Abstract
Marine terraces are geomorphic markers largely used to estimate past sea-level positions and surface deformation rates in studies focused on climate and tectonic processes worldwide. This paper aims to investigate the role of tectonic processes in the late Quaternary evolution of the coastal landscape of the broader Neapolis area by assessing long-term vertical deformation rates. To document and estimate coastal uplift, marine terraces are used in conjunction with Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating and correlation to late Quaternary eustatic sea-level variations. The study area is located in SE Peloponnese in a tectonically active region. Geodynamic processes in the area are related to the active subduction of the African lithosphere beneath the Eurasian plate. A series of 10 well preserved uplifted marine terraces with inner edges ranging in elevation from 8 ± 2 m to 192 ± 2 m above m.s.l. have been documented, indicating a significant coastal uplift of the study area. Marine terraces have been identified and mapped using topographic maps (at a scale of 1:5000), aerial photographs, and a 2 m resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM), supported by extensive field observations. OSL dating of selected samples from two of the terraces allowed us to correlate them with late Pleistocene Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) sea-level highstands and to estimate the long-term uplift rate. Based on the findings of the above approach, a long-term uplift rate of 0.36 ± 0.11 mm a−1 over the last 401 ± 10 ka has been suggested for the study area. The spatially uniform uplift of the broader Neapolis area is driven by the active subduction of the African lithosphere beneath the Eurasian plate since the study area is situated very close (~90 km) to the active margin of the Hellenic subduction zone.
Highlights
Introduction iationsCoastal regions above subduction zones are of great interest for studying the active tectonic processes at convergent plate boundaries, especially if the presence of suitable geomorphic markers allows quantifying the deformation of the upper plate [1,2,3,4]
The application of mapping techniques led to the identification of a sequence of 10 uplifted marine terraces along the coastline between cape Koulendi and Agia Marina, west of cape Maleas, with inner edges’ elevation ranging between 8 ± 2 m and 172 ± 2 m (Figures 4 and 5)
The application of Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis, DGPS techniques, and conventional field-mapping methods along the coasts of the broader area of Neapolis in southeastern Peloponnese, enabled us to recognize and map a sequence of 10 tectonically uplifted marine terraces with inner edges ranging in elevations from 8 ± 2 to 192 ± 2 m above m.s.l
Summary
Coastal regions above subduction zones are of great interest for studying the active tectonic processes at convergent plate boundaries, especially if the presence of suitable geomorphic markers allows quantifying the deformation of the upper plate [1,2,3,4] Among such geomorphic markers are palaeoshoreline indicators (beach rocks, marine notches, marine terraces, and palaeo-strandlines) which indicate the former positions of shorelines and are commonly used to determine rates and patterns of long-term rock uplift and deformation in tectonically active settings [1,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]. These landforms are prominent along many coastlines, and they can be useful for measuring rates and patterns of Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
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