Sea‐level change and true polar wander during the Late Cretaceous

Abstract

We demonstrate that rapid changes in the Earth's rotation vector can drive relative sea‐level (RSL) variations in excess of 100 m in as little as 1 m.y. Stratigraphic constraints on sea‐level change can thus be used as an independent test of true polar wander (TPW) events proposed on the basis of paleomagnetic evidence. Recent estimates of Late Cretaceous TPW include a period of rapid motion, however a corresponding period of large and rapid sea‐level change is not consistently evident in our preliminary examination of the geological record. This suggests that the magnitude of Late Cretaceous TPW may have been overestimated, although a definitive conclusion requires a comprehensive study of high‐resolution Late Cretaceous sea‐level records. (Index Terms: 1239, 1527, 4556, 8159).