17 research outputs found

    Further evidence for a relatively high sea level during the penultimate interglacial: open-system U-series ages from La Marina (Alicante, East Spain)

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    The elevation and timing of high sea stands during Oxygen Isotope Stage (OIS) 7 are not as well constraíned as those of OIS 5e. Conflictíng values are reported from Medíterranean coastlines, and fossil dating is inaccurate because of ubiquitous open U-series systems. New morphostratigraphic data from La Marina (eastem Spain) supported by open-system U-series coral ages shed light on the maximum sea level duríng OIS 7. Fossil corals (Cladocora Caespitosa) underlying an OIS 5e marine unít yielded U-series ages from 178 ± (0 to 208 ± 1) ka (± 20σ n=7) with an outlier al 240 ± 18 ka. Mean open-system limit ages of 170 ± 10 (minimum age after correction for 234Th-230Th uptake) and 237 ± 20 ka (maximum ase after correction for 238U - 234U uptake) were calculated to have a probable age closer to the minimum value, for an assignment of OlS 7a or 7c. The occurrence of a warn-water "Senegalese" fauna (Strombus bubonius) in OIS5e and OIS 7 marine units confirms the arrival of tropical species to the Mediterranean before the last interglacial periodo Morpho-sedimentological and neotectonic studies suggest that the maximum paleo-sea level during OIS 7c or 7a was a few melers below that of OlS Se

    Global and regional factors controlling changes of coastlines in Southern Iberia (Spain) during the Holocene

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    The interaction between global (glacio-eustatic sea-level rise) and regional factors (oceanographic and tectonic) has controlled the evolution of coastline during the Holocene in Southem Iberia. At ca. 10,000 14C years BP a deceleration of relative sea-level rise took place both in the Atlantic and Mediterranean littorals, with a maximum transgression at 6450 14C years BP. In subsiding areas (present tidal flats) estuaries illustrate a clear marine influence recorded both in sediments and the fauna while in uplifting areas prograding spit-bar systems developed. Two phases of major progradation are distinguished in these systems: the first one between 6450 and 3000 14C years BP, with a sedimentary gap at ca. 4000 14C years BP; and the second one from 2750 14C years BP up to present, with an intervening gap between 1200 and 1050 14C years BP. These progradation phases develop during stillstands followed by relative sea-level fall, while the sedimentary gaps represent relative high sea level. In the Mediterranean areas, with a higher uplift rate, marine terraces almost coeval to those gaps occur. The most pronounced modifications in littoral dynamics occurred at between 3000 and 2750 14C years BP represented by changes in the direction of longshore drift and prevailing winds and in the predominance of progradation over aggradation processes. At ca. 1000 14C years BP the estuaries record a greater fluvial than marine influence, and at 500 years ago an extraordinary increase in coastal progradation took place in all littoral zones. The European Medieval Warm period is characterized, at least during its initial phase, by low pressure climate conditions, while during the Little Ice Age anticyclonic conditions gave rise to a strong coastal progradation

    A beach-ridge progradation complex reflecting periodical sea-level and climate variability during the Holocene (Gulf of Almería, Western Mediterranean)

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    Detailed mapping based on aerial photographs at various scales, analysis of morpho-sedimentary units, and radiocarbon dating of the prograding beach-ridge complex of Campo de Dalı´as (Almerı´a) allow the differentiation of six prograding units. These are called: H1, 7400–6000 cal BP; H2, 5400–4200 cal BP; H3, 4200–3000 cal BP; H4, 2700–1900 cal BP; H5, 1900– 1100 cal BP; and H6, 500 cal BP–Present. H-units are deposited during periods of high relative sea level and increased sediment input to the coast. They are bounded by large swales or erosional surfaces associated with lower sea levels and reduced input of sediment to the coast; these correspond to short periods of increased aridity inside the general arid trend recorded in the Western Mediterranean since 5.4 ka. Changes in the flux of Atlantic superficial waters into the Mediterranean Sea, and relative strength of the W/SW winds account for the recorded oscillations of relative sea level. We deduce a decadal periodicity for the deposition of a beach ridge and the adjacent swale, and suggest that it is related to fluctuations of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index and to variations of solar activity. The duration of H-units shows a quasi-millennial periodicity punctuated by short (hundred years) episodes of reduced progradation or erosion representing events of increased aridity likely to be related to Bond’s Holocene cold events

