High rates of sea-level rise during the last interglacial period
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Material Information

Title:
High rates of sea-level rise during the last interglacial period
Series Title:
Nature Geoscience Volume 1
Creator:
Rohling, E.J.
Grant, K.
Hemleben, Ch.
Siddall, M.
Hoogakker, B.A.A.
Bolshaw, M.
Kucera, M.
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Publication Date:
Language:
English

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Climate change ( lcsh )
Greenland ( lcsh )
Sea level rise ( lcsh )
Ice sheets ( lcsh )

Notes

Abstract:
The last interglacial period, Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e, was characterized by global mean surface temperatures that were at least 2 !C warmer than present1. Mean sea level stood 4–6m higher than modern sea level2–13, with an important contribution from a reduction of the Greenland ice sheet1,14. Although some fossil reef data indicate sea-level fluctuations of up to 10m around the mean3–9,11, so far it has not been possible to constrain the duration and rates of change of these shorter-termvariations. Here, we use a combination of a continuous high-resolution sealevel record, based on the stable oxygen isotopes of planktonic foraminifera from the central Red Sea15–18, and age constraints from coral data to estimate rates of sea-level change during MIS-5e.We find average rates of sea-level rise of 1.6mper century. As global mean temperatures during MIS-5e were comparable to projections for future climate change under the influence of anthropogenic greenhouse-gas emissions19,20, these observed rates of sea-level change inform the ongoing debate about high versus low rates of sea-level rise in the coming century21,22.

Record Information

Source Institution:
Florida International University
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Sea Level Rise