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Pleistocene sea levels and tectonic uplift based on dating of corals from Sumba Island, Indonesia
Author(s) -
Bard E.,
Jouannic C.,
Hamelin B.,
Pirazzoli P.,
Arnold M.,
Faure G.,
Sumosusastro P.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/96gl01279
Subject(s) - geology , interglacial , pleistocene , stadial , paleontology , sea level , tectonic uplift , tectonics , marine isotope stage , radiometric dating , outcrop , quaternary , oceanography
We collected and dated fossil corals from the uplifted reef tracts of Sumba Island. Mass spectrometry (TIMS and AMS) was used to obtain reliable and precise radiochronological results. It is possible to identify outcrops corresponding to major sea level high stands: isotope stage 1 (starting at 7.1 kyr BP), 5a ( c.a. 86 kyr BP), 5c ( c.a. 105 kyr BP), 5e (between 119 and 132 kyr BP) and 9 ( c.a. 305 kyr BP). The radiochronological data are thus broadly consistent with the timing of sea level fluctuations predicted by the astronomical theory of paleoclimates. Comparison with similar data from other terrace sequences and from benthic δ 18 O records indicates that the average tectonic uplift rate at Cape Laundi, Sumba, is on the order of 0.2–0.5m/kyr. The lowest values (<0.3m/kyr) lead to the build‐up of polycyclic topographic terraces in which it is possible to find corals grown during different interstadial or even interglacial times.