Late Quaternary relative sea-level changes and the role of glaciation upon continental shelves |
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| Authors: | H-P Plag WEN Austin DF Belknap RJN Devoy J England H Josenhans JD Peacock KS Petersen K Rokoengen JD Scourse DE Smith RTR Wingfield |
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| Institution: | Institut für Geophysik, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40–60, 0–24118 Kiel, Germany;Grant Institute of Geology, University of Edinburgh, West mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK;Department of Geological Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469, USA;Coastal Resources Centre, Department of Geography, University College Cork, College Road, Cork, Ireland;Department of Geography, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2H4;Energy, Mines and Resources, Geological Survey of Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Atlantic Geoscience Centre, POB 1006, B2Y 4A2 Dartmouth Nova Scofia, Canada;18 Maclaren Road, Edinburgh, EH9 2BN, UK;Geological Survey of Denmark, Thorvej 8, 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark;Department of Geology and Mineral Resources Engineering, NTH, University of Trondheim, N-7034 Trondheim, Norway;School of Ocean Sciences, University College of North Wales, Meani Bridge, Gwynedd LL59 5EY, UK;Division of Geography, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CVZ 5FB, UK;Coastal Geology Group, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NGI2 5GG, UK |
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| Abstract: | Sea levels of the past 20 kyr are largely determined by the response of the Earth to the last ice age. Consequently, sea-level indicators are an important source of information about the interaction between cryosphere and hydrosphere and the solid Earth. Based on the material presented at a recent European Science Foundation conference, the present paper pin-points some of the topics currently under discussion with respect to sea-level evidence found on continental shelves. These topics include possible effects of erosion and changes in palaeotidal ranges on indicators of former relative sea levels as well as the problems involved in the determination of palaeo-water depth in addition to former sea levels. More evidence is being gathered for substantial small-scale patterns in the sea-level changes at or nearby to the former ice margins. These patterns are not reproduced by the available geophysical models, which reconcile on first-order level only the large-scale pattern. |
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