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Geometry and evolution of Holocene transgressive and regressive barriers on the semi-arid coast of NE Brazil

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Abstract

An integrated study based on ground penetrating radar (GPR) profiles, vibracore descriptions, water-well logs, and radiocarbon dating in a coastal deposit located in the northern region of Rio Grande do Norte State, northeastern Brazil, allowed us to identify Holocene transgressive and regressive barriers. The construction process for the studied coastal barrier is different from that proposed for the Holocene coastal plains along the eastern Brazilian coast, where the hydraulic barrier set up by large rivers for sediments transported by longshore currents has caused a strongly positive longshore sediment imbalance. In the study area, interpretation of the GPR images, within the constraints of vibracores data, allowed us to interpret five radar facies and four radar boundary sequences for these coastal deposits, which were built up during the Holocene coastal evolution of the region. As a result, the geometry of the coastal barrier was reconstructed. Based on barrier geometry, sediment ages, stratigraphic records, and sedimentation patterns, we propose a barrier evolutionary model for the Holocene for the study region. During the Holocene highstand, a transgressive barrier was deposited and a lagoon extended landward. During the sea-level fall soon after the Holocene highstand, the deposition of a regressive barrier (forced regression) started. This deposition was induced by the coastal geometry and high amounts of eolian sediments supplied by east-northeast winds. Also during this period of sea-level fall, the beach face became wider, and thus more subjected to wind action, facilitating the deposition of the first eolian deposits. These sediments were transported to the nearly formed embayment, providing a surplus for the construction of the regressive barrier. During the regressive phase, tidal channels closed and the lagoon became isolated from the open sea. The geometry of both the regressive and transgressive barriers as well as the stratigraphic relation between the sedimentary deposits suggest that the Holocene highstand in this region was not more than 1.4 m above present-day mean sea level.

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Acknowledgements

This paper is based on the PhD theses of Luciano Caldas (CNPq grant 201041-97.9) and Josibel G. Oliveira Jr. Financial support was provided by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (grant number Sta 401/7-2), MARPETRO (FINEP/CTPETRO/PETROBRAS), and Programa Brasil-Alemanha 150-02 (CAPES-DAAD). CAERN (Companhia de Água e Esgotos do Rio Grande do Norte) provided the water-well logs. Walter E. Medeiros and Helenice Vital thank the Brazilian Agency CNPq for research grants (PQ). Werner Tabosa, Jean Carlos and Mofchet Birnenbaum helped during fieldwork. We acknowledge two anonymous referees and the journal editor Monique T. Delafontaine for valuable suggestions and language corrections to the original draft. Aderson do Nascimento is thanked for kindly polishing the final English text.

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  1. Luciano Henrique de Oliveira Caldas

    Present address: PETROBRAS, Av. General Canabarro 500, 20271-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

  2. Josibel Gomes de Oliveira Jr

    Present address: CGG do Brasil Ltda, Av. Presidente Wilson 231, sala 1501, 20030-021, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pesquisa e Pós-graduação em Geodinâmica e Geofísica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitário UFRN, P.O. Box 1596, 59078-970, Natal, RN, Brazil

    Luciano Henrique de Oliveira Caldas, Josibel Gomes de Oliveira Jr, Walter Eugênio de Medeiros & Helenice Vital

  2. Institute of Geoscience, University of Kiel, Olshausenstr 40, 24118, Kiel, Germany

    Karl Stattegger

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  1. Luciano Henrique de Oliveira Caldas
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Correspondence to Walter Eugênio de Medeiros.

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Henrique de Oliveira Caldas, L., Gomes de Oliveira, J., Eugênio de Medeiros, W. et al. Geometry and evolution of Holocene transgressive and regressive barriers on the semi-arid coast of NE Brazil. Geo-Mar Lett 26, 249–263 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-006-0034-2

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