Peter Robertson Parham

• PhD Geology/Coastal Resource Managment
• Fellow at University of Technology Malaysia

Few constructional features of coastal geomorphology have been investigated at the northernmost extremity of the Gulf of Thailand (GoT), with a view to establishing the position (height) of local relative sea level (RSL) during the marine regression following the regional mid-Holocene highstand (MHH) that occurred at approximately 6.5 ka BP. Here,...

link to a free copy https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1cvFz5mVdoZlC The alternating submergence and subaerial exposure of the low-gradient, shallow Sunda Shelf of southeast Asia during Quaternary interglacial-glacial cycles played an important role in ocean circulation and monsoonal climate through the interchange of Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean wa...

On 28 September 2018, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck north of Palu, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The earthquake generated a tsunami with inundation depths of up to 7.5 m and run-up of up to 10 m above sea level. Inundation distances were only partly topography dependent and reached less than 400 m inland even where terrain did not rise steeply b...

In many countries of Southeast Asia, the sea is the primary source of food and center of the community. Life is very simple and intertwined with the ocean’s moods. So many people depend on this sea, day after day, generation after generation, despite monsoons, typhoons, erosion and flooding, death and hardship. Surprisingly, little study had been u...

The distributional patterns of modern benthic foraminifera from the inner shelf of the southern South China Sea, off the east coast of peninsular Malaysia, are documented for the first time. The study area from Tanjung Sedili, Johor in the south to Marang, Terengganu, in the north was selected for a sand-resource study by the Minerals and Geoscienc...

A study of groundwater processes in a sandbar-regulated estuary has been conducted at Mengabang Telipot, located in Terengganu State, Peninsular Malaysia. Beach groundwater level, salinity and dissolved phosphate (PO4³⁻) were investigated at high spatial and temporal resolutions. Establishment of distinctive hydrodynamic characteristics in the beac...

Glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) is considered the principal mechanism influencing variability in Holocene relative sea-level (RSL) in far-field tectonically stable regions such as the Sundaland of Southeast Asia (Fig. 1). The RSL record of Sundaland is characterized by a mid-Holocene RSL highstand coincident with decrease in meltwater input from...

The spatial variability of Holocene relative sea level (RSL) in the South China Sea is unknown, with data restricted to Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, and a few other isolated sites. In this study, we present new continuous RSL records for Borneo using surveyed and U–Th dated coral microatolls from four sites in western Sarawak. The record spans 45...

Rock-encrusting oysters (Saccostrea cucullata) are important sea-level indicators for Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. Fossil rock-encrusting oysters are preserved on crystalline igneous and erosion-resistant sedimentary rocks, especially limestone. They are found in clefts or between boulders where they are protected from the leaching eff...

To test whether low latitude shallow shelf deposits can provide high resolution paleoclimatic records, we utilized two cores from the Holocene sedimentary fill of incised valleys on the Sunda Shelf off Sarawak, Malaysia. We developed a new sea surface temperature (SST) record based on planktonic foraminiferal Mg/Ca for the last 7200 years. This rec...

In order to predict the manner in which global sea-level change will impact the wide variety of coastal conditions and communities in Malaysia, this study sought to gain insight into the vertical components that determine the relationship between the coastal land areas of Malaysia and changes in sea level over time periods of millions to hundreds o...

The Albemarle Embayment, a Cenozoic depositional basin on the Atlantic coast of the USA, is an ideal setting to understand the temporal and spatial variation of eustatic sea-level fluctuations, glacio-hydro-isostasy, tectonics, subsidence, environments and sedimentation patterns of a passive margin Quaternary section. A NE–SW transect of cores and...

Geological investigations of Herndon Bay, a Carolina bay in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina (USA), provide evidence for rapid basin scour and migration during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 of the late Pleisto-cene. LiDAR data show a regressive sequence of sand rims that partially backfill the remnant older portions of the bay, with evidence for...

Two marine gravity cores from ~60 m water depth were collected from the western Sunda Shelf (southern South China Sea) to characterize Quaternary paleoenvironments. The cores were dated to the current and previous interglacial periods. Cores, TER15-GC11B and TER15-GC8A, located ~40 km and ~90 km offshore of Kuala Terengganu, peninsular Malaysia, ar...

The Sunda Shelf of the southern South China Sea, Southeast Asia, is one of the largest shelf seas in the western Pacific. Studying the Holocene sedimentological record of this region can provide insights into paleoclimatic changes related to the East Asian monsoon (EAM). Understanding the EAM and its control on precipitation, continental run-off, n...

