Tectonic and oceanographic control of sedimentary patterns in a small oceanic basin: Dove Basin (Scotia Sea, Antarctica)

Abstract

Dove Basin, a small oceanic domain located within the southern Scotia Sea, evidences a complex tectonic evolution linked to the development of the Scotia Arc. The basin also straddles the junction between the main Southern Ocean water masses: the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), the Southeast Pacific Deep Water (SPDW) and the Weddell Sea Deep Water (WSDW). Analysis of multichannel seismic reflection profiles, together with swath bathymetry data, reveals the main structure and sediment distribution of the basin, allowing a reconstruction of the tectonostratigraphic evolution of the basin and assessment of the main bottom water flows that influenced its depositional development. Sediment dispersed in the basin was largely influenced by gravity-driven transport from adjacent continental margins, later modified by deep bottom currents. Sediments derived from melting icebergs and extensive ice sheets also contributed to a fraction of the basin deposits. We identify four stages in the basin evolution which -based on regional age assumptionstook place during the early Miocene, middle Miocene, late Miocene-early Pliocene and late Pliocene-Quaternary. The onsets of the ACC flow in Dove Basin during the early Miocene, the WSDW flow during the middle Miocene, and the SPDW during the late Miocene were influenced by tectonic events that facilitated the opening of new oceanic gateways in the region. The analysis of Dove Basin reveals that tectonics is a primary factor influencing its sedimentary stacking patterns, the structural development of new oceanic gateways permitting the inception of deep-water flows that have since controlled the sedimentary processes.

Tectonic activity evolution of the Scotia‐Antarctic Plate boundary from mass transport deposit analysis

“…Seismic interpretation was based on Kingdom Suite software following a conventional seismic stratigraphic analysis [e.g., Payton , ]. The principal discontinuities (or stratigraphic horizons) were interpreted following previously proposed stratigraphic models of the region [ Maldonado et al ., , ; Pérez et al ., , , ]. Throughout this study the depth and thickness measurements within the stratigraphic column are expressed in time (s) as two‐way traveltime (twt), because determination of thickness would be inaccurate due to the need to use a general seismic velocity model in the absence of precise local seismic refraction data.…”

Tectonic and oceanographic process interactions archived in Late Cretaceous to Present deep‐marine stratigraphy on the Exmouth Plateau, offshore NW Australia

“…One of these processes may dominate, both spatially and temporally, for instance, periods of intense tectonism may be recorded by repeated deposition of mass‐transport complexes (MTCs) spatially associated with specific structures (Bagguley & Prosser, ; Gee, Gawthorpe, & Friedmann, ; Gee, Uy, Warren, Morley, & Lambiase, ; Hampton, Lee, & Locat, ; Masson, Wynn, & Talling, ; Ortiz‐Karpf, Hodgson, Jackson, & McCaffrey, ; Pérez et al, ; Scarselli, McClay, & Elders, ). In contrast, periods dominated by the activity of intense, along‐slope bottom currents may be recorded by deposition of contourite depositional systems, from which oceanographic and/or palaeo‐oceanographic processes can be inferred (Ercilla et al, ; Hernández‐Molina et al, ; Hernández‐Molina, Llave, et al, ; Pérez et al, ; Pickering et al, ; Uenzelmann‐Neben, ; Viana, Faugères, & Stow, ). Therefore, deep‐marine stratigraphy can record tectonic and oceanographic processes, including periods of continental rifting and collision that may result in the opening and closing of ocean gateways (Faugères & Stow, ; Hernández‐Molina et al, ; Knutz, ; Pérez et al, ).…”

“…In contrast, periods dominated by the activity of intense, along‐slope bottom currents may be recorded by deposition of contourite depositional systems, from which oceanographic and/or palaeo‐oceanographic processes can be inferred (Ercilla et al, ; Hernández‐Molina et al, ; Hernández‐Molina, Llave, et al, ; Pérez et al, ; Pickering et al, ; Uenzelmann‐Neben, ; Viana, Faugères, & Stow, ). Therefore, deep‐marine stratigraphy can record tectonic and oceanographic processes, including periods of continental rifting and collision that may result in the opening and closing of ocean gateways (Faugères & Stow, ; Hernández‐Molina et al, ; Knutz, ; Pérez et al, ).…”

“…Gruetzner & Uenzelmann‐Neben, ; Hernández‐Molina, Larter, Rebesco, & Maldonado, ; Mulder et al, ; Pérez et al, ; Uenzelmann‐Neben, ; Uenzelmann‐Neben & Gohl, ; Vandorpe et al, ); and (b) the contribution of oceanographic processes on continental margins and deep‐marine basins evolution (e.g. García, Ercilla, & Alonso, ; Hernández‐Molina, Llave, et al, ; Johnson & Damuth, ; Martos, Maldonado, Lobo, Hernández‐Molina, & Pérez, ; Pérez et al, ; Pérez et al, ; Reed, Meyer, Silver, & Prasetyo, ; Soares, Alves, & Terrinha, ; Zhu, Graham, Pang, & McHargue, ). On the other hand, the timing and distribution of gravity‐driven deposition has been used to reconstruct the tectono‐sedimentary evolution of passive (e.g.…”

Expedition 382 Preliminary Report: Iceberg Alley and Subantarctic Ice and Ocean Dynamics

“…Sediments located in the Scotia Sea and its southern basins have recorded the history and evolution of the tectonics and oceanic currents in the area (e.g., Martos et al, 2013;Pérez et al, 2017). Five main seismic units (Figures F2, F3) separated by distinct stratigraphic discontinuities can be regionally traced among the small southern basins and north of the Weddell Sea .…”