Cretaceous Sea Level Rise delves into the question of whether the observed short-term sea-level changes are regional (tectonic) or global (eustatic) and determines their possible relation to climate cycles; to assess the role of feedback mechanisms, i.e. thermal expansion/contraction of seawater, subsidence due to loading by water, changing vegetation of the Earth System and to investigate the relation of sea-level highs and lows to ocean anoxia and oxidation events, represented by black shales and oceanic red beds, and to evaluate the evidence for ephemeral glacial episodes or other climate events.
Though research has been, and is being, conducted in these fields since the introduction of sea level cycles and sequence development concepts in the 1970s, the available information is scattered. Cretaceous Sea Level Rise presents the current understanding and future directions of the research on Cretaceous sea level cycles in a single source, forming a reference work for beginners, graduates and postgraduates who are interested in this subject.
Preface
Acknowledgements
Chapter I INTRODUCTION
Chapter II TRENDS, TIMINGS, AND MAGNITUDES
Chapter III CAUSES AND MECHANISMS
3.1. Endogenic processes and causes
3.2. Eustasy and related causes
3.2.1. Eustasy under greenhouse conditions?
3.2.2. Limno-eustasy
3.2.3. Eustasy due to thermal expansion-contraction of sea water
Chapter IV TOOLS, METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
4.1. Sedimentary proxies
4.2. Physical proxies
4.3. Biological proxies
4.4. Geochemical proxies
4.5. Integrated analyses for documenting sea level fluctuations
Chapter V WHERE IT STANDS NOW AND WHERE IS IT HEADED
References
Index
Dr. Mu Ramkumar is a faculty member of the Department of Geology at Periyar University in Salem, India. He is among the pioneering researchers on the subject of chemostratigraphy and has been authoring on the topic for the past 15 years. Dr. Ramkumar has published more than 100 journal articles and book chapters, authored two books and edited five Special volumes by International publishers. He has received nine fellowships, including the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, Germany, Young Scientist Award (twice) from the Department of Science and Technology and Scientist's Pool Scheme from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India. He is a member of editorial committees and boards of many international geoscience journals.