Long-term development and current status of the Barcelona continental shelf: A source-to-sink approach

The Barcelona continental shelf, off the city of Barcelona (NE Spain), is a relatively narrow canyon-bounded shelf in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. Three medium-size rivers (Tordera, Besós and Llobregat) and several ephemeral rivulets flow into this margin. Two main domains have been recognized in the Barcelona shelf: (i) a modern, river-influenced area, and (ii) a relict, sediment depleted area, both affected by a variety of human impacts. A detailed geomorphologic study based on multibeam bathymetry and backscatter data, high resolution seismic profiles, and surface sediment samples allowed mapping and interpreting the main distinctive seafloor features on the Barcelona shelf. Modern sedimentary features reveal that the Llobregat River is the main sediment source of the Barcelona prodeltaic shelf. High-discharge fluvial events result in the formation of suspended sediment plumes and sediment waves on the shelf floor. Relict (late Pleistocene–Holocene) sedimentary features reflect that an important shift occurred in the seashore direction between MIS 4 and MIS 2, and that recent neotectonic reactivation has created a set of seafloor faults. The Barcelona inner and middle shelf is severely impacted by anthropogenic activities such as the enlargement works of the Port of Barcelona, sewage pipes, dredging, anchoring and trawling.     

Changes in the Lena River runoff during the Holocene

The spatial and temporal changes in the Lena River runoff over the last 9 thousand years are reconstructed through studying the freshwater microfossils in sediment cores obtained from the Laptev Sea inner shelf immediately adjacent to the Lena delta and subject to the freshening effect of river water inflowing the sea through the main arms of the delta (the Trofimovskaya, Bykovskaya, and Tumatskaya arms), the sediments having been thoroughly AMS ¹⁴C dated. The freshwater species of diatoms (predominantly the river ones) and green algae that enter the shelf with river water served as indicators of river runoff. The reconstruction of paleosalinity of the sea surface water in the regions under study is based on the relationships (established earlier) between the distribution of freshwater diatoms in the surface layers of sediments in the Arctic seas and the gradients of water salinity in summer. Data on variations in the composition of aquatic microfossil associations in sediments and the reconstructed paleosalinity in the regions of the eastern and western paleovalleys of the Lena River are used to determine the main paleohydrologic events that controlled the variations in the Lena runoff into the shelf zone of the Laptev Sea during the Holocene.     

Suspended sediment transport in the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean): Impact of extreme storms and floods

In situ observations were combined with 3D modeling to gain understanding of and to quantify the suspended sediment transport in the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean Sea). The outputs of a hydrodynamic–sediment transport coupled model were compared to near-bottom current and suspended sediment concentration measurements collected at the head of seven submarine canyons and at a shallow shelf site, over a 6-month period (November 2003–May 2004). The comparisons provide a reasonable validation of the model that reproduces the observed spatial and time variations. The study period was marked by an unusual occurrence of marine storms and high river inputs. The major water and sediment discharges were supplied by the Rhone, the largest Mediterranean river, during an exceptional flood accompanying a severe marine storm in early December 2003. A second major storm, with moderate flooding, occurred in February 2004. The estimate of river input during the studied period was 5.9 Mt. Our study reveals (i) that most of the particulate matter delivered by the Rhone was entrapped on the prodelta, and (ii) that marine storms played a crucial role on the sediment dispersal on the shelf and the off-shelf export. The marine storms occurring in early December 2003 and late February 2004 resuspended a very large amount of shelf sediment (>8 Mt). Erosion was controlled by waves on the inner shelf and by energetic currents on the outer shelf. Sediment deposition took place in the middle part of the shelf, between 50 and 100 m depth. Resuspended sediments and river-borne particles were transported to the southwestern end of the shelf by a cyclonic circulation induced by these onshore winds and exported towards the Catalan shelf and into the Cap de Creus Canyon which incises the slope close to the shore. Export taking place mostly during marine storms was estimated to reach 9.1 Mt during the study period.     