The Strait of Malacca, a narrow passage of water between Sumatra and peninsular Malaysia, contains relatively thick (several m), fine grained sediment immediately off the west coast of Kedah, Malaysia that might contain a record of Holocene paleoclimate. To investigate this possibility, we sampled a core taken from 12.6 m water depth between Langka...

The sea bed of the Malacca Strait off the coast of Kedah, northwestern peninsular Malaysia is characterized by several meters of Holocene mud that potentially preserve a record of Holocene paleoenvironmental/paleoclimatic change. In 2001, a piston core was taken at 15.80 m water depth between Langkawi Island and the Malaysian mainland. The core was...

Sediments of the Sunda Shelf (South China Sea), off northeast peninsular Malaysia, potentially preserve a record of Holocene environmental changes, including climate change. In the summer of 2014, two ca. 2 m gravity cores were collected on the Sunda Shelf in 60 m of water ca. 52 km from the mouth of the Terengganu River. Both cores were sampled in...

Abundant new relative sea-level (RSL) age and elevation data have substantially increased our understanding of the highstand RSL history and evolution of the Peninsular Malaysia coast since the early mid-Holocene. New RSL evidence consists mainly of raised fossil rock-encrusting oysters, representing the paleo-upper intertidal zone, and in situ cor...

We present evidence of early Holocene transgression from the Sunda shelf, off east coast Peninsular Malaysia, based on lithologic and micropaleontologic analyses of shallow cores representing depths from ca. 50 m to 14 m below present MSL. Within cores that penetrate pre-marine deposits, a clear transition of environmental conditions can be seen th...

A comprehensive marine geophysical survey comprising 650 line km of side scan sonar, seismic and 100 grabs and cores samples were analysed from the Permatang Sedepa (One Fathom Bank) area, Straits of Malacca, Malaysia. Side scan sonar and seismic reflection (boomer) interpretation revealed five types of bedforms composed of sand banks, sand waves,...

Observations of sedimentary evolution of oil along northern Gulf of Mexico sand beaches, made in conjunction with Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) surveys for the Deepwater Horizon/Macondo (DWH/M) spill, can assist oil spill managers and responders, and provide further insight into sedimentary processes in this and similar environments...

Observations of sedimentary evolution of oil along northern Gulf of Mexico sand beaches, made in conjunction with Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT) surveys for the Deepwater Horizon/Macondo (DWH/M) spill, can assist oil spill managers and responders, and provide further insight into sedimentary processes in this and similar environments...

The East Asian monsoon (EAM) system affects precipitation and continental runoff into the shallow waters of the Sunda Shelf (South China Sea). Given the importance of the EAM to agricultural activities in SE Asia, it is important to understand past changes in the strength of the monsoon so that the range of future changes can be understood. Paleocl...

Understanding the vertical components of crustal motion is critical to interpreting the relative sea-level (RSL) history and predicting future RSL trends for a particular region. The Holocene RSL curve pattern for Peninsular Malaysia is fairly typical for far-field tropical regions that are relatively tectonically stable. These RSL curves are gener...

The East Asian Monsoon (EAM) dominates the climate of the South China Sea (SCS) and the adjacent Southeast Asian mainland, directly affecting Asia’s seasonal patterns of precipitation, runoff, and nutrient transport. Changes in the strength of the EAM system can lead to droughts and flooding events that can negatively impact economic growth and env...

The East Asian Monsoon (EAM) delivers vital rainfall to heavily populated, agriculturally dependent regions in Southeast Asia. Changes in EAM strength and duration influence precipitation and wind patterns, continental runoff, sea circulation, and nutrient transport in the South China Sea (SCS) and surrounding terrain. The SCS has been the focus of...

Understanding the vertical components of crustal motion is critical to interpreting the relative sea-level (RSL) history and predicting future RSL trends for a particular region. The Holocene RSL curve pattern for Peninsular Malaysia is fairly typical for far-field tropical regions that are relatively tectonically stable. These RSL curves are gener...

In situ fossil coral and shelly marine deposits occur up to 50cm above MSL in NE Peninsular Malaysia. The fossil reef comprises over 15 coral species and associated mollusks. Radiocarbon ages of corals range from 7238 to 6909 cal a BP. The reef occurs adjacent bedrock hills that formed a mainland peninsula when the coral was living. Abundant well-p...

Modern foraminiferal samples and associated environmental information were collected from three sites in Kelantan Delta mangroves, Tumpat, to elucidate the relationship of the foraminiferal assemblages with elevation and environment. Altogether, 33 surface sediment samples were collected from three different transects. As a result, 23 benthic foram...

Tectonism constitutes one of the major controls of sediment in-fill within sedimentary basins around the world. Understanding the tectonic activity that shaped the architecture of the basin and aided in facies distribution, plays a vital role in basin analysis and forward modeling. A few outcrops from the Nyalau Formation in Bintulu, Sarawak, East...

