The Baiyun Slide Complex, South China Sea: A modern example of slope instability controlling submarine-channel incision on continental slopes

Li, Wei; Alves, Tiago Marcos; Rebesco, Michele; Sun, Jie; Li, Jian; Li, Shuang; Wu, Shiguo

doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2020.104231

Cited by 16 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 71 publications

(96 reference statements)

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“…The headwall scarp of MTCs play an essential role in capturing turbidity currents and facilitating turbidity channelization in submarine settings, as proved by examples from previous seismic-and outcrop-based studies (Loncke et al, 2009;Alves and Cartwright, 2010;Ito, 2013;Qin et al, 2017;Li et al, 2020). The three MTCs presented in this study have indicated the spatial variation of canyon morphology is linked with the MTCs morphometric characteristics.…”

Section: Role Of Retrogressive Failure Mechanism On Canyon Evolutionsupporting

confidence: 64%

The role of mass-transport complexes (MTCs) in the initiation and evolution of submarine canyons

Wu¹,

Nugraha²,

Zhong³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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The offshore area of the Otway Basin, located within the SE continental margin of Australia, is dominated by a multibranched canyon system where submarine mass-transport complexes (MTCs) are widely distributed. We integrate high-resolution multi-beam bathymetric and seismic reflection data to investigate the importance of regionally distributed MTCs in dictating the evolution of canyon systems. We interpret three regionally distributed MTCs that fail retrogressively and affect almost 70% of the study area. Within the MTCs, we observed seven canyons that initiated from the continental shelf edge and extended to the abyssal plain. Although these canyons share common regional tectonics and oceanography, the scales, morphology, and distribution are distinctly different. This is devoted to the presence of failure-related scarps (i.e. headwall and sidewall scarps) that control the initiation and formation of the canyons. The retrogressive failure mechanisms of MTCs have created a series of the headwall and lateral scarps on the continental shelf and slope regions. In the continental shelf, where terrestrial input (i.e. fluvial systems) is absent, the origin of the canyons is related to the local failure events and the contour current activities occurring near the pre-existing, massive headwall scarps (c. 120 m high, 3km long). The occurrence of these local failures has provided the necessary sediment input for subsequent gravity-driven, downslope sediment flows. In the continental slope region, the widespread scarps can capture gravity flows initiated from the continental shelf, developing an area of flow convergence, which greatly widens and deepens the canyon system. The gradual diversion and convergence through MTCs related scarps have facilitated the canyon confluence process, which has fundamentally changed the canyoning process. Thus, we conclude that the retrogressive failure mechanism of MTCs has a direct contribution to the initiation, distribution, and evolution of the canyons, especially in areas where fluvial input is missing. Moreover, the retrogressive failure mechanism is responsible for the canyon deepening and confluence process, which can greatly facilitate the delivery of sediment into deep oceans.

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Section: Role Of Retrogressive Failure Mechanism On Canyon Evolutionsupporting

confidence: 64%

The role of mass-transport complexes (MTCs) in the initiation and evolution of submarine canyons

Wu¹,

Nugraha²,

Zhong³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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show abstract

“…The headwall scarps of MTCs play an essential role in capturing turbidity currents and facilitating turbidity channelization in submarine settings, as demonstrated by examples from previous seismic and outcrop‐based studies (Loncke et al ., 2009; Alves & Cartwright, 2010; Ito, 2013; Qin et al ., 2017; Li et al ., 2020). The three MTCs presented in this study have indicated that the spatial variation of canyon morphology is linked with the MTCs morphometric characteristics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of mass‐transport complexes in the initiation and evolution of submarine canyons

