Late Pleistocene sea level variations derived from the Argentine Shelf

Abstract

Neritic-littoral marine sedimentary deposits from the Argentine Shelf provide a record of late Pleistocene sea level variation. Sediments interpreted to reflect the last glacial maximum low-stand are ∼150 m below present. Using a simple Airy isostatic model for hydroisostatic compensation and correcting for a minor tectonic component yields a local eustatic sea level lowering of ∼105 m at the last glacial maximum. The deglacial sea level curve records two rapid sea level rises consistent with MWP1-A and 1-B as documented by the Barbados coral-based sea level curve. Comparison with relative sea level variations predicted by the ICE4G VM2 viscoelastic model have highlighted a deficiency in the model's predicted sea level history for this region. Detailed data-model comparisons of late Pleistocene sea level variations are necessary in the face of climate change induced sea level perturbations to determine regional and or systematic biases in the treatment of lithosphere viscosity and accurate predictions of future sea level.