Table Of ContentSEA SURFACE STUDIES
Climatologists and earth scientists agree that a major rise in global sea level
of between 0.2-1.4 m is to be expected during the next century should the
predicted rise in global temperature of lS-4SC take place. This view
reinforces earlier reports of the American National Academy of Sciences
and the World Meteorological Organisation. Such statements may
engender panic or disbelief. The question is, how much do we know about
the causes, patterns and problems of sea-level change that underpin
such statements? This book attempts an interdisciplinary exploration and
major review of our state of knowledge in this field through the views of
researchers studying the nature and applications of sea-level change and its
consequences for the coastline. Apart from its linkage with climate the
study of sea-level-coastal change is relevant to a wide range' of issues, from
geological problems to oceanographic, environmental and biological
concerns. This book is therefore likely to be of particular interest to
workers and students in geology, geography, marine sciences/engineering
and technology, biology and related environmental sciences.
Reproduced from the collection of the National Air Photo Library with
the permission of Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, Canada
© 1946 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada
SEA SURFACE
STUDIES
A GLOBAL VIEW
Edited by R.J.N. DEVOY
CROOM HELM
London • New York • Sydney
© 1987 RJ.N. Devoy
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1987
Croom Helm Ltd, Provident House, Burrell Row,
Beckenham, Kent BR3 1AT
Croom Helm Australia, 44-50 Waterloo Road,
North Ryde, 2113, New South Wales
Published in the USA by
Croom Helm
in association with Methuen, Inc.
29 West 35th Street
New York, NY 10001
British Library Cataloguing in Publiqltion Data
Sea surface studies: a global view
1. Sea level
I. Devoy, RJ.N.
551.46 GC89
ISBN 978-94-015-1148-3 ISBN 978-94-015-1146-9 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-94-015-1146-9
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-PubUcation Data
Sea surface studies.
Includes index.
1. Sea level. 2. Coast changes. 3. Geodynamics.
I. Devoy, R.l.N.
GC89.S44 1987 551.46 87-5401
ISBN 978-94-015-1148-3
Typeset in Times Roman by Leaper & Gard Ltd, Bristol, England
Contents
List of Contributors
Preface
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction: First Principles and the Scope of Sea-sudace
Studies R.J.N. Devoy 1
Part One: Sea-Surface (Sea-level) Changes: What Are They?
2. Ocean Volume Change and the History of Sea Water
John Chappell 33
3. Mechanisms of Relative Sea-level Change and the Geophysical
Responses to Ice-Water Loading W.R. Peltier 57
4. Glaciation and Sea Level: A Case Study John T. Andrews 95
5. Tectonic Processes and their Impact on the Recording of
Relative Sea-level Changes Kelvin Berryman 127
Part Two: The Evidence and Interpretation of Sea-Surface (Sea-level)
Movements
6. Dating and Associated Methodological Problems in the Study
of Quaternary Sea-level Changes Donald G. Sutherland 165
7. Global Analysis and Correlation of Sea-level Data
Ian Shennan 198
Part Three: The State of Current Knowledge: Regional and Global
Views
8a. Pre-Quaternary Long-Term Changes in Sea Level
Nils-Axel Morner 233
8b. Quaternary Sea-level Changes: Northern Hemisphere
Data Nils-Axel Morner 242
9. Quaternary Sea-level Changes: Southern Hemisphere Data
B. Pillans 264
10. Sea-level Changes During the Holocene: The North Atlantic
and Arctic Oceans R.J.N. Devoy 294
11. Sea-level Changes During the Holocene: The Northwest
Pacific Yoko Ota 348
12. Holocene Sea-level Changes in Australasia and the Southern
Pacific David Hopley 375
The Impact and Application of Sea-sudace Changes:
An Introduction to Parts Four and Five R.J.N. Devoy 409
CONTENTS
Part Four: The Coastline: Processes, Planning and Management
13. Coastal Processes: The Coastal Response to Sea-level
Variation 1. Orford 415
14. Man's Response to Sea-level Change R. W.G. Carter 464
15. The Greenhouse Effect, Rising Sea Level and Society's
Response 1. G. Titus 499
Part Five: Sea-surface (Sea-level) Changes: Some Wider
Implications
16. Hydrocarbon Exploration and Biostratigraphy:
The Application of Sea-level Studies R.l.N. Devoy 531
17. Placer Deposits of the Nearshore and Coastal Zones:
The Role of Littoral Processes and Sea-level Changes in their
Formation Donald G. Sutherland 569
18. Sea-surface Variations and Energy: Tidal and Wave Power
A. W. Lewis 589
Part Six: Conclusions
19. Sea-surface Changes: Where Do We Go From Here?
R.l.N. Devoy 629
Appendix I 638
Appendix II 639
Index 640
Contributors
Andrews, John T., Professor, Department of Geological Sciences,
University of Colorado, Campus Box 250, Boulder, Colorado 80309,
USA
Berryman, Kelvin, Dr, New Zealand Geological Survey, Department of
Scientific and Industrial Research, P.O. Box 30 368, Lower Hutt, New
Zealand.
