A +20 m middle Pleistocene sea-level highstand (Bermuda and the Bahamas) due to partial collapse of Antarctic ice

Research Article| April 01, 1999 A +20 m middle Pleistocene sea-level highstand (Bermuda and the Bahamas) due to partial collapse of Antarctic ice P. J. Hearty; P. J. Hearty 1Chertsey 112, Box N-337, Nassau, Bahamas Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar P. Kindler; P. Kindler 2Department of Geology and Paleontology, University of Geneva, rue des Maraîchers, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar H. Cheng; H. Cheng 3Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar R. L. Edwards R. L. Edwards 3Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information P. J. Hearty 1Chertsey 112, Box N-337, Nassau, Bahamas P. Kindler 2Department of Geology and Paleontology, University of Geneva, rue des Maraîchers, 1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland H. Cheng 3Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA R. L. Edwards 3Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1999) 27 (4): 375–378. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1999)027<0375:AMMPSL>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation P. J. Hearty, P. Kindler, H. Cheng, R. L. Edwards; A +20 m middle Pleistocene sea-level highstand (Bermuda and the Bahamas) due to partial collapse of Antarctic ice. Geology 1999;; 27 (4): 375–378. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1999)027<0375:AMMPSL>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Marine deposits at +20 ± 3 m on the tectonically stable coastlines of Bermuda and the Bahamas support the hypothesis of a partial collapse of the Antarctic ice sheet during the middle Pleistocene. Beach sediments fill a sea cave at +22 m in Bermuda, and horizontal, fenestrae-filled beds crop out on platforms at two sites as high as +21 m in Eleuthera, Bahamas. Carbonate beach sands are bound by an early generation of isopachous fibrous cement that is characteristic of a phreatic marine environment. Amino acid racemization and TIMS (thermal-ionization mass spectrometry) dates constrain the age of the deposits to between 390 and 550 ka, while proxy evidence supports a correlation with oxygen isotope stage 11. This direct geologic evidence of a 20% decrease in polar ice during the middle Pleistocene has important implications for the stability of ice sheets during warm interglaciations. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.