Temporal and spatial complexity in post-glacial sedimentation on the tectonically active,Poverty Bay continental margin of New Zealand

On the eastern Raukumara Ranges of the New Zealand East Coast, active tectonics, vigorous weather systems, and human colonisation have combined to cause widespread erosion of the mudstone- and sandstone-dominated hinterland. The Waipaoa River sedimentary dispersal system is an example that has responded to environmental change, and is now New Zealand's second largest river in terms of suspended sediment discharge. This paper presents new sediment accumulation rates for the continental shelf and slope that span century to post-glacial time scales. These data are derived from radiochemical tracer, palynological, tephrostratigraphic, and seismic methods. We hypothesise on the temporal and spatial complexity of post-glacial sedimentation across the margin and identify the broad extent of sediment dispersal from the Waipaoa system. The ∼15 km³ Poverty Bay mid-shelf basin lies adjacent to the mouth of the Waipaoa River, reaching a maximum thickness of ∼45 m. A post-glacial mud lobe of an additional ∼3 km³ extends through the Poverty Gap and out onto the uppermost slope, attaining 40 m thickness in a structurally controlled sub-basin. Here, an offset in the last-glacial erosion surface indicates that deposition was sympathetic with fault activity and the creation of accommodation space, implying that sedimentation was not supply limited. Contrary to classical shelf sedimentation models, the highest modern accumulation rate of 1 cm y⁻¹ occurs on the outer-shelf sediment lobe, approximately ∼2 times the rate recorded at the mid-shelf basin depocentre, and ∼10 times faster than the excess ²¹⁰Pb rates estimated from the slope. Pollen records from slope cores fingerprint Polynesian then European settlement, and broaden the spatial extent of post-settlement sedimentation initially documented from the Poverty Bay mid-shelf. Changes in sub-millennial sedimentation infer a 2–3-times increase in post-settlement accumulation on the shelf but a smaller 1–2 times increase on the slope. Over longer time scales, seismic evidence infers slower but steady sedimentation since the last transgression, and that significant cross-shelf sediment pathways pre-date the increase in sedimentation resulting from colonisation and deforestation. From a summation of coastal bedload, shelf and slope sediment mass accumulation, the total sediment budget for the Holocene is ∼1 Mt y⁻¹. Under modern conditions a larger proportion of the Waipaoa sediment dispersal system likely extends onto the slope and beyond.     

Origin and distribution of surface sediments and human impacts on recent sedimentary processes. The case of the Amvrakikos Gulf (NE Ionian Sea)

The sedimentology of the floor of the Amvrakikos Gulf, a river influenced, semi-enclosed relatively shallow-silled embayment, lying along the northeastern Hellenic coast of the Ionian Sea (eastern Mediterranean Sea), is investigated with respect to its origin (terrigenous and/or biogenic), the prevailing oceanographic conditions and human interference. Nearshore (water depths approximately <10 m) sediments, especially along the northern margin of the Gulf, consist mostly of biogenic sands, as the result of water exchange between the freshwater lagoonal waters and the surface waters of the Gulf. An exception to this is the mouth area of the Arachthos River, which is dominated by the terrigenous riverine sediment influx. The offshore (water depths >10 m) bottom surficial sediments are fine-grained (silty and clayey) of terrigenous origin (>70%); this is attributed to the inter-seasonal, strong two-layer stratification of the water column in the Gulf which restricts benthic productivity by inhibiting the downward flux of surface eutrophic waters and the development of nearbed disoxic conditions in water depths >40 m. River damming has reduced also the riverine terrigenous sediment supply; this is more profound in the case of the Arachthos River where not only the deltaic evolution has been affected, but also the textural character of the seabed sediments of the mouth area has been altered; this is expected to influence the benthic communities of prodeltaic surficial sediment.     

Evolution of radiative sand ridge field of the South Yellow Sea and its sedimentary characteristics

A sand ridge field of 22 470 km² consists of fine sands and silts originally from the old Changjiang River sediment during the late Pleistocene period. Late Holocene sand stratum with its well-preserved larmnary bedding of more clay particles reflects the influence from the Yellow River. There are three genetic types of morphology of sand ridge field as follows: (i) reformed alluvial sandy bodies and old river valleys, located in the central and southern parts, formed from the end of Pleistocene to the present. (ii) Radiative current ridges and patrimonal valley type, located in the northeastern part, formed during the early or middle Holocene time. (iii) Eroded-depositional sandy bodies in the north and outer parts, and erosional trough in the north formed since the middle Holocene transgression. The sand ridge field has a periodic nature of developing processes: the period of sediment accumulation by rivers during cold epoch with low sea level and the period of erosional formation by tidal currents during warm epoch of transgression. The river-sea interactive process in the area is closely related to the climate change; the rising and falling of the sea level is the detonating agent of the coast zone land-sea dynamic interactive processes. They can be summarized as “transgression-dynamic-sedimentation” processes. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 49236120). Pmject codmg: SCIEL 21198103.     

