High resolution stratigraphy and facies differentiation of the shallow marine Annot Sandstones, south-east France

High resolution stratigraphical analysis divides a rock succession into the basic genetic units of stratigraphy which are here termed small scale stratigraphical cycles. Each cycle records the sedimentological response to an episode of shallowing and deepening. Assuming that these changes in water depth reflect changes in the shoreline position, they can be considered as regressive/transgressive episodes. Each cycle comprises a regressive and transgressive facies tract which will be variably proportioned; in some examples a facies tract may only be represented by a hiatal surface of no deposition, erosion and/or bypass. In the Annot Sandstones of south-east France, variations in facies types, proportions and associations can be demonstrated both laterally and vertically through the succession. First, it is demonstrated that facies variations occur within regressive or transgressive facies tracts as a function of the stratigraphical stacking pattern of the cycles (i.e. landward, vertical or seaward stacked); this is termed ‘vertical facies differentiation’. Second, the proportions of facies tracts and their constituent facies types within an individual cycle vary between more landward and more seaward palaeogeographical locations; this is termed ‘lateral facies differentiation'. The upper Eocene/lower Oligocene Annot sandstones outcrop in the Maritime Alps of south-east France, within the thin skinned outer fold and thrust belt of the Alpine arc. The sandstones are well exposed in the area of the Col de la Cayolle on the north-west margin of the Argentera Massif, where lithostratigraphical correlations are possible over 3·5 km in a NNW/SSE direction, perpendicular to the edge of the depositional basin. Traditionally, these outcrops have been interpreted as deep marine turbidite lobe sediments; this study reflects a significant reinterpretation of this succession as having been deposited in a shallow marine environment. Seven sedimentary sections were measured through the succession, which is divided into 10 small scale stratigraphical cycles. These cycles are described in terms of eight facies which are separated into their transgressive or regressive facies tracts. In eight of the 10 cycles, the regressive facies tracts reflect the progradation of storm influenced braid deltas over shelf muds and silts. In two of the 10 cycles, the regressive facies tracts reflect barrier inlet and wash-over sands interfingering with back barrier deposits. These latter two cycles are located within landward stepping cycle sets; this is an example of vertical facies differentiation. Transgressive facies tracts locally reworked the upper surface of the regressive facies tract and also comprise barrier and back barrier deposits. The facies succession within each cycle varies according to its position with respect to the palaeoshoreline. The more landward portion of an individual cycle comprises a deltaic shoaling upward succession, culminating in coarse distributary channel conglomerates, overlain by a transgressive barrier/inlet system with extensive back barrier deposits. Beyond the delta front, the more seaward equivalent of individual cycles comprises an erosive base, with aggradational massive pebbly sandstones sitting directly upon offshore heterolithics; these sandstones are interpreted as hyperconcentrated fluvial efflux into the nearshore environment. This grades upward into offshore heterolithics and graded storm deposits representing the products of ravinement, which are then overlain by shelf mudstones. In summary, the more landward portions of cycles preserve predominantly regressive facies tracts, whereas the more seaward portions preserve aggradational to retrogradational strata of the transgressive facies tract; this is an example of lateral facies differentiation.     

SEDIMENTS FORMING THE BED AND BANKS OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND THEIR EFFECT ON RIVER MIGRATION

Physiographic features and depositional history of the sediments forming the bed and banks of the lower 200 miles of the Mississippi River are summarized. From mile 200- 160 the river is scouring into coarse substratum sands, between miles 160 and 80 into Pleistocene clays, and between mile 80 and 0 chiefly into prodelta and interdistributary clays. Point-bar accretion averages 500 acres per river mile in the uppermost segment, 200 acres per river mile in the middle segment, and 30 acres per river mile in the lower- most segment. The occurrence of bends caused by faulting or formed during seaward growth of the delta, and the occasional existence of coarse materials in the path of the stream are significant factors in the initiation of meanders. The composition of the bed and banks, and the length of channel occupation are important in the rate and extent of migration. Migration of the river between miles 0 and.160 has been and should continue to be very slow.     

