Abstract
Multichannel seismic reflection profiles from the continental rise west of the Antarctic Peninsula between 63° and 69°S show the growth of eight very large mound-shaped sedimentary bodies. MCS profiles and long-range side-scan sonar (GLORIA) images show the sea floor between mounds is traversed by channels originating in a dendritic pattern near the base of the continental slope. The mounds are interpreted as sediment drifts, constructed mainly from the fine-grained components of turbidity currents originating on the continental slope, entrained in a nepheloid layer within the ambient southwesterly bottom currents and redeposited downcurrent.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson JB, Pope PG, and Thomas MA (1990) Evolution and hydrocarbon potential of the northern Antarctic Peninsula continental shelf. In: St. John B (Ed.), Antarctica as an Exploration Frontier—Hydrocarbon Potential, Geology and Hazards. American Association Petroleum Geologists Studies in Geology 31:1–12
Barker PF (1982) The Cenozoic subduction history of the Pacific margin of the Antarctic Peninsula: Ridge crest—trench interactions. Geological Society of London Journal 139:787–801
Camerlenghi A and Rebesco M (1994) Bottom current-controlled sedimentation on the continental rise of the Antarctic Peninsula Pacific margin. Abstracts, 15th Regional Meeting International Association of Sedimentologists, Ischia, Italy. pp 91–92
Carter L and McCave IN (1994) Development of sediment drifts approaching an active plate margin under the SW Pacific Deep Western Boundary Current. Paleoceanography 9:1061–1085
Faugeres JC and Stow DAV (1993) Bottom-current-controlled sedimentation: A synthesis of the contourite problem. Sedimentary Geology 82:287–297
Gordon AL (1966) Potential temperature, oxygen and circulation of bottom water in the Southern Ocean. Deep-Sea Research 13:1125–1138
Herron EM and Tucholke BE (1976) Seafloor magnetic patterns and basement structure in the southwestern Pacific. In: Hollister CD, Craddock C, et al., Initial Reports, Deep Sea Drilling Program 35, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. pp 263–278
Hollister CD, Craddock C, et al. (Eds.) (1976) Initial Reports, Deep Sea Drilling Program 35. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. 930 pp
Hollister CD and Elder RB (1969) Contour currents in the Weddell Sea. Deep-Sea Research 16:99–101
Larter RD and Barker PF (1989) Seismic stratigraphy of the Antarctic Peninsula Pacific margin: a record of Pliocene-Pleistocene ice volume and paleoclimate. Geology 17:731–734
Larter RD and Barker PF (1991a) Effects of ridge crest-trench interaction on Antarctic—Phoenix spreading: Forces on a young subducting plate. Journal of Geophysical Research 96:19583–19607
Larter RD and Barker PF (1991b) Neogene interaction of tectonic and glacial processes at the Pacific margin of the Antarctic Peninsula. International Association of Sedimentologists Special Publication 12:165–186
Larter RD and Cunningham AP (1993) The depositional pattern and distribution of glacial—interglacial sequences on the Antarctic Peninsula Pacific Margin. Marine Geology 109:203–219
Larter R, Rebesco M, Vanneste LE, Gambôa LAP, Anderson JB, and Barker PF (1994) Seismic reflection investigations on the Pacific margin of the Antarctic Peninsula. Terra Antarctica 2 (Special Issue, Extended Abstracts of the ANTOSTRAT Symposium):271–274
Lewis KB (1994) The 1500-km-long Hikurangi Channel: trench-axis channel that escapes its trench, crosses a plateau, and feeds a fan drift. Geo-Marine Letters 14:19–28
McAdoo DC and Marks KM (1992) Gravity fields of the Southern Ocean from Geosat data. Journal of Geophysical Research 97:3247–3260
McCave IN and Tucholke BE (1986) Deep current-controlled sedimentation in the western North Atlantic. In: Vogt PR and Tucholke BE (Eds.), The Geology of North America, Volume M, The Western North Atlantic Region, Decade of North America. Boulder, Colorado: Geological Society of America. pp 451–468
Nowlin WD and Zenk W (1988) Westward bottom currents along the margin of the South Shetland Island Arc. Deep-Sea Research 35:269–301
Pankhurst RJ (1990) The Paleozoic and Andean magmatic arcs of West Antarctica and southern South America. In: Kay SM and Rapela CW (Eds.), Plutonism from Antarctica to Alaska. Geological Society of America Special Paper 241:1–7
Pudsey CJ, Barker PF, and Larter RD (1994) Ice sheet retreat from the Antarctic Peninsula shelf. Continental Shelf Research 14:1647–1675
Tomlinson JS, Pudsey CJ, Livermore RA, Larter RD, and Barker PF (1992) Long-range side-scan sonar (GLORIA) survey of the Antarctic Peninsula Pacific Margin. In: Yoshida Y, Kaminuma K, and Shiraishi K (Eds.), Recent Progress in Antarctic Earth Science. Proceedings 6th International Symposium Antarctic Earth Science, Tokyo. pp 423–429
Tucholke BE (1977) Sedimentation processes and acoustic stratigraphy in the Bellingshausen Basin. Marine Geology 25:209–230
Tucholke BE (1981) Geologic significance of seismic reflectors in the deep western north Atlantic basin. Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Special Publication 32:23–37
Tucholke BE and Houtz RE (1976) Sedimentary record of the Bellingshausen Basin from seismic profile data. In: Hollister CD, Craddock C, et al. Initial Reports, Deep Sea Drilling Program 35. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. pp 197–227
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rebesco, M., Larter, R.D., Camerlenghi, A. et al. Giant sediment drifts on the continental rise west of the Antarctic Peninsula. Geo-Marine Letters 16, 65–75 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02202600
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02202600