Quaternary shorelines of Kaibu Island, southwest Pacific Ocean: implications for last interglacial sea-level history and uplift of the Lau-Colville ridge

Nunn, Patrick D. and Omura, A. (2003) Quaternary shorelines of Kaibu Island, southwest Pacific Ocean: implications for last interglacial sea-level history and uplift of the Lau-Colville ridge. Quaternary Australasia, 21 (2). pp. 33-38. ISSN 0811-0433

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Abstract

The island Kaibu in north-east Fiji exhibits a series of three limestone terraces (5.0–5.5 m, 8.0– 9.2 m and 12–14 m) arranged around a volcanic core. Each terrace comprises a fossil coral reef along its seaward side and an erosional platform and notch along its landward side. Where the lowest terrace is locally absent, it is marked by an emerged notch (5.1–5.2 m above the modern notch) cut into the cliff.
Ages of fossil corals from the forereef zone of the lowest emerged reef all indicate that it was living during the Last Interglacial (oxygen-isotope Stage 5e). A plausible interpretation is that the ages represent a double sea-level maximum with peaks around 133–130 kyr and 123–120 kyr. The earlier maximum was some 2 m lower than the later and marked by the growth of a surface reef. The later maximum appears to have involved only cutting of erosional shorelines at the 5.0–5.5 m level.
Since there are no ages for the two higher terraces, various scenarios can be envisaged. The one favoured is that both terraces formed during Stage7 sea-level maxima.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GB Physical geography
Divisions:	Office of the PVC (R&I)
Depositing User:	Ms Mereoni Camailakeba
Date Deposited:	23 Apr 2003 09:26
Last Modified:	16 Jul 2012 08:10
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/2802

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