SEA-LEVEL CHANGES AND DELTA-O-18 RECORD FOR THE PAST 34,000 YR FROM MAYOTTE REEF, INDIAN-OCEAN

New sea-level and delta(18)O curves for the past 34,000 yr, based on u ranium-thorium chronology, are proposed for the southwestern part of t he Indian Ocean, The archives include cores drilled from onshore coral reefs and submersed samples from foreslope corals of Mayotte in the C omoro Islands. The, Mayotte sea-level curve shows a lowstand of 145 +/ - 5 m below the present level during the last glacial maximum dated at 18,400 yr, This lowstand is supported by the maximum O-18 enrichment in the coral colonies. The residual signal (Delta delta(18)O), control led by sea-surface temperature changes, indicates that surface waters 18,400 yr ago were approximately 5 degrees C cooler than present. The deglacial sea-level rise is clearly recorded, with a mean rate of abou t 1.7 cm yr(-1) between 18,400 and 10,000 yr ago. The deglaciation pha se is characterized by a strong O-18 depletion marked by two pulses re lated to meltwater discharges into the North Atlantic Ocean but also c haracterized by responses specific to the tropical Indian Ocean. (C) 1 996 University of Washington.