Exceptional rise in ancient sea levels revealed
Tuesday, June 5, 2012 - 10:31
in Paleontology & Archaeology
Since the end of the last ice age 21,000 years ago, our planet has seen ocean levels rise by 120m to reach their current levels. This increase has not been constant, rather punctuated by rapid accelerations, linked to massive outburst floods from the ice caps. The largest increase, known by paleoclimatologists as ‘Melt-Water Pulse 1A’, proved to be enigmatic in many respects. A study recently revealed the mysteries of this event, without doubt one of the most important in the last deglaciation.