Inventory of masswasting and sediment transport features on the Ligurian margin

Abstract

The Ligurian margin (NW-Mediterranean Sea) is a seismically and tectonically active margin, and lots of mass wasting processes and submarine landslides are known on the deeper slope. Based on multichannel seismic reflection data from the expedition of M73/1, LIMA-LAMO (Ligurian Margin Landslide Measurements & Observatory) 2007, this study attempts to have a better idea of the underground structure of the deepwater area of the Ligurian Margin, including the deeper slope (1500-2000 m water depth) west of the Var Canyon with several scars, landslide, and the Var Canyon zone with its channels, terraces, and flanks in down to roughly 2500 m water depth. The seismic-stratigraphic analysis and facies description of the processed 17 seismic lines allowed us to understand the connection between the deposits and deeper areas and the original deposits where the failure masses were coming from. There has been no study before this thesis about the collected deepwater survey data from the M73/1 2007 expedition. In brief, these seismic profiles can be used for future scientific works, and there is no need to repeat processing. It is well known that sea-level fluctuations have deeply influenced the stratigraphy of the region. However, at present, this study is not able to assign a geologic age to the deposition of sequences in relation to sea-level changes. The narrow continental shelf and steep gradients have minimized the effect of sea-level change. A more precise, extensive, and dense survey is needed to evaluate the event in the region.