Tectonics and Sea-Level Fluctuations

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Geological Oceanography".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2021) | Viewed by 36128

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Geography, Harokopio University, 70 El. Venizelou Str., 17671 Kallithea, Athens, Greece
Interests: coastal geomorphology; fluvial geomorphology; Quaternary geology; natural hazards; palaeogeography; morphotectonics; geomorphological mapping

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Guest Editor
Department of Geography, Harokopio University, 70 El. Venizelou Str. 17671 Kallithea, Athens, Greece
Interests: fluvial and coastal Geomorphology; landscape morphoevolution; Quaternary palaeogeographic reconstruction; geomorphological mapping; sea-level changes; natural hazards

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Co-Guest Editor
Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zografou, 15784 Athens, Greece
Interests: geomorphology; coastal geomorphology; sea level changes; palaeogeographic reconstructions; natural hazards; geoarchaeology
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Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Long-term global changes in the sea level are the result of changes in the volume of water in the oceans caused by fluctuations of the Earth’s climate (glacial–interglacial cycles) and changes in both the shape and volume of the oceans’ basins caused mainly by plate tectonics. The Quaternary Period is characterized by climatic and sea-level fluctuations, with sea-level highstands and lowstands corresponding to interglacial and glacial stages, respectively. The sea level may also change locally, if tectonic forces cause the land to uplift or subside. Hence, in tectonically active areas, the formation and recent evolution of coastal landscapes is the outcome of the interplay between active tectonics and sea-level fluctuations. In addition, coastal areas that have been influenced by intense vertical tectonic movements appear as traces of palaeo-shorelines in the form of landforms and changes in the sedimentary facies. The study (recognition, mapping, and dating) of uplifted or submerged coastal landforms, which serve as past sea-level indicators, can provide considerable insight into the tectonic and climatic history of coastal areas and can help in the prediction of future sea-level trends. This Special Issue invites researchers and scientists involved in related studies to come forward with their research and present their findings. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following areas:

  • Tectono-eustatic processes on a global scale.
  • The study of sea-level changes evidence in the form of erosional landforms (shore platforms, marine terraces, marine notches, and sea caves); depositional features (beachrocks, tidal flats, and coral reefs); biological indicators; and archaeological remains, which now occur well above the present sea level and, indeed, are now submerged.
  • New approaches of absolute dating techniques of past sea-level indicators.
  • Research on the influence of tectonics on the sedimentary stratigraphy of coastal areas.

Prof. Efthimios Karymbalis
Dr. Konstantinos Tsanakas
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • sea-level change indicators
  • dating techniques
  • active tectonics
  • coastal geomorphology
  • quaternary
  • marine terraces
  • uplifted/submerged marine notches
  • uplifted/submerged beachrocks
  • uplifted/submerged archaeological remains
  • biological sea-level change indicators

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 173 KiB  
Editorial
Tectonics and Sea-Level Fluctuations
by Efthimios Karymbalis, Konstantinos Tsanakas, Anna Karkani and Niki Evelpidou
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(3), 334; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10030334 - 27 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2661
Abstract
Global sea level has fluctuated significantly over geologic time as a result of changes in the volume of available water in the oceans and changes in the shape and volume of the ocean basins [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tectonics and Sea-Level Fluctuations)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

