New relative sea-level insights into the isostatic history of the Western Mediterranean

Matteo Vacchi; Matthieu Ghilardi; Rita T. Melis; Giorgio Spada; Matthieu Giaime; Nick Marriner; Thomas Lorscheid; Christophe Morhange; Francesc Burjachs; Alessio Rovere

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.10.025

New relative sea-level insights into the isostatic history of the Western Mediterranean

Matteo Vacchi, Matthieu Ghilardi, Rita T. Melis, Giorgio Spada, Matthieu Giaime, Nick Marriner, Thomas Lorscheid, Christophe Morhange, Francesc Burjachs, Alessio Rovere

Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

A recent suite of Relative Sea-Level (RSL) data for the past 12 ka BP has provided new insights into the sea-level histories of the western Mediterranean region. Our analysis of the chronostratigraphic context of sea-level indicators from Spain (Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Gulf of Valencia), France (Corsica Island) and Italy (Sardinia Island) has yielded 162 new sea-level index and limiting points. These data have considerably enhanced previous RSL compilations, in addition to improving the quality of spatio-temporal sea-level reconstructions and our capacity to estimate isostatic-related vertical motions in the western Mediterranean basin. The glacial and hydro-isostatic adjustment (GIA) pattern elucidated by the new database shows discrepancy with respect to those predicted by the available GIA models. In particular, the new results underscore a non-coherent isostatic response of the central portion of the western Mediterranean, with the Balearic Islands manifesting significant departures from the sea-level histories of Corsica, Sardinia and, more generally, along most of the western Mediterranean coast. Our results are a crucial contribution to defining both the pattern and the magnitude of the isostatic signal along the western Mediterranean coast. In fact, vertical isostatic motions represent a key to better assess any possible post-industrial acceleration in sea-level rise and to define future scenarios of coastal inundation in the context of global change.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	396-408
Number of pages	13
Journal	Quaternary Science Reviews
Volume	201
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.10.025
State	Published - 1 Dec 2018

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This paper is dedicated to Paolo A. Pirazzoli (1939–2017), a pioneer of sea-level research in the Mediterranean Sea. Our study is a contribution to the MOPP-Medflood (INQUA CMP 1603P) and HOLSEA (INQUA CMP 1601P) projects. Thanks are also due to the PALSEA 2 (PAGES/INQUA/WUN working group) and IGCP Project 639 communities for the fruitful discussions during the workshops. This study was funded by the CNRS MISTRAL PALEOMEX INEE and by the DRAC Corsica. This work was also supported by the Institutional Strategy of the University of Bremen , funded by the German Excellence Initiative ( ABPZuK-03/2014 ) and by ZMT, the Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology . GS is funded by FFABR (Finanziamento delle Attività Base di Ricerca) grant of MIUR (Ministero dell'Istruzione dell'Università e della Ricerca). CM and MV contribute to the Labex OT-Med (ANR-11-LABX-0061) and to the Labex Archimede (ANR-11-LABX-0031-01). MG was supported by a University of Durham Junior research fellowship cofunded by the European Union (grant n. 609412 ). Finally, we thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments that significantly improved the paper.

Funding Information:
This paper is dedicated to Paolo A. Pirazzoli (1939–2017), a pioneer of sea-level research in the Mediterranean Sea. Our study is a contribution to the MOPP-Medflood (INQUA CMP 1603P) and HOLSEA (INQUA CMP 1601P) projects. Thanks are also due to the PALSEA 2 (PAGES/INQUA/WUN working group) and IGCP Project 639 communities for the fruitful discussions during the workshops. This study was funded by the CNRS MISTRAL PALEOMEX INEE and by the DRAC Corsica. This work was also supported by the Institutional Strategy of the University of Bremen, funded by the German Excellence Initiative (ABPZuK-03/2014) and by ZMT, the Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology. GS is funded by FFABR (Finanziamento delle Attività Base di Ricerca) grant of MIUR (Ministero dell'Istruzione dell'Università e della Ricerca). CM and MV contribute to the Labex OT-Med (ANR-11-LABX-0061) and to the Labex Archimede (ANR-11-LABX-0031-01). MG was supported by a University of Durham Junior research fellowship cofunded by the European Union (grant n. 609412). Finally, we thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments that significantly improved the paper.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

Holocene
Isostatic adjustment
Mediterranean sea
Sea-level changes
Vertical crustal motion

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Global and Planetary Change
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Archaeology
Archaeology
Geology

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10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.10.025

