Eolian depositional episodes controlled by Late Quaternary relative sea level changes on the Imbituba–Laguna coast (southern Brazil)

Abstract

The Late Quaternary coastal eolian deposits of the Imbituba–Laguna region (Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil) comprise two “eolian depositional sequences”, separated by an unconformity. The older eolian sequence, A, is correlated to the relative sea level rise of the Last Interglacial period. The eolian sequence B was initiated during the relative sea level rise in the post -glacial period and extends up to active dunefields. The correspondence between the two eolian depositional episodes represented by these sequences and the relative sea level highstand phases is confirmed by thermoluminescence and optically stimulated luminescence dating. This correspondence is explained by a conceptual model that links the availability of coastal sediments for eolian transport with relative sea level changes. The link between relative sea level changes and coastal eolian sedimentation can be used to integrate coastal eolian systems to the sequence stratigraphy model.