Holocene sea level changes at the nile delta coastal zone of Egypt

Carbon dating data of changes in seal level during the Holocene at the Nile delta coast provide eustatic depth-time curve of the region. The curve reveals that sea level was approximately 41 meters below the present level around 8,500 years ago. Trend analysis indicates that with melting of glaciers there was a rapid rise in sea level of about 3 mm/yr. The constructed data points are found to be comparable with other curves in the Mediterranean and wold-wide regions. The general changes of the data points are fairly correlated with the ancient shoreline indicators of morphological features (shelf terraces and slopes, old dunes, sand accretion ridges) and sediments at continental shelf and its contiguous coastal zone that belong to Holocene transgression.     

The early Holocene sea level rise

The causes, anatomy and consequences of the early Holocene sea level rise (EHSLR) are reviewed. The rise, of ca 60m, took place over most of the Earth as the volume of the oceans increased during deglaciation and is dated at 11,650–7000 cal. BP. The EHSLR was largely driven by meltwater release from decaying ice masses and the break up of coastal ice streams. The patterns of ice sheet decay and the evidence for meltwater pulses are reviewed, and it is argued that the EHSLR was a factor in the ca 8470 BP flood from Lake Agassiz-Ojibway. Patterns of relative sea level changes are examined and it is argued that in addition to regional variations, temporal changes are indicated. The impact of the EHSLR on climate is reviewed and it is maintained that the event was a factor in the 8200 BP cooling event, as well as in changes in ocean current patterns and their resultant effects. The EHSLR may also have enhanced volcanic activity, but no clear evidence of a causal link with submarine sliding on continental slopes and shelves can yet be demonstrated. The rise probably influenced rates and patterns of human migrations and cultural changes. It is concluded that the EHSLR was a major event of global significance, knowledge of which is relevant to an understanding of the impacts of global climate change in the future.     

Holocene depocenter shift in the middle-lower Changjiang River basins and coastal area in response to sea level change

Authors collected 38 sedimentary boreholes and numerous seismic profiles from previous publications to delineate the Holocene sedimentation rate of six major depositional sinks in the middle-lower Changjiang River basins and its river coast. The results demonstrate that the highest sedimentation rate of ca. 15 m/ka occurred in the mono-depositional sink of the former Changjiang River mouth during 10 000–8000 aBP, when post-glacial transgression happened and the Changjiang water level remained at lower stand. With the rising of the Changjiang water level in response to sea level rise, Jianghan Basin of the middle Changjiang River becomes the other important depositional sink with highest sedimentation rate of 10 m/ka since 7000 aBP. As Jianghan Basin was mostly filled up at ca. 4000 aBP, Dongting Basin and the lower Changjiang valley trapped sediments in great amounts like in the river mouth. A considerable amount of Changjiang sediments has been delivered, both eastward and southward, to the inner continental shelf of the East China Sea, especially after 2000 aBP. This indicates reduced sediment storage capacity of the middle-lower Changjiang valley and the river mouth. In total, ca. 1307.4 billion tons of sediment have deposited in the middle-lower Changjiang floodplain since 7000 aBP. In the meantime, ca. 947 billion tons of sediment have been deposited in the river coast to form the Changjiang subaqueous delta and the Zhejiang-Fujian along-shelf mud wedge. Our result also reveals two time stages with lower sedimentation rates(< 4 m/ka) in all basins during 8000–7000 aBP and in the estuarine area during 4000–2000 aBP, probably owing to stengthened chemical weathering of decline of monsoon precipitation. __________ Translated from Journal of Palaeogeography, 2007, 9(4):419–429 [译自: 古地理学报]     

Mid-to-late Holocene climate change record in palaeo-notch sediment from London Island,Svalbard

The Arctic region is very sensitive to climate change and important in the Earth’s climate system. However, proxy datasets for Arctic climate are unevenly distributed and especially scarce for Svalbard because glaciers during the Little Ice Age, the most extensive in the Holocene, destroyed large quantities of sediment records in Svalbard. Fortunately, palaeo-notch sediments could withstand glaciers and be well-preserved after deposition. In this study, we reconstructed a mid-to-late Holocene record of climate changes in a palaeo-notch sediment sequence from London Island. Multiple weathering indices were determined, they all showed consistent weathering conditions in the study area, and they were closely linked to climate changes. Total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) were also determined, and their variation profiles were similar to those of weathering indices. The climate change record in our sediment sequence is consistent with ice rafting record from North Atlantic and glacier activity from Greenland, Iceland and Svalbard, and four cold periods are clearly present. Our study provides a relatively long-term climate change record for climate conditions from mid-to-late Holocene in Svalbard.     