Cite this

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title = "New relative sea-level insights into the isostatic history of the Western Mediterranean",

abstract = "A recent suite of Relative Sea-Level (RSL) data for the past 12 ka BP has provided new insights into the sea-level histories of the western Mediterranean region. Our analysis of the chronostratigraphic context of sea-level indicators from Spain (Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Gulf of Valencia), France (Corsica Island) and Italy (Sardinia Island) has yielded 162 new sea-level index and limiting points. These data have considerably enhanced previous RSL compilations, in addition to improving the quality of spatio-temporal sea-level reconstructions and our capacity to estimate isostatic-related vertical motions in the western Mediterranean basin. The glacial and hydro-isostatic adjustment (GIA) pattern elucidated by the new database shows discrepancy with respect to those predicted by the available GIA models. In particular, the new results underscore a non-coherent isostatic response of the central portion of the western Mediterranean, with the Balearic Islands manifesting significant departures from the sea-level histories of Corsica, Sardinia and, more generally, along most of the western Mediterranean coast. Our results are a crucial contribution to defining both the pattern and the magnitude of the isostatic signal along the western Mediterranean coast. In fact, vertical isostatic motions represent a key to better assess any possible post-industrial acceleration in sea-level rise and to define future scenarios of coastal inundation in the context of global change.",

keywords = "Holocene, Isostatic adjustment, Mediterranean sea, Sea-level changes, Vertical crustal motion",

author = "Matteo Vacchi and Matthieu Ghilardi and Melis, {Rita T.} and Giorgio Spada and Matthieu Giaime and Nick Marriner and Thomas Lorscheid and Christophe Morhange and Francesc Burjachs and Alessio Rovere",

note = "Funding Information: This paper is dedicated to Paolo A. Pirazzoli (1939–2017), a pioneer of sea-level research in the Mediterranean Sea. Our study is a contribution to the MOPP-Medflood (INQUA CMP 1603P) and HOLSEA (INQUA CMP 1601P) projects. Thanks are also due to the PALSEA 2 (PAGES/INQUA/WUN working group) and IGCP Project 639 communities for the fruitful discussions during the workshops. This study was funded by the CNRS MISTRAL PALEOMEX INEE and by the DRAC Corsica. This work was also supported by the Institutional Strategy of the University of Bremen , funded by the German Excellence Initiative ( ABPZuK-03/2014 ) and by ZMT, the Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology . GS is funded by FFABR (Finanziamento delle Attivit{\`a} Base di Ricerca) grant of MIUR (Ministero dell'Istruzione dell'Universit{\`a} e della Ricerca). CM and MV contribute to the Labex OT-Med (ANR-11-LABX-0061) and to the Labex Archimede (ANR-11-LABX-0031-01). MG was supported by a University of Durham Junior research fellowship cofunded by the European Union (grant n. 609412 ). Finally, we thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments that significantly improved the paper. Funding Information: This paper is dedicated to Paolo A. Pirazzoli (1939–2017), a pioneer of sea-level research in the Mediterranean Sea. Our study is a contribution to the MOPP-Medflood (INQUA CMP 1603P) and HOLSEA (INQUA CMP 1601P) projects. Thanks are also due to the PALSEA 2 (PAGES/INQUA/WUN working group) and IGCP Project 639 communities for the fruitful discussions during the workshops. This study was funded by the CNRS MISTRAL PALEOMEX INEE and by the DRAC Corsica. This work was also supported by the Institutional Strategy of the University of Bremen, funded by the German Excellence Initiative (ABPZuK-03/2014) and by ZMT, the Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology. GS is funded by FFABR (Finanziamento delle Attivit{\`a} Base di Ricerca) grant of MIUR (Ministero dell'Istruzione dell'Universit{\`a} e della Ricerca). CM and MV contribute to the Labex OT-Med (ANR-11-LABX-0061) and to the Labex Archimede (ANR-11-LABX-0031-01). MG was supported by a University of Durham Junior research fellowship cofunded by the European Union (grant n. 609412). Finally, we thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments that significantly improved the paper. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 Elsevier Ltd",

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doi = "10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.10.025",

language = "English",

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T1 - New relative sea-level insights into the isostatic history of the Western Mediterranean

AU - Vacchi, Matteo

AU - Ghilardi, Matthieu

AU - Melis, Rita T.

