Original scientific paper
Morphological evolution of the Rijeka Bay: The influence of the climatic and glacioeustatic changes
Čedomir Benac
Abstract
This paper analyses the coastal and the submarine zones of the Rijeka Bay, part of the Kvarner Channel area in the North Adriatic. The recent relief of the Rijeka Bay is the result of tectonic movements, climatic and sea level changes, as well as exogenetic processes, occuring during the early geological time. The climatic changes and glacioeustatic sea level oscilations for the past 700 000 years have strongly transformed the relief, and have also destroyed the remains of the older morphogenetic phases. Isolated lakes on the bottom of the Rijeka Bay possibly existed at the peak of Wuerm regression. The riverbeds are deeply cut into the bedrock and karst springs were at much lower levels than today. The recent position of the coastal is a result of the flooding of ancient land areas due to Holocene transgression. The clear indicators of the initial and youthful stage of the coastal relief are the rare cliffs and narrow marine terraces.
Keywords
morphogenesis; sea level; climatic change; Quaternary; Rijeka Bay; Adriatic Sea
Hrčak ID:
84504
URI
Publication date:
15.11.1996.
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