Regularity and predictability of Holocene beach-ridge building and erosion
The history of the behavior of the world sea level during the Holocene Epoch, independent of glacioisostatic, hydroisostatic, neotectonic and compactional processes, is of considerable contemporary interest: both from scientific and humanitarian (political) points of view. If a rapid rise is imminent, plans and preparations are in order. If a long-term record of fluctuating sea level is demonstrable, ways must be discovered to discriminate between natural and anthropogenically activated components in modern tide-gauge data. In sites of abundant sand and gravel supply, beach ridges have been building prograded coastal plains for the last 6000 year or more. These exceptional landforms are found from high latitudes (Alaska, Baffin Island, Hudson Bay), to the subtropics (Mexico, Western Australia) and to the equatorial belt (Brazil, West Africa, Bay of Bengal, Java Sea). The ridges number up to 100 or more, displaying remarkable uniformity in elevation and separation, to suggest regular hydrodynamic cyclicity triggered by variable storminess and wave incidence, current gyre velocity, eustatic change of MSL, and geoidal effect due to changing spin rate of the globe. Radiocarbon dating suggests cycles related to both lunar tidal periods (18.6, 558 yr) and solar radiation/planetary periods (11, 22, 45, 90, 180, 360 yr). Interdisciplinary studies should facilitate predictability. Recent spectral analyses of sea level and climate proxies demonstrate critical phase relationships, especially with respect to the lunar 18.6 year and solar 11/22 year periodicities.
- Research Organization:
- Columbia Univ., New York, NY (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6649478
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8510489-
- Journal Information:
- Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Vol. 17; Conference: 98. annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, Orlando, FL, USA, 28 Oct 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Sea level changes in the Holocene
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Related Subjects
COASTAL REGIONS
EROSION
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
EARTH PLANET
OCEANOGRAPHY
SEA LEVEL
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
VARIATIONS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
ISOTOPE DATING
QUATERNARY PERIOD
AGE ESTIMATION
CENOZOIC ERA
GEOLOGIC AGES
LEVELS
PALEONTOLOGY
PLANETS
580500* - Oceanography- (1980-1989)
580100 - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)