Late Quaternary relative sea-level changes in mid latitudes

Publication Year
2006
Source
Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science
Abstract
High quality relative sea-level (RSL) data from mid-latitude regions reveal spatial and temporal variations
among eustatic, isostatic (glacio and hydro) and local factors since the Last Glacial Maximum. In regions of
the Atlantic seaboard of North America and Europe that were once covered by the major ice sheets RSL fell
by over 100m because of isostatic rebound. In contrast, the regions at the periphery and beyond of the ice
sheets observations showed continually rising sea levels, at variable rates, due to the interplay between postglacial
isostatic recovery, marginal forebulge collapse and hydro-isostatic loading. The RSL observations from
the Southern Hemisphere illustrated a mid-Holocene highstand of various magnitudes and timing.
Research Track Category
Authors
Horton, B. P.