Evolution of marine terraces and sea level in the last interglacial, Cave Hill, Barbados

摘要

The uplifted marine terrace of last interglacial (stage 5e) age at Cave Hill, Barbados, has been investigated with views toward terrace architecture, developmental processes, and sea level history. Methods include stratigraphic analysis of new deep exposures, precise 230Th geochronology, and geomorphic mapping. Cave Hill was central to earlier studies that led to important ideas on reef and terrace evolution but with which we find significant disagreement. We present a new model of terrace evolution that emphasizes the role of marine erosion, deposition of carbonate cover during the full eustatic cycle rather than only at highstand, and principal reef development during transgression rather than at highstand by keep-up rather than catch-up growth. The new model and geochronology contribute to an improved understanding of surficial processes during emergence of uplifting coral coasts and of global sea level changes in the last interglacial.