Integration of High and Very High-resolution Seismic Reflection Profiles to Study Upper Quaternary Deposits of a Coastal Area in the Western Gulf of Lions, SW France

Compound incised-valley characterization by high-resolution seismics in a wave-dominated setting: Example of the Aude and Orb rivers, Languedoc inner shelf, Gulf of Lion, France

“…We conforted the seismic facies interpretation using results from studies integrating ground truth data derived from oil industry drilling results similarly to Novak and Krarup Pedersen 2000, Roberts et al 2004, Bahr et al 2005, Nordjford et al 2006, and Greene et al 2007. Finally we used our own correlations between high-resolution seismic data and cores obtained during our previous studies all over the Gulf of Lion shelf (Gensous and Tesson 2003;Gensous et al 1993;Labaune et al 2005;Labaune 2005) and the French Atlantic coast (Chaumillon et al 2002;Weber et al 2004) to constrain the seismic facies interpretation. The stratigraphic terminology used for this incised valley study is that outlined in Allen and Truilhe (1987) and Allen and Posamentier (1993;.…”

“…Glacial Maximum (PLGM) wave ravinement surface (WRS) and buried under the thick late transgressive and highstand deposits (Labaune 2005;Labaune et al 2005;Labaune et al 2008). In this paper, the WRS is labelled S10 in the forthcoming text and pictures.…”

“…Diffracting facies (Gas) -The masking effect of SF3 is referred to as "acoustic blanking" (Duarte et al 2007) and is characteristic of biogenic gas accumulation encountered into either deep or shallow water environments (Edgerton et al 1966;Stefanon 1985). In shallow waters, gas occurrence is common in fine and organic-rich muds accumulated in low-energy environments with high biogenic production such as protected embayments, estuary central basins and offshore prodelta systems (Aloisi and Monaco 1980;Gensous and Tesson 2003;Garcia-Garcia et al 2004;Tessier et al 2010;Labaune et al 2005).…”

Quaternary compound incised valleys of the Roussillon coast (SE France): correlation of seismic data with core data

“…The following description is a synthesis of data presented in previous studies [Labaune, 2005;Labaune et al, 2005;Tesson et al, 2005;Labaune, 2007]. The terminology used here is modified from previous papers Tesson et al, 2005] so as to be in agreement with the usage of other teams (Ifremer) working in the Gulf of Lions.…”

“…The several Pleistocene erosional surfaces observed offshore rise progressively landward and amalgamate with the WRS (Wave Ravinement Surface) and the MFS (Maximum Flooding Surface) in some places. These surfaces correspond to the pebble/gravel layers alternating with sands (Body C = U600/U640) under the barrier beach [after Labaune et al, 2005]. The thick marine muds of the lower part of the SC1 Leucate drill hole (body B = U1 or several sub-units) are bounded by BI (basal incision) and MFS/TS (amalgamated surfaces, see above separately or associated: one, the river thalweg shape moved from one cycle to an other; second, the flow shear stress was not strong enough to remove the deposits or deposits were too compacted; third, the system was subsiding.…”