AU - Spada, Giorgio

AU - Giaime, Matthieu

AU - Marriner, Nick

AU - Lorscheid, Thomas

AU - Morhange, Christophe

AU - Burjachs, Francesc

AU - Rovere, Alessio

N1 - Funding Information: This paper is dedicated to Paolo A. Pirazzoli (1939–2017), a pioneer of sea-level research in the Mediterranean Sea. Our study is a contribution to the MOPP-Medflood (INQUA CMP 1603P) and HOLSEA (INQUA CMP 1601P) projects. Thanks are also due to the PALSEA 2 (PAGES/INQUA/WUN working group) and IGCP Project 639 communities for the fruitful discussions during the workshops. This study was funded by the CNRS MISTRAL PALEOMEX INEE and by the DRAC Corsica. This work was also supported by the Institutional Strategy of the University of Bremen , funded by the German Excellence Initiative ( ABPZuK-03/2014 ) and by ZMT, the Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology . GS is funded by FFABR (Finanziamento delle Attività Base di Ricerca) grant of MIUR (Ministero dell'Istruzione dell'Università e della Ricerca). CM and MV contribute to the Labex OT-Med (ANR-11-LABX-0061) and to the Labex Archimede (ANR-11-LABX-0031-01). MG was supported by a University of Durham Junior research fellowship cofunded by the European Union (grant n. 609412 ). Finally, we thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments that significantly improved the paper. Funding Information: This paper is dedicated to Paolo A. Pirazzoli (1939–2017), a pioneer of sea-level research in the Mediterranean Sea. Our study is a contribution to the MOPP-Medflood (INQUA CMP 1603P) and HOLSEA (INQUA CMP 1601P) projects. Thanks are also due to the PALSEA 2 (PAGES/INQUA/WUN working group) and IGCP Project 639 communities for the fruitful discussions during the workshops. This study was funded by the CNRS MISTRAL PALEOMEX INEE and by the DRAC Corsica. This work was also supported by the Institutional Strategy of the University of Bremen, funded by the German Excellence Initiative (ABPZuK-03/2014) and by ZMT, the Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology. GS is funded by FFABR (Finanziamento delle Attività Base di Ricerca) grant of MIUR (Ministero dell'Istruzione dell'Università e della Ricerca). CM and MV contribute to the Labex OT-Med (ANR-11-LABX-0061) and to the Labex Archimede (ANR-11-LABX-0031-01). MG was supported by a University of Durham Junior research fellowship cofunded by the European Union (grant n. 609412). Finally, we thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments that significantly improved the paper. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2018/12/1

Y1 - 2018/12/1

N2 - A recent suite of Relative Sea-Level (RSL) data for the past 12 ka BP has provided new insights into the sea-level histories of the western Mediterranean region. Our analysis of the chronostratigraphic context of sea-level indicators from Spain (Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Gulf of Valencia), France (Corsica Island) and Italy (Sardinia Island) has yielded 162 new sea-level index and limiting points. These data have considerably enhanced previous RSL compilations, in addition to improving the quality of spatio-temporal sea-level reconstructions and our capacity to estimate isostatic-related vertical motions in the western Mediterranean basin. The glacial and hydro-isostatic adjustment (GIA) pattern elucidated by the new database shows discrepancy with respect to those predicted by the available GIA models. In particular, the new results underscore a non-coherent isostatic response of the central portion of the western Mediterranean, with the Balearic Islands manifesting significant departures from the sea-level histories of Corsica, Sardinia and, more generally, along most of the western Mediterranean coast. Our results are a crucial contribution to defining both the pattern and the magnitude of the isostatic signal along the western Mediterranean coast. In fact, vertical isostatic motions represent a key to better assess any possible post-industrial acceleration in sea-level rise and to define future scenarios of coastal inundation in the context of global change.

AB - A recent suite of Relative Sea-Level (RSL) data for the past 12 ka BP has provided new insights into the sea-level histories of the western Mediterranean region. Our analysis of the chronostratigraphic context of sea-level indicators from Spain (Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Gulf of Valencia), France (Corsica Island) and Italy (Sardinia Island) has yielded 162 new sea-level index and limiting points. These data have considerably enhanced previous RSL compilations, in addition to improving the quality of spatio-temporal sea-level reconstructions and our capacity to estimate isostatic-related vertical motions in the western Mediterranean basin. The glacial and hydro-isostatic adjustment (GIA) pattern elucidated by the new database shows discrepancy with respect to those predicted by the available GIA models. In particular, the new results underscore a non-coherent isostatic response of the central portion of the western Mediterranean, with the Balearic Islands manifesting significant departures from the sea-level histories of Corsica, Sardinia and, more generally, along most of the western Mediterranean coast. Our results are a crucial contribution to defining both the pattern and the magnitude of the isostatic signal along the western Mediterranean coast. In fact, vertical isostatic motions represent a key to better assess any possible post-industrial acceleration in sea-level rise and to define future scenarios of coastal inundation in the context of global change.

KW - Holocene

KW - Isostatic adjustment

KW - Mediterranean sea

KW - Sea-level changes

KW - Vertical crustal motion

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DO - 10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.10.025

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AN - SCOPUS:85055619308

SN - 0277-3791

VL - 201

SP - 396

EP - 408

JO - Quaternary Science Reviews

JF - Quaternary Science Reviews

ER -

New relative sea-level insights into the isostatic history of the Western Mediterranean

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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