Modelling floodplain sedimentation using particle tracking

Both climate change and river rehabilitation projects induce changes in floodplain sedimentation. Notably along the lower River Rhine, the sediment deposition patterns and rates are subject to change. To assess the magnitude of these changes, we developed the MoCSED model, a floodplain sedimentation model within a geographical information system for the lower Rhine River. We based MoCSED on the ‘method of characteristics’ (MoC), a particle tracking method that minimizes numerical dispersion. We implemented the MoCSED model in the PCRaster dynamic modelling language. The model input comprises initial suspended sediment concentrations, water levels, flow velocities, and longitudinal and transverse dispersivities. We used a combination of the Krone and Chen concepts to calculate the subsequent sedimentation (SED routine). We compared the model results with sediment trap data for the Bemmel floodplain along the Dutch Waal River during the 2003 inundation. This comparison showed that MoCSED was able to simulate the pattern of sediment deposition. In addition, the model proved to be an improvement in comparison with a conventional raster‐based floodplain sedimentation model for the lower River Rhine. In future, MoCSED may serve well to study the impact of a changing discharge regime due to climate change and floodplain rehabilitation plans on deposition of sediments. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geomorphic evolution of small river–lake‐systems in northeast Germany during the Late Quaternary

This study investigates the post‐glacial development of four small river–lake systems in the Weichselian belt of northern central Europe. The valleys investigated are part of an immature drainage system characterized by frequent and abrupt changes in flow direction and the presence of numerous stagnant‐ice depressions in the valley course. The depressions contain thick sedimentary sequences which provide excellent archives for the reconstruction of the post‐glacial valley development. Study results indicate that the valleys reuse segments of former subglacial meltwater channels. During the Late Pleniglacial these channels carried meltwater streams. Stagnant‐ice melting occurred in stages from the Oldest Dryas to the early Holocene and was often followed by the formation of lakes in the valley course. Flow reversals occurred during the Late‐glacial–Holocene transition and were in response to general base‐level lowering caused by stagnant‐ice melting, headwater erosion and lake overspills. Lacustrine deposition typically started during the early Late‐glacial comprising mainly silicate gyttjas, whereas organic gyttjas and peats accumulated during the Allerød. The Younger Dryas is associated with a marked increase in fluvial and aeolian sedimentation, and lake‐level high stands. This was followed by early Holocene lake‐level low stands and a subsequent stabilization phase with decreasing silicate input and increasing organic lacustrine deposition. In general, dramatic changes in Late Pleniglacial to early Holocene sedimentation suggest that small‐scale catastrophic events played a more important role in triggering geomorphic changes then previously recognized. Infilling continued until peat accumulation and terrestrialization of lake basins became widespread during the mid‐ to late Holocene. Beginning in the late Holocene anthropogenic influences become important mainly involving an increase in sediment supply due to forest clearing and land use, followed by mill stowage, river course correction and anthropogenic lake‐level manipulations. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Continental shelf sediments of northern Portugal

Recent research provides the first significant information about sedimentation on the continental shelf of northern Portugal. This paper presents data and interpretations obtained from textural and compositional studies of surface sediment. The shelf primarily contains sand-sized particles of lithogenic quartz (<80m water depth) and biogenic carbonate (80m). A nearshore deposit (<30m) is actively forming from fine sand composed of immature quartz particles (subangular, hyaline) which are transported southward by prevailing waves and currents from fluvial sources in the northern part of the study area. Near the northern rivers (e.g., Minho, Lima, Porto rivers), mica also is found nearshore in high concentrations (20 %). The mid-shelf region (30 to 80 m) is dominated by coarse sand and gravel composed of mature quartz particles (rounded, frosted, iron-stained), which probably were excavated during the Holocene transgression from terrestrial deposits and redistributed by littoral processes. During low stands of sea level, lithogenic sediment was carried off the shelf through submarine canyons, resulting in reduced contribution of lithogenic particles to the outer shelf region. This has caused biogenic carbonate to dominate the sediment there. Grain size decreases across the outer shelf from medium to very fine sand, as the predominant carbonate material changes from mollusk fragments to foraminifera tests. Glauconite has formed in many of the foraminifera tests, and glauconite concentrations are high (20%) in some localities near the shelf break.     

Holocene valley aggradation driven by river mouth progradation: examples from Australia

Since the end of the post‐glacial sea level rise 6800 years ago, progradation of river mouths into estuaries has been a global phenomenon. The responses of upstream alluvial river reaches to this progradation have received little attention. Here, the links between river mouth progradation and Holocene valley aggradation are examined for the Macdonald and Tuross Rivers in south‐eastern Australia. Optical and radiocarbon dating of floodplain sediments indicates that since the mid‐Holocene sea level highstand 6800 years ago vertical floodplain aggradation along the two valleys has generally been consistent with the rate at which each river prograded into its estuary. This link between river mouth progradation and alluvial aggradation drove floodplain aggradation for many tens of kilometres upstream of the estuarine limits. Both rivers have abandoned their main Holocene floodplains over the last 2000 years and their channels have contracted. A regional shift to smaller floods is inferred to be responsible for this change, though a greater relative sea level fall experienced by the Macdonald River since the mid‐Holocene sea level highstand appears to have been an additional influence upon floodplain evolution in this valley. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment accumulation in the western Gulf of Lions,France: The role of Cap de Creus Canyon in linking shelf and slope sediment dispersal systems

Previous work in the Gulf of Lions (western Mediterranean Sea) has suggested that significant amounts of sediment escape through the western part of this tectonically passive margin, despite it being far removed from the primary sediment source (the Rhone River, ∼160 km to the NE). The primary mechanism behind this export is hypothesized to be the interaction of a regional, southwestward sediment-transport path with a canyon deeply incising the southwestern part of the shelf, Cap de Creus Canyon.     

African monsoon variability during the previous interglacial maximum

Little is known about centennial- to millennial-scale climate variability during interglacial times, other than the Holocene. We here present high-resolution evidence from anoxic (unbioturbated) sediments in the eastern Mediterranean Sea that demonstrates a sustained ∼800-yr climate disturbance in the monsoonal latitudes during the Eemian interglacial maximum (∼125 ka BP). Results imply that before and after this event, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) penetrated sufficiently beyond the central Saharan watershed (∼21°N) during the summer monsoon to fuel flooding into the Mediterranean along the wider North African margin, through fossil river/wadi systems that to date have been considered only within a Holocene context. Relaxation in the ITCZ penetration during the intra-Eemian event curtailed this flux, but flow from the Nile - with its vast catchment area - was not affected. Previous work suggests a concomitant Eurasian cooling event, with intensified impact of the higher-latitude climate on the Mediterranean basin. The combined signals are very similar to those described for the Holocene cooling event around 8 ka BP. The apparent type of concurrent changes in the monsoon and higher-latitude climate may reflect a fundamental mechanism for variability in the transfer of energy (latent heat) between the tropics and higher latitudes.     

Discharge of pyroclastic flows into the sea during the 1996–1998 eruptions of the Soufrière Hills volcano, Montserrat

