Variations in relative sea level in south America, Brazil: A comprehensive analysis

Abstract

The study of relative sea level variations (RSLV) is crucial for understanding past fluctuations and predicting future environmental changes, especially in coastal areas. The Holocene epoch is of particular interest due to the greater preservation of its indicators, which come from various academic fields such as micropaleontology, archaeology, geomorphology, sedimentology, stratigraphy, and geochronology. As a result, methodologies can vary and have improved over time. This study aimed to discuss the main articles and authors that deal with RSLV on the coast of Rio de Janeiro state. We selected 44 articles from the Scopus database, using keywords such as 'Sea Level', 'Indicators', 'Holocene', and 'Rio de Janeiro' to conduct the search. Using the VOSViewer bibliometric software, we generated maps showing links between authors, articles, and keywords, as well as tables indicating the number of citations and publications. The software identified 140 authors from the selected articles. We found an increase in publications on the subject in recent years. From the number of citations and publications, we concluded that author J.W.A. Castro stands out in the field due to his works on constructing the state's RSLV curve. The most frequently appearing keywords in the articles were 'Holocene' and 'sea level change', which were expected. In addition, 'radiocarbon dating', 'beachrock', and 'paleoenvironment' were commonly used, indicating that the radiocarbon method is the most widely used for dating. However, we also found a lack of detail on the methodologies used for dating, from sample pre-treatment to age measurement, which could make it difficult for other researchers to use the data. Nevertheless, our analysis of bibliometric data and bibliographic review revealed many collaborations between authors from different fields, broadening the understanding of the subject and generating knowledge exchange within the academic community.