Nugraha

Zhong

et al. 2022

Sedimentology

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The offshore area of the Otway Basin (south‐eastern Australia) is dominated by multibranched canyons where mass‐transport complexes are widely distributed. This study integrates high‐resolution multibeam and seismic data to investigate the importance of mass‐transport complexes in dictating the evolution of canyons. The study interprets three regionally distributed mass‐transport complexes that fail retrogressively and affect almost 70% of the study area. Within the mass‐transport complexes, seven canyons that initiated from the continental shelf edge and extended to the lower slope are observed. Although the canyons share common regional tectonics and oceanography, the scales, morphology and distribution are distinctly different. This is linked to the presence of failure‐related scarps that control the initiation and formation of the canyons. The retrogressive failure mechanisms of mass‐transport complexes have created a series of scarps on the continental shelf and slope. In the continental shelf, where terrestrial input is absent, the origin of the canyons is related to local failures and contour current activities, occurring near the pre‐existing larger headwall scarps (ca 120 m high, 3 km long). The occurrence of these local failures has provided the necessary sediment input for subsequent gravity‐driven, downslope sediment flows. In the continental slope, the widespread scarps can capture gravity flows initiated from the continental shelf, developing an area of flow convergence, which greatly widens and deepens the canyons. The gradual diversion and convergence through mass‐transport complex related scarps have facilitated the canyon confluence process, which has fundamentally changed the canyoning process. Thus, this study concludes that the retrogressive failure mechanism of mass‐transport complexes has a direct influence on the initiation, distribution and evolution of the canyons. The scarps associated with mass‐transport complexes have greatly facilitated the delivery of sediments and marine plastics from the shelf edge into the deep oceans, especially in areas where fluvial input is missing.

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“…The initiation and evolution of turbidite channels after mass movements in deep‐water systems has been widely recognized from both outcrop and seismic reflection data (Alves et al, 2015; Ward et al., 2018). Turbidite channels can initiate and form after the evacuation of submarine landslides (Fallgatter et al., 2017; Li et al., 2020) and often significantly exploit the rugged topographies of subjacent MTDs (Kneller et al., 2016). The presence of similar channelized (turbidites) features within MTDs 1, 4 and 5 (Figures 4a and 5a,b) implies that the MTDs are possibly composed of vertical stacks of deposits, consisting of sedimentary packages delivered by both mass flows and turbidity currents.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geomorphological characterization of basal flow markers during recurrent mass movement: A case study from the Taranaki Basin, offshore New Zealand

Kumar

Omosanya²,

Eruteya

et al. 2021

Basin Research

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This work examines the mode of basal to substrate interaction, and flow dynamics of recurrent mass wasting events from a high-quality 3D seismic reflection data. The Taranaki Basin, offshore New Zealand offers a unique environment to understand these processes, as the Neogene succession of the area preserves vertical stacks of mass transport deposits (MTDs) from the Miocene to Pliocene. The approach used here combines seismic interpretation of the basal shear zones (BSZs) of the MTD, seismic attribute analyses and colour rendering of both RMS amplitude and energy gradient maps. The five mass transport deposits are characterized into blocky-MTDs consisting of moderate to high amplitude and variably deformed rafted blocks, and chaotic masses composed of slides and debris flow deposits. Classic examples of kinematic indicators at the BSZ of the MTDs akin to free-slip flow processes such as liquefaction, hydroplaning and shear wetting are convolute flow fabrics and basal shear zone cut-offs (fractures). Striations, grooves, mega scours, U-and V-shaped scours, substrate erosion, monkey fingers (peel backs), substrate deformation and shearing are associated with no-slip flows, suggesting that the mass movements efficiently interacted with the underlying substrate. Importantly, the intersection of different kinematic indicators along the BSZs of all the MTDs suggests an overlap of flow regimes, flow overprinting and transformation during mass movement. Although basal tooling by rafted blocks seems dominant during remobilization of the blocky MTDs, the presence of other kinematic indicators signifies combined mechanisms involving both free-flow and no-slip processes during their translation. The classification scheme evaluated here innovatively shows mass movements habitually occur through a combination of flow mechanisms rather than an independent flow regime.

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The Baiyun Slide Complex, South China Sea: A modern example of slope instability controlling submarine-channel incision on continental slopes

Cited by 16 publications

References 71 publications

The role of mass-transport complexes (MTCs) in the initiation and evolution of submarine canyons

The role of mass-transport complexes (MTCs) in the initiation and evolution of submarine canyons

The role of mass‐transport complexes in the initiation and evolution of submarine canyons

Geomorphological characterization of basal flow markers during recurrent mass movement: A case study from the Taranaki Basin, offshore New Zealand

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