Rates of delta progradation during highstands: consequences for timing of deposition in deep-marine systems

Burgess, Peter M.; Hovius, Niels

doi:10.1144/gsjgs.155.2.0217

Cited by 201 publications

(138 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The modern sediment discharge from these rivers and longshore-drift systems could fill their canyons in 400 to 2000 years (Table 1), even with sediment flux that is much reduced from their pre-Industrial levels by dams and other human activities. In the same way that previous studies have shown the excavation of incised valleys provides a sediment volume that is only 5 to 10% of the normal flux through the system (e.g., Burgess and Hovius 1998;Blum and Törnqvist 2000;Blum et al 2013), our new data show that canyons act as conduits, but their excavation does not materially contribute to the growth of submarine fans. Hence, the direct flux of sediment from hinterland source terrains through the fluvial feeder system, rather than recycling of previously stored sediments, accounts for the overwhelmingly greater part of sediment necessary for the growth and development of deep-water depositional systems.…”

Section: Submarine Canyons: the Connection Between Shelf And Deep-watsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…This connection can be driven by eustatic fall, but it can also occur in tectonically active margins where the shelf is narrow (e.g., the California Borderlands), or on passive margins where a long-lived canyon has cut headward across a broad shelf (e.g., the Congo River-Zaire Canyon, the Swatch of No Ground Canyon of the Bengal system). The possibility also exists for deltas to build across the shelf and make a connection with submarine canyons even in periods of high sea level in areas of high sediment flux (Burgess and Hovius 1998;Carvajal et al 2009;Dixon et al 2012). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Connections Between Fluvial To Shallow Marine Environments and Submarine Canyons: Implications For Sediment Transfer To Deep Water

Sweet

Blum

2016

Journal of Sedimentary Research

113

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The heads of submarine canyons represent a critical link in the transfer of sediment from terrestrial sources to deep basin sinks. Here we report data on grain size, bathymetry, and geochronology from twenty-five modern submarine canyons that suggest this link to be very sensitive to the distance between the canyon head and the shoreline, and, to a lesser extent, wave energy. These data show the width of this zone filters the caliber of sediment delivered into deep water, which has significant implications for understanding sediment budgets and the distribution of reservoir and seal facies.Data from modern systems show that the river mouths or longshore drift cells must come within about 500 m of the head of the canyon to deliver gravel-size material and within 1 to 5 km to deliver sand-size material to be transported down the canyon into deep water. Clay-and silt-size particles are transported greater distances across the shelf, up to a few tens of km, whereas beyond about 40 km, little sediment makes the connection to the heads of canyons and deposits are dominated by condensed, carbonate-rich sediments.Our data from modern systems are consistent with existing sequence stratigraphic models for sediment delivery to deep water. The significance of our work is to show in more detail how and when connections can occur between fluvial to shallow-water systems and submarine canyons and how these connections regulate the quantity and caliber of sediment that can be transported into deep water. Once the process-based conditions for connection are met, then the geology and climate of the source area control the quantity and caliber of sediment that can be moved to deep water.We hypothesize that connection times, and the resultant fractionation of sediment mass and grain size between shelf and deep-water depocenters, may have varied in a predictable way through geologic history. For example, during greenhouse times when sea level was relatively high, but with inherently low high-frequency variability, longer-lived connections between fluvial to nearshore environments and deep water may have been more likely. This scenario would favor the preferential transfer of sediment, especially sand, into deep water, and the development of thick, laterally extensive sand-rich basin-floor deposits. By contrast, during icehouse periods, high-amplitude sea-level fluctuations and inherently wider continental shelves may have resulted in repeated landward and seaward transits of river mouths and shorelines, shorter connection times between source and sink, especially for sand-size sediment, and preferential sequestration of sediment in shelf to shelf-margin parts of the system. These conditions would have resulted in deep-water deposits that are a mixture of locally thick sands, abundant turbidity-current-derived mud, and thin but basin-wide condensed sections that represent periods of sediment starvation in deep water.

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Section: Submarine Canyons: the Connection Between Shelf And Deep-watsupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Connections Between Fluvial To Shallow Marine Environments and Submarine Canyons: Implications For Sediment Transfer To Deep Water

Sweet

Blum

2016

Journal of Sedimentary Research

113

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“…However, considering the relatively high-sediment supply in relation to the mainly falling base-level trend, it seems coherent to ponder that the more distal submarine fans were fed by turbidity current during both rising and falling of relative sea level (e.g., Mutti & Normark, 1991;Burgess & Hovius, 1998;Shanmugam, 2002;Dixon et al, 2012;Safronova et al, 2014;de Gasperi & Catuneanu, 2014) (Fig. 14).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although sand transport to the deep-sea is favored by forced regressions (e.g., Muto & Steel, 2002;Helland-Hansen & Hampson, 2009), occurrence and volume of turbidites are not exclusively controlled by base-level falls (e.g., Burgess & Hovius, 1998;Carvajal & Steel, 2006;Dixon et al, 2012;Safronova et al, 2014;Berton & Vesely, 2016). Turbidites were identified in all seismic facies associations formed during base-level falls, but they are more frequently observed on the bottomset of clinoforms from association 1, in which well-developed shelf-margin deltas/shoreface deposits occur (Figs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, the primary control on turbidite deposition was the sediment supply (e.g., Burgess & Hovius, 1998;Dixon et al, 2012;Safronova et al, 2014), although the influence of falling to low relative sea level was crucial to the development of shelf-margin deltas/shoreface deposits that were the main feeders for deep-water sands (e.g., Mellere et al, 2002;Johannessen & Steel, 2005;Dixon et al, 2013). The architectural pattern of the turbidite systems (channels ending in frontal splays) is well known and well documented in the classic literature on deep-water systems (e.g., Mutti & Normark, 1991;Posamentier & Erskine, 1991;Shanmugam, 2000;Sylvester et al, 2012;de Gasperi & Catuneanu, 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seismic expression of depositional elements associated with a strongly progradational shelf margin: northern Santos Basin, southeastern Brazil

