Éditeur(s) : AGU
Résumé : Submarine canyons are narrow but deep submarine valleys that extend for hundreds of meters. They represent the most impressive structures that shape the present morphology of passive continental margins. They can occur off the mouth of rivers: the Tagus, Zaire, Amazon, and Orinoco in the Atlantic; the Indus in the Indian Ocean; and the Var, Rhone, and Ebro in the Mediterranean. Some are at times disconnected from any stream mouth such as the Nazare canyon, off Portugal, despite the fact that it is close to the coast. Some were connected to a river mouth during lowstands of sea level, such as the Wilmington canyon in the northwest Atlantic, or the Blackmud canyon in the northeast Atlantic.
EOS, Transactions American Geophysical Union (0096-3941) (AGU), 2004-07-06 , Vol. 85 , N. 27 , P. 257

Droits : 2004 AGU
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00071/18201/15769.pdf
DOI:10.1029/2004EO270001
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00071/18201/

Éditeur(s) : Institut de Ciències del Mar de Barcelona, CSIC
Résumé : Acoustic and core data have recently been collected on the shelf break and the upper part of the slope of the south Aquitaine continental margin. They reveal the major role played by mass-flow gravity processes in deposit erosion and redistribution, modelling of the sea-bed, and transfer of sediment toward the deep-sea. The study region is bounded in the south by the Capbreton canyon. The northern area, which shows a smooth morphology, is characterised by small-scale deformations due to sediment creep or low-amplitude slide processes. The deformations are associated with mini listric-like faults that bound packets of sediments in which the deposit geometry is typical of constructional sediment waves. These sediment waves result from the interaction of depositional and gravity deformation processes. In the southern area, closer to the canyon, wave-like structures are still present but mostly of smaller size. They only result from gravity deformation processes without any evidence of constructional processes. In the vicinity of the Capbreton canyon, the shelf break and upper slope have a much more uneven morphology with sedimentary reliefs, escarpments and depressions directed toward the canyon thalweg. The depressions look like slide scars, and could be the result of regressive slides initiated at the top of the canyon flank. The age of the sliding event responsible for the formation of the depression observed today could be middle to upper Quaternary. Since their formation, these depressions act as conduits that channel the transfer of shelf sediment into the canyon, as demonstrated by the occurrence of a meandering channel on the sea-floor of one depression.
Scientia Marina (0214-8358) (Institut de Ciències del Mar de Barcelona, CSIC), 2006-06 , Vol. 70 , N. 1 , P. 89-100

Droits : 2006 Institut de Ciències del Mar de Barcelona
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2006/publication-3960.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/3960/

Éditeur(s) : Elsevier
Résumé : High-resolution sedimentological and micropaleontological studies of several deep-sea cores retrieved from the levees of the Celtic and Armorican turbidite systems (Bay of Biscay - North Atlantic Ocean) allow the detection of the major oscillations of the British-Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) and 'Fleuve Manche' palaeoriver discharges over the last 30,000 years, which were mainly triggered by climate changes. Between 30 and 20 cal ka, the turbiditic activity on the Celtic-Annorican margin was weak, contrasting with previous stratigraphic models which predicted a substantial increase of sediment supply during low sea-level stands. This low turbidite deposit frequency was most likely the result of a weak activity of the 'Fleuve Manche' palaeoriver and/or of a reduced seaward transfer of sediments from the shelf to the margin. However, two episodes of turbiditic activity increase were detected in the Celtic-Armorican margin, during Heinrich events (HE) 3 and 2. This strengthening of the turbiditic activity was triggered by the meltwater releases from European ice sheets and glaciers favouring the seaward transfer of subglacial material, at least via 'Fleuve Manche' palaeoriver. At around 20 cal ka, a significant increase of turbidite deposit frequency occurred as a response to the onset of the last deglaciation. The retreat of the European ice sheets and glaciers induced a substantial increase of the 'Fleuve Manche' palaeoriver discharges and seaward transfer of continentally-derived material into the Armorican turbidite system. The intensification of the turbiditic activity on the Celtic system was directly sustained by the widespread transport of subglacial sediments from the British-Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) to the Celtic Sea via the Irish Sea Basin. A sudden reduction of turbiditic activity in the Armorican system, between ca. 19 and 18.3 cal ka, could have been triggered by the first well known abrupt sea-level rise ('meltwater pulse', at around 19 cal ka) favouring the trapping of sediment in the 'Fleuve Manche' palaeoriver valleys and the decrease of the seaward transfer of continentally-derived material. The maximum of turbiditic activity strengthening in the Celtic-Armorican margin, between ca. 18.3 and 17 cal ka, was induced by the decay of European ice sheets and glaciers producing the most extreme episode of the 'Fleuve Manche' palaeoriver runoff and a great seaward transfer of subglacial material into the Bay of Biscay, Between ca. 17.5 and 16 cal ka, the turbiditic activity significantly decreased in both Celtic and Armorican turbidite systems in response to a global re-advance of glaciers and ice sheets in Europe. The last episode of ice sheet retreat, between ca. 16 and 14 cal ka, is well expressed in the Celtic system by a new increase of the turbiditic activity. The major episode of sea-level rise at around 14 cal ka ('Meltwater Pulse 1A'), precluding the seaward transfer of sediments, induced the end of turbiditic activity in both the Celtic and the Armorican system. Although two main phases of global sea-level rise seem to have had an effect on the Celtic-Armorican margin, this work proposes the BUS retreat and associated riverine discharges as the main trigger mechanisms of the turbiditic activity in this region during the last 30,000 years.
Marine Geology (0025-3227) (Elsevier), 2008 , Vol. 247 , N. 1-2 , P. 84-103

Droits : 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2008/publication-3729.pdf
DOI:10.1016/j.margeo.2007.08.006
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/3729/

Résumé : Le présent rapport expose les résultats relatifs à ces trois phases. Une autre partie, préambule à la cinquième étape du projet, sera consacrée à la mise en forme des résultats et l’élaboration de la base de données sous Système d’Information Géographique pour les deux façades concernées « Manche-Est » et « Loire-Gironde ». Enfin, cinq cartes hors texte accompagnent ce rapport : · inventaire des ressources en matériaux marins, façade « Manche-Est » - Travaux réalisés (échelle 1/250 000, deux feuilles) ; · inventaire des ressources en matériaux marins, façade « Manche-Est » - Épaisseur des sédiments meubles (paléo-chenaux) (échelle 1/250 000, deux feuilles) ; · inventaire des ressources en matériaux marins, façade « Manche-Est » - Épaisseur des sédiments meubles (bancs sableux) (échelle 1/250 000, deux feuilles) ; · inventaire des ressources en matériaux marins, façade « Loire-Gironde » - Travaux réalisés (échelle 1/250 000) ; · inventaire des ressources en matériaux marins, façade « Loire-Gironde » - Épaisseur des sédiments meubles (paléo-chenaux) (échelle 1/250 000).

Droits : 2006 Ifremer, UNPG, Ministère de l'Economie, des Finances et de l'Industrie
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00135/24577/22607.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00135/24577/

Résumé : L’étude présentée ici s’inscrit dans la logique du programme de reconnaissance des zones économiques exclusives françaises initié par l’Ifremer vers la fin des années quatre-vingt. Elle est relative à la ZEE du golfe de Gascogne dont la reconnaissance a été achevée en 1997. Elle comporte un ensemble de documents cartographiques offrant une vision inédite de toute la partie nord du golfe et un texte, que les auteurs ont souhaité rendre accessible à la plus grande majorité, faisant état de connaissances générales sur la zone ainsi que de certains nouveaux apports.

Droits : 2000 Ifremer éd.
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00071/18199/15767.pdf
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00071/18199/

Éditeur(s) : Springer
Résumé : The compilation of results obtained on three giant piston cores from the Whittard, Shamrock and Guilcher turbidite levees reveals a high-resolution stratigraphic record for the Bay of Biscay. Due to the abundance of reworked sediments in these sedimentary environments, a specific methodological approach, based on an X-ray-assisted subsampling phase associated with sedimentological, geochemical and micropalaeontological analyses, was implemented. With an accurate chronological framework, this multi-proxy investigation provides observations on the 'Fleuve Manche' palaeoriver and the British-Irish Ice Sheet (BIS) histories over the last 20,000 years. The results obtained highlight the direct influence of the decay of the BIS on the Bay of Biscay deep-sea clastic sedimentation during the last European deglacial phase. During this period, the annual BIS cycle of meltwater seems enough to generate seasonal turbidity currents associated with exceptional sedimentation rates in all the Celtic and Armorican turbidite systems. With very high sedimentation rates, the turbidite levees represent the main deep-sea clastic depositional area. Long coring combined with a very careful subsampling method can provide continuous high-resolution palaeoenvironmental signals.
Geo-Marine Letters (0276-0460) (Springer), 2006-12 , Vol. 26 , N. 6 , P. 317-329

