| Title | Active faulting controls bedform development on a deep-water fan |
| |
| Author | Maselli, V; Micallef, A; Normandeau, A ; Oppo, D; Iacopini, D; Green, A; Ge, Z |
| Source | Geology 2021 p. 1-6, https://doi.org/10.1130/G49206.1  Open Access |
| Image |  |
| Year | 2021 |
| Alt Series | Natural Resources Canada, Contribution Series 20210080 |
| Publisher | Geological Society of America |
| Document | serial |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | paper; on-line; digital |
| File format | pdf; html |
| Province | Offshore region |
| Area | Mediterranean Sea |
| Lat/Long WENS | 34.9167 35.3833 33.9167 33.5000 |
| Subjects | marine geology; surficial geology/geomorphology; structural geology; tectonics; geophysics; Science and Technology; Nature and Environment; marine sediments; submarine fans; bedforms; tectonic setting;
faulting; seafloor topography; geophysical surveys; seismic surveys, marine; seismic reflection surveys; depositional environment; depositional cycles; antidunes; flow velocities; submarine canyons; turbidity currents; modelling; hydraulic analyses;
Levant Basin |
| Illustrations | geoscientific sketch maps; location maps; 3-D images; profiles; seismic profiles; models |
| Program | GSC Atlantic GSC
Atlantic Division |
| Released | 2021 08 30 |
| Abstract | Tectonically controlled topography influences deep-water sedimentary systems. Using 3-D seismic reflection data from the Levant Basin, eastern Mediterranean Sea, we investigate the spatial and temporal
evolution of bedforms on a deep-water fan cut by an active normal fault. In the footwall, the fan comprises cyclic steps and antidunes along its axial and external portions, respectively, which we interpret to result from the spatial variation in
flow velocity due to the loss of confinement at the canyon mouth. Conversely, in the hanging wall, the seafloor is nearly featureless at seismic scale. Numerical modeling of turbidity currents shows that the fault triggers a hydraulic jump that
suppresses the flow velocity downstream, which thus explains the lack of visible bedforms basinward. This study shows that the topography generated by active normal faulting controls the downslope evolution of turbidity currents and the associated
bedforms and that seafloor geomorphology can be used to evince syn-tectonic deposition. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
Investigation of the role of active tectonics on turbidity current bedform development. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 328341 |
|
|