The high-resolution Holocene sea-level curve for Northwest Germany: global signals, local effects or data-artefacts?

• Published in: International journal of earth sciences : Geologische Rundschau Vol. 99; no. 8; pp. 1687 - 1706
• Main Authors: Bungenstock, Friederike, Weerts, Henk J. T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-12-2010; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Compaction; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Fluctuations; Geochemistry; Geology; Geophysics; Geophysics/Geodesy; Holocene; Marine; Mineral Resources; Oceanography; Original Paper; Sea level; Sedimentology; Stratigraphy; Structural Geology; Tidal effects; Tides; North Sea; ANE, North Sea; ANE, Germany; C; Tidal effects; Northwest Germany; Smoothers; Wigglers; dating; Data-artefacts; Relative sea-level curves; Glacial forebulge
• ISSN: 1437-3254; 1437-3262
• DOI: 10.1007/s00531-009-0493-6

A few years ago, a new relative sea-level curve for northwest Germany was constructed for the entire German North Sea coast. It is characterised by several suspected sea-level fluctuations. To test this curve for local effects, it was broken down into five relative sea-level curves representative for five coastal sections. The relative sea-level curves were corrected for tidal effects and also, a rough first correction for compaction was applied. The five curves all differ from the original curve and from each other. Most of the suspected sea-level fluctuations in the original curve cannot be supported and are discussed as data-artefacts or local effects. Around AD 800–1000 all curves show stagnation or drop of sea-level. Thus, this signal is discussed as of over-regional stratigraphic meaning. This study is a first step (1) to show that several curves are needed to demonstrate the Holocene sea-level history of such a big area as the entire German North Sea coast and (2) to establish reliable relative sea-level curves for the German North Sea coast. Further research is necessary to apply detailed corrections especially with respect to compaction-prone data and to improve the individual curves.