Evolution of a classic sand ridge field: Maryland sector, North American inner shelf

The ridge and swale topography of the Middle Atlantic Bight is best developed on the Delaware-Maryland inner shelf. Here sand ridges can be seen in all stages of formation. Several aspects of the ridge field are pertinent to the problem of ridge genesis. The first is ridge morphology. There is a systematic morphologic change from shoreface ridges through nearshore ridges to offshore ridges, which reflects the changing hydraulic regime. As successively more seaward ridges are examined, maximum side slope decreases, the ratio of maximum seaward slope to maximum landward slope decreases, and the cross-sectional area increases. These changes in ridge morphology with depth and distance from shore appear to be equivalent to the morphologic changes experienced by a single ridge during the course of the Holocene transgression. A second aspect is the change in bottom sediment characteristics that accompanies these large-scale morphologic changes. Megaripples, sand waves and mud lenses appear in the troughs between nearshore and offshore ridges. These changes indicate that the storm flows which maintain ridges are less frequently experienced in the deeper sector, and that the role of high-frequency wave surge becomes less important relative to the role of the mean flow component in shaping the sea-floor. A third aspect is the systematic relationship of grain size to topography. Grain size is 90° out of phase with topography, so that the coarsest sand lies between the axis of the landward trough and the ridge crest, while the finest sand lies between the ridge crest and the axis of the seaward trough. This relationship is characteristic of large-scale bedforms. Finally, flow was measured and transport calculated on the same ridge during a one-month period (November 1976). Threshold was exceeded only during storm events. Mean transport was southerly and a little seaward with respect to both the ridge crest and the shoreline. These flow measurements are in conformity with the pattern of smaller bedforms. A 43-year time series of bathymetric change for this ridge reveals a systematic pattern of landward flank erosion, seaward flank deposition, and seaward crest migration. Sand ridges are considered the consequence of constructive feedback between an initial topography and the resulting distribution of bottom shear stress. The relationship between grain size and topography supports this model, but does not account directly for the oblique angle of the ridge with respect to the coastline. This feature may be due to a more rapid alongshore migration rate of the inshore edge of the ridge than the offshore edge, and the relationship between this migration rate, and the rate of shoreface retreat.     

Hydrology,hydraulic, and sediment considerations of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway

The planning, design, and construction of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway was a massive undertaking Ten locks and dams were constructed that form lakes with a total water surface area of over 42,400 acres The overall length of the waterway is 234 miles and required the excavation and disposal of over 307 million cubic yards of material Because of the magnitude of the project and the many factors and complexities involved, this article can only serve as an overview of the topics presented During the course of the development of the project, many design memoranda and reports were generated which portray the details of design Some of the more pertinent of these design documents are listed in the references.     

Indirect environmental effects of dikes on estuarine tidal channels: Thinking outside of the dike for habitat restoration and monitoring

While the most obvious effects of dike construction and marsh conversion are those affecting the converted land (direct or intended effects), less immediately apparent effects also occur seaward of dikes (indirect or unintended effects). I analyzed historical photos of the Skagit River delta marshes (Washingto, U.S.) and compared changes in estuarine marsh and tidal channel surface area from 1956–2000 in the Wiley slough area of the South fork Skagit delta, and from 1937–2000 in the North Fork delta. Dike construction in the late 1950s caused the loss of 80 ha of estuarine marsh and 6.7 ha of tidal channel landward of the Wiley Slough dikes. A greater amount of tidal channel surface area, 9.6 ha, was lost seaward of the dikes. Similar losses were observed for two smaller North Fork tidal channel systems. Tidal channels far from dikes did not show comparable changes in channel surface areas. These results are consistent with hydraulic geometry theory, which predicts that diking reduces tidal flushing in the undiked channel remnants and this results in sedimentation. Dikes may have significant seaward effects on plants and animals associated with tidal channel habitat. Another likely indirect dike effect is decreased sinuosity in a distributary channel of the South Fork Skagit River adjacent to and downstream of the Wiley Slough dikes, compared to distributary channels upstream or distant from the dikes. Loss of floodplain area to diking and marsh conversion prevents flood energy dissipation over the marsh surface. The distributary channal has responded to greater flood energy by increasing mean channel width and decreasing sinuosity. Restoration of diked areas should consider historic habitat loss swaward of dikes, as well as possible benefits to these areas from dike breaching or removal. Habitat restoration by breaching or removal of dikes should be monitored in areas directly affected by dikes, areas indirectly affected, and distinct reference areas.     

Iron Reduction Along an Inundation Gradient in a Tidal Sedge (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cyperus malaccensis</Emphasis>) Marsh: the Rates,Pathways, and Contributions to Anaerobic Organic Matter Mineralization

Incubation experiments were adopted to characterize the rates and pathways of iron reduction and the contributions to anaerobic organic matter mineralization in the upper 0–5 cm of sediments along a landscape-scale inundation gradient in tidal marsh sediments in the Min River Estuary, Southeast China. Similar sediment characteristics, single-species vegetation, varied biomass and bioturbation, distinct porewater pH, redox potential, and electrical conductivity values have resulted in a unique ecogeochemical zonation along the inundation gradient. Decreases in solid-phase Fe(III) and increases in nonsulfidic Fe(II) and iron sulfide were observed in a seaward direction. Porewater Fe²⁺ was only detected in the upland area. High rates of iron reduction were observed in incubation jars, with significant accumulations of nonsulfidic Fe(II), moderate accumulations of iron sulfides, and negligible accumulations of porewater Fe²⁺. Most of the iron reduction was microbially mediated rather than coupled to reduced sulfides. Microbial iron reduction accounted for 20–89 % of the anaerobic organic matter mineralization along the inundation gradient. The rate and dominance of microbial iron reduction generally decreased in a seaward direction. The contributions of microbial iron reduction to anaerobic organic matter mineralization depended on the concentrations of bioavailable Fe(III), the spatial distribution of which was significantly related to tidal inundation. Our results clearly showed that microbial iron reduction in the upper sediments along the gradient is highly dependent on spatial scales controlled primarily by tidal inundation.     

The imprint of structural grain on the micro-relief of the Welsh uplands

Structural lineations of varying orders have been mapped for the full extent of the Welsh uplands where in some areas their clear impress in the micro-relief has revealed minor structures not previously described in geological literature. Although significant variations in the strike of these structurally induced breaks of slope may be noted they display the more typical Caledonoid alignments (NE—SW or NNE—SSW) in nearly 60 per cent of the total area of the country. The dominance of these trends has been somewhat accentuated by the fact that even along the northern edge of “Armorican” South Wales, where low dips are a feature, a NE–SW grain is also evident in extensive tracts of the prevalent scarplands.     

Statistical evaluation of oil and gas prospects in the outer continental shelf of the U.S. Gulf Coast

Areas of the U.S. Gulf Coast, both onshore and offshore, are among the petroliferous regions of the United States. In offshore Louisiana and Texas, most oil and gas is associated with structurally controlled traps on the crest or flanks of domes created by the diapiric movement of salt. These structures can be detected and mapped by seismic techniques that directly indicate favorable prospective areas. The characteristics of seismically defined structures provide information in advance of drilling about the probable size of reservoirs contained within these structures. Simple statistical relationships can be determined between the size, shape, and other attributes of structures detected by seismic mapping and the presence and size of petroleum and natural gas reservoirs. Gulf Coast OCS lease tracts presently are evaluated by the U.S. government using a Monte Carlo simulation procedure adapted from reservoir analysis. Specification of the parameters of the Monte Carlo model are obtained subjectively in advance of drilling and thus are highly uncertain. Comparisons of predrill predictions with postdiscovery reservoir evaluations show very low correlations. In contrast, predrill predictions based on regressions between seismic structural properties and reservoir volumes show highly significant correlations. In addition, statistical analysis of seismic structure is much simpler than the Monte Carlo procedure, and can be applied rapidly and inexpensively. A statistical analysis of the “Pleistocene Trend” of offshore Louisiana and Texas, an area of about 3 million acres, yielded results that are sufficiently encouraging to suggest that similar evaluations be made of the remaining Gulf Coast OCS and of OCS regions off of other coasts of the United States.     

Quantitative evaluation of the depth of the western Mediterranean before, during and after the Late Miocene salinity crisis

Quantitative geophysical calculations which take into consideration the isostatic loading of sediment overburden, the overlying water cover, and the thermal cooling history of the continental edge, and its adjacent oceanic lithosphere, demonstrate the foundering of the margins of the western Mediterranean had already commenced in the Aquitanian stage of the early Miocene. The calculations are based on magnitudes and rates of sediment accumulation observed along a profile of three commercial boreholes into the subsurface of the continental shelf of southern France. By the time of the late Miocene (Messinian) salinity crisis, the depth of the seafloor within the Balearic basin exceeded 2.5 km. Sea-level fluctuations induced by evaporitic draw-down permitted the exposure of large tracts of the former submerged continental margins to subaerial processes. The measured magnitude of sediment removal by erosion and channel incision near the outer shelf of the modern Gulf of Lion surpasses 1 km. The subsidence history of this shelf platform south of France provides new evidence that the continental lithosphere behaves as if it is rigidly coupled to its oceanic counterpart commencing with the initial phase of the pull-apart. No major vertical fault displacements have subsequently offset their overlying crustal layers. The sedimentary shaping and construction of the margin seaward of the Rhône delta resulted in a pronounced shelf edge migration and slope progradation during the pre-salinity crisis Miocene. It has taken 5 million years of predominant upbuilding to establish a new equilibrium profile similar in cross-section to the precrisis depositional surfaces created by outbuilding.     

