Sea level and coral atolls: Late Holocene emergence in the Indian Ocean

Research Article| January 01, 1990 Sea level and coral atolls: Late Holocene emergence in the Indian Ocean Colin Woodroffe; Colin Woodroffe 1Department of Geography, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Roger McLean; Roger McLean 2Department of Geography and Oceanography, Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Henry Polach; Henry Polach 3Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Eugene Wallensky Eugene Wallensky 4Department of Biogeography and Geomorphology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Colin Woodroffe 1Department of Geography, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia Roger McLean 2Department of Geography and Oceanography, Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Henry Polach 3Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Eugene Wallensky 4Department of Biogeography and Geomorphology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1990) 18 (1): 62–66. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1990)018<0062:SLACAL>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Colin Woodroffe, Roger McLean, Henry Polach, Eugene Wallensky; Sea level and coral atolls: Late Holocene emergence in the Indian Ocean. Geology 1990;; 18 (1): 62–66. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1990)018<0062:SLACAL>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean were visited by Charles Darwin, who described geomorphological evidence that he considered supported his subsidence theory of coral-reef development. However, several other accounts of the reef islands have questioned Darwin's interpretation, and have suggested that a conglomerate platform that underlies most of the reef islands may indicate recent emergence of the atoll. Radiocarbon ages on corals from this conglomerate platform, reported here, indicate that it formed in the late Holocene. Fossil in situ microatolls above present upper coral growth limits, the elevation of associated beachrock, and the morphological similarity of the conglomerate platform to the present reef-flat deposits indicate a late Holocene sea level above the present relative to the atoll. The atoll has undergone at least 0.5 m of emergence since about 3000 yr B.P. This represents the first radiometrically dated evidence of Holocene emergence from islands in the eastern or central Indian Ocean. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.