Late Cryogenian glaciation in South Australia: Fluctuating ice margin and no extreme or rapid post-glacial sea-level rise

Abstract Postulated extreme sea-level rise of up to 1–1.5 km with the late Cryogenian Ghaub deglaciation in Namibia is contentious, as is the great rapidity ( 4  yr) of the sea-level rise. Such extreme glacioeustatic events, if real, would have been global and affected all continents. In South Australia, up to six glacial advances and retreats during the late Cryogenian Elatina glaciation indicate a fluctuating ice margin. The latter stage of the Elatina glaciation and the immediate post-glacial environment are examined here for evidence of extreme and rapid sea-level rise. In the central Adelaide Rift Complex, diamictite with faceted and striated clasts occurs at the top of the Elatina Formation 5 –10 6  yr. This is supported by independent evidence from magnetic chronostratigraphy for Ediacaran strata in South Australia and California, and by stratigraphic and sedimentological arguments for condensed deposition of cap carbonates. It is concluded that neither extreme nor rapid sea-level rise was associated with late Cryogenian deglaciation in South Australia.