Late Quaternary stratigraphy and sedimentology of the inner part of southwest Joseph Bonaparte Gulf

Joseph Bonaparte Gulf is a large embayment on the northwestern continental margin of Australia. It is approximately 300 km east‐west and 120 km north‐south with a broad continental shelf to seaward. Maximum width from the southernmost shore of Joseph Bonaparte Gulf to the edge of the continental shelf is 560 km. Several large rivers enter the gulf along its shores. The climate is monsoonal, sub‐humid, and cyclone‐prone during the December‐March wet season. A bedrock high (Sahul Rise) rims the shelf margin. The sediments within the gulf are carbonates to seaward, grading into clastics inshore. A seaward‐thinning wedge of highstand muds dominates the sediments of the inner shelf of Joseph Bonaparte Gulf. Mud banks up to 15m thick have developed inshore. Coarse‐grained sand ridges up to 15 m high are found off the mouth of the Ord River. These overlie an Upper Pleistocene transgressive lag of mixed carbonate and gravelly siliciclastic sand. Four drowned strandlines are present on the inner shelf at depths of 20, 25, 28 and 30 m below datum. These are interpreted as having formed during stillstands in the Late Pleistocene transgression. Older strandlines at great depths are inferred as having formed during the fall in sea‐level following the last highstand. For the most part the Upper Pleistocene‐Holocene marine sediments overlie an erosion surface cut into older Pleistocene sediments. Incised valleys cut into this erosion surface are up to 5 km wide and have a relief of at least 20 m. The largest valley is that cut by the Ord River. Upper Pleistocene sediments deposited in the incised valleys include interpreted lowstand fluvial gravels, early transgressive channel sands and floodplain silts, and late transgressive estuarine sands and gravels. Older Pleistocene sediments are inferred to have been deposited before and during the 120 ka highstand (isotope stage 5). They consist of sandy calcarenites deposited in high‐energy tide‐dominated shelf environments. Still older shelf and valley‐fill sediments underlie these. The contrast between the Holocene muddy clastic sediments and the sandy carbonates deposited by the 120 ka highstand suggests that either the climate was more arid in the past, with less fluvial transport, or that mud was more effectively trapped in estuaries, allowing development of carbonate depositional environments inshore.     

Aspects of agricultural land use in Ireland

Ireland's soil regions consist largely of Luvisols, Cambisols, and Gleysols. Approximately 60% of Ireland's land area is subject to varying degrees of soil limitations. Twenty-five percent of the land area comprises wet lowland mineral soils. Ninety percent of Ireland's agricultural area comprises pasture, hay, and silage. Approximately 30% of the agricultural area is devoted to dairying, and 55% to cattle production. is devoted to dairying, and 55% to cattle production. Trends in agricultural land use indicate that tillage declined substantially while livestock showed a substantial increase particularly in the decade 1965–1975. Research concludes that over 2.8 million ha has a capacity to carry at least 100 LU/40 ha (100 acres). Levels of fertilizer use in Ireland are below EEC levels. The highest fertilizer use levels are associated with the eastern and southern areas of Ireland. Tillage crops occupy only 10% of the agricultural area, while they account for 26% of tertilizer and lime use.     