Carter, R.W.G., Dr, Department of Environmental Studies, University of
Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, BT52 1SA
Chappell, John, Professor, Research School of Pacific Studies (Biogeo
graphy and Geomorphology Section), The Australian National Univer
sity, P.O. Box 4, Canberra, AC.T. 2601, Australia.
Devoy, RJ.N., Dr, Department of Geography, University College Cork,
College Road, Cork, Ireland.
Hopley, David, Professor, Sir George Fisher Centre for Tropical Marine
Studies, James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville, Post
Office Q4811, Australia.
Lewis, A.W., Dr, Department of Civil Engineering, University College
Cork, College Road, Cork, Ireland.
Momer, Nils-Axel, Department of Geology, University of Stockholm,
S-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
Orford, J., Dr, Department of Geography, The Queen's University of
Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT7 INN.
Ota, Yoko, Professor, Department of Geography, Yokohama National
University, 156 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama 240, Japan.
Peltier, W.R., Professor, Department of Physics, University of Toronto,
60 St George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A7 , Canada.
Pillans, B., Dr, Department of Geology, Research School of Earth
Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Private Bag, Wellington,
New Zealand.
Shennan, Ian, Dr, Department of Geography, University of Durham,
Science Laboratories, South Road, Durham, DH13LE, England.
Sutherland, Donald G., Dr, Placer Analysis Ltd, 2 London Street,
Edinburgh, EH3 6NA, Scotland.
Titus, J.G., (P.M.220) Strategic Studies Staff, US Environmental Protec
tion Agency, Washington, DC 20460, USA
Preface
The oceans are vast with t,¥o-thirds of our planet being covered by a thick
layer of water, the depth of which can be likened to flying above the earth's
surface at an altitude of 30,000 feet (9,800 m). Good to play in, essential
for life but deadly to breathe, water is important to all organisms on the
planet, and the oceans form its major reservoir containing approximately
97 per cent of all freely available surface water. In spite of this obvious
importance mankind has still much to learn about this ocean environment.
Study of the oceans has grown enormously since the eighteenth- and
nineteenth-century voyages of scientific discovery, expanding greatly in the
period post 1945. One of the subjects that has blossomed in this period has
been the study of the ocean's surface, and in particular the study of sea
level and related sea-surface changes. Indeed this topic may even be
termed 'popular', as reflected in the growing number of general geo
morphology, physical geology and oceanography texts which now give
space to the subject.
Stimuli to this growth have been varied. Concern since the 1960s over
mankind's influence and interaction with the earth's environment has been
important. Today a heightened awareness of the possible continued
warming of the earth's atmosphere reSUlting from human induced
variations in carbon dioxide (C0 and other 'greenhouse' gases, with its
2)
consequent linkage to ice melt and global sea-level rise, has gained especial
prominence. The spectre of a 'massive' 5 to 7 m rise in global sea level has
been raised, although the probability of a smaller 0.2 to 1.4 m rise during
the next century is more likely. What we can do about this and how we
manage our coastlines in response are matters which are only just begin
ning to be examined seriously. In this, as in other fields of earth science, the
study of sea-level data has been recognised as being of great practical
value: for geology and geophysics in understanding the structure and func
tioning of the earth, for geomorphology in coastal management and plan
ning, for biogeography within the biologi~al sciences in examining organ
ism development and in commercial fields in hydrocarbon and mineral
exploration.
As discussed in the book, these stimuli have prompted the setting-up of
many national and international research projects to study sea-surface
changes. This volume is in part a response to the activities of one of these
programmes, the International Geological Correlation Programme's
Project 200, 'Sea-level Correlations and Applications', to which the book
forms a contribution. In other respects the book has grown from the
editor's own long-term interest in this field, and from the need now to pull
together the extensive knowledge about the subject that has been acquired
PREFACE
say·
over the last forty years. This is not to that excellent texts dealing with
various aspects of sea-level studies have not been produced in this time;
they have, and reference to many of these has been made here in this
volume. Rarely, however, have they considered the subject in a global
context, as here, integrating the subject in the same text with treatment of
relevant aspects of coastal process studies and the applications and value of
such work.
Preparation for this book began in 1983, with the different chapters
being contributed at various stages since that time, as follows: Chapters 7,
12 in 1984; 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17 in 1985 and 1, 5, 15, 18,
19 in 1986. Where necessary these have undergone update and re
vision of detail prior to publication. As such, the volume forms a multi
authored text representing an interdisciplinary approach, often by
acknowledged authorities within the different fields covered, to areas of
complex study within the subject. The book is not intended, however, to
take the reader step by step through the detail of sea levels, but to provide
a comprehensive coverage of the important concepts and principles, global
spatial - temporal patterns of sea-level change and discussion of their
current applications. Whilst many may feel a multi-authored text has its
drawbacks treatment of this rapidly evolving subject at this scale demands,
almost by definition, that such an approach be taken. Further, the book is
far from being intended for the expert alone, although it is hoped that those
involved in sea-level research will find it of value. Through its structure and
organisation, extensive referencing within chapters and presentation of
material themes, the book is designed as a 'way in' for non-specialists in all
disciplines to learn about this complex, often confusing, but most important
aspect of our changing environment.
RJ.N. Devoy
Cork
