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Evidence for a Holocene High Sea-Level Stand, Vanua Levu, Fiji

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Takao Miyata ,
Yasuo Maeda ,
Eiji Matsumoto ,
Yoshiaki Matsushima ,
Peter Rodda ,
Arata Sugimura  and
Hajime Kayanne
Takao Miyata
Affiliation:
College of Liberal Arts, Kobe University, Kobe, 657, Japan
Yasuo Maeda
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education, Yamagata University, Yamagata, 990, Japan
Eiji Matsumoto
Affiliation:
Water Research Institute, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464, Japan
Yoshiaki Matsushima
Affiliation:
Kanagawa Prefectural Museum, Yokohama, 231, Japan
Peter Rodda
Affiliation:
Mineral Resources Department, P.M. Bag, Suya, Fiji, Japan
Arata Sugimura
Affiliation:
Faculty of Science, Kobe University (retired), Kobe, 657, Japan
Hajime Kayanne
Affiliation:
Marine Geology Department, Geological Survey of Japan, Tsukuba, 305, Japan
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Abstract

Two distinct elevations of emerged notches can be recognized on the southeastern coast of Vanua Levu: the higher notch is +2.22 to +3.30 m above low-tide level and the lower +1.52 to +1.65 m above low-tide level. Many emerged Holocene corals encrust higher notch floors and benches or occur as microatolls and from these radiocarbon ages ranging from 6000 to 3400 yr B.P. were obtained. The higher notches are significantly higher than present high-tide level, even allowing for relative tectonic uplift. This is supported by elevations of emerged microatolls and their 14C ages. Thus, mean sea level of the mid-Holocene was higher than that at present.

Type
Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 33 , Issue 3 , May 1990 , pp. 352 - 359
Copyright
University of Washington

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