Causes of catastrophic sediment failures of the Amazon Fan

Maslin, Mark; Vilela, Claudia Gutterres; Mikkelsen, Naja; Grootes, P. M.

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2005.01.016

Cited by 87 publications

(63 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…The Canadian abyssal plain turbidites (Grantz et al, 1996), Afen 674 slide (Wilson et al, 2004), Rockall bank slump (Flood et al, 1979) and north 675 tent 14 C dates. Landslide ages inferred from sediment thickness and nearby 677 sedimentation rates, such as for the Andøya slide (Laberg et al, 2000), Peach 678 2 and 3 debris flows (Holmes et al, 1998), Currituck slide (Prior et al, 1986) 679 and Amazon shallow E debris flow (Maslin et al, 2005), were omitted as well.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Timing and frequency of large submarine landslides: implications for understanding triggers and future geohazard

Urlaub¹,

Talling²,

Masson³

2013

Quaternary Science Reviews

172

164

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Large submarine landslides can have serious socioeconomic consequences as they have the potential to cause tsunamis and damage seabed infrastructure. It is important to understand the frequency of these landslides, and how that frequency is related to climate-driven factors such as sea level or sedimentation rate, in order to assess their occurrence in the future. Recent studies have proposed that more landslides occur during periods of sea level rise and lowstand, or during periods of rapid sedimentation. In this contribution we test these hypotheses by analysing the most comprehensive global data set of ages for large (> 1km 3 ) late Quaternary submarine landslides that has been compiled to date. We include the uncertainties in each landslide age that arise from both the dating technique, and the typically larger uncertainties that result from the position of the samples used for dating. Contrary to the hypothesis that continental slope stability is linked to sea level change, the data set does not show statistically significant patterns, trends or clusters in landslide abundance. If such a link between sea level and landslide frequency exists it is too weak to be detected using the available global data base. It is possible that controlling factors vary between different geographical areas, and their role is therefore hidden * Corresponding author Email address: m.urlaub@noc.soton.ac.uk (Morelia Urlaub)Preprint submitted to Elsevier March 1, 2013in a global data set, or that the uncertainties within the dates is too great to see an underlying correlation. Our analysis also shows that there is no evidence for an immediate influence of rapid sedimentation on slope stability as failures tend to occur several thousand years after periods of increased sedimentation rates. The results imply that there is not a strong global correlation of landslide frequency with sea level changes or increases in local sedimentation rate, based on the currently available ages for large submarine landslides.

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Timing and frequency of large submarine landslides: implications for understanding triggers and future geohazard

Urlaub¹,

Talling²,

Masson³

2013

Quaternary Science Reviews

172

164

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“…A formação do Leque do Amazonas teve início a partir de fases de aumento da taxa de soerguimento da Cadeia Andina no Mioceno Médio-Superior (11.8-11,3 Ma, Figueiredo et al, 2009), que estabeleceu o curso do Rio Amazonas na direção do Oceano Atlântico (Maslin & Mikkelsen, 1997;Flood & Piper, 1997;Rimington et al, 2000;Gregory-Wodzicki, 2000;Lopez, 2001;Cobbold et al, 2004;Maslin et al, 2005;Figueiredo et al, 2009). Os sucessivos níveis de mar baixo responsáveis pela deposição do leque fizeram com que a enorme carga sedimentar trazida pelo rio fosse diretamente depositada na borda da plataforma e no talude continental (Maslin & Mikkelsen, 1997;Rimington et al, 2000;Lopez, 2001).…”

Section: Caracterização Regionalunclassified

O processo de colapso gravitacional da seção marinha da bacia da foz do Amazonas - margem equatorial brasileira

Perovano¹,

Reis²,

Silva³

et al. 2009

Rev. Bras. Geof.

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ABSTRACT. Gravitational deformation affects the entire marine sequences of the Foz do Amazonas basin, including the sedimentary successions of the Amazon Fan.Associated gravity-driven structures, imaged by 2D multichannel seismic profiles, were driven by gravity in a linked extensional-contractional system gliding on weak levels, and driven by sedimentary loading and by the bathymetric slope. Sliding of the sedimentary section took place along distinct décollement surfaces and, apparently, at different stages of the margin's evolution. At least three main stratigraphic levels have acted as décollement surfaces, at either regional or local scale. Gravity-driven deep-water fold-and-thrust belts stand as the most remarkable structures along the margin. Their geometry and structural complexity vary along strike, owing to lateral changes in the development of the Amazon fan's depocenters. These structures are significantly more complex along the Northwestern Compartment, where the major margin's depocenters are located, exhibiting evidence of long-lasting deformation from multiple partially-overlapping fronts. In the South-eastern Compartment, the system is restricted to a pair of active reverse faults causing no major sea-bottom relief (inactivated belt). At local scale, antithetic normal growth faults detach on an upper décollement level and exert structural control on the segmentation of the fan's depocenters.Keywords: gravity tectonics, gravitational fold-and-thrust belts, Amazon Deep-sea Fan, Brazilian equatorial margin. RESUMO.As seqüências marinhas da Bacia Foz do Amazonas são deformadas pela tectônica gravitacional, incluindo aquelas do Leque do Amazonas. As estruturas associadas ao colapso gravitacional, imageadas por sísmica multicanal 2D, foram formadas pelo deslizamento gravitacional da cobertura sedimentar sobre níveis basais móveis, induzido pela sobrecarga sedimentar e pelo gradiente do talude. O deslizamento gravitacional ocorreu ao longo de distintas superfícies de descolamento e, aparentemente, em diferentes estágios evolutivos da margem. Ao menos três níveis estratigráficos principais atuaram como superfícies de descolamento, em escala regional ou local. Cinturões de dobramento e cavalgamento emáguas profundas são as estruturas mais notáveis deste arcabouço; sua geometria e complexidade variam ao longo da margem em repostaà variação lateral do desenvolvimento dos depocentros do Leque do Amazonas. Estas estruturas são mais complexas no Compartimento Noroeste onde os principais depocentros estão presentes, formando múltiplas frentes compressivas devido ao mais intenso encurtamento da cobertura sedimentar. No Compartimento Sudeste, o sistemaé menos desenvolvido e se limita a um cinturão parcialmente inativo, caracterizado apenas por um par de falhas reversas ativas com menor impacto morfológico. Localmente, falhas normais lístricas antitéticas se ancoram sobre a superfície de descolamento mais superior, exercendo um controle estrutural sobre a segmentação dos depocentros do próprio leque.Palavras-chav...

