Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
6445890 | Quaternary Science Reviews | 2016 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
Estimates of global ice volume during the glacial phase of the most recent ice age cycle are characterized by significant uncertainty, reflecting the relative paucity of geological constraints on sea level relevant to this time interval. For example, during the middle stages of Marine Isotope Stage 3, published estimates of peak global mean sea level (GMSL) relative to the present range from â25 m to â87 m. The large uncertainty in GMSL at MIS 3 has significant implications for estimates of the rate of ice growth in the period leading to the Last Glacial Maximum (â¼26 ka). We refine estimates of global ice volume during MIS 3 by employing sediment cores in the Bohai and Yellow Sea that record a migration of the paleoshoreline at â¼50-37 ka through a transition from marine to brackish conditions. In particular, we correct relative sea level at these sites for contamination due to glacial isostatic adjustment using a sea-level calculation that includes a gravitationally self-consistent treatment of sediment redistribution and compaction, and estimate a peak global mean sea level of â38 ± 7 m during the interval 50-37 ka. With suitable sedimentary core records, the approach described herein can be extended to refine existing constraints on global ice volume across the entire glacial period.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Geology
Authors
T. Pico, J.X. Mitrovica, K.L. Ferrier, J. Braun,