M. Aurell et al., PLEISTOCENE SHALLOWING-UPWARD SEQUENCES IN NEW-PROVIDENCE, BAHAMAS - SIGNATURE OF HIGH-FREQUENCY SEA-LEVEL FLUCTUATIONS IN SHALLOW CARBONATE PLATFORMS, Journal of sedimentary research. Section B, Stratigraphy and global studies, 65(1), 1995, pp. 170-182
Examination of several closely spaced cores from western New Providenc
e, Bahamas, shows a classic shoaling-upward progression of facies. Ref
ined age constraints from magnetostratigraphy indicate that since the
Brunhes/Matuyama boundary (0.78 Ma), only three sea-level highstands h
ave flooded this part of the platform. The reefal-skeletal-oolitic-pel
oidal facies sequence, probably representing deposition during fourth-
order highstands, show lateral facies changes and perhaps regional cli
matic influences. This skeletal-to-nonskeletal transition is common in
other Bahamian platform records, and appears to be youngest near the
edges of the platform. Estimates of sea level during the reversed-pola
rity Matuyama, without subsidence corrections, show that it reached wi
thin about 10 m below present sea level. During the Brunhes chron, at
least one highstand came to within 6-7 m of present mean sea level. Th
e uppermost part of a core, containing beach facies, is now about 6 m
above sea level and is thought torepresent the 0.13 Ma sea-level event
.