Holocene environmental history of a freshwater wetland in southern Louisiana: a sedimentary record of delta development,coastal evolution and human activity

The world's most extensive and active deltas, Louisiana's wetlands, are deteriorating rapidly due to multiple stressors. Their ecological and anthropogenic histories on a multimillennial timescale have not been thoroughly documented. This study investigates hydrological and anthropogenic impacts on southern Louisiana wetlands to guide future efforts toward environmental restoration. A 3.6 m sediment core (JOYWMA) extracted from a freshwater wetland adjacent to Lake Pontchartrain yielded a 5000-year record. Multiproxy data indicate four distinct stages, with the earliest period representing an oyster reef (~4.5 cal yr bp ) marked by elevated Ca and Sr concentrations. Evolution to a freshwater marsh occurred 4.5–4.0 cal yr bp during the St. Bernard delta progradation, marked by increased Zr and Br concentrations. The site transitioned to a lake due to the isolation from the St. Bernard delta and local subsidence (4.0–2.0 cal yr bp ), marked by increased Ti, Fe, Mn and K concentrations. The site altered to a cypress swamp after 2.0 cal yr bp due to increased sediment supply during the St. Bernard subdelta progradation. Both natural (delta progradation and subsidence) and anthropogenic (fire, deforestation) stressors have impacted the site over the last 4500 years. Delta-switching of the Mississippi River caused the significant geomorphological and ecological changes.     

全新世长江三角洲的发育及其对相邻海岸沉积体系的影响

依据钻孔资料和已发表的文献,对全新世长江三角洲的形成和发育及其对相邻沉积体系的影响作了综合和概括.在末次冰期低海平面时,现今长江三角洲地区可分为下切河谷和两侧的河间地两个古地貌单元.冰后期海平面上升,下切河谷被淹,并转化为河口湾,海水随之扩展到两侧的古河间地.全新世最大海侵时形成以镇江-扬州为顶点的古河口湾.7000～7500年以来,当沉积速率超过海平面上升速度时,长江带来的物质大量沉积,河口湾被充填,并逐渐转变为潮汐平原和三角洲.河口湾被充填之后,长江带来的河流泥沙随之溢出河口湾,进入相邻的河口海岸地区,影响相邻沉积体系的形成和发育.长江泥沙向南进入钱塘江河口湾,在湾顶形成沙坎;向北输运,成为苏北南黄海潮成沙脊的重要物源,影响该潮成体系的形成和发展.舟山群岛海蚀平台上直接覆盖泥质沉积是以退积为主的河口湾向进积的三角洲环境转变的又一证据.长江输沙量在不断减少,而河口滩涂围垦力度在增加,这将导致相邻的河口海岸沉积体系增长速度减缓,出现侵蚀或侵蚀加剧.     

Paleoenvironmental records of water level and climatic changes from the middle to late Holocene at a Lake Erie coastal wetland, Ontario, Canada

Pollen and diatom assemblages, and peat stratigraphies, from a coastal wetland on the northern shore of Lake Erie were used to analyze water level and climatic changes since the middle Holocene and their effects on wetland plant communities. Peat deposition began 4700 cal yr B.P. during the Nipissing II transgression, which was driven by isostatic rebound. At that time, a diatom-rich wild rice marsh existed at the site. Water level dropped at the end of the Nipissing rise at least 2 m within 200 yr, leading to the development of shallower-water plant communities and an environment too dry for most diatoms to persist. The sharp decline in water level was probably driven primarily by outlet incision, but climate likely played some role. The paleoecological records provide evidence for post-Nipissing century-scale transgressions occurring around 2300, 1160, 700 and 450 cal yr B.P. The chronology for these transgressions correlates with other studies from the region and implies climatic forcing. Peat inception in shallow sloughs across part of the study area around 700 cal yr B.P. coincides with the Little Ice Age. These records, considered alongside others from the region, suggest that the Little Ice Age may have resulted in a wetter climate across the eastern Great Lakes region.     