Berton

Vesely

2016

Braz. J. Geol.

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Seismic facies analysis and seismic geomorphology are important tools for the analysis of depositional elements in subsurface. This paper aimed to investigate the character and genesis of depositional elements and erosive features associated with an Eocene progradational shelf margin in northern Santos Basin. Identified seismic facies are interpreted as shelf-margin deltas/shoreface deposits, tangential (oblique) clinoforms, sigmoidal clinoforms, topset reflectors, mass-transport deposits and turbidites. These facies are grouped into four associations representing periods of relatively constant environmental conditions. Association 1 is composed of shelf-margin deltas/shoreface deposits, tangential clinoforms and extensive sand--rich turbidites disposed as submarine channels and frontal splays. A progressive increase in clinoform angle within this association has been identified, culminating in high-relief sigmoidal clinoforms with less voluminous turbidites of facies association 2. Association 3 is composed by subparallel to divergent topset reflectors, interpreted as continental to shelfal deposits placed during base-level rises. These are always truncated basinward by slump scars, formed as a consequence of sediment overload at the shelf margin during aggradations. Association 4 is composed of sigmoidal clinoforms, mass-transport deposits and turbidites. Early clinoforms are steeper as a consequence of the topography of the slump scars. Subsequently, dip angles become progressively gentler as the system approach to the equilibrium profile. The steep physiography was favorable for canyon incision, which played an important role in turbidite deposition. Mass-transport deposits, formed subsequent to slope collapse, are composed of mud-rich diamictites, and show strong internal deformation.KEYWORDS: Seismic facies; Seismic geomorphology; Deep-marine deposition; Mass-transport deposits; Turbidite systems. RESUMO: A análise de fácies sísmicas e a geomorfologia sísmica são ferramentas importantes para o estudo de elementos deposicionais em subsuperfície. Neste trabalho foram avaliadas as características e a gênese de elementos deposicionais e de feições erosivas associadas a uma margem progradante desenvolvida no Eoceno no norte da bacia de

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Piping coarse-grained sediment to a deep water fan through a shelf-edge delta bypass channel: Tank experiments

Kim

Cheong

et al. 2013

J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surf.

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[1] It is now generally accepted that deltas that prograde to the shelf edge are able to transport coarse sediment to deep water either with or without sea level changes. However, it is still unclear how feeder rivers behave differently in the shelf-edge delta case to rivers found in a delta that progrades over the shelf. A series of nine shelf-edge delta experiments are presented to investigate the lateral mobility of the feeder channel at the shelf edge and the associated deep water depositional system under a range of sediment supply rates and shelf-front depths. In the experiments, constant sediment supply from an upstream point source under static sea level led the fluviodeltaic system to prograde over the shallow shelf surface and advance beyond the shelf edge into deep water. The feeder river of the fluviodeltaic system became a bypass system once the toe of the delta front reached the shelf edge. After the delta front was perched at the shelf edge, a submarine fan developed in deep water although remaining disconnected from the delta. In this bypass stage, no regional avulsion or lateral migration of the feeder river occurred and all sediment from the upstream source bypassed the river, delta front, and shelf-front slope. The duration of the bypass stage is proportional to shelf-front depth and inversely proportional to sediment discharge. The combined duration of the shelf-transit phase of the fluviodeltaic system and the bypass phase is the characteristic time scale for the continental margin to "anneal" transgression-inducing perturbation due to high-frequency and/or high-amplitude relative sea level rise. The sequential evolution in the experiment compares favorably to the Eocene Sobrarbe Formation, a shelf-edge delta in Spain, although natural variations are noted. This comparison justifies the application of concepts proposed herein to natural systems and provides insight into interpreting processes from ancient shelf-edge delta systems.

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Rates of delta progradation during highstands: consequences for timing of deposition in deep-marine systems

Cited by 201 publications

References 19 publications

Connections Between Fluvial To Shallow Marine Environments and Submarine Canyons: Implications For Sediment Transfer To Deep Water

Connections Between Fluvial To Shallow Marine Environments and Submarine Canyons: Implications For Sediment Transfer To Deep Water

Seismic expression of depositional elements associated with a strongly progradational shelf margin: northern Santos Basin, southeastern Brazil

Piping coarse-grained sediment to a deep water fan through a shelf-edge delta bypass channel: Tank experiments

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