Explosive eruptions of the Soufrière Hills volcano on the island of Montserrat in the West Indies generated pyroclastic flows that reached the sea on the east and southwest coasts between November 1995 and July 1998. Discharge of the flows produced two pyroclastic deltas off of the Tar and White River valleys. A marine geological survey was conducted in July 1998 to study the submarine extensions of both deltas. Detailed profiles of depth and sub-bottom structure were obtained using a CHIRP II/bubble pulser system. These profiles were compared with pre-eruption bathymetric data in order to identify areas of recent deposition and erosion. Deposition off the Tar and White River valleys was thickest nearest the coastline and deltas, and extended into deeper water up to 5 km from shore. The total volume of submarine pyroclastic deposits as of July 1998 was 73×10⁶ m³ DRE. Submarine pyroclastic deposits off the Tar River valley made up more than two-thirds of the total volume (55×10⁶ m³ DRE) and covered an area of approximately 5.0 km², which included the delta. The volume of submarine pyroclastic deposits in the White River area (18×10⁶ m³ DRE) is probably underestimated due to the lack of precise pre-eruption bathymetric data in areas greater than 2 km from shore. Growth of pyroclastic deltas at the mouths of the Tar and White River valleys continued to the edge of the submarine shelf where there was a steep break in slope. In the Tar River area pyroclastic material was distributed down the steep shelf break and into deeper water at least a few kilometers from shore. The material spread out radially, forming a submarine fan, where distribution was primarily controlled by bathymetry and slope.Editorial responsibility; J. Stix     

Linking hydrology and sediment dynamics of large alluvial rivers to landscape diversity in the Ganga dispersal system,India

Discharge and sediment load data for several stations along the Ganga River and its major tributaries in the western Ganga plains (WGP) for a period of ~30 years have been analysed to understand the hydrological characteristics and sediment dynamics. In terms of hydrology, the rivers are less flood‐prone than believed, exceeding bankfull discharges less frequently than the expected 1.5 year return interval. This has been attributed to the rivers of this region occupying incised valleys formed in the Late Quaternary period. Rivers draining the WGP are supply‐limited systems compared to those draining the eastern Ganga plains (EGP) which have been characterized as transport‐limited systems. We suggest that such geomorphic diversity as a function of spatial variability in precipitation regime and hinterland geology has existed for at least the Late Quaternary period and they in turn influence the modern day hydrology of the river systems in a significant way. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sediment regime and morphological processes in the Hong Ha (Red River) mouth area

Main features of sediment regime in the mouth area of the Hong Ha River (Red River), Vietnam, are discussed. As shown, the hydraulic engineering construction on the Da tributary resulted in a nearly two-fold decrease of river sediment yield. Sediment budget components at the river mouth were analyzed to establish that more than 90% of the sediment yield was detained in the delta branches and in the nearshore zone of the river mouth. Morphological processes in the Hong Ha River mouth area were characterized in detail including delta evolution during Holocene and the dynamics of its channel network, coastline, and mouth bars. Special attention was given to modern processes of delta progradation at the mouths of main branches and to wave erosion of other parts of the delta coastline. The causes for the intensification of this kind of erosion and change of the delta type in the late XX century are discussed.     

Numerical models of continental and submarine erosion: application to the northern Ligurian Margin (Southern Alps,France/Italy)

We present a new numerical surface process model allowing us to take into account submarine erosion processes due either to submarine landslides or to hyperpycnal currents. A first set of models show that the frequency of hyperpycnal flows influences the development of submarine canyons at the mouth of continental rivers. Further experiments show that an increase in submarine slope leads to faster regressive canyon erosion and a more dentritic canyon network, whereas increasing the height of the unstable sediment pile located on the shelf break leads to wider and less dendritic canyons. The models are then applied to the western segment of the north Ligurian margin (northwestern Mediterranean), which displays numerous submarine canyons with various sizes and morphologies. From west to east, canyon longitudinal profiles as well as margin‐perpendicular profiles progressively change from moderately steep, concave‐up shapes to steeper linear to convex‐up shapes suggesting increasing eastward margin uplift. Moreover, the foot of the margin is affected by a marked slope increase with evidences of mass transport due to landslides. Numerical models which reproduce well the North Ligurian margin morphologic features indicate that the western part of the margin is submitted to rather low (i.e. 0.4 mm yr^?1) uplift and intense submarine erosion due to frequent hyperpycnal currents, whereas the eastern part bears more rapid (i.e. 0.7 mm yr^?1) uplift and has little or no hyperpycnal currents. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mapping of a major paleodrainage system in eastern Libya using orbital imaging radar: The Kufrah River

