Morphology and Sediments of the Fore-Slopes of Mayotte, Comoro Islands: Direct Observations from a Submersible

Autor: Anton Eisenhauer, D. Blomeier, B. A. Thomassin, G. Faure, Joël Casanova, Gilbert Camoin, M. Colonna, Wolf-Christian Dullo
Rok vydání: 2009
Předmět:
Zdroj: Reefs and Carbonate Platforms in the Pacific and Indian Oceans
DOI: 10.1002/9781444304879.ch11
Popis: Mayotte fore-slopes exhibit a distinct pattern in overall morphology, starting in the deep with an unlithified sedimentary wedge and slope, followed upwards by a cemented slope, and finally by a steep, almost vertical wall. On top of the wall, drowned reefs occur. Dated corals may reveal the history of sea-level changes indicating pristine reef growth during late isotope stage 3 (at 55–24 ka) at a present-day water depth greater than 80 m. A maximum sea-level drop of 150 m occurred during the last glacial maximum, around 20 ka. This lowering of sea-level is documented by karst features such as small caves and corroded and jagged surfaces. The phase of deglaciation is recorded by two give-up reef levels at 100–90-m water depth and 65–55-m water depth which we may relate to the Bolling (14 ka) and post Younger Dryas (11.5 ka) meltwater pulses, known from the deep-sea record.
Databáze: OpenAIRE