HR: 0800h
AN: U31A-0016    [Abstracts]
TI: Late Pleistocene Sea-level and Deep-sea Temperature Changes Constrained by U.S. Mid-Atlantic Margin Sequences
AU: * Wright, J D
EM: jdwright@rci.rutgers.edu
AF: Rutgers University, Department of Geologica Sciences 610 Taylor Rd, Piscataway, NJ 08854 United States
AU: Miller, K G
EM: kgm@rci.rutgers.edu
AF: Rutgers University, Department of Geologica Sciences 610 Taylor Rd, Piscataway, NJ 08854 United States
AU: Sheridan, R E
EM: krsheridan@worldnet.att.net
AF: Rutgers University, Department of Geologica Sciences 610 Taylor Rd, Piscataway, NJ 08854 United States
AU: Cramer, B S
EM: Benjamin Cramer
AF: Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8578 Japan
AB: We assembled and dated a late Pleistocene (last 130 kyr) sea-level record based on sequence stratigraphy from the U.S. middle Atlantic margin. The timing and magnitude of these sea-level changes are similar to those reported from uplifted coral terraces in New Guinea and Barbados, suggesting that we have established a global record of late Pleistocene sea-level change. Comparison of this eustatic record with benthic foraminiferal oxygen isotope records shows that the deep sea cooled ~2.5\deg C between Marine Isotope Chrons (MIC) 5e and 5d (~120-110 ka) and that near freezing conditions persisted until Termination 1a (14-15 ka). The pattern of deep-sea cooling follows a hysteresis loop between two stable modes of operation. Cold, near freezing deep-water conditions characterize most of the past 130 kyr. In contrast, two warm intervals (the Holocene/MIC 1 and MIC 5e) resulted from rapid warming during the terminations; rapid cooling followed the peak warmth of 5e and presumably the same would be beginning today if not for anthropogenic warming.
DE: 4870 Stable isotopes
DE: 4267 Paleoceanography
DE: 4556 Sea level variations
DE: 3025 Marine seismics (0935)
DE: 1620 Climate dynamics (3309)
SC: Union [U]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting