Holocene Hurricane Deposits Eroded as Coastal Barriers from Andesite Sea Cliffs at Puerto Escondido (Baja California Sur, Mexico)
Previous studies on the role of hurricanes in Mexico’s Gulf of California examined coastal boulder deposits (CBDs) eroded from limestone and rhyolite sea cliffs. Sedimentary and volcanic in origin, these lithotypes are less extensively expressed as rocky shores than others in the overall d...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/8/2/75 |
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| author | Markes E. Johnson Erlend M. Johnson Rigoberto Guardado-France Jorge Ledesma-Vázquez |
| author_facet | Markes E. Johnson Erlend M. Johnson Rigoberto Guardado-France Jorge Ledesma-Vázquez |
| author_sort | Markes E. Johnson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous studies on the role of hurricanes in Mexico’s Gulf of California examined coastal boulder deposits (CBDs) eroded from limestone and rhyolite sea cliffs. Sedimentary and volcanic in origin, these lithotypes are less extensively expressed as rocky shores than others in the overall distribution of gulf shores. Andesite that accumulated as serial volcanic flows during the Miocene constitutes by far the region’s most pervasive rocky shores. Here, we define a subgroup of structures called barrier boulder deposits (BBDs) that close off lagoons as a result of lateral transport from adjacent rocky shores subject to recurrent storm erosion. Hidden Harbor (<i>Puerto Escondido</i>) is the most famous natural harbor in all of Baja California. Accessed from a single narrow entrance, it is commodious in size (2.3 km<sup>2</sup>) and fully sheltered by outer andesite hills linked by two natural barriers. The average weight of embedded boulders in a succession of six samples tallied over a combined distance of 710 m ranges between 74 and 197 kg calculated on the basis of boulder volume and the specific gravity of andesite. A mathematical formula is utilized to estimate the wave height necessary to transport large boulders from their source. Average wave height interpreted by this method varies between 4.1 and 4.6 m. Input from fossil deposits and physical geology related to fault trends is applied to reconstruct coastal evolution from a more open coastal scenario during the Late Pleistocene 125,000 years ago to lagoon closure in Holocene time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T09:23:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c22612340a59430ea4dddbf7d03339af |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T09:23:27Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-c22612340a59430ea4dddbf7d03339af2022-12-21T23:08:15ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122020-01-01827510.3390/jmse8020075jmse8020075Holocene Hurricane Deposits Eroded as Coastal Barriers from Andesite Sea Cliffs at Puerto Escondido (Baja California Sur, Mexico)Markes E. Johnson0Erlend M. Johnson1Rigoberto Guardado-France2Jorge Ledesma-Vázquez3Geosciences Department, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267, USAAnthropology Department, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70018, USAFacultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada 22800, Baja California, MexicoFacultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada 22800, Baja California, MexicoPrevious studies on the role of hurricanes in Mexico’s Gulf of California examined coastal boulder deposits (CBDs) eroded from limestone and rhyolite sea cliffs. Sedimentary and volcanic in origin, these lithotypes are less extensively expressed as rocky shores than others in the overall distribution of gulf shores. Andesite that accumulated as serial volcanic flows during the Miocene constitutes by far the region’s most pervasive rocky shores. Here, we define a subgroup of structures called barrier boulder deposits (BBDs) that close off lagoons as a result of lateral transport from adjacent rocky shores subject to recurrent storm erosion. Hidden Harbor (<i>Puerto Escondido</i>) is the most famous natural harbor in all of Baja California. Accessed from a single narrow entrance, it is commodious in size (2.3 km<sup>2</sup>) and fully sheltered by outer andesite hills linked by two natural barriers. The average weight of embedded boulders in a succession of six samples tallied over a combined distance of 710 m ranges between 74 and 197 kg calculated on the basis of boulder volume and the specific gravity of andesite. A mathematical formula is utilized to estimate the wave height necessary to transport large boulders from their source. Average wave height interpreted by this method varies between 4.1 and 4.6 m. Input from fossil deposits and physical geology related to fault trends is applied to reconstruct coastal evolution from a more open coastal scenario during the Late Pleistocene 125,000 years ago to lagoon closure in Holocene time.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/8/2/75barrier boulder depositshurricane storm surgehydrodynamic equationgulf of california (mexico) |
| spellingShingle | Markes E. Johnson Erlend M. Johnson Rigoberto Guardado-France Jorge Ledesma-Vázquez Holocene Hurricane Deposits Eroded as Coastal Barriers from Andesite Sea Cliffs at Puerto Escondido (Baja California Sur, Mexico) Journal of Marine Science and Engineering barrier boulder deposits hurricane storm surge hydrodynamic equation gulf of california (mexico) |
| title | Holocene Hurricane Deposits Eroded as Coastal Barriers from Andesite Sea Cliffs at Puerto Escondido (Baja California Sur, Mexico) |
| title_full | Holocene Hurricane Deposits Eroded as Coastal Barriers from Andesite Sea Cliffs at Puerto Escondido (Baja California Sur, Mexico) |
| title_fullStr | Holocene Hurricane Deposits Eroded as Coastal Barriers from Andesite Sea Cliffs at Puerto Escondido (Baja California Sur, Mexico) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Holocene Hurricane Deposits Eroded as Coastal Barriers from Andesite Sea Cliffs at Puerto Escondido (Baja California Sur, Mexico) |
| title_short | Holocene Hurricane Deposits Eroded as Coastal Barriers from Andesite Sea Cliffs at Puerto Escondido (Baja California Sur, Mexico) |
| title_sort | holocene hurricane deposits eroded as coastal barriers from andesite sea cliffs at puerto escondido baja california sur mexico |
| topic | barrier boulder deposits hurricane storm surge hydrodynamic equation gulf of california (mexico) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/8/2/75 |
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