黄河三角洲新生湿地磷分布特征及吸附解吸规律

采用改进的 Hedley 磷分级方法研究了黄河三角洲新生湿地由河向海过渡带表层土壤磷形态变化和分布特征,并通过等温吸附解吸实验阐明了沿程土壤对外源磷的持留能力和释放风险。结果表明,各样点无机磷占总磷93%以上,是磷的主要存在形态。土壤中有机磷含量较低,可能与较低的有机质含量有关。无机磷中稀盐酸磷是最主要存在形态,与各样点Ca/Al含量密切相关。有效磷含量在18.6~33.4 mg/kg之间,仅占总磷的3.2%~5.9%,可能会限制湿地植物的生长。覆有植被的土壤中有效磷含量显著高于河滩和海滩土壤,说明植被存在对有效磷的积累有一定促进作用。由吸附解吸实验可知,加入较低浓度（0.05~5 mg/L）的外源磷时,随着初始磷浓度的升高,土壤对磷的吸附量增加,吸附率为70%~99%,解吸率小于7%,这说明各样点土壤的除磷能力较强,且流失风险较低。     

据地貌声图判读研究海底地貌和底质类型

侧向扫描声呐这项新技术方法及其在海洋地质调查中的应用问题,最近作者已作过介绍。1975年,我们应用侧向扫描声呐(侧扫声呐)、精密回声探测、海底采样等方法,对中国南海某浅海区进行了海底地质调查,了解海底地貌和底质类型及其包括砂矿等的分布。     

Evaluation of water resources carrying capacity of Gonghe basin based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method

Gonghe Basin belongs to arid and semi-arid climatic zone, where water resource is relatively scarce and desertification is serious, so it is necessary to find out water resources carrying capacity. By using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, the assessment on water resources carrying capacity in Gonghe Basin was conducted: Water resource carrying capacity of Gonghe County is less, while that of Guinan County and Chaka Town of Wulan County are greater; water resources of Gonghe Basin could sustain cultivated land of 652.6 thousand acres and grassland of 2 368.6 thousand acres respectively in 2020, water resources of Gonghe Basin could sustain cultivated land of 948.2 thousand acres and grassland of 2 247.6 thousand acres respectively in 2030.     

Massive Upland to Wetland Conversion Compensated for Historical Marsh Loss in Chesapeake Bay,USA

Sea level rise leads to coastal transgression, and the survival of ecosystems depends on their ability to migrate inland faster than they erode and submerge. We compared marsh extent between nineteenth-century maps and modern aerial photographs across the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in North America, and found that Chesapeake marshes have maintained their spatial extent despite relative sea level rise rates that are among the fastest in the world. In the mapped region (i.e., 25% of modern Chesapeake Bay marshland), 94 km² of marsh was lost primarily to shoreline erosion, whereas 101 km² of marsh was created by upland drowning. Simple projections over the entire Chesapeake region suggest that approximately 100,000 acres (400 km²) of uplands have converted to wetlands and that about a third of all present-day marsh was created by drowning of upland ecosystems since the late nineteenth century. Marsh migration rates were weakly correlated with topographic slope and the amount of development of adjacent uplands, suggesting that additional processes may also be important. Nevertheless, our results emphasize that the location of coastal ecosystems changes rapidly on century timescales and that sea level rise does not necessarily lead to overall habitat loss.     

Ecotones as Indicators of Changing Environmental Conditions: Rapid Migration of Salt Marsh–Upland Boundaries

Ecotones, the narrow transition zones between extensive ecological systems, may serve as sensitive indicators of climate change because they harbor species that are often near the limit of their physical and competitive tolerances. We investigated the ecotone between salt marsh and adjacent upland at Elkhorn Slough, an estuary in California, USA. Over a period of 10 years, we monitored movement of the ecotone–upland boundary, plant community structure, and physical factors likely to drive ecotone response. At three undiked sites, the ecotone boundary migrated about 1 m landward, representing a substantial shift for a transition zone that is only a few meters wide. Analysis of potential correlates of this upward migration suggests that it was driven by increased tidal inundation. Mean sea level did not increase during our study, but inundation at high elevations did. While the ecotone boundary responded dynamically to interannual changes in inundation at these undiked sites, the plant community structure of the ecotone remained stable. At two diked sites, we observed contrasting patterns. At one site, the ecotone boundary migrated seaward, while at the other, it showed no consistent trend. Diking appears to eliminate natural sensitivity of the ecotone boundary to interannual variation in oceanic and atmospheric drivers, with local factors (management of water control structures) outweighing regional ones. Our study shows that the marsh–upland ecotone migrated rapidly in response to environmental change while maintaining stable plant community structure. Such resilience, stability, and rapid response time suggest that the marsh–upland ecotone can serve as a sensitive indicator of climate change.     