Droits : 2006 Springer Science+Business Media
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2006/publication-2142.pdf
DOI:10.1007/s00367-006-0048-9
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/2142/

Éditeur(s) : Elsevier
Résumé : During the SEDIFAN 1 cruise we surveyed the bathymetry and the acoustic properties of the surface sediment of the Celtic Deep Sea Fan. We also collected Kullenberg cores in order to study recent sedimentary processes. From the bathymetry survey it is relatively easy to recognize the main areas of modern fan. The upper fan included a large sedimentary ridge which constitutes the right levee of the prominent meandering Whittard valley. After its confluence with the Shamrock valley the course of the Whittard valley is abruptly deflected to the south. At a short distance to the south the valley divides into two upper-fan channels, the Celtic channel to the west being the deeper one. This point constitutes the centre of a radiating pattern which is developed on a 150 degrees quadrant and a radius of about 100 km. The acoustic imagery displays contrasted features, related to change in lithology within the first metre beneath the sea bottom and to the sea floor roughness. The Austell ridge exhibits a contrasted pattern of elongated areas with high and low acoustic backscattering levels. This pattern is related to the development of abyssal dunes, the amplitude of which is of metric order. Particularly remarkable is a lobe-shaped low back-scattering area in the western part of the middle fan, also noteworthy are a lineated facies to the west and a braided facies to the east of the fan. The laminated silty-clayey sequences deposited on the Whittard ridge and on the Trevelyan levee were deposited during the deglaciation. We interpret these as turbidity currents overflow deposits from the Whittard valley. At the end of isotopic stage 3 and during stage 2, the English Channel was a large plain flooded by the Channel River. During this period a broad delta developed at 100 m below the present-day depth and a wide spectrum of material was bound to be supplied to the deep sea and contributed particularly to the deposition of the Whittard ridge silty-clayey sequences. The stage 2 deposits are characterized by rhythmic levels enriched in monosulfides. These types of deposits are common in areas affected by fluvial discharges. Excluding the sedimentary ridge and the channel levees the surface deposits sampled with the Kullenberg corer are sandy. These sands are deposited in various contexts on the interfluve between the western and eastern channels and at channel mouths. They were emplaced during high sea level stands as a result of high energy gravity processes. The precise sources of these sands have not yet been identified, however benthic foraminifers from included ooze pebbles have living depths of between 500 and 1 000 m. The gravity processes which eroded this marry ooze may have been triggered on the upper slope. The Celtic shelf is presently a high energy platform where the conjunction of storms and spring tides call lead to enhanced sediment transport from near-shore to the deep sea. The relict or palimpsest deposits of the glacial delta also constitute a large reservoir of sandy material which can also be subject to reworking.
Le programme Enam 2 (European North Atlantic Margin) concerne l'étude des processus sédimentaires quaternaires du Spitzberg au golfe de Gascogne. Dans le cadre de ce programme, la reconnaissance de l'Éventail profond celtique était l'objectif de la campagne Sedifan 1 au cours de laquelle nous avons établi la morphologie de l'éventail et obtenu une image acoustique des fonds sédimentaires. La morphologie permet de mettre en évidence une organisation en éventail. On note aussi le développement remarquable d'une ride sédimentaire au niveau de l'éventail supérieur. Les sédiments prélevés révèlent la présence de dépôts sableux, témoins d'une activité récente qui pourrait être liée à l'importance de l'hydrodynamisme sur les Grands Bancs de la plate-forme celtique.
Oceanologica Acta (0399-1784) (Elsevier), 2000 , Vol. 23 , N. 1 , P. 109-116

Droits : 2000 Ifremer/CNRS/IRD/Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/2000/publication-525.pdf
DOI:10.1016/S0399-1784(00)00116-X
http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/525/