Doubling of coastal erosion under rising sea level by mid-century in Hawaii

This study discusses the scaling properties of the spatial distribution of the December 26, 2004, Sumatra aftershocks. We estimate the spatial correlation dimension D ₂ of the epicentral distribution of aftershocks recorded by a local network operated by Geological Survey of India. We estimate the value of D ₂ for five blocks in the source area by using generalized correlation integral approach. We assess its bias due to finite data points, scaling range, effects of location errors, and boundary effects theoretically and apply it to real data sets. The correlation dimension was computed both for real as well as synthetic data sets that include randomly generated point sets obtained using uniform distributions and mimicking the number of events and outlines of the effective areas filled with epicenters. On comparing the results from the real data and random point sets from simulations, we found the lower limit of bias in D ₂ estimates from limited data sets to be 0.26. Thus, the spatial variation in correlation dimensions among different blocks using local data sets cannot be directly compared unless the influence of bias in the real aftershock data set is taken into account. They cannot also be used to infer the geometry of the faults. We also discuss the results in order to add constraints on the use of synthetic data and of different approaches for uncertainty analysis on spatial variation of D ₂. A difference in D ₂ values, rather than their absolute values, among small blocks is of interest to local data sets, which are correlated with their seismic b values. Taking into account the possible errors and biases, the average D ₂ values vary from 1.05 to 1.57 in the Andaman–Nicobar region. The relative change in D ₂ values can be interpreted in terms of clustering and diffuse seismic activity associated with the low and high D ₂ values, respectively. Overall, a relatively high D ₂ and low b value is consistent with high-magnitude, diffuse activity in space in the source region of the 2004 Sumatra earthquake.     

Impacts of sea level rise on future storm-induced coastal inundations over massachusetts coast

Natural Hazards - Hurricanes (tropical cyclones) and nor'easters (extratropical cyclones) are two major storm systems for flood risk over the Massachusetts coast. Severe coastal inundation...     

渤海湾全新世贝壳堤:时空分布和海面变化标志点

以他人和本研究小组对渤海湾西岸贝壳堤平原的全新世贝壳堤研究为基础,重新考订了贝壳堤的底板形态,发现底板多向海倾斜,经多处水准测量获得的前、后缘底板平均高差为1m。堤底板的前、后缘位于形成时的平均大潮潮差的垂直范围内。底板的高差,或依实测值、或依高差平均值补足至1m,由此确定底板的高度误差范围。当对应当时的平均大潮差时,再进一步补足至±1.5m的垂直范围,堤底板遂成为海面变化标志点。经过对96个14C数据的考订,补正了贝壳堤的时空分布,重新肯定了Ⅱ堤的2道支堤和隋唐堤的存在,提出Ⅰ堤二分的可能,揭示了风暴潮再搬运造成的Ⅰ堤中部老于下部—底部的年龄倒置原因。该研究是重建贝壳堤平原全新世相对海面变化曲线、探讨贝壳堤与气候变化关系的基础。     

渤海湾全新世贝壳堤与牡蛎礁:古气候与海面变化

讨论了早全新世晚期以来渤海湾西岸贝壳堤平原成堤、西北岸牡蛎礁平原(及毗邻浅海区)建礁过程的同时性特征和气候变化与这一特征之间的关系,以及堤、礁记录的相对海面变化。堤、礁大致同时发育,可分为6期,依次分别被寒冷事件5、4、3、2和1分隔。堤底板前、后缘高差大致对应3m的大潮差、礁顶板大致对应海平面。据二者分别重建了南部贝壳堤平原、北部牡蛎礁平原的相对海面变化:南部自7ka cal BP以来基本与现代海平面等高,小的波动在±1m之间,压实固结作用抵消了中全新世的相对高海面;北部中全新世的相对海平面位置因新构造和固结压实双重下沉作用的影响,已位于现代海平面2~3m以下。     

