Abstract
Coastal geologic records allow for the assessment of long-term patterns of tropical cyclone variability. However, the accuracy of geologic reconstructions of tropical cyclones is limited by the lack of modern analogues. We describe the microfossil (foraminifera and testate amoebae) assemblages contained within overwash sediments deposited by Typhoon Haiyan when it made landfall on the islands of Leyte and Samar in the Philippines on 7 November 2013 as a Category 5 super typhoon. The overwash sediments were transported up to 1.7 km inland at four study sites. The sediments consisted of light brown medium sand in a layer < 1 to="" 8 cm="" thick.="" we="" used="" partitioning="" around="" a="" medoid="" (pam)="" cluster="" analysis="" to="" identify="" lateral="" and="" vertical="" changes="" in="" the="" foraminiferal="" and="" testate="" amoebae="" data.="" the="" presence="" of="" intertidal="" and="" subtidal="" benthic,="" and="" planktic="" foraminifera="" that="" were="" variably="" unaltered="" and="" abraded="" identify="" the="" microfossil="" signature="" of="" the="" overwash="" sediments.="" agglutinated="" mangrove="" foraminifera="" and="" testate="" amoebae="" were="" present="" within="" the="" overwash="" sediments="" at="" many="" locations="" and="" indicate="" terrestrial="" scouring="" by="" haiyan’s="" storm="" surge.="" pam="" cluster="" analysis="" subdivided="" the="" haiyan="" microfossil="" dataset="" into="" two="" assemblages="" based="" on="" depositional="" environment:="" (1)="" a="" low-energy="" mixed-carbonate="" tidal="" flat="" located="" on="" samar="" island="" (basey="" transect);="" and="" (2)="" a="" higher-energy="" clastic="" coastline="" near="" tanauan="" on="" leyte="" island="" (santa="" cruz,="" solano,="" and="" magay="" transects).="" the="" assemblages="" and="" the="" taphonomy="" suggest="" a="" mixed="" provenance,="" including="" intertidal="" and="" subtidal="" sources,="" as="" well="" as="" a="" contribution="" of="" sediment="" sourced="" from="" deeper="" water="" and="" terrestrial="">
Keywords
Foraminifera, Overwash, Paleotempestology, Sediments, Testate amoebae, Tropical cyclone