Perched coastline

Perched coastline

A perched coastline is a fossil coastline currently above the present coastline. It can be produced by one of two factors.

1. Perched coastlines can be created by higher sea levels in the past than today. For example during the last Ice Age interglacial period, climates were significantly warmer than today, and thermal expansion of the oceans, together with increased melting of glaciers, meant that sea levels were higher than they are today. This has created evidence of perched coastlines all around the world.

2. Perched coastlines can be created through coastal uplift from local geological processes, particularly along the edges of rift valleys or subduction zones of tectonic plates. This second kind of perched coastline is important archaeologically as it can expose human remains that would otherwise be below sea level.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Marine terrace — A marine terrace, coastal terrace[1], raised beach or perched coastline is a relatively flat, horizontal or gently inclined surface of marine origin[2], mostly an old abrasion platform which has been lifted out of the sphere of wave activity… …   Wikipedia

  • Madagascar — Madagascan, n., adj. /mad euh gas keuhr/, n. an island republic in the Indian Ocean, about 240 mi. (385 km) off the SE coast of Africa: formerly a French colony; gained independence 1960. 14,061,627; 227,800 sq. mi. (590,000 sq. km). Cap.:… …   Universalium

  • United States — a republic in the N Western Hemisphere comprising 48 conterminous states, the District of Columbia, and Alaska in North America, and Hawaii in the N Pacific. 267,954,767; conterminous United States, 3,022,387 sq. mi. (7,827,982 sq. km); with… …   Universalium

  • Coast (TV series) — Coast Genre Documentary Created by BBC Birmingham Directed by Jonathan Barker Oliver Clark …   Wikipedia

  • Red-headed Honeyeater — Male perched on a mangrove branch …   Wikipedia

  • Maine — This article is about the U.S. state of Maine. For other uses, see Maine (disambiguation). State of Maine …   Wikipedia

  • Greece — /grees/, n. 1. Ancient Greek, Hellas. Modern Greek, Ellas. a republic in S Europe at the S end of the Balkan Peninsula. 10,583,126; 50,147 sq. mi. (129,880 sq. km). Cap.: Athens. 2. a city in W New York. 16,177. * * * Greece Introduction Greece… …   Universalium

  • Morocco — Moroccan /meuh rok euhn/, adj., n. /meuh rok oh/, n. 1. French, Maroc. Spanish, Marruecos. a kingdom in NW Africa: formed from a sultanate that was divided into two protectorates (French Morocco and Spanish Morocco) and an international zone.… …   Universalium

  • Germany — /jerr meuh nee/, n. a republic in central Europe: after World War II divided into four zones, British, French, U.S., and Soviet, and in 1949 into East Germany and West Germany; East and West Germany were reunited in 1990. 84,068,216; 137,852 sq.… …   Universalium

  • Coat of arms of Mexico — Details Armiger Mexico Adopted Sep …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”