23 pages, 21053 KiB  
Article
Late Quaternary Marine Terraces and Tectonic Uplift Rates of the Broader Neapolis Area (SE Peloponnese, Greece)
by Efthimios Karymbalis, Konstantinos Tsanakas, Ioannis Tsodoulos, Kalliopi Gaki-Papanastassiou, Dimitrios Papanastassiou, Dimitrios-Vasileios Batzakis and Konstantinos Stamoulis
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(1), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10010099 - 12 Jan 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4158
Abstract
Marine terraces are geomorphic markers largely used to estimate past sea-level positions and surface deformation rates in studies focused on climate and tectonic processes worldwide. This paper aims to investigate the role of tectonic processes in the late Quaternary evolution of the coastal [...] Read more.
Marine terraces are geomorphic markers largely used to estimate past sea-level positions and surface deformation rates in studies focused on climate and tectonic processes worldwide. This paper aims to investigate the role of tectonic processes in the late Quaternary evolution of the coastal landscape of the broader Neapolis area by assessing long-term vertical deformation rates. To document and estimate coastal uplift, marine terraces are used in conjunction with Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating and correlation to late Quaternary eustatic sea-level variations. The study area is located in SE Peloponnese in a tectonically active region. Geodynamic processes in the area are related to the active subduction of the African lithosphere beneath the Eurasian plate. A series of 10 well preserved uplifted marine terraces with inner edges ranging in elevation from 8 ± 2 m to 192 ± 2 m above m.s.l. have been documented, indicating a significant coastal uplift of the study area. Marine terraces have been identified and mapped using topographic maps (at a scale of 1:5000), aerial photographs, and a 2 m resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM), supported by extensive field observations. OSL dating of selected samples from two of the terraces allowed us to correlate them with late Pleistocene Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) sea-level highstands and to estimate the long-term uplift rate. Based on the findings of the above approach, a long-term uplift rate of 0.36 ± 0.11 mm a−1 over the last 401 ± 10 ka has been suggested for the study area. The spatially uniform uplift of the broader Neapolis area is driven by the active subduction of the African lithosphere beneath the Eurasian plate since the study area is situated very close (~90 km) to the active margin of the Hellenic subduction zone. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tectonics and Sea-Level Fluctuations)
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10 pages, 54223 KiB  
Article
Multiple Submerged Tidal Notches: A Witness of Sequences of Coseismic Subsidence in the Aegean Sea, Greece
by Anna Karkani and Niki Evelpidou
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(4), 426; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9040426 - 14 Apr 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2367
Abstract
In some islands of the Aegean, there is evidence of the occurrence of repeated rapid subsidences during the Late Holocene. In this paper, the shape of tidal notches that may be well-preserved underwater is recalled in order to reconstruct sequences of coseismic subsidences [...] Read more.
In some islands of the Aegean, there is evidence of the occurrence of repeated rapid subsidences during the Late Holocene. In this paper, the shape of tidal notches that may be well-preserved underwater is recalled in order to reconstruct sequences of coseismic subsidences and other relative sea-level changes, which occurred during, at least, the last few millennia. A reanalysis of the published measurements of submerged tidal notches in several islands reveals that subsidence trends in many areas of the Aegean are not continuous with gradual movement but, also, are the result of repeated coseismic vertical subsidences of some decimetres at each time. The estimated average return times are of the order of approximately some centuries to one millennium. Although the results cannot be used for short-term predictions of earthquakes, they may provide useful indications on the long-term tectonic trends that are active in the Aegean region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tectonics and Sea-Level Fluctuations)
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31 pages, 18283 KiB  
Article
The Tsunami Caused by the 30 October 2020 Samos (Aegean Sea) Mw7.0 Earthquake: Hydrodynamic Features, Source Properties and Impact Assessment from Post-Event Field Survey and Video Records
by Ioanna Triantafyllou, Marilia Gogou, Spyridon Mavroulis, Efthymios Lekkas, Gerassimos A. Papadopoulos and Manolis Thravalos
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(1), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9010068 - 11 Jan 2021
Cited by 52 | Viewed by 11981
Abstract
The tsunami generated by the offshore Samos Island earthquake (Mw = 7.0, 30 October 2020) is the largest in the Aegean Sea since 1956 CE. Our study was based on field surveys, video records, eyewitness accounts and far-field mareograms. Sea recession was [...] Read more.
The tsunami generated by the offshore Samos Island earthquake (Mw = 7.0, 30 October 2020) is the largest in the Aegean Sea since 1956 CE. Our study was based on field surveys, video records, eyewitness accounts and far-field mareograms. Sea recession was the leading motion in most sites implying wave generation from seismic dislocation. At an epicentral distance of ~12 km (site K4, north Samos), sea recession, followed by extreme wave height (h~3.35 m), occurred 2′ and 4′ after the earthquake, respectively. In K4, the main wave moved obliquely to the coast. These features may reflect coupling of the broadside tsunami with landslide generated tsunami at offshore K4. The generation of an on-shelf edge-wave might be an alternative. A few kilometers from K4, a wave height of ~1 m was measured in several sites, except Vathy bay (east, h = 2 m) and Karlovasi port (west, h = 1.80 m) where the wave amplified. In Vathy bay, two inundations arrived with a time difference of ~19′, the second being the strongest. In Karlovasi, one inundation occurred. In both towns and in western Turkey, material damage was caused in sites with h > 1 m. In other islands, h ≤ 1 m was reported. The h > 0.5 m values follow power-law decay away from the source. We calculated a tsunami magnitude of Mt~7.0, a tsunami source area of 1960 km2 and a displacement amplitude of ~1 m in the tsunami source. A co-seismic 15–25 cm coastal uplift of Samos decreased the tsunami run-up. The early warning message perhaps contributed to decrease the tsunami impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tectonics and Sea-Level Fluctuations)
