Origin of submarine canyon-channel systems along the middle segment of West Mariana Ridge, Philippine Sea

• Published in: Journal of oceanology and limnology Vol. 41; no. 3; pp. 881 - 896
• Main Authors: Zhang, Guangxu, Li, Shuang, Li, Wei, Wang, Xiujuan, Chen, Duanxin, Dong, Dongdong, Wang, Wenlong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Science Press 01.05.2023; Springer Nature B.V; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China%Key Laboratory of Marine Geology and Environment & Center for Ocean Mega-Science,Institute of Oceanology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Qingdao 266071,China%Key Laboratory of Marine Geology and Environment & Center for Ocean Mega-Science,Institute of Oceanology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Qingdao 266071,China; Key Laboratory of Marine Geology and Environment & Center for Ocean Mega-Science,Institute of Oceanology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Qingdao 266071,China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China%University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China; CAS Key Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology,South China Sea Institute of Oceanology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Guangzhou 510301,China%Frontiers Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System,Key Lab of Submarine Geosciences and Prospecting Techniques,MOE and College of Marine Geosciences,Ocean University of China,Qingdao 266100,China; Laboratory for Marine Mineral Resources,National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology,Qingdao 266071,China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China
• Subjects: Basins; Bathymetric data; Bathymetry; Canyons; Channels; Deep water; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Geology; Geomorphology; Gravity; Laboratories; Limnology; Morphology; Ocean floor; Oceanography; Ridges; Sand waves; Science; Seamounts; Sediment; Sediments; Segments; Seismic analysis; Seismic profiles; Soil erosion; Subduction (geology); Submarine canyons; Turbidity; Turbidity currents; Volcanoes; Philippine Sea; submarine canyon-channel system; gravity flow; West Mariana Ridge; subducting ridges
• ISSN: 2096-5508; 2523-3521
• DOI: 10.1007/s00343-022-1384-y

Submarine canyon-channel systems have been documented in the Parece Vela Basin, West Mariana Ridge; however, the mechanism of the formation and controlling factors remain poorly understood. Based on high-resolution multibeam bathymetric data and two-dimensional (2D) seismic profiles, we identified and mapped the submarine canyon-channel system along the middle segment of West Mariana Ridge in the Philippine Sea. These submarine canyon-channels show a main W-E orientation at depth of 2 000–4 500 m. They are approximately 72–128 km in length and 1.3–15 km in width, and their canyon heads are adjacent to the seamounts with several branches. The upper reaches of submarine canyon-channels are characterized by deeply incised, narrow, V-shaped thalwegs, suggesting the powerful erosion of gravity flows. The distinguished sediment waves are suggested to be resulted from the interaction of turbidity currents and seafloor. Our observations demonstrate that gravity flows originated from the collapses of seamount flanks plays a vital role in developing the submarine canyon-channel system along the West Mariana Ridge. This work provides better understanding of erosion, transport, and deposition of sediments from subducting ridges to deep-water basins, and also new insights into the origin and evolution of submarine canyon-channel systems along subducting ridges.