Middle Holocene Sea-Level Change and Coastal Response, Texas Gulf Coast

德克萨斯州墨西哥湾沿岸全新世中期海平面变化和海岸响应

• 批准号: 0079343
• 负责人: Michael Blum
• 金额: $ 7.4万
• 依托单位: University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2000
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2000-07-15 至 2002-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0079343&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Middle; Holocene; Sea; Level; Change

Recent NSF-sponsored research has resulted in a new model for middle Holocene sea-level change along the Texas Gulf Coast. This model suggests sea level reached present elevations 6800 years ago, and was slightly higher than modern for 2000 years after that. This view contrasts sharply with traditional interpretations, as well as recent and ongoing work by another research group, which would place sea level 6-10 m below present at that time, with present sea level not reached until 3000 years ago. This new phase of research will test these alternative models through documentation of middle Holocene sea-level change and the response of coastal geomorphic systems. Geomorphological, sedimentological, micropaleontological, and geochronological techniques will be used to examine a series of newly-recognized landforms that may hold the key to testing these alternative views of sea-level change and coastal evolution.The Texas Gulf Coast has long served as a natural laboratory for the study of coastal processes and landforms and their evolution in response to post-glacial sea-level rise. Several well-known models for coastal landscape evolution have been developed here, but within the context of the traditional view of continued sea-level rise until 3000 years ago. Documentation of a middle Holocene highstand would have significant implications for interpretations of coastal landscape evolution at the regional scale, as well as global-scale ice volume and sea-level signatures. Moreover, the petrochemical, shipping, fisheries, and tourism industries are linked to the present distribution of environments and resources, so past and future sea level changes in this area are of more than academic interest. Documentation of a higher sea-level position, and attendant coastal response, may provide an analog for sea-level rise scenarios that have been predicted for the near future due to anthropogenic and natural climate changes.

最近NSF赞助的研究产生了一个新的模型，用于研究沿着德克萨斯湾沿岸的中全新世海平面变化。 这个模型表明海平面在6800年前达到现在的高度，在那之后的2000年里略高于现代。 这一观点与传统的解释以及另一个研究小组最近和正在进行的工作形成鲜明对比，该研究小组认为当时的海平面比现在低6-10米，而现在的海平面直到3000年前才达到。 这一新阶段的研究将通过记录中全新世海平面变化和沿海地貌系统的反应来测试这些替代模型。 地貌学、沉积学、微体古生物学和地质年代学技术将被用来研究一系列新发现的地貌，这些地貌可能是检验海平面变化和海岸演变的关键。德克萨斯州墨西哥湾沿岸长期以来一直是研究海岸过程和地貌及其演变的天然实验室，以应对冰后期海平面上升。 几个著名的沿海景观演变模型已经在这里开发，但在海平面持续上升，直到3000年前的传统观点的背景下。 中全新世高位的文件将有显着的影响，在区域尺度上的沿海景观演变的解释，以及全球规模的冰量和海平面的签名。 此外，石化、航运、渔业和旅游业与目前的环境和资源分布有关，因此该地区过去和未来的海平面变化不仅仅是学术兴趣。 记录更高的海平面位置以及随之而来的沿海反应，可能会为由于人为和自然气候变化而预测的不久的将来海平面上升情景提供模拟。