Late Quaternary uplift of the Troodos ophiolite, Cyprus: Uranium-series dating of Pleistocene coral

Abstract

In an attempt to constrain the timing and mode of tectonic uplift of the classic Troodos ophiolite, colonial corals were collected from Quaternary littoral raised terraces in coastal southern Cyprus and dated using the uranium-series disequilibrium method. A total of 28 samples of Cladocora caespitosa were collected at five localities from the 8-11-m-high and <3-m-high marine terraces. The corals yield systematic ages of 185-192 ka (ka = 103 yr) and 116-130 ka for the 8-11 m and <3 m terraces, respectively. When correlated with the global oxygen isotope stages, the results suggest that southern Cyprus was uplifted by 18 m during the past 185-192 ka, as a single tectonic entity. Of this uplift, 13 m took place between 130 and 185 ka (at ∼24 cm/ka), and a maximum of 6 m of uplift (at 5 cm/ka) took place over the past 116 ka, but with some evidence of coastal subsidence in more recent time. An exception, the extreme southeast of Cyprus (Cape Greco), was perhaps uplifted faster during the past 141 ka, at a rate of 12 cm/ka.