渤海湾全新世贝壳堤:时空分布和海面变化标志点

以他人和本研究小组对渤海湾西岸贝壳堤平原的全新世贝壳堤研究为基础,重新考订了贝壳堤的底板形态,发现底板多向海倾斜,经多处水准测量获得的前、后缘底板平均高差为1m。堤底板的前、后缘位于形成时的平均大潮潮差的垂直范围内。底板的高差,或依实测值、或依高差平均值补足至1m,由此确定底板的高度误差范围。当对应当时的平均大潮差时,再进一步补足至±1.5m的垂直范围,堤底板遂成为海面变化标志点。经过对96个14C数据的考订,补正了贝壳堤的时空分布,重新肯定了Ⅱ堤的2道支堤和隋唐堤的存在,提出Ⅰ堤二分的可能,揭示了风暴潮再搬运造成的Ⅰ堤中部老于下部—底部的年龄倒置原因。该研究是重建贝壳堤平原全新世相对海面变化曲线、探讨贝壳堤与气候变化关系的基础。     

渤海湾全新世贝壳堤与牡蛎礁:古气候与海面变化

讨论了早全新世晚期以来渤海湾西岸贝壳堤平原成堤、西北岸牡蛎礁平原(及毗邻浅海区)建礁过程的同时性特征和气候变化与这一特征之间的关系,以及堤、礁记录的相对海面变化。堤、礁大致同时发育,可分为6期,依次分别被寒冷事件5、4、3、2和1分隔。堤底板前、后缘高差大致对应3m的大潮差、礁顶板大致对应海平面。据二者分别重建了南部贝壳堤平原、北部牡蛎礁平原的相对海面变化:南部自7ka cal BP以来基本与现代海平面等高,小的波动在±1m之间,压实固结作用抵消了中全新世的相对高海面;北部中全新世的相对海平面位置因新构造和固结压实双重下沉作用的影响,已位于现代海平面2~3m以下。     

Late Holocene sea levels in Ireland

The course of Irish sea levels during the late-Holocene is not well-known, yet it is an understanding of this period that will prove crucial in the definition and management of future sea-level changes. The coastline of Ireland embraces wide environmental and glacio-isostatic contrasts, which serve and, to some extent, control sea-level events at both local and regional scales, making definitive resolution of relative sea-level changes difficult. In the southwest, the picture is of inexorable relative sea-level rise. Studies in Co. Kerry show a gradual submergence of terrestrial facies, by estuarine and, in places, marine materials. Pollen and diatom studies, together with ¹⁴C dates, suggest a decreasing rate of relative sea-level rise in the last 2500 years, often associated with geomorphological changes. Sites on the south coast of Ireland confirm the evidence from the southwest. In Cork Harbour, recent relative sea-level rise since 2100 BP was responsible for marginal land submergence, while elsewhere rising water levels appear to have caused rapid barrier migrations and coast erosion. Palaeoenvironmental evidence from this region suggests a distinctive pattern of sea-level change, associated with sedimentary and/or crustal dynamics, which is not encountered elsewhere in northwest Europe. The overall rate of relative sea-level change on the south and southwest coasts falls between 0.6 and 1.1 mm/year over the last 5000 years. In the north, there is a clear east to west variation in relative sea-level trends, following an isostatically-controlled peak (+3 to ?1 m OD) between 6500 BP (east) and 3500 BP (west). Falling sea levels from 3500 to 1500 BP have been followed by a general slow rise, although there are still local anomalies to this pattern, most noticeably at Malin Head, where sea level is currently falling at 2.4mm/year. Relative sea-level signatures in Ireland differ markedly between the north and south coasts. Furthermore geomorphological and ecological contexts of this rise vary from east to west, providing a complex all-Ireland framework for future investigations.     

Relative sea level fluctuations in aegean coastal areas from middle to late holocene

The current study presents and combines data concerning relative sea level fluctuations from six coastal areas in the Aegean Sea, from Thrace to North-Eastern Crete. These data have been derived from analyses and geo-chronologies on coastal sediments obtained from boreholes in coastal lagoons and from beachrock bends. Trends of relative sea level change at the study areas are presented for the last 6000 years and are compared with K. Lambeck's and A. Purcell [1] estimations for the same areas. It is concluded that sea level is rising faster in Skyros and Mykonos-Delos insular complex of Cyclades islands, mainly due to tectonic movements or lithosphere elastic deformations.     

