Tectonic geomorphology and sedimentation
Next Generation Sediment Provenance: More Holistic Understanding of Source Regions, Sediment Pathways, and Depositional Settings
Assoc. Prof. Milo Barham1, Dr. Angana Chaudhuri2, Dr. Maximilian Dröllner1,3, Dr. Inês Pereira4, Dr. Kurt Sundell5
1School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia, 2Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal, Bhopal, India, 3Geoscience Centre Göttingen, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany, 4Centro de Geociências, Departamento de Ciências da Terra, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal, 5Department of Geosciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, USA
The sedimentary veneer of our planet serves as a key archive of Earth's geological history. Through sedimentary provenance analysis, we can decode this archive, translating sediment composition and isotopic data into a proxy for reconstructing surface processes, ancient landscapes, tectonic settings, and climatic conditions through space and time. Recent progress in analytical and computational techniques, as well as recognition of sources of bias have paved the way to achieving more holistic understandings of sediment provenance, yielding insights that were previously unattainable. This session invites contributions that explore sedimentary provenance across the full spectrum of Earth's history. We seek studies that capture new thinking and highlight recent advancements in analytical techniques (e.g., Rb-Sr, Lu-Hf, Raman dating, mineral inclusions), automated mineralogy, and computational methods (e.g., machine learning, mixture modelling) applied to provenance analysis. We also encourage data-driven submissions that integrate continental- to global-scale datasets, as well as multi-proxy approaches, combining traditional (e.g., petrology, major element chemistry, U-Pb geochronology, (U-Th)/He thermochronology), non-traditional (e.g., cosmogenic nuclides), and numerical methods, to advance our understanding of basin settings, transport and cycling of material on our planet’s surface, and the value of the sedimentary record in addressing key questions in Earth Science. Case studies that use provenance to inform on active plate margin processes that align with the overarching conference theme are appreciated. New perspectives and innovative approaches are highly welcome, with submissions from underrepresented and early and mid-career scientists encouraged.
Sedimentary processes in the northern Hikurangi Margin of New Zealand: Insights from IODP Expeditions 372/375
Mr Anthony Shorrock1, Dr Morgane Brunet2
1University of Auckland, New Zealand, 2Université du Québec à Rimouski, Québec City, Canada
In 2017/18, Expeditions 372 and 375 of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) investigated the northern Hikurangi Margin of New Zealand. Sediment cores acquired as part of these voyages are the longest ever obtained from the Hikurangi Margin, providing unprecedented insights into the evolution of this region and how it has responded to environmental changes, particularly with consideration to tectonic and climatic processes. The study sites of these voyages span from atop the continental slope to within the subduction trough, and atop volcanic seamounts. They directly sample sediments associated with some of the largest submarine landslide events recorded in the New Zealand region (e.g., Tuaheni Landslide Complex, Ruatōria Debris Avalanche).
This session will aim to present the findings of some of the numerous studies that have taken advantage of the unique datasets provided by the previous IODP to characterise the sedimentary and tectonic regime of the northern Hikurangi Margin.