Abstract:

Indicators of former sea-levels are recognised on the emergent portion of Lipari, Aeolian Islands. They correlate with three raised shorelines, located at elevations of 43–45 m above present sea-level (I), 23–27 m (II) and about 12 m (III). According to stratigraphical constraints, these shorelines correlate with the sea-level highstands corresponding to marine oxygen isotope substages 5e (124 ka), 5c (100 ka) and 5a (81 ka), respectively. The correlation of the shoreline I with substage 5e is supported by a U/Th age (119 ± 6 ka) obtained from corals. Chronological and height data relevant to the fossil shorelines indicate that Lipari was affected by uplift with an average rate of 0.34 mm yr−1 during the past 125 ka. This uplift rate accords with the average uplift rates obtained, during the same time period, from the nearby islands of Filicudi (0.31 mm yr−1) and Salina (0.36 mm yr−1). Combined, these data suggest a similar uplift trend related to regional tectonic processes.