TIMS U-series dating and stable isotopes of the last interglacial event in Papua New Guinea

Stein, Mordechai; Wasserburg, G. J.; Aharon, Paul; Chen, J.H; Zhu, Zhong Rong; Bloom, A. L.; Chappell, John

doi:10.1016/0016-7037(93)90416-t

Cited by 192 publications

(111 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…But unfortunately there is no universal agreement on its precise age or the elevation of its sea-level, and ages range from ∼132 to 116 ka. These point to a longer interglacial than predicted by orbital theory (Muhs, 2002;Muhs and Szabo, 1994;Stein et al, 1993). Thus, the global complexity of the climate system may have resulted in a long sea-level response during the last interglacial , with different responses in earlier ones (Siddall et al, 2007).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Sea level ~400 000 years ago (MIS 11): analogue for present and future sea-level?

Bowen

2010

Clim. Past

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Abstract. Comparison of the sea-level today with that of 400 000 years ago (MIS 11), when the Earth's orbital characteristics were similar may provide, under conditions of natural variability, indications of future sea-level during the present interglacial. Then, as now, orbital eccentricity was low and precession dampened. Evidence for MIS 11 sealevel occurs on uplifting coastlines where shorelines with geochronological ages have been preserved. The sea-level term and the uplift term may be separated with an "uplift correction" formula. This discovers the original sea-level at which the now uplifted shoreline was fashioned. Estimates are based on average uplift rates of the "last interglacial" sealevel (MIS 5.5) using a range of estimates for sea-level and age at that time at different locations. These, with varying secular tectonic regimes in different ocean basins, provide a band of estimates for the MIS 11 sea-level. They do not support the hypothesis of an MIS 11 sea-level at ∼20 m, and instead show that it was closer to its present level.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 92%

Sea level ~400 000 years ago (MIS 11): analogue for present and future sea-level?

Bowen

2010

Clim. Past

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“…This core is, in turn, aligned between 0 and 67 ka against the oxygen isotopic record of the GRIP ice core (Johnsen et al, 1992). Termination II is assigned to start after ∼135 ka based upon U-Th dating of corals terraces from Papua New Guinea (Stein et al, 1993). While this age model is not necessarily superior to alternative age models (for instance, that employed by Rohling et al (2008)), we have aligned the other quasi-continuous records against it so as to provide a common reference frame.…”

Section: Appendix a Databasementioning

confidence: 99%

Probabilistic assessment of sea level during the last interglacial stage

Kopp¹,

Simons²,

Mitrovica³

et al. 2009

Nature

695

578

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The Last Interglacial (LIG) stage (ca. 130-115 ka), with polar temperatures likely 3-5 • C warmer than today, serves as a partial analogue for low-end future warming scenarios. Multiple indicators suggest that LIG global sea level (GSL) was higher than at present; based upon a small set of local sea level indicators, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)'s Fourth Assessment Report inferred an elevation of approximately 4-6 m. While this estimate may be correct, it is based upon overly simplistic assumptions about the relationship between local sea level and global sea level. Sea level is often viewed as a simple function of changing global ice volume. This perspective neglects local variability, which arises from several factors, including the distortion of the geoid and the elastic and isostatic deformation of the solid Earth by shifting ice masses. Accurate reconstruction of past global and local sea levels, as well as ice sheet volumes, therefore requires integrating globally distributed data sets of local sea level indicators. To assess the robustness of the IPCC's global estimate and search for patterns in local sea level that are diagnostic of meltwater sources, we have compiled a comprehensive database that includes a variety of local sea level indicators from 47 localities, as well as a global sea level record derived from oxygen isotopes. We generate a global synthesis from these data using a novel statistical approach that couples Gaussian process regression to Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation of geochronological errors. Our analysis strongly supports the hypothesis that global sea level during the Last Interglacial was higher than today, probably peaking between 6-9 m above the present level. This level is close to that expected from the complete melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet, or from major melting of both the Greenland and West Antarctic Ice Sheets. In the period when sea level was within 10 m of the modern value, the fastest rate of sea level rise sustained for a 1 ky period was likely about 80-110 cm per century. Combined with the evidence for mildly higher temperatures during the LIG, our results highlight the vulnerability of ice sheets to even relatively low levels of sustained global warming.

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“…In most U-series studies of corals the usual problem encountered is a calculated initial 234 U/ 238 U value that is higher than that measured in modern sea water. Empirical observations from the Bahamas, New Guinea, Australia, and Barbados (Chen et al, 1991;Stein et al, 1993;Stirling et al, 1995Stirling et al, , 1998Edwards et al, 1997;Esat et al, 1999) and modeling studies (Gallup et al, 1994) have shown that higher-thanmodern calculated initial 234 U/ 238 U values bias corals to older apparent ages. Esat et al (1999) used an upper limit of initial 234 U/ 238 U activity of 1.157 and a lower limit of 1.149 as a range for corals that were considered to have experienced closed-system conditions.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Timing and warmth of the Last Interglacial period: new U-series evidence from Hawaii and Bermuda and a new fossil compilation for North America

Muhs

Simmons

Steinke

2002

Quaternary Science Reviews

186

201

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The timing and duration of the Last Interglacial period have been controversial, with some studies suggesting a relatively short duration that is orbitally forced and others suggesting a long duration that is at most only partly related to orbital forcing. New, high-precison thermal ionization mass spectrometric (TIMS) U-series ages of Last Interglacial corals from Hawaii and Bermuda test these competing hypotheses. Waimanalo Formation corals from slowly uplifting Oahu, Hawaii range in age from B134 to B113 ka, with most ages between B125 and B115 ka. Combined with published U-series ages from nearby Lanai, the data suggest a long Last Interglacial period that may have occurred from B136 to at least 115 ka. The results indicate that orbital forcing may not have been the only control on ice sheet growth and decay, because sea level would have been high at times of relatively low Northern Hemisphere summer insolation. On tectonically stable Bermuda, deposits from the B200 ka (penultimate interglacial period), B120 ka (peak Last Interglacial period) and B80 ka (late Last Interglacial period) high sea stands have been newly dated. Fossil corals on Bermuda are derived from patch reefs that likely were ''catch-up'' responses to sea level rise. It is expected that U-series ages of Last-Interglacial corals on Bermuda should overlap with, but not be as old as the range of corals on Oahu. Last-Interglacial corals on Bermuda give a range of B125-113 ka, which supports this hypothesis.A large number of emergent marine deposits on Hawaii, Bermuda and along coastal North America have now been dated to the Last Interglacial period. Both Oahu and Bermuda have marine invertebrate faunas with a number of extralimital southern species of mollusks, suggesting warmer-than-present waters during the Last Interglacial period. Warmer waters are also suggested for LastInterglacial localities around most of North America, from Florida to Canada and Greenland and Baja California to Alaska. These observations are consistent with similar warm-water faunas of Last-Interglacial age reported from Japan, the Mediterranean basin and Western Australia. It is likely that significant changes in ocean currents took place during the Last Interglacial period, with a movement of relatively warm waters to higher latitudes than is the case today. r

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TIMS U-series dating and stable isotopes of the last interglacial event in Papua New Guinea

Cited by 192 publications

References 52 publications

Sea level ~400 000 years ago (MIS 11): analogue for present and future sea-level?

Sea level ~400 000 years ago (MIS 11): analogue for present and future sea-level?

Probabilistic assessment of sea level during the last interglacial stage

Timing and warmth of the Last Interglacial period: new U-series evidence from Hawaii and Bermuda and a new fossil compilation for North America

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