani karst cave) in eastern Egypt, allowing for better understanding of paleoclimate of Egypt in particular and the Sahara in general. This study provided a detailed geomorphological map and topographic profiles for the cave, which is located 12 km from the eastern bank of the Nile.  With a total area of 61 m2, the cave extends over only 32 m, with a breadth of about 17 m and a depth of 14 m from the entrance to the deepest point.  Al-Umrani Cave is a classic karst cave created by groundwater near the western edge of the Eocene limestone of the Northern Plateau of the Eastern Desert. The cave was formed in a shallow marine limestone hill (Mokattam Group, Samalout Formation) of the Middle Eocene. Inside the cave several paleo-karst features were recognized such as stalactites, columns, and few stalagmites. These geomorphological features indicate that the area was a relatively humid tropical environment during the karistirization activities up to the Quaternary. The cave led to the opening of an entranceway to multi-stages steeply passage to the major double karst chambers, it is formed along a fault line through the limestone hill. In this study, we also assessed effects of the Quaternary fluvial terraces of Wadi Al-Amrani on the cave morphology. This assessment was made based on extensive field work, combined with employing geomorphic mapping, digital elevation model (DEM) analysis, hydro-morphological analysis of Wadi Al-Umrani basin and its network, and detailed surveying of the interior cave using a laser Total Station, in addition to a laboratory analysis of stalactites samples and 14C dating.
Keywords
Al-Umrani paleo-cave; Wadi Al-Umrani; paleo-karst cave; paleo-karst; the Quaternary; Assiut; Egypt
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