Contourites and associated sediments controlled by deep-water circulation processes: state-of-the-art and future considerations
Rebesco, M.; Hernández-Molina, F.J.; Van Rooij, D.; Wåhlin, A. (2014). Contourites and associated sediments controlled by deep-water circulation processes: state-of-the-art and future considerations, in: Van Rooij, D. et al. (Ed.) Book of Abstracts. 2nd Deep-Water Circulation Congress: The Contourite Log-book. Ghent, Belgium, 10-12 September 2014. VLIZ Special Publication, 69: pp. 1-2 In: Van Rooij, D.; Rüggeberg, A. (Ed.) (2014). Book of Abstracts. 2nd Deep-Water Circulation Congress: The Contourite Log-book. Ghent, Belgium, 10-12 September 2014. VLIZ Special Publication, 69. Ghent University, Department of Geology and Soil Science/Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ): Oostende. xviii, 152 pp., more In: VLIZ Special Publication. Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee (VLIZ): Oostende. ISSN 1377-0950, more |  |
| Available in | Authors | | Document type: Summary
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| Keywords | Sedimentary structures
Sediments > Clastics > Contourites
Marine/Coastal | | Author keywords | Oceanographic process; Sedimentary drift; Facies model |
| Authors | | Top | - Rebesco, M.
- Hernández-Molina, F.J.
- Van Rooij, D., more
- Wåhlin, A.
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| Abstract | The contourite paradigm was conceived a few decades ago and about 120 major contourite areas are presently known associated to myriad oceanographic processes, which involve dense bottom currents, tides, eddies, deep-sea storms, internal waves and tsunamis. The increasing recognition of these deposits is influencing palaeoclimatology & palaeoceanography, slope stability/geological hazard assessment, and hydrocarbon exploration. Nevertheless, there is a pressing need for a better understanding of the sedimentological and oceanographic processes governing contourites. Persistent oceanographic processes significantly affect the seafloor, resulting in a continuous spectrum of depositional and erosional features. Although much progress has been made in the large-scale, geophysically based recognition of these deposits, there remains a lack of unambiguous and commonly accepted diagnostic criteria for deciphering the small-scaled contourite facies and for distinguishing them from turbidite ones. Similarly, the study of sandy deposits generated or affected by bottom currents offers great research potential: these deposits might prove invaluable as future reservoir targets. Expectations for the forthcoming analysis of data from the IODP Exp. 339 are high, as this work promises to tackle much of the aforementioned lack of knowledge. In the near future, geologists, oceanographers and biologists will have to work in concert to achieve synergy in contourite research. |
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