Cosmogenic-Isotope Based Erosion Rates along the Western Margin of the Dead Sea Fault

This is a compilation of bedrock and basin-wide average erosion rates determined from in-situ cosmogenic isotope concentrations in bedrock and sediments collected along the western margin of the Dead Sea fault. Bedrock erodes at rates ranging between <1 mm/ka to over >200 mm/ka (mean≈20 mm/ka). Chert and quartzolite in the arid environments erode the slowest. Carbonate rocks under hyperarid conditions also erode slowly (<2 mm/ka). Friable Lower Cretaceous sandstones in the Hazera erosional crater erode the fastest. Average basin-wide erosion ranges between 17.3±1.1 and 147±15 mm/ka (mean ≈56 mm/ka). Outlet channels yield average basin erosion rates of 19.4±2.6 to 70.9±2.9 mm/ka. However, five of the seven analyzed drainage basins yield similar average basin erosion rates ranging between 19.4±2.6 and 23.8±1.6 mm/ka. Comparisons with worldwide erosion rates indicate (1) most erosion rates along the western margin of the Dead Sea fault are within the average erosion rate range of Earth. (2) The tectonic, climatic and lithologic variations along the Dead Sea fault do not produce extreme (high or low) values of erosion rates.