• NEANIAS Underwater Research Community

The present dataset consists of a description of geomorphic features and a collection of measurements from worldwide modern submarine channelized systems. Submarine sediment conduits are classified in four types (canyon, valley, incised channel, leveed channel) based on two geomorphic criteria: presence of external levees or not, presence of terraces and/or internal levees or not. Sediment conduit slope, planform (sinuosity, wavelength, amplitude) and cross-sectional (area, width, maximal and mean bankfull depth) parameters are measured according to the same a methodology to the one defined in fluvial systems. This dataset is to our knowledge one of the most exhaustive compilation of submarine conduits from the continental slope to the deep sea basin and spanning over nearly 3 orders of magnitude in terms of conduit width.

We conclude this book by considering three challenges and opportunities that are shared by all fields of submarine geomorphological research: (i) big data at multiple spatio-temporal scales, (ii) direct observation, and (iii) interaction with subaerial geomorphologists.

Submarine geomorphology is the investigation of the form, processes and evolution of submarine landscapes. This field of research has strong basic and applied value. The seafloor is a vast reservoir of renewable and non-renewable resources, which include marine ecosystems, fisheries, hydrocarbons, freshwater, aggregates, deep sea minerals and blue energy, among others. Sound knowledge of seafloor geomorphology is key to maritime spatial planning, the designation of marine protected areas, the construction and operation of offshore infrastructure, and the implementation of environmental monitoring programmes. Seafloor processes constitute a geohazard to key offshore infrastructure and coastal communities. Technological progress has resulted in an explosion of knowledge that has radically transformed our view of the ocean and our planet in general. Nevertheless, the submarine realm still presents an important research frontier. The aim of this book is to present the state-of-the-art in the standard data and methods used in submarine geomorphology, to introduce the most significant submarine landforms and the processes that form them, and to highlight the applied value of submarine geomorphology to industry and ocean governance based on selected examples. This book is written for anybody with an interest in submarine geomorphology, although it is primarily aimed for undergraduate and graduate students, and professionals with limited training in submarine geomorphology.

The submarine features and processes around the Iberian Peninsula are the result of a complex and diverse geological and oceanographical setting. This paper presents an overview of the seafloor geomorphology of the Iberian Continental Margin and the adjacent abyssal plains. The study covers an area of approximately 2.3 million km2, including a 50 to 400 km wide band adjacent to the coastline. The main morphological characteristics of the seafloor features on the Iberian continental shelf, continental slope, continental rise and the surrounding abyssal plains are described. Individual seafloor features existing on the Iberian Margin have been classified into three main groups according to their origin: tectonic and/or volcanic, depositional and erosional. Major depositional and erosional features around the Iberian Margin developed in late Pleistocene–Holocene times and have been controlled by tectonic movements and eustatic fluctuations. The distribution of the geomorphological features is discussed in relation to their genetic processes and the evolution of the margin. The prevalence of one or several specific processes in certain areas reflects the dominant morphotectonic and oceanographic controlling factors. Sedimentary processes and the resulting depositional products are dominant on the Valencia–Catalán Margin and in the northern part of the Balearic Promontory. Strong tectonic control is observed in the geomorphology of the Betic and the Gulf of Cádiz margins. The role of bottom currents is especially evident throughout the Iberian Margin. The Galicia, Portuguese and Cantabrian margins show a predominance of erosional features and tectonically-controlled linear features related to faults Unidad de Tres Cantos, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, España Departamento de Geología y Geoquímica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, España Instituto Español de Oceanografía, España Departamento de Geociencias Marinas, Universidad de Vigo, España TRAGSA-SGM, España

División de Geología Marina, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, España Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, España Centro oceanográfico de Cádiz, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, España International Symposium on Marine Sciences (6º. 2018. Vigo) Instituto Hidrográfico de la Marina, España

In the last decade, the interest to jointly analyze landscapes and landforms of emerged and submerged areas has been expanding [...]

The study shows the relationships between the coastal zone, the continental shelf-slope system morphology and the sediment dispersal with respect to the coastal dynamics. Three areas along the Tyrrhenian margin are studied: the Gulf of Policastro, the Gulf of Gaeta and the Volturno River mouth. The interaction of coastal and submarine morphology with the hydrodynamic regimes determines a control on coastal dynamic processes, conditioning the dispersal of sediments in the three selected areas, each one characterised by different seabottom forms, both inherited and of new genesis.

Coralligenous (C) include calcareous build-ups of biogenic origin, formed since the Holocene transgression. Peculiar columnar-shaped C outcrops were documented offshore Marzamemi village (SE Sicily, Ionian Sea), although the actual extension and distribution were not assessed. Project ‘CRESCIBLUREEF’ produced a new, 17 km2 high-resolution bathymetric map, leading to good knowledge about their extent in this area. C bioconstructions are largely distributed along two depth ranges 36–42 m and 86–102 m water depth. By coupling the documented uplift rate in this region and the Holocene sea-level curve, we were able to interpret the distribution of C outcrops over terraces. However, additional investigation is required to understand: (1) the role of the inherited continental shelf landscape, in creating a favorable substrate for the settlement and growth of C habitats during the Holocene, and (2) the extent to which C bioconstructions can impact the evolution of present-day continental shelf landforms and landscapes.