New relative sea-level insights into the isostatic history of the Western Mediterranean
Matteo Vacchi
Matthieu Ghilardi
Rita T. Melis
Giorgio Spada
Matthieu Giaime
Nick Marriner
Thomas Lorscheid
Christophe Morhange
Francesc Burjachs
Alessio Rovere
Abstract
A recent suite of Relative Sea-Level (RSL) data for the past 12 ka BP has provided new insights into the sea-level histories of the western Mediterranean region. Our analysis of the chronostratigraphic context of sea-level indicators from Spain (Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Gulf of Valencia), France (Corsica Island) and Italy (Sardinia Island) has yielded 162 new sea-level index and limiting points. These data have considerably enhanced previous RSL compilations, in addition to improving the quality of spatio-temporal sea-level reconstructions and our capacity to estimate isostatic-related vertical motions in the western Mediterranean basin. The glacial and hydro-isostatic adjustment (GIA) pattern elucidated by the new database shows discrepancy with respect to those predicted by the available GIA models. In particular, the new results underscore a non-coherent isostatic response of the central portion of the western Mediterranean, with the Balearic Islands manifesting significant departures from the sea-level histories of Corsica, Sardinia and, more generally, along most of the western Mediterranean coast. Our results are a crucial contribution to defining both the pattern and the magnitude of the isostatic signal along the western Mediterranean coast. In fact, vertical isostatic motions represent a key to better assess any possible post-industrial acceleration in sea-level rise and to define future scenarios of coastal inundation in the context of global change.
Vacchi M., Ghilardi M., Melis R.T., Spada G., Giaime M., Marriner N., Lorscheid T., Morhange C., Burjachs F. and Rovere A. (2018) New relative sea-level insights into the isostatic history of the Western Mediterranean. 201: 396-408. 10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.10.025
@article{Vacchi2018,
Title = {New relative sea-level insights into the isostatic history of the Western Mediterranean},
Author = {Vacchi, Matteo and Ghilardi, Matthieu and Melis, Rita T. and Spada, Giorgio and Giaime, Matthieu and Marriner, Nick and Lorscheid, Thomas and Morhange, Christophe and Burjachs, Francesc and Rovere, Alessio},
Editor = {},
Year = {2018},
Pages = {396-408},
Volume = {201},
Doi = {10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.10.025},
Abstract = {A recent suite of Relative Sea-Level (RSL) data for the past 12 ka BP has provided new insights into the sea-level histories of the western Mediterranean region. Our analysis of the chronostratigraphic context of sea-level indicators from Spain (Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Gulf of Valencia), France (Corsica Island) and Italy (Sardinia Island) has yielded 162 new sea-level index and limiting points. These data have considerably enhanced previous RSL compilations, in addition to improving the quality of spatio-temporal sea-level reconstructions and our capacity to estimate isostatic-related vertical motions in the western Mediterranean basin. The glacial and hydro-isostatic adjustment (GIA) pattern elucidated by the new database shows discrepancy with respect to those predicted by the available GIA models. In particular, the new results underscore a non-coherent isostatic response of the central portion of the western Mediterranean, with the Balearic Islands manifesting significant departures from the sea-level histories of Corsica, Sardinia and, more generally, along most of the western Mediterranean coast. Our results are a crucial contribution to defining both the pattern and the magnitude of the isostatic signal along the western Mediterranean coast. In fact, vertical isostatic motions represent a key to better assess any possible post-industrial acceleration in sea-level rise and to define future scenarios of coastal inundation in the context of global change.},
}
TY - JOUR
AU - Vacchi, Matteo
AU - Ghilardi, Matthieu
AU - Melis, Rita T.
AU - Spada, Giorgio
AU - Giaime, Matthieu
AU - Marriner, Nick
AU - Lorscheid, Thomas
AU - Morhange, Christophe
AU - Burjachs, Francesc
AU - Rovere, Alessio
TI - New relative sea-level insights into the isostatic history of the Western Mediterranean
PY - 2018
SP - 396-408
VL - 201
DO - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.10.025
AB - A recent suite of Relative Sea-Level (RSL) data for the past 12 ka BP has provided new insights into the sea-level histories of the western Mediterranean region. Our analysis of the chronostratigraphic context of sea-level indicators from Spain (Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Gulf of Valencia), France (Corsica Island) and Italy (Sardinia Island) has yielded 162 new sea-level index and limiting points. These data have considerably enhanced previous RSL compilations, in addition to improving the quality of spatio-temporal sea-level reconstructions and our capacity to estimate isostatic-related vertical motions in the western Mediterranean basin. The glacial and hydro-isostatic adjustment (GIA) pattern elucidated by the new database shows discrepancy with respect to those predicted by the available GIA models. In particular, the new results underscore a non-coherent isostatic response of the central portion of the western Mediterranean, with the Balearic Islands manifesting significant departures from the sea-level histories of Corsica, Sardinia and, more generally, along most of the western Mediterranean coast. Our results are a crucial contribution to defining both the pattern and the magnitude of the isostatic signal along the western Mediterranean coast. In fact, vertical isostatic motions represent a key to better assess any possible post-industrial acceleration in sea-level rise and to define future scenarios of coastal inundation in the context of global change.
ER -
