ALBERT

Description: Seismic-reflection data along the Haida Gwaii margin collected from 1967 to 2013 were used to identify gas hydrate–related bottom-simulating reflectors (BSRs). The BSRs occur along the Queen Charlotte Terrace only, within more strongly folded and tectonically deformed sedimentary ridges. The BSRs are absent within well-bedded and sediment-filled minibasins. The BSR is modeled as the base of the phase boundary of the methane hydrate (structure I) stability zone and is used to estimate geothermal gradients. The P-wave velocity structure required to convert observed depths of the BSR in two-way time to meters below seafloor was constrained from ocean-bottom seismometers. The BSR-derived gradients are lower than data from heat-probe deployments in the region, as well as predicted values from previous modeling of the large-scale tectonic thermal regime. Lower values of the BSR-derived thermal gradients may be due to topographic effects across the ridges where BSRs were observed. The previously identified landward decrease in thermal gradients across the terrace was also identified to a lesser extent from the BSRs, in accordance with the effects of oblique convergence of the Pacific plate with the North American plate. Geothermal gradients decreased from south to north by a factor of two, which is likely an effect of plate cooling due to an increase in age of the underlying plate (ca. 8 Ma off southern Haida Gwaii to ca. 12 Ma at Dixon Entrance) as well as the fact that sediments triple in thickness over the same distance. This may be due to downward flexure of the underlying crust during transpression and/or a high flux of sediments through Dixon Entrance.

Description: Marine acoustic data are used to map and characterize submarine slope failure along the accretionary prism of Cascadia. Two main styles of slope failure are identified: (1) failures with curved head scarps, which are predominantly associated with incoherent debris-flow deposits; and (2) failures with rectangular head scarps, which are predominantly associated with intact sediment blocks. Rectangular head scarps mostly occur on thrust ridges with slope angles 〈16° and ridge heights 〈650 m, whereas curved head scarps occur predominantly on steeper and higher ridges. Off Vancouver Island, failure style and head-scarp geometry also change with ridge azimuth. We propose that the curved head scarps and debris flows may be a result of higher kinetic forcing of the downsliding sediments and a higher degree of mixing. At the more gently sloped, less elevated ridges, the kinetic forcing may be smaller, which leads to intact failure masses. Extensional faults at ridges with curved scarps may result from oversteepening and collapse of the sediments that cannot withstand their own weight due to limited internal shear strength. The slide geometries and potential controls on failure style may inform subsequent studies in assessing the risks for tsunami generation from submarine slope failures along the Cascadia margin.

Description: Seismic-reflection data along the Haida Gwaii margin collected from 1967 to 2013 were used to identify gas hydrate–related bottom-simulating reflectors (BSRs). The BSRs occur along the Queen Charlotte Terrace only, within more strongly folded and tectonically deformed sedimentary ridges. The BSRs are absent within well-bedded and sediment-filled minibasins. The BSR is modeled as the base of the phase boundary of the methane hydrate (structure I) stability zone and is used to estimate geothermal gradients. The P-wave velocity structure required to convert observed depths of the BSR in two-way time to meters below seafloor was constrained from ocean-bottom seismometers. The BSR-derived gradients are lower than data from heat-probe deployments in the region, as well as predicted values from previous modeling of the large-scale tectonic thermal regime. Lower values of the BSR-derived thermal gradients may be due to topographic effects across the ridges where BSRs were observed. The previously identified landward decrease in thermal gradients across the terrace was also identified to a lesser extent from the BSRs, in accordance with the effects of oblique convergence of the Pacific plate with the North American plate. Geothermal gradients decreased from south to north by a factor of two, which is likely an effect of plate cooling due to an increase in age of the underlying plate (ca. 8 Ma off southern Haida Gwaii to ca. 12 Ma at Dixon Entrance) as well as the fact that sediments triple in thickness over the same distance. This may be due to downward flexure of the underlying crust during transpression and/or a high flux of sediments through Dixon Entrance.