The terraces of Corinth (Gerrce) — A detailed record of eustatic sea-level variations during the last 500,000 years

Abstract

Between Corinth and Xylokastro 20 marine terraces reflect the interaction of the northern Peloponnese uplift and the global eustatic sea-level fluctuations during the last 500,000 years. Correlation of the terraces with oxygen-isotope records in deep-sea cores allowed accurate dating of these fossilized transgressive shorelines. Curves of altitude versus age have been plotted; they show a regular decrease of the uplift rate and a frequent return of the sea level very close to the present-day one, not only during the interglacial periods (5, 7, 9, 11, 13) but also during glacial periods (3.1, 3.3, 6, 8); the alternative would be to suppose very complicated and highly improbable vertical movements of the substratum to explain the regularity of the curves. The rhythm of these high sea levels is around 20–30 ka, since at least 330,000 years ago.