Research Article| January 01, 1995 Reef drowning during the last deglaciation: Evidence for catastrophic sea-level rise and ice-sheet collapse Paul Blanchon; Paul Blanchon 1Department of Geography, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H4, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar John Shaw John Shaw 1Department of Geography, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H4, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Paul Blanchon 1Department of Geography, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H4, Canada John Shaw 1Department of Geography, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H4, Canada Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1995) 23 (1): 4–8. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1995)023<0004:RDDTLD>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Paul Blanchon, John Shaw; Reef drowning during the last deglaciation: Evidence for catastrophic sea-level rise and ice-sheet collapse. Geology 1995;; 23 (1): 4–8. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1995)023<0004:RDDTLD>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Elevations and ages of drowned Acropora palmata reefs from the Caribbean-Atlantic region document three catastrophic, metre-scale sea-level–rise events during the last deglaciation. These catastrophic rises were synchronous with (1) collapse of the Laurentide and Antarctic ice sheets, (2) dramatic reorganization of ocean-atmosphere circulation, and (3) releases of huge volumes of subglacial and proglacial meltwater. This correlation suggests that release of stored meltwater periodically destabilized ice sheets, causing them to collapse and send huge fleets of icebergs into the Atlantic. Massive inputs of ice not only produced catastrophic sea-level rise, drowning reefs and destabilizing other ice sheets, but also rapidly reduced the elevation of the Laurentide ice sheet, flipping atmospheric circulation patterns and forcing warm equatorial waters into the frigid North Atlantic. Such dramatic evidence of catastrophic climate and sea-level change during deglaciation has potentially disastrous implications for the future, especially as the stability of remaining ice sheets—such as in West Antarctica—is in question. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.