Ups and downs in western Crete (Hellenic subduction zone)

Studies of past sea-level markers are commonly used to unveil the tectonic history and seismic behavior of subduction zones. We present new evidence on vertical motions of the Hellenic subduction zone as resulting from a suite of Late Pleistocene - Holocene shorelines in western Crete (Greece). Shor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inScientific reports Vol. 4; no. 1; p. 5677
Main Authors Tiberti, Mara Monica, Basili, Roberto, Vannoli, Paola
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Nature Publishing Group UK 14.07.2014
Nature Publishing Group
Subjects
140/58
704/2151/213
704/2151/215
704/2151/562
Accretion disks
Basins
Holocene
Humanities and Social Sciences
multidisciplinary
Pleistocene
Radiocarbon dating
Science
Seismic activity
Shorelines
Crete
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Summary:Studies of past sea-level markers are commonly used to unveil the tectonic history and seismic behavior of subduction zones. We present new evidence on vertical motions of the Hellenic subduction zone as resulting from a suite of Late Pleistocene - Holocene shorelines in western Crete (Greece). Shoreline ages obtained by AMS radiocarbon dating of seashells, together with the reappraisal of shoreline ages from previous works, testify a long-term uplift rate of 2.5–2.7 mm/y. This average value, however, includes periods in which the vertical motions vary significantly: 2.6–3.2 mm/y subsidence rate from 42 ka to 23 ka, followed by ~7.7 mm/y sustained uplift rate from 23 ka to present. The last ~5 ky shows a relatively slower uplift rate of 3.0–3.3 mm/y, yet slightly higher than the long-term average. A preliminary tectonic model attempts at explaining these up and down motions by across-strike partitioning of fault activity in the subduction zone.
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ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep05677