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“…Enquanto emáguas profundas observa-se a presença de folhelhos, que caracterizam a Formação Travosas. A deposição daś ultimas grandes formações sedimentares da bacia ocorreu a partir do Mioceno Superior, com o estabelecimento da drenagem do Rio Amazonas para o Oceano Atlântico entre 11,8 e 11,3 Ma (Figueiredo et al, 2009), em conseqüência do aumento da taxa de soerguimento dos Andes (Damuth & Kumar, 1975;Hoorn et al, 1995;Maslin & Mikkelsen, 1997;Rimington et al, 2000;Lopez, 2001;Maslin et al, 2005). Uma enorme carga de cerca de 10 km de espessura de sedimentos resultou na formação e progradação do Leque do Amazonas e na deformação flexural da margem.…”

Section: Geologia Regional Eárea De Estudosunclassified

“…No Leque Submarino do Amazonas (a partir daqui referenciado como Leque do Amazonas), diversos estudos chamam a atenção para a ocorrência de depósitos de massa nas unidades sedimentares de idade quaternária do leque (Damuth & Embley, 1981;Manley & Flood, 1988;Piper et al, 1997a;Maslin & Mikkelsen, 1997;Maslin et al, 2005), constituindo elementos importantes na evolução da arquitetura sedimentar deste complexo turbidítico (Damuth et al, 1988;Pirmez & Imran, 2003;Maslin & Mikkelsen, 1997;Maslin et al, 2005). Vários autores sugerem que a dissociação de hidratos de gás ocasionada por rebaixamentos eustáticos durante o Quaternário Superior tenha representado um dos principais fatores indutores dos múltiplos eventos catastróficos de remobilização, transporte e depósito de massa (MTDs ) mapeados naárea (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

“…Vários autores sugerem que a dissociação de hidratos de gás ocasionada por rebaixamentos eustáticos durante o Quaternário Superior tenha representado um dos principais fatores indutores dos múltiplos eventos catastróficos de remobilização, transporte e depósito de massa (MTDs ) mapeados naárea (e.g. Flood & Piper, 1997;Maslin & Mikkelsen, 1997;Piper et al, 1997aPiper et al, , 1997bMaslin et al, 2005).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

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Movimentos de massa multiescala na bacia da foz do Amazonas - margem equatorial brasileira

Araújo¹,

Silva²,

Reis³

et al. 2009

Rev. Bras. Geof.

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ABSTRACT. Analysis of 2D multi-channel seismic data provided evidences that sediment slides are recurrent elements in the sedimentary succession of the Foz do Amazonas Basin. In the Amazon Fan, a linked extensional-contractional system glides along weak levels, forming gravitational fold-and-thrust belts of regional scale. Gravity-related fault scarps and sea-floor uplifts (up to 500 m high) induced surficial sediment slides along thrust-faults (average thickness between 200-300 m), resulting in structurally-driven mass movement deposits, as large as 10 4 km 2 . We document, as well, the occurrence of two thick large-scale megaslides along the steep margin to the NW and to the SE of the fan. Megaslides can remobilize siliciclastic series downslope as allochthonous masses over areas as large as thousands of km 2 :the Pará-Maranhão Megaslide (up to 1000 m thick) extends downslope to the Pará-Maranhão Basin over an area of about 90,000 km 2 . To the Northwest of the fan, the Amapá Megaslide Complex consists of a series of recurrent megaslides (each one as thick as 300-700 m), forming a thick stratigraphic succession related to mass transport processes, across an area of about 80,000 km 2 . The instability that triggers megaslides is most likely created by pore overpressure as indicated by the seismic attributes of their respective base of slides, characterized by seismic signals of negative polarity.

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Causes of catastrophic sediment failures of the Amazon Fan

Cited by 87 publications

References 70 publications

Timing and frequency of large submarine landslides: implications for understanding triggers and future geohazard

Timing and frequency of large submarine landslides: implications for understanding triggers and future geohazard

O processo de colapso gravitacional da seção marinha da bacia da foz do Amazonas - margem equatorial brasileira

Movimentos de massa multiescala na bacia da foz do Amazonas - margem equatorial brasileira

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