QUATERNARY SEA LEVEL CHANGES ALONG THE COAST OF TAMILNADU,INDIA

Introduction : East coast of India –emergence type – mostly littoral low lands- living corals in two places – suitable for the study of sea level changes.

Study area : Tamilnadu- southern part of east coast of India

Geomorphology: Width of the Coastal plains ranges from few meters to 80 Km- beaches, beach ridges, cheniers, terraces, mudflat, lagoons, raised corals, spits and bars etc. Tectonism: Evidences for neotectonism are present in the form of cymatogenic downwarping

Sea level indicators :

Geomorphic -

Beach ridge plains around Vedaranyam – 1,25,000 years BP (TL Date) Beach ridge plains around Chidambaram -Marine terraces around Pondicherry-Raised corals in Rameshwaram island- Barrier ridges around Marakkanam - 6000yearsBP

Archealogic - Submerged Roman fort in Arikamedu – 1,850 - 1,700 BP Submerged town of Kaveripatnam - 1,900 - 1,700 BP Quaternary sea level history:

Events Age Indicator

Transgression I maximum 1,25,000 years BP Cheniers

Transgression II maximum 6,000 years BP Younger beach ridges Regression minimum 1,900 – 1,700BP Developmentofancient cities and ports in reclaimed land area. On going transgression From 1500 years BP submergence of the developed cities and ports under water