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A Highly Resolved Record of Relative Sea level in the Western Mediterranean Sea during the Last Interglacial Period
Nature Geoscience
  • Victor J. Polyak, University of New Mexico
  • Bogdan P Onac, University of South Florida
  • Joan J. Fornos, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Spain
  • Carling Hay, Boston College
  • Yemane Asmerom, University of New Mexico
  • Jeffrey A. Dorale, University of Iowa
  • Joaquín Ginés, Universitat de Les Illes Balears
  • Paola Tuccimei, Universita Roma
  • Angel Ginés, Universitat de Les Illes Balears
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-1-2018
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-018-0222-5
Disciplines
Abstract

The magnitude and trajectory of sea-level change during marine isotope stage (MIS) 5e of the last interglacial period is uncertain. In general, sea level may have been 6–9 m above present sea level, with one or more oscillations of up to several metres superimposed. Here we present a well-dated relative sea-level record from the island of Mallorca in the western Mediterranean Sea for MIS-5e, based on the occurrence of phreatic overgrowths on speleothems forming near sea level. We find that relative sea-level in this region was within a range of 2.15 ± 0.75 m above present levels between 126,600 ± 400 and 116,000 ± 800 years ago, although centennial-scale excursions cannot be excluded due to some gaps in the speleothem record. We corrected our relative sea-level record for glacio-isostatic adjustment using nine different glacial isostatic models. Together, these models suggest that ice-equivalent sea-level in Mallorca peaked at the start of MIS-5e then gradually decreased and stabilized by 122,000 years ago, until the highstand termination 116,000 years ago. Our sea-level record does not support the hypothesis of rapid sea-level fluctuations within MIS-5e. Instead, we suggest that melting of the polar ice sheets occurred early in the interglacial period, followed by gradual ice-sheet growth.

Citation / Publisher Attribution

Nature Geoscience, v. 11, p. 860-864

Citation Information
Victor J. Polyak, Bogdan P Onac, Joan J. Fornos, Carling Hay, et al.. "A Highly Resolved Record of Relative Sea level in the Western Mediterranean Sea during the Last Interglacial Period" Nature Geoscience Vol. 11 (2018) p. 860 - 864
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/bogdan-onac/11/