潮汐流影响下珊瑚岛礁附近波浪传播变形和增水试验

为揭示潮汐流影响下珊瑚岛礁附近波浪的运动特征,通过波流水槽试验对潮汐流存在下规则波的传播变形和增水规律进行了研究,测试了一系列的潮汐流流量并对比正向流、反向流以及无流的情况。研究结果表明:反向流使波浪破碎点向远海侧移动,正向流则使其向海岸侧移动,反向流存在时破碎带内的湍流较正向流时更为剧烈;反向流时破碎点附近入射波能量由主频波向高次谐波发生转移更为显著;潮汐流的存在对波浪反射、透射和能量耗散并无明显影响;正向流造成礁坪上波浪增水减少,反向流则促进增水的增长,增水最大值与潮汐流流量间存在显著的线性关系。研究成果可望为岛礁工程的建设和维护提供一定的理论参考。     

罗安达BurityUltimo基坑支护工程设计与施工

介绍了安哥拉首都罗安达一座建筑基坑支护结构设计概念和实施过程,实例说明恰当地利用坑侧土层特点,采用钉锚组合支护可使结构平面面积与建筑场地面积之比达到92．5％,基坑竖直开挖深度超过14m而对距坑边0．3～0．5m的普通民房正常使用与结构安全影响甚微,基坑可观测到的水平位移小于3mm,支护结构经受多次暴雨安全使用2年之久。     

Utilization of remote sensing data and GIS tools for and use sustainability analysis: case study in El-Hammam area, Egypt

The North-Western Coast of Egypt (NWCE) represents one of the high priority regions for future development in the country. El-Hammam area is located in the NWCE with an area of 94752 acres and is one of the main challenging regions for sustaianble development. In this study, we have used remote sensing and soil data in combination with GIS tools, for land use sustainable analysis (SLU) in El-Hammam area. The SLU was established based on various factors such as: land capability and suitability, water resources availability, economic return from water and financial return from land and water. A physiographic soil map for the study area was prepared using remote sensing and GIS. Multiple field surveys were carried out for collecting information on various soil map units (SMUs) and their profiles. Laboratory analysis for the collected samples was performed, and then the soil properties were stored as attributes in a geographical soil database linked with the SMUs. Furthermore, land capability assessment was done to define the suitable areas for agricultural production using a capability model built in ALES software. Results indicate that the area currently lacks high capability and moderate capability classes. By improving the soil properties, the soil can attain potential capability; and 55630 acres will become marginally capable. The assessment of soil physical suitability for different land use types (LUTs) were analysed in ALES software, in order to generate the most suitable areas. The results from the land suitability analysis indicated that, 17114 acres are moderately suitable for wheat and sorghum; whereas 15823 acres are moderately suitable for barley and 12752 acres are moderately suitable for maize, olive and figs. Finally, the SLU was investigated based on two scenarios; (1) the most SLU under the conditions of shortage of irrigation water: clover, barley and sorghum against figs, as the irrigation requirements for barley and sorghum are low; (2) the most sustainable land use in the conditions of irrigation availability will be wheat and maize against figs and guava. From the results it is quite evident that GIS combined with modeling approaches are powerful tools for decision making in the study area.     

Sheet slides and rotational failures on a convergent margin: the Kidnappers Slide, New Zealand

The Kidnappers Slide, on the upper continental slope of the convergent margin off eastern North Island, New Zealand, has been re-examined using a grid of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles. The slide is not a single feature but a complex of sheet slides and rotational failures ranging from 20 to 140 m thick, and covering a total area of 720 km². Failures occurred in several phases, on slopes of 1–5°, in late Quaternary, muddy, shelf-edge clinoforms that have prograded into an accretionary, trench-slope basin. Piston cores and seismic stratigraphy show that the main failure probably occurred in early Holocene times but that movements ranged from mid last glacial to late Holocene times. The sheet slides exhibit tensional collapse via numerous listric normal faults that sole out on glide planes; there is no clear evidence of compressional structures anywhere within the complex. The glide planes occur at progressively deeper stratigraphic levels towards the northeastern end of the complex, and near the steep slope that defines the seaward edge of the trench-slope basin. There is retrogressive failure at the top of the slope. The surficial slides are being deformed by growth of active tectonic faults and folds associated with the convergent plate margin. This type of slope failure may be partially related to metastable sandy layers within the last glacial age progradational sequence, and possibly to formation of bubble phase gas at shallow depths. Failure was probably triggered by earthquake loading of sediments in this highly seismic region.