Holocene sea-level history of the Canadian Beaufort shelf

Abstract

New radiocarbon ages pertaining to the Holocene sea-level history of the Canadian Beaufort shelf are presented. The ages were obtained on samples of freshwater and tidal-marsh peat beds from offshore boreholes and shallow cores in the coastal zone and on molluscs and a single piece of wood deposited in foraminifera-bearing marine sediments. Although none of the samples record directly the position of relative sea level, the suite of ages constrains the regional curve sufficiently to suggest a faster rate of mid Holocene sea level rise (7–14 mm/a) than previously thought. The rate of relative rise slowed markedly in the last 3000 years, approaching the present at a maximum probable rate of 2.5 mm/a.