Approximately 125,000 years ago, the earth experienced warmer than modern global temperature. Referred to as the Last Interglacial (LIG), Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e represents a period of approximately +2 °C warmer global temperature compared to pre-industrial and sea level between 5 and 9 m above present. While the LIG has the potential to provide us with a good process-analogue for future warmer climates, the estimated 4 m range of global sea level introduces large uncertainties in current climate models and therefore increases the errors in future sea level rise predictions. Based on these uncertainties, an increase in field observations of LIG paleo sea-level constraints is needed. My PhD research therefore, focuses on synthesizing a comprehensive dataset of relative sea-level (RSL) for the southwestern Indian Ocean during the LIG. Currently published data will be supplemented with field observations as well as an analysis of coastal evolution through the use of coral development and geomorphology evolution models. In collaboration with researchers from CEREGE (Marsellie) and IFREMER (Brest) in France, we look to provide better-constrained RSL and sea-level rise rates within the Indo-Pacific Basin during the LIG. Most future climate and sea level models rely upon some sort of calibration to field observations. The LIG provides the most recent geological analog to a warmer world and is therefore an integral part in the understanding of past and future sea-level changes. HypothesisWorking Area |