    Micromorphology of hydromorphic soils developed in fluvio-marine sediments during the Middle-Late Pleistocene transit in the Gulf of Cadiz (Atlantic South Spain) Micromorfología de suelos hidromorfos desarrollados en depósitos fluvio-marinos del Pleistoceno Medio-Superior en el Golfo de Cádiz (Atlántico, Sur de España) Micromorfologia de solos hidromórficos desenvolvidos em sedimentos fluvio marinhos durante o Plistocénico Médio-Superior no Golfo de Cádiz (Atlântico, Sul de Espanha)

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    This study establishes the controlling factors in the soil development in the ancient coastal plain of the Guadalquivir River along the southern Spanish coast (Huelva) shortly before 100 ka BP. The macro and micromorphological study indicates that a sedimentation hiatus allowed soil formation (extensive clay illuviation) together with the development of widespread redoximorphic features linked to iron oxide depletion and accumulation. Groundwater fluctuations driven by the overall sea-level rise during the onset of the last interglacial period triggered the pervasive occurrence of redox processes, probably acting in the coastal zone from the whole Middle Pleistocene as witnessed in inland outcrops. The resulting redoximorphic pedofeatures show a differential development in the studied zone, which is linked mainly to the activity of the Torre del Loro Fault leading regional differential upwarping of the ancient coastal area as well as local water-escape processes in the fault zone. Petrological, mineralogical and micromorphological data strongly suggest that the occurrence of multiple inheritances of iron-rich pedofeatures from previous Plio-Pleistocene weathering profiles developed under warmer and humid climatic conditions. Several pedofeatures (corroded quartz grains and runiquartz) do not correspond to the temperate oceanic climate prevailing in the zone during soil formation, and are reworked from former stronger weathering conditions. They are included in strongly iron-impregnated opaque domains that can be interpreted as inherited iron-rich nodules or clasts already present in the host sediments. These iron-rich pedofeatures have been subject to subsequent iron mobilization giving place to the iron depletion and accumulation domains observed in the micromorphological scale. Differential iron bleaching is not always linked to the fissure and/or pore-system present in the groundmass, suggesting the occurrence of differential water and sediment vertical fluxes (micro water-escape features) within the soil enhance the redoximorphic features around the fault zone.<br>El estudio de paleosuelos hidromorfos desarrollados en la antigua llanura costera del río Guadalquivir (Huelva, España,) con anterioridad a los 100 ka BP, permite establecer los principales factores que controlaron el desarrollo edafogenético. Los rasgos macro y micromorfológicos indican que durante el Pleistoceno Medio final se produjo una importante parada en la sedimentación, que permitió un periodo dilatado de edafogénesis e importantes procesos de redistribución de los óxidos de hierro, prolongándose hasta bien entrado el último interglacial. Las fluctuaciones del nivel freático impulsadas por el progresivo ascenso del nivel del mar desde el comienzo del último interglaciar en la antigua llanura costera favorecieron el desarrollo y la amplificación de los procesos de hidromorfía que probablemente han actuado en la zona durante el transcurso del Pleistoceno Medio, tal y como atestiguan afloramientos de estos materiales en zonas situadas más hacia el interior. Sin embargo, los procesos de redistribución del hierro muestran un desarrollo diferencial ligado a la actividad sin-edafogenética de la Falla de Torre del Loro, que provocó una elevación regional diferencial a lo largo del antiguo sector litoral, así como procesos locales de escape de fluidos en las proximidades de la zona de falla. Los datos petrológicos, mineralógicos y micromorfológicos aportados en este trabajo sugieren la existencia de sucesivos procesos de retrabajamiento y herencia de rasgos edáficos procedentes de perfiles de alteración previos desarrollados en las formaciones Plio-Pleistocenas de arenas rojas características de esta zona. Algunos de estos rasgos heredados (runicuarzos y cuarzos corroídos) se desarrollaron en condiciones climáticas previas de tipo tropical responsables de su alto grado de meteorización, diferentes a las condiciones de clima oceánico más templadas en las que tiene lugar el último ciclo edafogenético que afecta a los paleosuelos estudiados. De entre estos rasgos destaca la presencia de cantos armados y nódulos de óxidos de hierro retrabajados que ya estaban presentes en el material original sobre el que tuvo lugar la edafogénesis. La mayoría de los rasgos ligados a la acumulación de los óxidos de hierro han sido afectados por procesos posteriores de redistribución que se manifiestan a nivel morfológico en zonas de extremo empobrecimiento y acumulación de hierro dentro del suelo. Desde el punto de vista micromorfológico, tales procesos no se observan necesariamente ligados a la extensa red microscópica de fisuras y/o poros de los paleosuelos, lo que sugiere la probable existencia de procesos de flujo vertical de fluidos y sedimentos en la matriz arenosa (escape de fluidos a nivel microscópico) que facilitaron la amplificación de los rasgos redoximórficos en las cercanías de la zona de falla.<br>O estudo dos Paleosolos hidromórficos desenvolvidos na antiga planície costeira do rio Guadalquivir (Huelva, Espanha,) anteriores a 100 ka BP, permite estabelecer os principais factores que controlaram o desenvolvimento pedogenético. Os estudos macro e micromorfológicos indicam que durante o final do Plistocénico Médio-final ocorreu uma importante paragem na sedimentação, que permitiu um período dilatado de pedogénese e importantes processos de redistribuição de óxidos de ferro, que se prolongou até ao último período Interglaciar. Flutuações do nível freático, impulsionadas pela progressiva subida do nível do mar durante o início do último período Interglaciar na antiga planície costeira favoreceram o desenvolvimento e amplificação dos processos hidromórficos que provavelmente actuaram na zona ao longo do Plistocénico Médio, como o testemunham afloramentos destes materiais em zonas mais interiores. No entanto, os processos de redistribuição de ferro mostram um desenvolvimento diferencial associado à actividade sin-pedogénica da falha da Torre del Loro, que provocou uma elevação diferencial regional ao longo da antiga área de costa, bem como processos locais de escape de fluidos na proximidade da zona de falha. Os dados petrológicos e mineralógicos obtidos neste trabalho sugerem a ocorrência de sucessivos processos de reelaboração e herança de características pedológicas procedentes de perfis de alteração anteriores desenvolvidos nas formações Plio-Plistocénicas de areias vermelhas características desta zona. Algumas destas características herdadas (runiquartzos e quartzos corroídos) desenvolveram-se em condições climáticas prévias de tipo tropical responsáveis pelo seu elevado grau de meteorização, diferentes das condições de clima oceânico mais temperadas em que ocorreu o último ciclo pedogenético que afecta os paleossolos estudados. De entre essas características destaca-se a presença de impregnações de ferro opacas que podem ser interpretadas como nódulos de óxidos de ferro herdados do material original sobre o qual teve lugar a pedogénese. A maioria das características ligadas à acumulação de óxidos de ferro foram afectadas por processos posteriores de redistribuição que se manifestam a nível morfológico em zonas de extremo empobrecimento e acumulação de ferro no solo. Do ponto de vista micromorfológico, tais processos não se encontram necessariamente ligados à extensa rede microscópica de fissuras e/ou poros dos paleossolos, o que sugere a provável existência de processos de fluxo vertical de fluidos e sedimentos na matriz arenosa (escape de fluidos a nível microscópico) que facilitaram a amplificação das características redoximórficas nas proximidades da zona de falha

