@article{fdi:010067444, title = {{T}wo hundred thirty years of relative sea level changes due to climate and megathrust tectonics recorded in coral microatolls of {M}artinique ({F}rench {W}est {I}ndies)}, author = {{W}eil-{A}ccardo, {J}. and {F}euillet, {N}. and {J}acques, {E}. and {D}eschamps, {P}ierre and {B}eauducel, {F}. and {C}abioch, {G}uy and {T}apponnier, {P}. and {S}aurel, {J}.{M}. and {G}aletzka, {J}.}, editor = {}, language = {{ENG}}, abstract = {{W}e sampled six coral microatolls that recorded the relative sea level changes over the last 230 years east of {M}artinique, on fringing reefs in protected bays. {T}he microatolls are cup-shaped, which is characteristic of corals that have been experiencing submergence. {X}-ray analysis of coral slices and reconstructions of the highest level of survival ({HLS}) curves show that they have submerged at rates of a few millimeters per year. {T}heir morphology reveals changes in submergence rate around 1829 ± 11, 1895, and 1950. {T}ide gauges available in the region indicate a regional sea level rise at a constant mean rate of 1.1 ± 0.8 mm/yr, which contrasts with our coral record, implying additional tectonic subsidence. {C}omparing our coral morphology with that of synthetic corals generated with {M}atlab by using the {K}ey {W}est tide gauge record ({F}lorida), we show that their growth was controlled by tectonics and that a sudden relative sea level increase drowned them around 1950. {S}imple elastic models show that this sudden submergence probably occurred during the 21 {M}ay 1946 earthquake, which ruptured the plate interface in front of {M}artinique, in the mantle wedge, in an area of sustained seismic activity. {T}he 1839 {M}8+ earthquake probably occurred in the same area. {L}ong-term subsidence of microatolls indicates that this deep portion of the megathrust is probably locked down to 60 km depth during the interseismic period. {O}ur oldest coral recorded a long-lasting period (50 years) of stable relative sea level after the 1839 earthquake, indicating that transient interseismic strain rate variations may occur in the {L}esser {A}ntilles.}, keywords = {{MARTINIQUE} ; {ANTILLES} ; {ATLANTIQUE} ; {CARAIBES} {MER}}, booktitle = {}, journal = {{J}ournal of {G}eophysical {R}esearch : {S}olid {E}arth}, volume = {121}, numero = {4}, pages = {2873–2903 [+ {S}upporting information, 43 p.]}, ISSN = {2169-9356}, year = {2016}, DOI = {10.1002/2015{JB}012406}, URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010067444}, }