Last interglacial (MIS 5e) sea-level proxies in southeastern South America

Abstract

Abstract. Coastal southeast South America is one of the classic locations where there are robust, spatially extensive records of past high sea level. Sea-level proxies interpreted as last interglacial (Marine Isotope Stage 5e, MIS 5e) exist along the length of the Uruguayan and Argentinian coast with exceptional preservation especially in Patagonia. Many coastal deposits are correlated to MIS 5e solely because they form the next-highest terrace level above the Holocene highstand; however, dating control exists for some landforms from amino acid racemization, U∕Th (on molluscs), electron spin resonance (ESR), optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL), and radiocarbon dating (which provides minimum ages). As part of the World Atlas of Last Interglacial Shorelines (WALIS) database, we have compiled a total of 60 MIS 5 proxies attributed, with various degrees of precision, to MIS 5e. Of these, 48 are sea-level indicators, 11 are marine-limiting indicators (sea level above the elevation of the indicator), and 1 is terrestrial limiting (sea level below the elevation of the indicator). Limitations on the precision and accuracy of chronological controls and elevation measurements mean that most of these indicators are considered to be low quality. The database is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3991596 (Gowan et al., 2020).

Quaternary and Pliocene sea-level changes at Camarones, central Patagonia, Argentina

“…Much of the Southern part of the Atlantic Ocean is a passive margin, and coastal deposits associated with past interglacials shape the morphology of the coastal landscape and record the history of relative sea level change after deglaciation (see review works by Gowan et al, 2021a andRubio-Sandoval et al, 2021). In this study, we present new data detailing Quaternary sea-level changes at Camarones, Central Patagonia, Argentina.…”

“…The Patagonia coastline of Argentina has been a target area for sea-level research for at least four decades (Bayarsky and Codignotto, 1982;Codignotto, 1983;Rutter et al, 1989) due to the exceptional preservation of geological records associated with former sea levels and for its location that makes it sensitive to isostatic rebound following the waxing and waning of the West Antarctic ice sheet (Rostami et al, 2000;Milne et al, 2005;Gowan et al, 2021a). Numerous works describe in detail the geomorphology and stratigraphic subdivision of the elevated littoral deposits along the coastlines of Patagonia (see an extensive review by Pedoja et al, 2011).…”

Stratigraphy and evolution of the late Pleistocene (MIS 5) coastal Barrier III in southern Brazil

“…Other MIS 5 sea-level records on the eastern coast of South America include deposits along the uplifted coast of Argentina dated to MIS 5e, although estimated from minimum radiocarbon ages (Gowan et al, 2021). Similarly, shell-rich deposits at 0.5 to 1 m amsl exposed on the shore at La Coronilla in Uruguay are correlated to MIS 5e based on 14 C ages regarded as minimum values (Rojas and Martínez, 2016).…”

Taphonomic Signature of Glycymeris longior Shells (Bivalvia) and its Potential as Paleoenvironmental Proxy for the Quaternary of Northern Patagonia (Argentina)

“…In San Antonio Bay MIS 5e (about 130-115 ka), shoreline deposits and landforms are located between 12-8 m a.m.s.l. (Rutter et al, 1989(Rutter et al, , 1990Gowan et al, 2021) and covered the spit bars and the beach ridges (Baliza San Matías, Puerto de Vialidad, La Rinconada, and on Provincial Road 2 near Gas Station). The coast was an open sea environment subject to a tidal regime.…”