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TitleHolocene and active marine geohazards in eastern Baffin Island, Nunavut
 
AuthorNormandeau, AORCID logo; Campbell, D CORCID logo; Bennet, R; Macquarrie, M; MacKillop, K; Philibert, G; Sedore, P; Maselli, V; Jenner, K A
SourceCanada-Nunavut Geoscience Office, Summary of Activities 2019, 2020 p. 93-100 Open Access logo Open Access
LinksOnline - En ligne
Image
Year2020
Alt SeriesNatural Resources Canada, Contribution Series 20190552
PublisherCanada-Nunavut Geoscience Office
Documentserial
Lang.English
Mediapaper; on-line; digital
File formatpdf
ProvinceNunavut; Northern offshore region
NTS16L; 16M; 26I; 26J; 26O; 26P; 27A
AreaBaffin Bay; Baffin Island; Broughton Island; Qikiqtarjuaq; Padle Fiord; Pangnirtung Fiord; Cumberland Sound
Lat/Long WENS -67.0000 -62.0000 69.0000 66.0000
Subjectsmarine geology; surficial geology/geomorphology; geophysics; Health and Safety; Nature and Environment; Science and Technology; Holocene; Recent; coastal environment; fiords; littoral environment; offshore areas; turbidity currents; landslides; debris flows; marine sediments; landslide deposits; littoral drift; submarine features; deltas; glaciers; meltwater channels; watersheds; surface waters; lakes; rivers; sediment transport; longshore currents; seismicity; earthquakes; tsunami; channels; bedforms; sand waves; bathymetry; geophysical surveys; acoustic surveys, marine; coastal erosion; marine sediment cores; ice retreat; CCGS Hudson Expedition 2018042; CCGS Amundsen Expedition 2019804; R/V Nuliajuk Expedition 2019NULIAJUK; glaciofluvial sediments; colluvial and mass-wasting deposits; Public safety; Infrastructures; marine littoral sediments; Phanerozoic; Cenozoic; Quaternary
Illustrationslocation maps; geoscientific sketch maps; satellite images; photographs; geophysical profiles
ProgramPublic Safety Geoscience Baffin Bay
ProgramProgram of Energy Research and Development (PERD)
Released2020 03 01
AbstractMarine geohazards in Baffin Bay are varied and widespread across the region. Turbidity currents are present mostly on fiord-head submarine deltas supplied by large volumes of sediment from melting glaciers. However, lakes in the watersheds act as buffers for sediment transport, trapping sediment in the watershed and preventing the formation of turbidity currents at some fiord heads. It is thus possible to predict the most likely location of turbidity currents across the fiords of eastern Baffin Island, showing that about half of the fiord-head submarine deltas have active turbidity currents. Turbidity currents also occur at the end of littoral cells, such as on the south shore of Broughton Island. These geohazards related to longshore drift are currently underexplored in Baffin Bay. In addition to turbidity currents, submarine landslides are widespread in the fiords of Baffin Island. Recent seafloor mapping showed considerable volumes of displaced material in front of Pangnirtung, although these events appear relatively old. Nonetheless, submarine landslides are known to be occurring currently in some fiords of eastern Baffin Island and are an ongoing process. Offshore, in deep water, evidence of localized Holocene landslides are observed but do not appear as widespread as in the fiords or nearshore parts of Baffin Island. Ongoing research will help to refine the timing and the triggers of these events. These marine geohazards have considerable implications for nearshore and submarine infrastructure projects and public safety.
Summary(Plain Language Summary, not published)
Submarine landslides are known to be occurring presently in some fjords of eastern Baffin Island and are an ongoing process. Offshore, in deep water, evidence of localised Holocene landslides are observed but do not appear as widespread as in the fjords or nearshore parts of Baffin Island. Ongoing research will help to refine the timing and the triggers of these events. These marine geohazards have considerable implications for nearshore and submarine infrastructure projects and public safety.
GEOSCAN ID321868

 
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