Scientific Basis of the Geoheritage and Geotouristic Values of the 641 AD Al Madinah Eruption Site in the Al Madinah Volcanic Field, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Recent volcanological and volcanic hazard studies on the youngest volcanic fields in the western Arabian Peninsula, such as the Al Madinah Volcanic Field (AMVF) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, resulted in the systematic evaluation, characterization and recording of their volcanic geoheritage. The two youngest volcanic eruptions of the AMVF were in 641 AD and 1256 AD, as documented in historic records. Both eruption sites are located nearby the holy city of Al Madinah and therefore offer a unique opportunity to develop geoheritage, geoconservation and geotourism projects. Here we present geological evidence to justify the location of a visitor and education center at the 641 AD eruption site, a future gateway to the proposed Al Madinah Volcanic Geopark. The inferred location of the 641 AD eruption consists of four cones that are located in a suburban area of Al Madinah city, outside of its "haram" area (an area restricted for Muslims only). The four cones formed through a broad array of volcanic processes that represent a complete spectrum of the volcanic processes recorded in the whole AMVF. Here we provide a detailed description of the volcanic features of these four cones and contrast these features with the broader volcanic heritage of the AMVF to provide a strong scientific basis to the establishment of a visitor and geoeducation center in the vicinity of these four cones. We also provide some basic data on the potential benefit and touristic value of such a project as a potential gateway to the newly proposed Harrat Al Madinah Volcanic Geopark.

The Al-Du’aythah volcanic cones, Al-Madinah City: implications for volcanic hazards in northern Harrat Rahat, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

“…Different historical records present conflicting information on the exact location and age (Camp and Roobol 1989;Moufti et al 2013a), but the four volcanic cones described here are clearly the youngest surface features in the area based on their surface weathering and geomorphology. Unfortunately, radiocarbon, surface exposure and U-Th-Pb dating methods are not easily applied to studied volcanoes due to the lack of organic material in this arid environment, and suitable minerals (e.g.…”

“…Three of the candidate eruption centres (Quraydah cone, Al'Awali cones and Bathan cone) can be excluded due to their stratigraphic relationships (e.g. diversion of older (>0.5 Ma) lava flows sourced from different vents; Camp and Roobol 1989;Moufti et al 2013a). This leaves the Al-Du'aythah cones as the most likely candidate (also concluded by Camp and Roobol 1989).…”

“…Tuffring and maar-like explosion craters are also present where more evolved magmas have erupted (Camp and Roobol 1989;Moufti and Hashad 2005;Moufti et al 2010). Historically, three eruptions have taken place, in 641, 1256 and 1293 AD (Camp et al 1987;Camp and Roobol 1989;Ambraseys et al 1994;Moufti et al 2013a;El-Masry et al 2013), although the locations of the 641 and 1293 AD events remain uncertain (Ambraseys et al 1994).…”

“…Although they are spatially separated from the main concentration of vents in the harrat (Fig. 1), they are still considered products of the magmatic system that supplies the overall volcanic field (Camp and Roobol 1989;Moufti et al 2013a).…”

Volcanic Geoheritage and Geotourism Perspectives in Hungary: a Case of an UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tokaj Wine Region Historic Cultural Landscape, Hungary

“…(Brilha 2016) was used as a methodological guideline during the inventory of TWR geoheritage. The volcanological-geomorphological features were clustered together using the precinct concept (Moufti and Németh 2013;Moufti et al 2013aMoufti et al , 2013b). The volcanic landscape of the TWR can be classified 595 as 'Volcanic landforms resulting from denudation and inversion of relief' based on a geomorphological point of view and can be subdivided into subgroups such as eroded larger composite cones and smaller volcanic bodies based on regional palaeovolcanic reconstructions (Gyarmati and Szepesi 2007; to be better to define the notable geological sites based on their 603 geological features.…”