shorelines of the Holocene Megalake Chad (Africa, Sahara) investigated with very high resolution satellite imagery (Pléiades) : example of the Goz Kerki paleo-spit

Abstract

Megalake Chad (350,000 km2), the largest paleo-lake of the Sahara-Sahel area, is one of the most emblematic marker of the hydroclimatic changes that occurred during the African Humid Period (AHP; ca. 11,500 — 5,000 years BP) in subtropical Africa. From field surveys, the existence of Megalake Chad is well demonstrated by widespread typical lake deposits. However, considering the very large size of this paleo-lake, it is best evidenced and understood from space. Conspicuous paleo-littoral features distributed along hundreds of kilometers are clearly visible on second generation satellite images. These features represent major archives of the Megalake Chad and of the climate during the AHP. This paper is the first attempt to investigate the paleo-littoral of Megalake Chad with very high resolution satellite imagery. A Pléiades scene (images and DEM) is used to characterize the fossil sand spit of the Goz Kerki, which is one of the most representative and best preserved littoral features of Megalake Chad. Thanks to Pléiades stereoscopic images the geomorphology and the lithology of this paleo-spit can now be detailed and the evolution of the paleo-bathymetry of Megalake Chad can be reconstructed. This brings new insights into the paleo-environments and paleo-climates of the Sahara-Sahel region.

Keywords

• african humid period
• beach ridges
• paleo-lake
• littoral