The Mid-Pliocene sea-level conundrum: Glacial isostasy, eustasy and dynamic topography

Determining eustatic sea level during the Mid-Pliocene warm period (~3.3 to 2.9 Ma) has been a central but elusive goal in the study of past warm climates. Estimates of eustatic sea level based on geologic data span a broad range; variation that we now recognize is due in part to geographically vary...

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Main Authors: Rovere, A., Raymo, M., Mitrovica, J., Hearty, P., O'Leary, Mick, Inglis, J.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier Science BV 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/49117
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author Rovere, A.
Raymo, M.
Mitrovica, J.
Hearty, P.
O'Leary, Mick
Inglis, J.
author_facet Rovere, A.
Raymo, M.
Mitrovica, J.
Hearty, P.
O'Leary, Mick
Inglis, J.
author_sort Rovere, A.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Determining eustatic sea level during the Mid-Pliocene warm period (~3.3 to 2.9 Ma) has been a central but elusive goal in the study of past warm climates. Estimates of eustatic sea level based on geologic data span a broad range; variation that we now recognize is due in part to geographically varying post-depositional displacement caused by glacial isostatic adjustment and dynamic topography. In this study, we combine field observations and glacial isostatic adjustment modeling to estimate the dynamic topography signal in three areas that are important to paleo-sea level studies of the Mid-Pliocene warm period (South Africa, West Australia and southeastern United States). We show that dynamic topography played a significant role in the post-depositional displacement of Pliocene, and even younger Pleistocene, shorelines. In this regard, we provide a robust paleo-sea level elevation data set, corrected for glacial isostatic adjustment, that can be used to evaluate predictions from mantle flow models of dynamic topography.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-491172017-09-13T16:08:58Z The Mid-Pliocene sea-level conundrum: Glacial isostasy, eustasy and dynamic topography Rovere, A. Raymo, M. Mitrovica, J. Hearty, P. O'Leary, Mick Inglis, J. isostasy dynamic topography Mid-Pliocene sea level southeast coast USA Australia Republic of South Africa Determining eustatic sea level during the Mid-Pliocene warm period (~3.3 to 2.9 Ma) has been a central but elusive goal in the study of past warm climates. Estimates of eustatic sea level based on geologic data span a broad range; variation that we now recognize is due in part to geographically varying post-depositional displacement caused by glacial isostatic adjustment and dynamic topography. In this study, we combine field observations and glacial isostatic adjustment modeling to estimate the dynamic topography signal in three areas that are important to paleo-sea level studies of the Mid-Pliocene warm period (South Africa, West Australia and southeastern United States). We show that dynamic topography played a significant role in the post-depositional displacement of Pliocene, and even younger Pleistocene, shorelines. In this regard, we provide a robust paleo-sea level elevation data set, corrected for glacial isostatic adjustment, that can be used to evaluate predictions from mantle flow models of dynamic topography. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/49117 10.1016/j.epsl.2013.10.030 Elsevier Science BV restricted
spellingShingle isostasy
dynamic topography
Mid-Pliocene sea level
southeast coast USA
Australia
Republic of South Africa
Rovere, A.
Raymo, M.
Mitrovica, J.
Hearty, P.
O'Leary, Mick
Inglis, J.
The Mid-Pliocene sea-level conundrum: Glacial isostasy, eustasy and dynamic topography
title The Mid-Pliocene sea-level conundrum: Glacial isostasy, eustasy and dynamic topography
title_full The Mid-Pliocene sea-level conundrum: Glacial isostasy, eustasy and dynamic topography
title_fullStr The Mid-Pliocene sea-level conundrum: Glacial isostasy, eustasy and dynamic topography
title_full_unstemmed The Mid-Pliocene sea-level conundrum: Glacial isostasy, eustasy and dynamic topography
title_short The Mid-Pliocene sea-level conundrum: Glacial isostasy, eustasy and dynamic topography
title_sort mid-pliocene sea-level conundrum: glacial isostasy, eustasy and dynamic topography
topic isostasy
dynamic topography
Mid-Pliocene sea level
southeast coast USA
Australia
Republic of South Africa
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/49117