The Dead Sea Fault is an active transform fault linking opening in the Red Sea with collision in the Taurus/Zagros Mountains. Motion is left-lateral and estimated at approximately 5-7 mm year −1 . The fault is seismically active, and can be divided into two distinct structural segments. This study focuses on the southern segment based mainly on the wealth of geophysical data. Owing to transtention caused by oblique-slip and the overlapping of en-echelon fault strands, a series of pull-apart basins were formed along the fault's length. These basins are long and deep-reaching in places more than 10 km deep. They are characterized by extensional, compressional, and asymmetrical structures varying in size from large-scale (defining the general structure of the Dead Sea fault valley) to small-scale (defining the internal structure). This study examines the internal structure of these basins from south to north and summarizes the state of knowledge to date.

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The Levant continental margin is divided into two major segments by the Carmel structure, which extends from the Dead Sea fault into the eastern Mediterranean. New seismic reflection data over the unexplored northern segment are used for completing the structural framework of the Levant area, together with existing data south of it. Inclusive depth structural maps of the area were produced for the base Pliocene and base Messinian evaporites. Previous studies indicate that differences between the two segments are well expressed in the deep crustal structure. The present study, which focuses mainly on the shallow section, shows that these differences are maintained throughout the accumulation of young sedimentary units, and even in the bathymetry. This preservation of segmentation, both in the shallow and in the deep structure, insinuates that the two segments were formed through different continental breakup processes, which continue to dictate the style of sediment accumulation.

We present new evidence for the existence of a large pockmark field on the continental slope of the Santos Basin, offshore southeast Brazil. A recent high-resolution multibeam bathymetric survey revealed 984 pockmarks across a smooth seabed at water depths of 300–700 m. Four patterns of pockmark arrays were identified in the data: linear, network, concentric, and radial. Interpretation of Two-dimensional multi-channel seismic reflection profiles that crosscut the surveyed area shows numerous salt diapirs in various stages of development (e.g. salt domes, walls, and anticlines). Some diapirs were exposed on the seafloor, whereas the tops of others (diapir heads) were situated several hundreds of meters below the surface. Extensional faults typically cap these diapirs and reach shallow depths beneath the seafloor. Our analysis suggests that these pockmark patterns are linked to stages in the development of underlying diapirs and their related faults. The latter may extend above salt walls, take the form of polygonal extensional faults along higher-level salt anticlines, or concentric faults above diapir heads that reach close to the seafloor. Seismic data also revealed buried pockmark fields that had repeatedly developed since the Middle Miocene. The close spatio-temporal connection between pockmark and diapir distribution identified here suggests that the pockmark field extends further across the Campos and Espírito Santo Basins, offshore Brazil. Spatial overlap between the pockmark field topping a large diapir field and a proliferous hydrocarbon basin is believed to have facilitated the escape of fluid/gas from the subsurface to the water column, which was enhanced by halokinesis. This provides a possible control on fossil gas contribution to the marine system over geological time.

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[1] This study explores, for the first time, the response of the Mediterranean seafloor to desiccation and its affect on climate during the Messinian lowstand. New high-resolution 3-D pre-stack depth migrated seismic reflection data show evidence for gas outflow stemming from pre-Messinian sources. Our results indicate that giant pockmarks formed during this lowstand. Emission continued throughout the Messinian and persisted after it ended as evident by pockmark arrays on the then-seafloor. High reflectivity between the top-Messinian and overlying Pliocene sediments indicates significant gas accumulation immediately below the latter. Attribute analysis show minor chaotic paths through the Plio-Pleistocene, which do not reach the present-day seafloor. Our data indicate that as long as sea level was low there was massive gas escape to the shallow sea and atmosphere. We suggest that this probably resulted in the midMessinian climatic shift. Major emissions identified here indicate an indirect cause to negative climatic feedback during this period.