Seismic geomorphology of submarine channel-belt complexes in the Pliocene of the Levant Basin, offshore central Israel

Abstract

In this study, analyses of a high-resolution, three-dimensional seismic reflection dataset and well-log data were combined to characterise a distinct Pliocene interval in the Levant Basin offshore central Israel. This succession is characterised by moderate to high-amplitude, discontinuous to continuous seismic reflections between a mass transport deposit above and an undeformed basin series below. The studied interval contains two separate channelised subunits. Morphologically, the channels trend in a north to northwest direction, are incised <50 m, are ~50 m to 350 m wide and increase in number from base to top. A vertical variation in channel morphology style and stratigraphic organization is identified. The lower part of each subunit is dominated by coarser grained, narrow V-shaped channels (average width <120 m and low sinuosity, <1.06). In contrast, the upper part of each subunit is predominantly finegrained and U-shaped with relatively wide channels (average width >230 m and higher sinuosity, >1.1). The mechanisms that control the interplay between sedimentary processes and channel evolution show a cyclic pattern. Due to the cyclic occurrence of different channel types and the estimated age of the studied interval, formation and evolutionary processes of the submarine channels in the study area are likely to be controlled by relative sea level fluctuations and increased Nile River sediment supply, which is associated with rapid uplift of the Ethiopian plateau and increased African Monsoon rainfall during the Pliocene.

Turbidites, topography and tectonics: Evolution of submarine channel‐lobe systems in the salt‐influenced Kwanza Basin, offshore Angola

“…Similar seismic facies and seismic geomorphology have been observed in many other studies of deep-water depositional systems (e.g. Deptuck, Sylvester, Pirmez, & O'byrne, 2007;Gee & Gawthorpe, 2006;Hadler-Jacobsen et al, 2005;Hansen et al, 2017;Janocko et al, 2013;Niyazi et al, 2018;Oluboyo et al, 2014;Pirmez, Hiscou, & Kronen, 1997;Posamentier & Kolla, 2003;Prather et al, 1998) and following these works, they are interpreted as submarine channel deposits. We will abide to the sedimentological terminology of channel belts and channel complexes, the latter referring to vertically stacked multi-story channel belts with varying offset (Collinson & Thompson, 1982).…”

“…Regions with mobile salt substrate and deep‐water systems include well‐studied basins in the Gulf of Mexico (Smith, 2004; Prather et al, 2012), eastern Mediterranean Levant Basin (Clark & Cartwright, 2009; Niyazi et al., 2018), offshore Brazil, such as the Santos or Espirito Santo Basins (Gamboa & Alves, 2015; Rodriguez, Jackson, Bell, Rotevatn, & Francis, 2020), as well as along the west African margin, such as the Lower Congo or Kwanza Basins (Broucke et al., 2004; Oluboyo et al., 2014). Large‐scale tectonic studies often utilise regional 2D seismic reflection data to understand structural development (Marton, 2000; Valle, Gjelberg, & Helland‐Hansen, 2001; Tari et al, 2003; Hudec & Jackson, 2004), and these have developed useful methods to analyse the geometry of stratal packages deposited next to mature passive diapirs in local studies (Giles & Rowan, 2012; Pichel, Jackson, Peel, & Dooley, 2020; Rojo & Escalona, 2018).…”

GEBCO and ETOPO1 gridded datasets for GMT based cartographic Mapping of Hikurangi, Puysegur and Hjort Trenches, New Zealand

“…Cross-section modelling approach is based on the newly developed methods of the computed based data analysis and visualization of the transect x y z grids in topographical research (Harris et al 2014;Hodgson et al 2014;Bursztyn et al 2015;Niyazi et al 2018;Wessel, Smith 2018;Lemenkova 2019aLemenkova , 2019bAkan et al 2020;Brothers et al 2020;McCalpin et al 2020;O'Brien et al 2020;Trevisan et al 2020), adapted to the geomorphic mapping as a basis for mapping submarine geomorphology. Automated cross-sectioning model is based on primarily the 'grdtrack' module and considers three principal variables: length of the transect segment, distance between the samples, density of sampling, which in this study were accepted as: track 400 km long, spaces 20 km along the selected segment of the trench, and density 2 km.…”

Evolution of seafloor pockmarks along the Northern Orange Basin, Offshore South Africa: Interplay between fluid flow and bottom current activities

“…Variance (trace-to-trace variability of seismic data) attribute horizon probe was extracted at 100 ms TWT below the seafloor using a smoothed version of the seafloor structural map using the geo-body interpretation probe tool in Petrel 2020. Variance attribute is an edge detection volume-based geometric attribute that allows regions of surface discontinuities to be illuminated (Ostanin et al, 2012;Niyazi et al, 2018). It is particularly useful in delineating features such as channels and faults of implication to fluid flow (Eruteya et al, 2016;Niyazi et al, 2021).…”