Geochemistry and Sedimentology Study of a Core From Chott Geuttar

Abstract

Endoreic saline systems in Tunisia such as that of Chott El Guettar recorded the climatic changes as well as the setting of millennial cycles. This study deals with high-resolution proxies (colors variability, geochemistry, magnetic susceptibility, and grain size distribution) to find the different cycles. Cycles should be attributed either to internal or external forcing. The output of this study demonstrates a sun-driven Holocene cyclostratigraphy of 1000yr that was previously discussed in the literature. Since color studies were confirmed by direct analyses, this method was used to carry a higher resolution. The solar periodicity clearly identified with a continuous cycle of around 2500 years and with two others of around 1000 and 1660 years only during the Early Holocene. This work confirmed the cycles found by colors study through the real analyses such as geochemical and magnetic measurement.