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17 pages, 7898 KiB  
Article
Relative Sea Level Changes and Morphotectonic Implications Triggered by the Samos Earthquake of 30th October 2020
by Niki Evelpidou, Anna Karkani and Isidoros Kampolis
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(1), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9010040 - 3 Jan 2021
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 5189
Abstract
On 30th October 2020, the eastern Aegean Sea was shaken by a Mw = 7.0 earthquake. The epicenter was located near the northern coasts of Samos island. This tectonic event produced an uplift of the whole island as well as several cases of [...] Read more.
On 30th October 2020, the eastern Aegean Sea was shaken by a Mw = 7.0 earthquake. The epicenter was located near the northern coasts of Samos island. This tectonic event produced an uplift of the whole island as well as several cases of infrastructure damage, while a small tsunami followed the mainshock. Underwater and coastal geological, geomorphological, biological observations and measurements were performed at the entire coast revealing a complex character for the uplift. At the northwestern part of the island, maximum vertical displacements of +35 ± 5 cm were recorded at the northwestern tip, at Agios Isidoros. Conversely, the southeastern part was known for its subsidence through submerged archaeological remains and former sea level standstills. The 2020 underwater survey unveiled uplifted but still drowned sea level indicators. The vertical displacement at the south and southeastern part ranges between +23 ± 5 and +8 ± 5 cm suggesting a gradual fading of the uplift towards the east. The crucial value of tidal notches, as markers of co-seismic events, was validated from the outcome of this study. The co-seismic response of Samos coastal zone to the 30th October earthquake provides a basis for understanding the complex tectonics of this area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tectonics and Sea-Level Fluctuations)
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18 pages, 6594 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Building Vulnerability to Tsunami Hazard in Kamari (Santorini Island, Greece)
by Dimitrios-Vasileios Batzakis, Loukas-Moysis Misthos, Gerasimos Voulgaris, Konstantinos Tsanakas, Maria Andreou, Ioannis Tsodoulos and Efthimios Karymbalis
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2020, 8(11), 886; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8110886 - 7 Nov 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3917
Abstract
Santorini Island, located in the Southern Aegean Sea, is prone to tsunamis due to its proximity to the Hellenic subduction zone, which is one of the major tsunamigenic areas. Characteristic events, such as those of 365 A.D. and 1303 A.D. greatly affected the [...] Read more.
Santorini Island, located in the Southern Aegean Sea, is prone to tsunamis due to its proximity to the Hellenic subduction zone, which is one of the major tsunamigenic areas. Characteristic events, such as those of 365 A.D. and 1303 A.D. greatly affected the coasts of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, causing significant loss of life and construction damage. Tsunami disaster risk is nowadays significantly higher due to the increased exposure of the buildings as a result of the economic and touristic growth of the Aegean Islands. This study focuses on the eastern coast of Santorini, since its morphology and human presence amplify the necessity to assess its building vulnerability. After conducting an exposure analysis at the settlements of the eastern coast, Kamari poses the highest physical, social and economic relative exposure to any potential natural hazard. The main objective of this research is to quantify the building stock’s vulnerability to tsunami hazard. For this purpose, a “worst-case run-up scenario” was developed. Considering the history of tsunamis in the Aegean Sea, an extreme sea-level rise after a 10 m a.s.l. tsunami run-up, caused by an earthquake with Mw~8.5, was assumed. The relative vulnerability of the buildings in Kamari was calculated via the application of the Papathoma Tsunami Vulnerability Assessment (PTVA-4) analytic model. The results indicate that 423 buildings are within the inundation zone, 58% of which are characterized as highly and very highly vulnerable to tsunamis, revealing the problematic characteristics of the building stock, offering important information to the decision-makers to mitigate a possible future tsunami impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tectonics and Sea-Level Fluctuations)
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18 pages, 6957 KiB  
Article
Coastal Boulders on the SE Coasts of Cyprus as Evidence of Palaeo-Tsunami Events
by Niki Evelpidou, Christos Zerefos, Costas Synolakis, Christos Repapis, Anna Karkani, Miltiadis Polidorou and Giannis Saitis
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2020, 8(10), 812; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8100812 - 19 Oct 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3249
Abstract
Cyprus has a long history of tsunami events, as noted by archaeological and geological records. At Cape Greco (southeastern Cyprus) large boulders have been noted, however, no detailed geomorphological research has taken place so far and the related high energy event was undated [...] Read more.
Cyprus has a long history of tsunami events, as noted by archaeological and geological records. At Cape Greco (southeastern Cyprus) large boulders have been noted, however, no detailed geomorphological research has taken place so far and the related high energy event was undated until now. Our research aims to record in detail and interpret these large boulders deposits. The boulders, located between ≈3 and 4.5 m a.m.s.l., are fragments of an upper Pleistocene aeolianite, which is overlaying unconformly a lower Pleistocene calcarenite. Dimensions and spatial distribution of 272 small, medium, and large boulders were documented, while their precise distance from the coastline was recorded by field mapping and remote sensing, using Differential GPS (DGPS), drone, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technics. Field data were subsequently combined with hydrodynamic equations, in order to determine the extreme event(s) that caused their transport inland, and radiocarbon dating was accomplished on three samples of Vermetus sp. to determine the chronological context. Our findings appear to broadly correlate with the 1303 AD tsunami, which has displaced at least part of the studied boulders, and one other undocumented event at AD 1512-1824. The large number of boulders and sizes in our study area further indicate that their dislocation is most likely owed to multiple events from various sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tectonics and Sea-Level Fluctuations)
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