This study describes the morphology and infilling of palaeochannels related to the Holocene transgression utilizing very high-resolution seismic data. The study area is located about 10 km offshore the present day Terengganu River basin, Peninsular Malaysia (water depth approximately 25-60 m below the present MSL). The presence of large to narrow p...

Benthic foraminifera occupy all marine habitats including marginal environment (such as lagoons, estuaries, mangroves and salt marshes), coastal waters and deep sea. Because they have calcareous or agglutinated tests, benthic foraminifera tend to be preserved in the sedimentary record. Due to theirwidespread distribution, short life and reproductiv...

The mid to late Holocene coastal evolution of the Setiu estuary/lagoon (northeast peninsular Malaysia) has been studied using a multidisciplinary/multiproxy approach including sedimentologic, geomorphologic, and ground penetrating radar (GPR) data combined with optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), radiocarbon and Pb-210 age estimates to provide...

A comprehensive marine geophysical survey comprising 650 line km of side scan sonar, seismic (boomer) and 100 grabs and cores samples was analysed from the Permatang Sedepa (One Fathom Bank) area, Straits of Malacca. Side scan sonar and seismic reflection (boomer) interpretation revealed five types of bedforms composed of sand banks, sand waves, ri...

In a coastal region where there are large pressures on the beach resources through recreational usage, understanding the beach morphodynamic classification is paramount. On this basis, some selected beaches along Terengganu coastal region were chosen in order to determine its morphodynamic classification according to the indices modelled by Wright...

Benthic foraminifera occupy all marine habitats including marginal environment (such as lagoons, estuaries, mangroves and salt marshes), coastal waters and deep sea. Because they have calcareous or agglutinated tests, benthic foraminifera tend to be preserved in the sedimentary record. Due to their widespread distribution, short life and reproducti...

Ongoing geomorphological fieldwork at Herndon Bay in northern Robeson County, North Carolina, has revealed evidence for rapid bay basin scour and landform migration. LiDAR data show a regressive sequence of sand rims that partially backfill the remnant older bay basin, with bay migration of more than 600 meters to the northwest. Similarly, other ba...

Maximum Holocene transgression along the northeast Peninsular Malaysia coast occurred ca. 7 ka with relative sea level between 1.4 and 3 m above present and stable environmental conditions persisting long enough for development of diverse coral reef assemblages at localities that are now several kilometers inland. This maximum transgression occurre...

The East Asian Monsoon (EAM), driven by differential heating between the continent and adjacent ocean, is a critical element of global atmospheric circulation and strongly influences wind patterns, precipitation, sea circulation, continental runoff, and nutrient transport to the South China Sea and surrounding land regions. Changes in EAM strength...

The distribution and abundance of live (rose Bengalstained) and dead infaunal foraminifera have been documented in short cores taken at four locations representing a narrow range of salinity settings in the mangrove swamps of the Setiu wetland, Terengganu, peninsular Malaysia. Cores were taken at mud-rich sites, two in the mid-swamp and two in the...

A fossil coral reef and extensive shelly marine deposits occur 6 to 8 km inland from the modern coastline west of Merang, Terengganu. Upper portions of the in situ fossil reef extend to an elevation of ca. 50 cm above present MSL and are comprised of at least 15 coral species with associated bivalves (commonly articulated) and gastropods. Radiocarb...

This paper documents distribution and abundance of benthic foraminifera living in the upper 50 cm of mangrove sediment in the Kelantan Delta, Tumpat, northeast coast of Peninsular Malaysia and uses the results to interpret past environmental change and reconstruct historical trends. Kelantan Delta sedimentary environments consist of bay, mangrove,...

Understanding sediment characteristics and beach dynamics is essential for wise coastal zone management. This survey was conducted to identify and evaluate erosional and accretionary characteristics of eleven Terengganu beaches during a one-year cycle from February 2008 to February 2009. Study areas were selected based on their economic, transporta...

Lithofacies analysis is fundamental to unravelling the succession of depositional environments associated with sea-level fluctuations. These successions and their timing are often poorly understood. This report defines lithofacies encountered within the north-eastern North Carolina and south-eastern Virginia Quaternary section, interprets their dep...

For the first time, electron spin resonance optical dating (ESROD) has been conducted on littorally transported and aeolian siliciclastic sediments in Florida. ESROD utilizes light-sensitive radiation-sensitive defects at silicon sites that have been replaced by aluminum and titanium atoms to give rise to a time-dependant signal. These defects satu...

