Antarctic Glacial Retreats and the Records of Sea Level Change in Deposits at the North Bank of the Shenzhen Bay,South China

In view of the huge ice cover of 24. 5× 106 km3 in Antarctica, which accounts for over 90 % by volume of the ice body on earth, the movement of Antarctic glaciers is a major control on global sea-level change and climatic fluctuation. As recorded in the Quaternary deposits in King George Island, West Antarctica, three rapid ablations can be recognized at 11000, 9000 and 6100 years ago and the global climate within the past 6000 years is characterized by small-amplitude warm-cold fluctuation. Intertidal deceits at the north bank of the Shenzhen Bay suggest a periodic variation in sea level in about every 670 years over the last 6000 years with low sea levels recorded in the periods of 5500 - 4900, 3900 - 3600, 2400 2200 and 1300 - 1200 years ago. Between these periods the sea level rised for about 80 cm onaverage. The modern warming climate in the last century corresponds with a rise of sea level atthe rate of 2 - 3 mm/a.