Seismic Geomorphology: Subsurface Analyses, Data Integration and Palaeoenvironment Reconstructions

The spatial extent and quality of seismic and subsurface datasets have substantially improved in recent years due to traditional hydrocarbon activities and the emergence of green technologies like offshore wind. This Special Publication investigates the opportunities for (re)investigating past environments using seismic geomorphology and its integration with other datasets.
Using shallow hydroacoustic data to image seafloor mass transport deposits on the North West Shelf of Australia: links to neotectonics Available to Purchase
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Published:March 15, 2024
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CiteCitation
M. Keep, K. Lindhorst, W. Kuhnt, A. Holbourn, 2024. "Using shallow hydroacoustic data to image seafloor mass transport deposits on the North West Shelf of Australia: links to neotectonics", Seismic Geomorphology: Subsurface Analyses, Data Integration and Palaeoenvironment Reconstructions, A. M. W. Newton, K. J. Andresen, K. J. Blacker, R. Harding, E. Lebas
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Abstract
Mass transport deposits have long been known on the Exmouth Plateau, offshore NW Australia, identified in 2D and 3D industry seismic lines. The expedition SO257 in 2017 collected 30 high-resolution, shallow seismic lines along targeted transects on the northern Australian margin. Many of these imaged mass transport deposits, with the top 700–800 m of the section captured in detail not available with industry seismic data. We present nine new high-resolution seismic lines from three separate areas of the North West Shelf. Slides in the Roebuck Basin show complex anastomosing ductile extensional mechanisms, with multiple slip surfaces and no headscarps or adjacent faults. Slides on the Exmouth Plateau have fault control, with surface fault offsets of up to 300 m, indicating seismicity as a likely triggering mechanism. Slumps along the western margin of Western Australia are more limited in extent, associated with surface notches, with indications of previous activity at depth. All areas show a repeated history of mass transport deposits. The area of the active landslide province offshore of NW Australia is far larger than the individual slides recognized on the Exmouth Plateau.
- acoustical methods
- Australasia
- Australia
- bottom features
- Carnarvon Basin
- continental margin
- debris flows
- Exmouth Plateau
- geophysical methods
- geophysical profiles
- geophysical surveys
- high-resolution methods
- Indian Ocean
- landslides
- marine methods
- marine sediments
- mass movements
- multichannel methods
- neotectonics
- North West Shelf
- ocean floors
- paleoclimatology
- research vessels
- sedimentary structures
- sediments
- seismic methods
- shallow depth
- Shark Bay
- slump structures
- slumping
- soft sediment deformation
- surveys
- tectonics
- three-dimensional models
- two-dimensional models
- Western Australia
- Houtman Abrolhos
- Abrolhos Islands
- Roebuck Basin
- mass transport deposits