Downslope and along slope deep marine processes
Contourites and Mixed Depositional Systems
Dr Sara Rodrigues, Dr Wouter de Weger, Dr Debora Duarte, Dr Aleksei Portnov, Watcharaphong Phothadee1,Dr Uisdean Nicholson2, Professor Gregory Moore3, Professor Dorrik Stow2 , Professor Javier Hernandez-Molina1
1Andalusian Earth Sciences Institute, Granada, Spain, 2Heriot-watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 3University of Hawaii, Honolulu, United States
Along-slope bottom currents and a series of secondary oceanographic processes interact at different scales to form sedimentary deposits referred to as contourite and mixed (turbidite-contourite) depositional systems. The recent surge in academic and industry research on deep-marine sedimentation has led to advancements in understanding these systems. However, the features and their formation processes remain largely unfamiliar to non-specialists. Contourites and mixed depositional systems represent a major domain of continental margin and adjacent abyssal plain sedimentation in the world’s oceans. These are recognised in Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic stratigraphic sections. The growing interest in these systems has led to a refined but still evolving understanding on their development and evolution. In addition, research must also continue to ascertain their role in deep-sea ecosystems, geological hazards, environmental policy and economic development. Key gaps in knowledge persist regarding their formation, role in oceanographic systems and their evolution over time. This session welcomes academic and industry researchers, and policy-makers interested in these deepwater sedimentary systems.
Controls on sedimentation at submarine active margins: bridging observations of modern processes and geological products
Dr Adam Mcarthur1, Dr Lorna Strachan, Dr Alan Orpin, Dr Kyle Bland, Dr Julien Bailleul
1University Of Leeds, United Kingdom
Submarine sedimentary systems are often difficult to observe in action, yet understanding sediment transport and depositional process are critical for characterising the highly-dynamic depositional environments and structural evolution at active margins. The geological record has preserved evidence of the controls of deposition and dispersal, which have been a focus of geological research for many decades. Processes such as mass-movements, gravity flows, and bottom currents sculpt seafloor environments across all water depths. Similarly, a source-to-sink perspective highlights the diverse range of tectonic and sedimentological settings within active margins, from shelf incising canyons, intraslope basins, emergent fault ridges, trenches, and abyssal plains. Sediment transport can be enigmatic, complicated by tortuous sediment dispersal patterns influenced by tectonics, slope instability, and climatically controlled sediment flux, with potential for enhanced bypass and capture of sediment on slopes. With ever advancing technologies to measure and observe submarine processes, allied with our growing capacity to operate at sea, new datasets are emerging that offer unprecedented insights into submarine processes and deposition. The importance of the interaction of biological and physical processes in deep-water settings are now recognised, modulating the balance of sedimentation, transport and sequestration of organic carbon in a variety of environments. This session aims to bring together a wide range of researchers focused on sedimentary systems, including modern and ancient processes and products, and modelling sedimentation on active margins, such as the Cascadia, Hikurangi, and Nankai subduction margins. In particular, we invite submissions aiming to integrate process sedimentology (e.g., seafloor observations and experimental) with the rock record (e.g., outcrop and subsurface) to unravel the controls on sediment transport, distribution and preservation on submarine active margins. We welcome studies yielding fundamental insights of sedimentation on active margins, temporal and spatial considerations for deposition, as well as applied studies, such as those identifying marine geohazards.
The role of subaqueous sediment gravity flows in carbon sequestration: processes and potential
Dr Joanna Pszonka1, Dr Xin Shan2
1Colorado School of Mines, Golden, the United States, 2First Institute of Oceanography, Qingdao, China
This session explores the critical role of submarine and sub-lacustrine sediment gravity flows in carbon sequestration. We welcome contributions exploring the processes and products of sediment gravity flows, as well as their impact on carbon burial and storage. We will discuss how these downslope processes facilitate organic carbon burial, mineral carbonation, and the long-term storage of carbon dioxide (CO₂) within sedimentary basins. By understanding the mechanisms (i.e., tectonic, climate, sea-level changes) that control carbon storage in subaqueous environments, we can identify potential strategies to enhance natural sequestration processes and contribute to climate change mitigation. This interdisciplinary session will bring together insights from geologists, marine scientists, and climate researchers to discuss the latest findings and innovative approaches to foster understanding of the carbon storage potential within subaqueous systems.