Submarine canyons, channels, levees, and lobes: an investigation of the linkages between depositional processes, stratigraphy, and sedimentology

Abstract

Continental margin depositional systems are of great importance to science and society in that their deposits are an important record of earth history and host valuable natural resources. Submarine fans form the largest sedimentary accumulations within continental margins and are comprised of the deposits from several distinct depositional environments, including canyons, channels, levees, and lobes. Understating how sedimentary processes affect the stratigraphy and sedimentary properties of these deposits is critical to properly interpret them for use in deciphering global events of the past and explore for the natural resources they contain. This thesis contributes to that understanding through quantitative analysis and modeling of sediment transport and accumulations related to submarine fans through: 1) documenting and interpreting the geomorphic relationships between longitudinal profiles of canyon-channel systems and surrounding continental margins in tectonically active and passive settings; 2) demonstrating how turbidity current properties and channel kinematics affect the depositional properties of levees; and 3) documenting scaling relationships between related channel and lobe-shaped deposits. Each of these contributions can be applied to improve the interpretation and prediction of sedimentary properties of modern and ancient continental margins.