Microatoll

Abstract

Coral microatolls are excellent sea-level indicators. Advances in survey and radiometric dating technologies that have improved both elevational and temporal resolution have further enhanced their utility. Furthermore, in recent decades researchers have discovered that microatolls yield excellent data on a broader range of environmental phenomena including atmospheric, oceanic, and tectonic processes. These high-resolution datasets augment more recent and scattered instrumental records both spatially and temporally, improving knowledge of the natural variability and significance of recent changes in these parameters.