Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Coastal Eolian Sand-Ramp Development Related To Paleo-Sea-Level Changes During The Latest Pleistocene And Holocene (21–0 Ka) In San Miguel Island, California, U.S.A., Curt D. Peterson, Jon M. Erlandson, Errol Stock, Steve W. Hostetler, David M. Price

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Coastal eolian sand ramps (5–130 m elevation) on the northern slope (windward) side of the small San Miguel Island (13 km in W-E length) range in age from late Pleistocene to modern time, though a major hiatus in sand-ramp growth occurred during the early Holocene marine transgression (16–9 ka). The Holocene sand ramps (1–5 m measured thicknesses) currently lack large dune forms, thereby representing deflated erosional remnants, locally covering thicker late Pleistocene sand-ramp deposits. The ramp sand was initially supplied from the adjacent island-shelf platform, extending about 20 km north of the present coastline. The sand-ramp deposits and interbedded loess …