    Raised marine sequences of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura revisited —a reappraisal of relative sea- level changes and vertical movements in the eastern Canary Islands during the Quaternary

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    Systematic mapping and morphosedimentary analysis of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote Islands supported by laboratory techniques (U-series mostly by TIMS, 14C analysis and allo-isoleucine measurements on biogenic carbonates from raised marine deposits, paleomagnetic and a few K/Ar measurements on volcanic formations related to marine deposits) provide a basis for constraining the age of Late Cainozoic marine units. The most complete sequences of raised marine terraces are found at similar elevations in both islands. They include up to 12 marine terraces (Episodes) at elevations between 0m and 70m above mean sea level (asl). At least six terraces should be of Quaternary age, and more recent than 1.2 Myr. Throughout the whole marine sequence with the exception of the Holocene terrace, the warm fauna assemblage is characterized by the presence of Ostrea virleti, Nerita emiliana, and Strombus (S. cf. coronatus–S. cf. bubonius). However, there is a major change, highlighted by the disappearance of the first two species, below the 8–10m terrace, that could possibly correspond to MIS 11. K–Ar measurements allow an estimate for mean uplift rate of 1.7 cm/ka during the last million years. The present elevation of the Last Interglacial deposits (about 1 and 2masl) shows discontinuous vertical movements with possibly a reverse trend since MIS 9 in eastern Canary Island
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