Coastal uplift rate at Matanzas (Cuba) inferred from MIS5e phreatic overgrowths on speleothems

Abstract

Many morphological elements in Cuba's landscape (e.g. marine terraces, tidal notches) demonstrate that coastal uplift has taken place, but the rate at which this occurs is not known. Carbonate phreatic overgrowths on speleothems have been found in a cave in Central North Cuba,~1 km from the present coastline at 16 m asl. They form exceptional and unique mushroom-shaped speleothems and balconies decorating the walls of the rooms. These phreatic overgrowths on speleothems (POS) formed at the oscillating air-water interface in sea-level controlled anchialine lakes. U/Th dating of these overgrowths suggests ages that are compatible with the Marine Isotope Stage 5e (i.e. 130-115 ka). These POS have fixed this sea-level highstand and demonstrate that this part of Cuba has been subjected to a much lower uplift rate than previously reported, that is, less than 0.1 mm/year since the last interglacial. | INTRODUCTIONSea-level markers, such as beaches or tidal notches, are often found at altitudes far above or below present sea level. Their position indicates a relative sea-level variation, which is a combination of sealevel changes and vertical movements. The age of these sea-level markers can sometimes allow the quantification of coastal uplift or subsidence rates.The eustatic sea level is highly variable, due to changes both in the size of the ocean basins (controlled by plate tectonics and sediment input) and in the amount and nature of liquid water (climate-dependent;Church et al., 2013). During the Quaternary, these sea-level changes have been mainly related to the cyclic interchanging between glacial and interglacial stages, with sea level dropping by more than 100 metres during the ice ages and exposing most of the continental shelf. During periods of intense glacial

Speleothems in a north Cuban cave register sea‐level changes and Pleistocene uplift rates

“…Powders for stable isotope analyses ( Figure 3) were obtained with a dental drill. These institutes are renowned for carbonate U-Th dating, producing hundreds of ages per year; chemical preparation of subsamples and mass-spectrometer analytical details are the same as those presented in the following recent research papers for Melbourne (Bajo et al, 2016;Columbu et al, 2017), Bern (Tuccimei et al, 2010;De Waele et al, 2017) and Mainz (Gibert et al, 2016;Obert et al, 2016). The isotope values are reported in the conventional delta notation with respect to VPDB (Table II).…”

“…Calcite powders (50-100 mg for each subsample) were analyzed at the School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne (Australia), for speleothem SC3 (n=6), at the Institut für Geologie, University of Bern (Switzerland), for speleothem SC1-2 (n=7) and at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz (Germany), for speleothems DS (n=7) and JDW (n=4). These institutes are renowned for carbonate U-Th dating, producing hundreds of ages per year; chemical preparation of subsamples and mass-spectrometer analytical details are the same as those presented in the following recent research papers for Melbourne (Bajo et al, 2016;Columbu et al, 2017), Bern (Tuccimei et al, 2010;De Waele et al, 2017) and Mainz (Gibert et al, 2016;Obert et al, 2016). Information about calculation of ages is given in the caption to Table III.…”

“…In such well-known sea-level study areas the relative stability was confirmed by numerous geomorphological markers, but in other Caribbean and north Atlantic areas (e.g. Barbados and Cuba) crustal movements have been evidenced (Radtke and Schellmann, 2006;De Waele et al, 2017). Thus, although it might be correct to say that, in general, some Caribbean and north Atlantic islands are stable, each sea-level record should be carefully placed in a local geostructural framework.…”

“…negligible glaciohydro-isostatic and neotectonic movements), have been widely used as paleo-environmental archives for Quaternary sea-level and climate change studies (Hearty and Kindler, 1995;Hearty et al, 1999;Thompson et al, 2011;Mylroie, 2008). Barbados and Cuba) crustal movements have been evidenced (Radtke and Schellmann, 2006;De Waele et al, 2017). In such well-known sea-level study areas the relative stability was confirmed by numerous geomorphological markers, but in other Caribbean and north Atlantic areas (e.g.…”

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“…More recently, D´Angeli et al (2015) provided robust geochemical and textural evidence for folia precipitation at the air-water interface as "border" speleothems in Santa Catalina Cave (Matanzas, Cuba). Their results also allowed the reconstruction of sea level variations and uplift rates in that region (De Waele et al, 2017. A similar approach was used to explain the formation of folia in the Devil's Hole (Nevada, USA) (Kolesar & Rigg, 2004).…”