Not a bathtub: A consideration of sea-level physics for archaeological models of human migration
Accurately reconstructing past sea level is key to simulating potential migration pathways of ancient hominins, including early Homo sapiens. Models of ancient human migration events commonly construct estimates of paleoenvironments using the “bathtub” model, in which sea level is assumed to rise an...
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ftcaltechauth:oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:112022 2023-05-15T16:40:17+02:00 Not a bathtub: A consideration of sea-level physics for archaeological models of human migration Borreggine, Marisa Powell, Evelyn Pico, Tamara Mitrovica, Jerry X. Meadow, Richard Tryon, Christian 2022-01 application/pdf application/msword https://authors.library.caltech.edu/112022/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/112022/1/1-s2.0-S0305440321001771-main.pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/112022/2/1-s2.0-S0305440321001771-mmc1.docx https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20211123-212840283 en eng Elsevier https://authors.library.caltech.edu/112022/1/1-s2.0-S0305440321001771-main.pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/112022/2/1-s2.0-S0305440321001771-mmc1.docx Borreggine, Marisa and Powell, Evelyn and Pico, Tamara and Mitrovica, Jerry X. and Meadow, Richard and Tryon, Christian (2022) Not a bathtub: A consideration of sea-level physics for archaeological models of human migration. Journal of Archaeological Science, 137 . Art. No. 105507. ISSN 0305-4403. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2021.105507. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20211123-212840283 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20211123-212840283> cc_by_nc_nd CC-BY-NC-ND Article PeerReviewed 1479 ftcaltechauth https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2021.105507 2021-11-25T18:38:48Z Accurately reconstructing past sea level is key to simulating potential migration pathways of ancient hominins, including early Homo sapiens. Models of ancient human migration events commonly construct estimates of paleoenvironments using the “bathtub” model, in which sea level is assumed to rise and fall according to a “eustatic” (global average) value over time. However, large uncertainties exist on past ice sheet sizes and shapes, particularly prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), ∼26,000 years ago. Moreover, regional sea level varies significantly due to the effects of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). That process includes Earth's gravitational, deformational, and rotational response to changing surface (ice plus ocean) loads across the ice age. Here, we offer an updated account of the physics of GIA-induced sea-level change and consider the impacts of these effects, together with a newly published ice sheet history, on sea-level changes across the last glacial cycle. As illustrations, we highlight the significance of these issues for studies of ancient human migration from Sunda to Sahul and for the timing of the final, post-LGM flooding of the Strait of Dover. These examples demonstrate the importance of incorporating updated ice sheet histories and accurate sea-level physics into archaeological research. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ice Sheet Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) Dover ENVELOPE(-55.753,-55.753,-83.777,-83.777) Sunda ENVELOPE(-6.982,-6.982,62.205,62.205) Journal of Archaeological Science 137 105507 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) |
op_collection_id |
ftcaltechauth |
language |
English |
description |
Accurately reconstructing past sea level is key to simulating potential migration pathways of ancient hominins, including early Homo sapiens. Models of ancient human migration events commonly construct estimates of paleoenvironments using the “bathtub” model, in which sea level is assumed to rise and fall according to a “eustatic” (global average) value over time. However, large uncertainties exist on past ice sheet sizes and shapes, particularly prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), ∼26,000 years ago. Moreover, regional sea level varies significantly due to the effects of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). That process includes Earth's gravitational, deformational, and rotational response to changing surface (ice plus ocean) loads across the ice age. Here, we offer an updated account of the physics of GIA-induced sea-level change and consider the impacts of these effects, together with a newly published ice sheet history, on sea-level changes across the last glacial cycle. As illustrations, we highlight the significance of these issues for studies of ancient human migration from Sunda to Sahul and for the timing of the final, post-LGM flooding of the Strait of Dover. These examples demonstrate the importance of incorporating updated ice sheet histories and accurate sea-level physics into archaeological research. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Borreggine, Marisa Powell, Evelyn Pico, Tamara Mitrovica, Jerry X. Meadow, Richard Tryon, Christian |
spellingShingle |
Borreggine, Marisa Powell, Evelyn Pico, Tamara Mitrovica, Jerry X. Meadow, Richard Tryon, Christian Not a bathtub: A consideration of sea-level physics for archaeological models of human migration |
author_facet |
Borreggine, Marisa Powell, Evelyn Pico, Tamara Mitrovica, Jerry X. Meadow, Richard Tryon, Christian |
author_sort |
Borreggine, Marisa |
title |
Not a bathtub: A consideration of sea-level physics for archaeological models of human migration |
title_short |
Not a bathtub: A consideration of sea-level physics for archaeological models of human migration |
title_full |
Not a bathtub: A consideration of sea-level physics for archaeological models of human migration |
title_fullStr |
Not a bathtub: A consideration of sea-level physics for archaeological models of human migration |
title_full_unstemmed |
Not a bathtub: A consideration of sea-level physics for archaeological models of human migration |
title_sort |
not a bathtub: a consideration of sea-level physics for archaeological models of human migration |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
1479 |
url |
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/112022/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/112022/1/1-s2.0-S0305440321001771-main.pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/112022/2/1-s2.0-S0305440321001771-mmc1.docx https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20211123-212840283 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-55.753,-55.753,-83.777,-83.777) ENVELOPE(-6.982,-6.982,62.205,62.205) |
geographic |
Dover Sunda |
geographic_facet |
Dover Sunda |
genre |
Ice Sheet |
genre_facet |
Ice Sheet |
op_relation |
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/112022/1/1-s2.0-S0305440321001771-main.pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/112022/2/1-s2.0-S0305440321001771-mmc1.docx Borreggine, Marisa and Powell, Evelyn and Pico, Tamara and Mitrovica, Jerry X. and Meadow, Richard and Tryon, Christian (2022) Not a bathtub: A consideration of sea-level physics for archaeological models of human migration. Journal of Archaeological Science, 137 . Art. No. 105507. ISSN 0305-4403. doi:10.1016/j.jas.2021.105507. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20211123-212840283 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20211123-212840283> |
op_rights |
cc_by_nc_nd |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY-NC-ND |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2021.105507 |
container_title |
Journal of Archaeological Science |
container_volume |
137 |
container_start_page |
105507 |
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1766030669948911616 |