The Quaternary stratigraphic framework has been defined for northeastern North Carolina’s coastal system using ca. 3000 km of high-resolution boomer and chirp seismic data, >100 km of ground penetrating radar data, >100 vibracores and 28 rotasonic cores. Chronostratigraphic control is provided by amino acid racemization, strontium-isotopes, radioca...

Ground penetrating radar and single-aliquot regenerative-dose optically stimulated luminescence were used to determine the depositional environments and age of unconsolidated siliciclastic sediments near Apalachicola, Florida. Five direct-push cores, five vibracores and 28 optically stimulated luminescence samples were collected, as well as 7 km of...

The Setiu wetland of peninsular Malaysia is threatened by expansion of aquaculture. Water quality of the estuarylagoon complex is becoming affected by nutrients introduced into the system at floating fish cages and by the clear-cutting of large areas of fringing mangrove forest for the creation of land-based fish and shrimp pens. We report here on...

Sediment core and age data from the Al-ligator River tributary of Albemarle Sound, North Carolina suggest that coastal geomor-phology-dependent variations in the astro-nomical tidal regime played a key role in the Holocene development of this presently nano-tidal estuarine system. The low lying, peatland-dominated study area is surround-ed on three...

To understand the temporal and spatial variation of eustatic sea-level fluctuations, glacio–hydro–isostacy, tectonics, subsidence, geologic environments and sedimentation patterns for the Quaternary of a passive continental margin, a nearly complete stratigraphic record that is fully integrated with a three dimensional chronostratigraphic framework...

Observations of the sedimentary evolution of oil along the Gulfside beaches of Mississippi, Alabama, and western Florida were made in conjunction with shoreline cleanup assessment technique (SCAT) surveys for the Deepwater Horizon spill from early June 2010 until present. Daily helicopter over-flights while the oil was coming ashore gave a broad pe...

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) and the single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) was used to determine the depositional envi-ronments and age of the Merritt Island sand ridge sequence. Five direct-push cores and ten OSL ages were collected. A new model of cosmic dose rate calculation, which removes the much younger aeolian cap, was utilized for the fi...

The Quaternary stratigraphy and geochronology of the Albemarle Embayment of the North Carolina (NC) Coastal Plain is examined using amino acid racemization (AAR) in marine mollusks, in combination with geophysical, lithologic, and biostratigraphic analysis of 28 rotasonic cores drilled between 2002 and 2006. The Albemarle Embayment is bounded by st...

Barrier island segments within North Carolina’s Outer Banks are divided into two geomorphic types: simple and complex based upon the sediment supply, physical dynamics, and evolutionary history of the islands. Simple island segments are sediment poor resulting in low and narrow barriers dominated by storm-driven interaction between inlet flood-tide...

The north-south trending Suffolk Shoreline (SS) is a prominent geomorphic feature in northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. Although it is an erosional scarp near the type locality in Suffolk, Virginia, the majority of the SS in North Carolina is a constructional shoreline complex dominated by sandy deposits. The toe of the SS occur...

This study to sought to increase our understanding of the stratigraphy and geologic history of the northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia late Quaternary scetion. Stratigraphic analysis used data from numerous core holes, outcrops, and ground penetrating radar. Chronology was based on age data acquired using optically stimulated lumi...

An extensive lithologic, chronologic, and geophysical database for the coastal northeastern NC and southeastern VA late Quaternary section allows us to interpret the character and distribution of depositional environments associated with sea-level highstands. These paleo-environmental interpretations also allow us to project the future evolution of...

The north-south trending Suffolk Shoreline (SS) is the product of several sea-level highstands that occurred during MIS 5. LiDAR imagery reveals that the feature is split into two roughly parallel sand ridges in some areas. Corresponding highstand facies occur in the subsurface to the east as marine deposits and extend up drainages to the west as e...

The late Pleistocene Quaternary landscape of eastern North Carolina consists of low-relief, flat, eastward dipping marine terraces (ramps) that are dissected by a series of nested paleovalley complexes. In this terrane, the USGS's North Carolina Coastal Cooperative drilled 28 rotosonic cores (max. depth=80m) through Quaternary deposits in an area t...

The north-south trending Suffolk Shoreline (SS) is considered to be the product of possibly several sea-level highstands that occurred during MIS 5. LiDAR imagery reveals that the paleo-feature is split into two roughly parallel sand ridges in some areas. Corresponding highstand facies should occur in the subsurface to the east as marine deposits a...

A detailed record of late Quaternary sea-level oscillations is preserved within the upper 45 m of deposits along an eight km transect across Croatan Sound, a drowned tributary of the Roanoke/Albemarle drainage system, northeastern North Carolina. Drill-hole and seismic data reveal nine relatively complete sequences filling an antecedent valley comp...