Sea-level change and true polar wander during the Late Cretaceous

We demonstrate that rapid changes in the Earth\textquoterights rotation vector can drive relative sea-level (RSL) variations in excess of 100 m in as little as 1 m.y. Stratigraphic constraints on sea-level change can thus be used as an independent test of true polar wander (TPW) events proposed on the basis of paleomagnetic evidence. Recent estimates of Late Cretaceous TPW include a period of rapid motion, however a corresponding period of large and rapid sea-level change is not consistently evident in our preliminary examination of the geological record. This suggests that the magnitude of Late Cretaceous TPW may have been overestimated, although a definitive conclusion requires a comprehensive study of high-resolution Late Cretaceous sea-level records. (Index Terms: 1239, 1527, 4556, 8159).