Markers of palaeo sea-level in rocky coasts of Patagonia (Argentina)

M. Bini (*), I. Consoloni (*), I. Isola (**), M. Pappalardo (*), L. Ragaini (*), A. Ribolini (*) & G. Zanchetta (*)
(*) Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, University of Pisa, via Santa Maria, Pisa, Italy. E-mail: bini@dst.unipi.it (**) Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia sez. Pisa, Italy.

The Patagonian coast is locally constituted by an impressive series of preserved beach ridges and terraces deposits largely used in literature as sea-level markers. In this work we outline the importance of notches and biogenic incrustation in rocky coasts, that can be a useful tool for sea-level reconstructions. We focus on two distinct areas, Puerto Deseado and Camarones, respectively located to the South and to the North of the San Jorge Gulf in the southern Patagonia. In these sites carving forms such as notches and biogenic incrustations on palaeo cliffs provide accurate information on sea-level change during the Holocene.

Patagonia, rocky coast, sea-level