Insights to submarine slide processes and seafloor geology by acoustic imagery

Presenter: Zheng-Wei Su

Date: 2015/12/03

Abstract

Submarine slides are a well-documented phenomenon along the glaciated Norwegian, Barents Sea and Svalbard continental margins. This study uses multibeam bathymetry, sub-bottom profiles and side-scan sonar data to present seafloor morphology of two submarine slides: the Molloy Slide and the Hinlopen Slide. The Molloy Slide located the western Svalbard continental margin, an area known to contain gas hydrates. The Slide is estimated to have transported >65  of sediments over the deep axial valley of the Molloy Ridge, and further into the Molloy Hole. The slide materials run-out distance is <5 km and vertical displacement ca. 3,100 m. The Hinlopen Silde, located the northern Svalbard continental margin, is a large slope failure affecting a seafloor area of ca. 10,000  and mobilizing ca. 1,250  of shelf sediments. The Molloy Slide was most likely triggered by seismic activity and/or gas-hydrate destabilization. The Hinlopen Slide was triggered by a strong earthquake.

Reference


Freire, F., R. Gyllencreutz, R. U. Jafri, M. Jakobsson (2014) Acoustic evidence of a submarine slide in the deepest part of the Arctic, the Molloy Hole. Geo-Mar Lett 34:315-325 doi:10.1007/s00367-014-0371-5


Hogan, K. A., J. A. Dowdeswellm, J. Mienert (2013) New insights into slide processec and seafloor geology revealed by side-scan imagery of the massive Hinlopen Slide, Arctic Ocean margin. Geo-Mar Lett 33:325-343 doi:10.1007/s00367-013-0330-6