Carbonate slope morphology revealing sediment transfer from bank-to-slope (Little Bahama Bank, Bahamas)

Mulder, Thierry; Joumes, Margot; Hanquiez, Vincent; Gillet, Hervé; Reijmer, John J.G.; Tournadour, Elsa; Chabaud, Ludivine; Principaud, Mélanie; Schnyder, Jara S.D.; Borgomano, Jean; Fauquembergue, Kelly; Ducassou, Emmanuelle; Busson, Jean

doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2017.03.002

Cited by 34 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…Sediment is exported from the platform through tidal flushing (Fig. ; Mulder et al ., ) or density cascading (Wilson & Roberts, ). It can directly form turbidity currents on steep slopes (Mulder et al ., ,b) that may interact with contour currents.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contour current imprints and contourite drifts in the Bahamian archipelago

et al. 2019

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contour current imprints and contourite drifts in the Bahamian archipelago

et al. 2019

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“…Sea‐level variations were proposed as a process causing carbonate slope instability (Spence & Tucker, ) and sediment export (Schlager et al ., ; Adams & Kenter, ; Reijmer et al ., 2015a; Mulder et al ., ). However, the deposition of large‐scale re‐sedimented carbonates is often associated with tectonic and seismic processes (Drzewiecki & Simo, ; Playton et al ., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…A series of studies addressed the key role played by mass transport deposits (MTDs) in governing the slope architecture of both modern (Playton et al ., , and references therein; Mulder et al ., ) and ancient carbonate slope systems (Crevello & Schlager, ; Spence & Tucker, ; Hairabian et al ., ; Reijmer et al ., ,b; Playton & Kerans, ) as well as providing information on the source area (Mullins et al ., , ; Mullins & Hine, ; Ross et al ., ; Borgomano, ; Posamentier & Kolla, ). The terminology of MTDs remains ambiguous due to the disparate definitions and its variable usage (Cook & Mullins, ; Mulder & Cochonat, ; Artoni et al ., ; Meckel, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Slope architecture also depends on the controlling factors of sediment shedding occurring on platform tops and/or their adjacent slopes (Spence & Tucker, ; Playton et al ., ; Reijmer et al ., 2015a). Controlling factors of slope architecture include: (i) sea‐level fluctuations (for example, Bahamas: Hine et al ., ; Schlager & Ginsburg, ; Eberli & Ginsburg, ; Reijmer et al ., , , 2015a; Wunsch et al ., ; Mulder et al ., ; Great Barrier Reef: Webster et al ., , ; Puga‐Bernabéu et al ., , ; Maldives: Betzler et al ., ); (ii) tectonics (for example, Southern Provence: Floquet & Hennuy, ; Hennuy, ; Floquet et al ., ; Reijmer et al ., 2015b; Pyrenees: Drzewiecki & Simo, ; general reviews: Payros & Pujalte, , and references therein; Playton et al ., , and references therein); and (iii) the system growth itself (Canning Basin: Playton & Kerans, ,b; Delaware Basin: Playton & Kerans, ). In addition, the downslope movement of sediment‐laden flows covers a variety of processes that may coexist within a single gravity flow event.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Carbonate slope re‐sedimentation in a tectonically‐active setting (Western Sicily Cretaceous Escarpment, Italy)

et al. 2020

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Tectonic processes are widely considered as a mechanism causing carbonate platform margin instabilities leading to the emplacement of mass transport deposits and calciturbidites. However, only few examples establishing a clear link between tectonics and re‐sedimentation processes are known from the literature. The two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional wire‐cut walls of hundreds of quarries extracting ornamental limestones (for example, Perlato di Sicilia) from the Western Sicily Cretaceous Escarpment in Italy expose a series of mass transport deposits. The depositional architecture, spatial facies distribution and sedimentary features of these deposits were studied in detail. Thin section analysis was used to define the microfacies characteristics and to determine the age of the re‐sedimented limestones. Eleven facies types grouped into four facies associations were recognized that defined specific depositional processes and environments. The stratigraphic architecture of the slope was reconstructed using four composite facies successions based on the detailed analysis and correlation of the field sections. The palaeoslope orientation was reconstructed based on the analysis of synsedimentary faults, slump scars and pinch‐out geometries. The Western Sicily Cretaceous Escarpment was strongly influenced by synsedimentary transtensional tectonics in combination with magmatic processes, as suggested by the presence of tuffites and pillow lava intercalations within the re‐sedimented carbonate series. These volcanics point to a major role of crustal shear as a trigger for mass transport deposit emplacement. The facies distribution along the Western Sicily Cretaceous Escarpment delivers new insights into the deformation processes accompanying the crustal extension of the Cretaceous western Tethys realm.

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“…This low acoustic facies, present along most of the upper to middle slope, corresponds to unconsolidated silty mud wackestone (Table ) and forms a sedimentary wedge commonly referred to as the ‘Holocene wedge’ (Wilber et al ., ; Schlager et al ., ; Roth & Reijmer, , ). It is also found along the uppermost slope of the Little Bahama Bank (Rankey & Doolittle, ; Mulder et al ., ). This thinning‐downslope sedimentary wedge consists predominantly of aragonite mud‐size particles derived from the bank since the late bank‐top Holocene flooding (Wilber et al ., ).…”

Section: Interpretation and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent morphology and sedimentary processes along the western slope of Great Bahama Bank (Bahamas)

et al. 2018

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Carbonate slopes and associated resedimented deposits have recently gained renewed interest because they represent volumetrically significant parts of carbonate platforms. Carbonate slopes are highly variable compositionally, architecturally and spatially due to a spectrum of sediment sources, resedimentation processes and controlling factors. Here, new high resolution acoustic data (including EM302 multi‐beam echo‐sounder and very high resolution seismic) and piston cores document highly diverse and complex morphological features along the north‐western slope of Great Bahama Bank. The recent morphology of the slope is the result of the interplay between depositional and erosive processes that vary through time and along strike. The different sedimentary processes are recorded as a Pleistocene lowstand surface, characterized by many erosional features and a Holocene sedimentary wedge along the upper to middle slope that partially covers the underlying Pleistocene surface. Sedimentary processes during the Holocene are dominated by density cascading flows, which export muddy aragonitic sediment from the platform top towards the slope. Sedimentation rates, however, vary along strike due to platform top morphology combined with the variable strength of the basinal current. Reefs and islands in the Bimini area block off‐bank sediment export, and shoals and tidal deltas from Cat Cay to the south reduce the density cascading processes. Numerous small and large slope failure scars show the instability of the steep slopes of Great Bahama Bank. Bottom currents dominate the lower slope and the basin. Striations and moats are the morphological expressions of current directions, while areas of non‐deposition document strong current and concomitant removal of off‐bank transported sediment along parts of the slope, while the Santaren Drift and the drift on the north‐western edge of Great Bahama Bank act as the depositional locus for the fine‐grained sediments transported in the current.

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Carbonate slope morphology revealing sediment transfer from bank-to-slope (Little Bahama Bank, Bahamas)

Cited by 34 publications

References 46 publications

Contour current imprints and contourite drifts in the Bahamian archipelago

Contour current imprints and contourite drifts in the Bahamian archipelago

Carbonate slope re‐sedimentation in a tectonically‐active setting (Western Sicily Cretaceous Escarpment, Italy)

Recent morphology and sedimentary processes along the western slope of Great Bahama Bank (Bahamas)

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