Precise chronology of the last interglacial period: 234U-230Th data from fossil coral reefs in the Bahamas

Evidence for the Timing and Duration of the Last Interglacial Period from High-Precision Uranium-Series Ages of Corals on Tectonically Stable Coastlines

“…Even all unrecrystallized Key Largo corals recently analyzed, though apparently of last-interglacial age, show an open-system history (Fruijtier et al, 2000). In contrast, fossil reefs in the Bahamas are generally well preserved (Chen et al, 1991). Reefs have elevations up to 5 m above sea level and many are in growth position.…”

“…Bold numbers at top are oxygen isotope stages and substages. (a) Bahamas and Bermuda (Chen et al, 1991;Muhs et al, 2002). (b) Hawaiian Islands Muhs et al, 2000).…”

“…record apparent sea-level histories (for both the magnitude and timing of sea-level rise or fall) that differ from those distant from the ice sheets. Nevertheless, it is interesting to note that in the western Atlantic Ocean, deposits that date to the peak of the last interglacial period, from tectonically stable Bermuda (∼32 • N), the Florida Keys (∼25 • N), the Bahamas (∼24-21 • N), the Yucatan Peninsula (∼20 • N), and southern Brazil (∼30 • S) all have paleo-sea-level indicators with similar elevations, i.e., about 3-8 m above modern sea level (Szabo et al, 1978;Martin et al, 1988;Chen et al, 1991;Fruijtier et al, 2000;Muhs et al, 2002).…”

Comment on “MIS 5a and MIS 3 relatively high sea-level stands on the Hatay-Samandağı coast, Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey”. U. Doğan, A. Koçyiğit, B. Varol, İ. Özer, A. Molodkov, E. Zöhra. Quaternary International (2012), 262, 65–79

“…(4) There is a broad-scale consensus over the timing and the elevation of the Last Interglacial (MIS 5e) sea-level. During this time period, sea-level was several meters higher than that of today (w4 AE 2 m apsl) and the start of MIS 5e high stand has been dated to w128 ka BP in tectonically stable sites (Chen et al, 1991;Stirling et al, 1995Stirling et al, and, 1998McCulloch and Esat, 2000;Muhs, 2002;Blanchon et al, 2009). Therefore, in tectonically uplifting areas, in order to determine vertical tectonic uplift rates, the elevation and the age of MIS 5e coastlines are used.…”

Exploring high-end climate change scenarios for flood protection of The Netherlands

“…Although numerous indicators suggests levels of 2-6 m above present (e.g., Hearty et al, 2007;Cronin et al, 1981;Chen et al, 1991;Schellmann and Radtke, 2004) and perhaps even higher (Hearty et al, 2007), Lambeck and Nakada (1992) demonstrated the possibility of generating local highstands of 3-5 m from gravitational and isostatic effects even if total ice volume never fell below the present value. Nonetheless, at least two Eemian local sea level records are of high enough temporal resolution to provide some constraints on rates of sea level rise: the Red Sea record of (Rohling et al, 2008) and a Dutch record based primarily on the work of Zagwijn (1983) (see Figures 1.10 and 1.11).…”