Figure 41. Evolution of Rocky Zones. The upper panel depicts the seafloor shortly after glaciers have left, and the ocean level is 80 m deeper than today. Glacial-marine mud mantles most of the seafloor. In the middle panel, the seafloor has isostatically rebounded following melting of the ice, and the former seafloor is up to 60 m above the shoreline at that time. Some of the glacial sediment was eroded during emergence, and forest covered much of the area then. In the lower panel, sea level has risen to its present position and drowned the Rocky Zone. During submergence, erosive processes removed muddy deposits and exposed bedrock or left a boulder armor on the seabed.

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Last updated on October 6, 2005

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