Reply to Discussion of «Relative sea level fluctuations in Aegean coastal areas from middle to late Holocene» by Kosmas Pavlopoulos [Geodinamica Acta 23/5–6 (2010) 225–232

Abstract

This paper gives an answer to the criticism of Jussereta and Baeteman to the paper Discussion of “Relative sea level fluctuations in Aegean coastal areas from middle to late Holocene” by Kosmas Pavlopoulos [Geodinamica Acta 23/5–6 (2010) 225–232]. Jussereta and Baeteman were critical about how the peat beds can be regarded as certain sea level indicators. It is evident that the method adopted for the determination of the mean sedimentation rate of the peats beds is the dating of two distinct (usually basal and uppermost) layers. A common inaccuracy that some researchers do when they refer to relative sea level changes, is to focus only on eustatic component of this process, and to ignore the rest two (isostatic and tectonic). Jussereta and Baeteman do not believe that a particulate site could suffer alternate stages of subsidence and uplift. However, Aegean Sea is an area of high tectonic potential, which has shaped by the interplay compression and extension forces. Finally, this answer gives evidence that the observational data concerning the Holocene RSL stands in unstable localities can be compared with those data extracted from a hydro-isostatic model to estimate rates of vertical displacement and, therefore, to detect uplifting, relative stable and subsiding regions. This approach is followed by many researchers who study various Mediterranean coasts © 2011 Lavoisier SAS. All rights reserved