RESUMO
Investigation of 33 islands, scattered widely across the Caroline and Marshall Island groups in the Central Pacific revealed no emerged reefs in which corals had unquestionably formed in situ, or other direct evidence of postglacial high stands of sea level. Low unconsolidated rock terraces and ridges of reefflat islands, mostly lying between tide levels, were composed of rubble conglomerates; carbon-14 dating of 11 samples from the conglomerates so far may suggest a former slightly higher sea level (nine samples range between 1890 and 3450 and one approaches 4500 years ago). However, recent hurricanes have produced ridges of comparable height and material, and in the same areas relics from World War II have been found cemented in place. Thus these datings do not in themselves necessarily indicate formerly higher sea levels. Rubble tracts are produced by storms under present conditions without any change in datum, and there seems to be no compelling evidence that they were not so developed during various periods in the past.
RESUMO
Two holes drilled through reef sediments into basalt have established a geologic section through the Miocene. Midway was built above the sea by flows that were weathered and partially truncated in pre-Miocene time. After submergence, volcanic clays were reworked and covered by limestones. Overall ubmergence was interrupted at least twice by emergence. The limestones have been leached, recrystallized, and partially dolomitized.
RESUMO
Aragonitic, unconsolidated sediments from the borings on the Eniwetok and Bikini atolls are isotopically identical with unaltered skeletal fragments, whereas the recrystallized limestones exhibit isotopic variations resulting from alteration in meteoric waters during periods of emergence. Dolomites and associated calcites are enriched in O(18), perhaps because of interaction with hypersaline brines.
