Journal articles
Morphology and sedimentary architecture of a modern volcaniclastic turbidite system: The Cilaos fan, offshore La Réunion Island
Abstract : Recent oceanographic surveys revealed the existence of five volcaniclastic deep-sea fans off La Réunion Island. The Cilaos fan is a large volcaniclastic submarine fan, connected to rivers that episodically experience torrential floods through a narrow and steep shelf-slope system. New piston cores presented in this study together with echosounder profiles give new insight into the evolution of this extensive and sand-rich turbidite system. The Cilaos fan extends over 15,000 km2 on an abyssal plain and is compartmentalized by topographic highs. Located southwest of the island, the sedimentary system consists of a canyon area and a deep sea fan divided into a proximal and a distal fan. The proximal fan is characterized by its wide extent and coarse-grained turbidites. The distal fan is characterized by elongated structures and fine-grained turbidites. A detailed morphological study of the fan which includes the analysis of swath bathymetry, backscatter, echosounder, and piston core data shows that the Cilaos fan is a complex volcaniclastic deep-sea fan, highly influenced by preexisting seafloor irregularities. The canyons and the slope area show a complex and evolving sediment feeding system with a direct sediment input by the river and irregular sediment supply by submarine landslide. Three main construction stages are identified for this system: (1) an old incision phase of the channels forming wide turbidites extending over the entire distal fan; (2) a period of no or low activity characterized by a thick layer of hemipelagic mud; and (3) a local reactivation of the channel in the proximal fan. Each stage seems to be linked to a different sediment source with a progressively increasing contribution of hemipelagic sediment and mud in younger stages.
Cited literature [76 references]
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-00656017
Contributor : Adminhal Univbrestbu <>
Submitted on : Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 9:10:48 AM
Last modification on : Thursday, July 1, 2021 - 3:40:23 AM
Long-term archiving on: : Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - 2:21:36 AM
Contributor : Adminhal Univbrestbu <>
Submitted on : Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - 9:10:48 AM
Last modification on : Thursday, July 1, 2021 - 3:40:23 AM
Long-term archiving on: : Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - 2:21:36 AM
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