Sedimentary stacking pattern of plastered drifts: An example from the Cenozoic on the Uruguayan continental slope

Kirby, Adam; Hernández-Molina, F. Javier; Rodríguez, Pablo; Conti, Bruno Martarello De

doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2021.106567

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…The three main seismic units (SU1-SU3) of the Paleogene deposits highlight three evolutionary stages within the CDS: (a) the onset stage (SU1), (b) a drift growth stage (SU2), and (c) a burial stage (SU3). These three stages and their associated large-scale sedimentary architectures are common to drifts of various ages identified along other margins 9 , 28 – 35 . Such a coincidence of features and architectures underlines the mechanistic evolution of drifts in response to the long-term behaviour of the water masses responsible for their formation.…”

Section: Chronology Depositional System Paleocurrents and Evolutionar...mentioning

confidence: 85%

“…Further Paleocene records contain evidence of active deep-water circulation in the South Atlantic 9 , 18 , 36 , which persisted as a dominant process until Miocene or even Quaternary times. Nevertheless, obvious contourite features disappeared from the Morondava Basin by the Eocene, and the southwest bottom current indicates an opposite bottom current direction at the base of the slope during the Paleocene as compared with the present-day northeast circulation of deeper water masses (Fig.…”

Section: Chronology Depositional System Paleocurrents and Evolutionar...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These large features readily appear in 2D seismic reflection profiles and bathymetric data owing to their distinctive morphologies, seismic characteristics and overall architecture relative to the basin scale. Examples of contourites from 3D seismic datasets, however, are limited 7 – 9 . Information that can only be obtained from 3D seismic datasets—such as internal sedimentary stacking patterns, 3D morphologies and dimensions, types of deposits and internal architectures of the contourite channels—therefore remains scarce.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evolution and morphology of a contourite depositional system based on new evidence from 3D-seismic data offshore Madagascar (Paleogene, Morondava Basin)

Hernández-Molina

Tari

Scarselli

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Numerous bottom current-controlled depositional and erosional features, which together form Contourite Depositional Systems (CDS), have been recognized in deep-water settings over the past decade. Most of these systems are described based on two-dimensional (2D) seismic data, whereas only a few CDS have been characterised from high-resolution 3D data. Here we document a newly identified CDS that formed during the Paleocene within the Morondava Basin, offshore west Madagascar, through analysis of a depth-migrated 3D seismic survey, enhanced by the implementation of seismic attributes. Three seismic units (SU) mark the main evolutionary stages of the CDS: (a) the onset (SU1), (b) drift growth (SU2), and (c) burial (SU3) stages. The growth stage documents lateral upslope migration of a mounded drift and its associated moat. The increasing, long-term influence of bottom currents along the foot of the slope occurred simultaneously with plate tectonic, climatic and oceanographic changes. Evidence amassed from the CDS highly erosive bounding discontinuities, internal discontinuities, and moat architecture all indicate the intermittent behaviour of the currents over shorter time frames during its formation. Drift deposits form under the influence of weaker currents, while discontinuities appear to record the most vigorous currents, producing the large-scale morphology of the system.

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Section: Chronology Depositional System Paleocurrents and Evolutionar...mentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Chronology Depositional System Paleocurrents and Evolutionar...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evolution and morphology of a contourite depositional system based on new evidence from 3D-seismic data offshore Madagascar (Paleogene, Morondava Basin)

Hernández-Molina

Tari

Scarselli

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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“…3A). This could represent more energetic secondary oceanographic processes (e.g., internal waves/tides) along the deeper AABW/CDW interface 11,32 . Deposition in P and M as well as minor aggradation in C reflect periods when the AABW was less energetic.…”

Section: Morphosedimentary Featuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lateral migration of large sedimentary bodies in a deep-marine system offshore of Argentina

