Downslope and alongslope sedimentary processes on a high latitude continental margin: NW Barents Sea

• Main Authors: Rui, L., Urgeles, Roger, Accettella, Daniela
• Format: Still Image
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Barents Sea; Lofoten; Norway; Jan Mayen; Bear Island; Lofoten Basin; GlaciBar
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/171438

Rui, L. . et al.-- PAST GATEWAYS 2016, 4th International Conference, 23-27 May 2016, Trondheim, Norway The development of high latitude continental margin has been mainly controlled by glacigenic processes during the glacial maxima. Superimposed to these, there are both downslope and alongslope sedimentary processes (turbidites and contourites). This study is part of a PhD project, aiming to study the relationships between the glacial sedimentary input and the water circulation in NW Barents Sea (Kveithola to Isfjorden Trough Mouth Fans). This portion of the Barents Sea has been the target of several surveys in the last decade: SVAIS (R/V Hesperides) in 2007, EGL ACOM (R/V OGS Explora) in 2008, GLACIBAR (R/V Jan Mayen) in 2009, CORIBAR (R/V Maria S. Merian) in 2013, PREPARED (R/V G.O. Sars) in 2014 and the EDIPO and DEGLABAR cruises (R/V OGS Explora) in 2015. These cruises allowed the acquisition of a wealth of new multibeam data that are now jointly processed at OGS (Figure 1). During the most recent EDIPO and the DEGLABAR cruises, from 20th September to 5th October 2015, we have been able to collect geophysical data, in particular Multibeam data, Sub-bottom profiles and Multichannel seismic profiles, as well as oceanographic data, including CTD and ADCP profiles. The EDIPO/DEGLABAR cruise focused the study of two areas in particular: the first one being the one W-SW of Isfjorden, on the Isfjorden TMF; the second one at SW of the Kveithola trough, on the INBIS channel. The INBIS channel originates from a series of tributary canyons, converging in a trunk-type channel, leading to a deep sea lobe system. The INBIS channel is inferred to have been produced by turbidity flows, flowing from tributary canyons incising the upper part of the continental slope between Bear Island TMF and Kveithola TMF. The INBIS channel is a very peculiar structure in the Barents Sea; channel systems are in fact rare on the Northern Norwegian margin and confined to the INBIS and Lofoten Basin channels. At W-SW of Isfjorden there is ...