渤海湾全新世牡蛎礁:时空分布和海面变化标志点

以他人和本研究小组对渤海湾西北岸牡蛎礁平原、毗邻浅海区的全新世埋藏牡蛎礁和现生牡蛎礁的研究为基础,重新考订了与礁体有关的数据的沉积学意义及年龄,进一步厘定了牡蛎礁的形成时间、礁体顶板和底板的高度.在原有的9个礁群的基础上,增加了目前发现的最老的早全新世晚期礁群;在沿海低地新发现的滨海湖、空港牡蛎礁,暂作为北淮淀礁群的亚...     

渤海湾全新世牡蛎礁:时空分布和海面变化标志点

以他人和本研究小组对渤海湾西北岸牡蛎礁平原、毗邻浅海区的全新世埋藏牡蛎礁和现生牡蛎礁的研究为基础,重新考订了与礁体有关的数据的沉积学意义及年龄,进一步厘定了牡蛎礁的形成时间、礁体顶板和底板的高度。在原有的9个礁群的基础上,增加了目前发现的最老的早全新世晚期礁群;在沿海低地新发现的滨海湖、空港牡蛎礁,暂作为北淮淀礁群的亚礁群。根据对大吴庄等3处礁体顶板的水准测量,发现礁顶最大起伏为±0.7m,以此作为礁顶自身的垂直误差范围。据对北淮淀等5个礁体的“最后一个砂质纹层”高度的调查,推断礁顶上覆潮间带泥层的平均厚度为1.6m。该厚度是当地海平面与平均高潮位之间的调适空间所能提供的最大堆积厚度,成为支持礁顶高度对应海平面的佐证。根据上述结果,确定了渤海湾牡蛎礁顶板作为海面变化标志点的条件。该研究是重建牡蛎礁平原全新世相对海面变化曲线和探讨其与气候变化关系的基础。     

Evidence of high sea level during the mid- Holocene on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka

A well-developed extensive buried coral reef at Akurala, north of Hikkaduwa, is deposited on a low plateau of decomposed crystalline rocks of Precambrian age. Radiocarbon age datings from three coral quarries in the area reveal that the branching and massive corals, in a position ofgrowth, were gradually deposited between 6, 110 ± 80 B.P. and 5,500 ± 80 B.P. in a bay or a lagoon as isolated patches, and their heights vary from 1.4m to 3.9m below mean sea level (MSL). Four radiocarbon age datings of emerged coral reef patches at Akurala and Akurala- Telwatte vary from 6,170 ± 70 B.P. to 5,350 ± 80 B.P. and at levels between 10cm and 70cm above MSL respectively. The present living corals in front of the southwest coast thrive from mean low water spring (MLWS) tidal level to 4m in depth in lagoonal reef areas. From the level of pesent living coral it is inferred that sea level was above the present level about 50cm at 6,110 ± 80 B.P. and 1m or more at 5,560 ± 80 B.P. The in situ position and condition of the materials show that they were not accumulated by catastrophic events such as storm waves.     

Catastrophic early Holocene sea level rise,human migration and the Neolithic transition in Europe

The collapse of the Laurentide Ice Sheet and release of freshwater 8740–8160 years ago abruptly raised global sea levels by up to 1.4 m. The effect on human populations is largely unknown. Here we constrain the time of the main sea level rise and investigate its effect on the onset of the Neolithic across Europe. An analysis of radiocarbon ages and palaeoshoreline reconstruction supports the hypothesis that flooding of coastal areas led to the sudden loss of land favoured by early farmers and initiated an abrupt expansion of activity across Europe, driven by migrating Neolithic peoples.     

New estimates of potential impacts of sea level rise and coastal floods in Poland

Natural Hazards - Polish coastal zone is thought to be one of the most exposed to sea level rise in Europe. With mean sea levels expected to increase between 28 and 98&nbsp;cm by the end of the...