Kirby

Hernández-Molina

Rodrigues

2021

Sci Rep

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Contourite features are increasingly identified in seismic data, but the mechanisms controlling their evolution remain poorly understood. Using 2D multichannel reflection seismic and well data, this study describes large Oligocene- to middle Miocene-aged sedimentary bodies that show prominent lateral migration along the base of the Argentine slope. These form part of a contourite depositional system with four morphological elements: a plastered drift, a contourite channel, an asymmetric mounded drift, and an erosive surface. The features appear within four seismic units (SU1–SU4) bounded by discontinuities. Their sedimentary stacking patterns indicate three evolutionary stages: an onset stage (I) (~ 34–25 Ma), a growth stage (II) (~ 25–14 Ma), and (III) a burial stage (< 14 Ma). The system reveals that lateral migration of large sedimentary bodies is not only confined to shallow or littoral marine environments and demonstrates how bottom currents and secondary oceanographic processes influence contourite morphologies. Two cores of a single water mass, in this case, the Antarctic Bottom Water and its upper interface, may drive upslope migration of asymmetric mounded drifts. Seismic images also show evidence of recirculating bottom currents which have modulated the system’s evolution. Elucidation of these novel processes will enhance basin analysis and palaeoceanographic reconstructions.

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“…The persistent bottom currents that are commonly driven by winds, thermohaline circulation, eddies, and tides can create alongslope sedimentary features on the continental margin through geological timescales (Hernández-Molina et al, 2008;Rebesco et al, 2014). The combination of the depositional (i.e., contourite drifts) and erosional features (i.e., moats, contourite channels), known as the contourite depositional system, provides clues for the reconstruction of palaeoceanographic and paleoenvironmental conditions (Llave et al, 2007;García et al, 2016;de Weger et al, 2020;Kirby et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbonate contourite drifts in the southwest South China Sea: Sedimentary, paleoceanographic and economic implications

et al. 2022

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Contourite drifts are significant sedimentary features and provide clues for the reconstruction of paleoceanography and paleoenvironment. Although they have been increasingly identified in the world’s ocean, shallow-water contourite drifts (< 300 m depth) remain poorly understood and the examples are rare. This study documents a Middle Miocene shallow-water contourite depositional system in the southwest South China Sea by interpreting seismic reflection data and calibrating results with the previous chronological framework. The depositional system consisted of six mounded drifts and six moats. The contourite features were generated in seismic unit III (16-10.5 Ma) and distributed adjacent to carbonate reefs. They were formed on the proto-continental shelf (50-200 m depth) and shaped by the wind-driven currents. Changes in the sedimentary stacking patterns suggest three evolutionary stages of the contourite features. Stage I represents the growth of the Middle Miocene contourite depositional system between 16 and 10.5 Ma. Stage II marks the termination of carbonate drifts and the burial of the Late Miocene sedimentation during 10.5-5.3 Ma. Stage III started with the development of modern deep-water sedimentary systems since 5.3 Ma. The contourite features are compared with the examples on other South China Sea margins. Significant changes in the paleoceanography occurred at 10.5 Ma and 6.5-5.3 Ma when the dominated bottom currents shifted from the monsoonal wind-driven currents to the North Pacific waters, and then the modern circulation system. The Middle Miocene mounded drifts were likely sourced by the coarse-grained carbonate sands. Fluid flow escaped from the coarse-grained contourite layers and natural gas leakage occurs on the seafloor. Shallow-water carbonate contourite drifts can be served as a good gas reservoir and have great economic potential.

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Sedimentary stacking pattern of plastered drifts: An example from the Cenozoic on the Uruguayan continental slope

Cited by 10 publications

References 70 publications

Evolution and morphology of a contourite depositional system based on new evidence from 3D-seismic data offshore Madagascar (Paleogene, Morondava Basin)

Evolution and morphology of a contourite depositional system based on new evidence from 3D-seismic data offshore Madagascar (Paleogene, Morondava Basin)

Lateral migration of large sedimentary bodies in a deep-marine system offshore of Argentina

Carbonate contourite drifts in the southwest South China Sea: Sedimentary, paleoceanographic and economic implications

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