Over the last few decades, remote sensing has revealed buried river channels in a number of regions worldwide, in many cases providing evidence of dramatic paleoenvironmental changes over Cenozoic time scales. Using orbital radar satellite imagery, we mapped a major paleodrainage system in eastern Libya, that could have linked the Kufrah Basin to the Mediterranean coast through the Sirt Basin, possibly as far back as the middle Miocene. Synthetic Aperture Radar images from the PALSAR sensor clearly reveal a 900 km-long river system, which starts with three main tributaries (north-eastern Tibesti, northern Uweinat and western Gilf Kebir/Abu Ras) that connect in the Kufrah oasis region. The river system then flows north through the Jebel Dalmah, and forms a large alluvial fan in the Sarir Dalmah. The sand dunes of the Calanscio Sand Sea prevent deep orbital radar penetration and preclude detailed reconstruction of any possible connection to the Mediterranean Sea, but a 300 km-long link to the Gulf of Sirt through the Wadi Sahabi paleochannel is likely. If this connection is confirmed, and its Miocene antiquity is established, then the Kufrah River, comparable in length to the Egyptian Nile, will have important implications for the understanding of the past environments and climates of northern Africa from the middle Miocene to the Holocene.     

Preliminary results on a high east–west gradient in the macrozoobenthic community structure of the macrotidal Mont Saint-Michel bay

Environmental conditions in terms of river inputs, salt marsh development, shellfish cultures, hydrodynamics and sediment characteristics are very different from the western and the eastern part of the Mont Saint-Michel bay. A large scale study on the spatial structure of the intertidal macrozoobenthic community was then performed at the bay scale in order to determinate how these various conditions may modify the community composition and species density. In terms of density, the community was globally dominated by suspension/deposit filter-feeding bivalves, as well as amphipods in the eastern high levels of the intertidal zone. Several biocoenotic assemblage of the Macoma balthica community were described and large differences in the species composition and density were observed between the eastern and the western sectors of the bay. Total density for all species and recruitment were much higher in the eastern sector than in the west. We discussed about these east–west variations in terms of hydrodynamics, sedimentation processes and trophic conditions. Indeed, the large salt marsh extension and river inputs, as well as the lack of shellfish cultures in the east, may favour high food availability for benthic invertebrates of the area whereas the low river inputs and salt marsh development, the high sedimentation process and the intensification of mussel and oyster cultures in the west may create less favourable environments.     

Nature of sediment dispersal off the Sepik River, Papua New Guinea: preliminary sediment budget and implications for margin processes

A sediment budget is constructed for the slope and narrow continental shelf off the Sepik River in order to estimate the relative importance of turbid plumes versus bottom gravity transport through a near-shore submarine canyon in the dispersal of sediment across this collision margin. ²¹⁰Pb geochronology and inventories of Kasten cores are consistent with the northwestward dispersal of sediment from the river mouth via hypopycnal and possible isopycnal plumes. Sediment accumulation rates are 5 cm yr⁻¹ on the upper slope just off of the Sepik mouth, decreasing gradually to 1 cm yr⁻¹ toward the northwest, and decreasing abruptly offshore (<0.2 cm yr⁻¹ at 1200 m water depth). A sediment budget indicates that only about 7–15% of the Sepik River sediment discharge accumulates on the adjacent open shelf and slope. The remainder presumably escapes offshore via gravity flows through a submarine canyon, the head of which extends into the river mouth. The divergent sediment pathways observed off the Sepik River (i.e., surface and subsurface plumes versus sediment gravity flows through a canyon) may be common along high-yield collision margins of the Indo–Pacific archipelago, and perhaps are analogous to most margins during Late Quaternary low sea-level conditions.     

Possible Coseismic Large-scale Landslide off the Northern Coast of Papua New Guinea in July 1998: Geophysical and Geological Results from SOS Cruises

— The epicentral area of the 1998 Papua New Guinea Earthquake and Tsunami off Sissano Lagoon, northern coast of Papua New Guinea (M=7.1; 17 July, 1998) was surveyed by the Research Vessel Kairei in January 1999. Precise bathymetric survey by use of SEABEAM-2112 and other geophysical surveys (bottom reflectivity, sub-bottom profiling, surface ship gravity and geomagnetic surveys) were carried out and four piston core samples were collected during the nine days' survey. The area was also surveyed by use of the Japanese deep sea research ROV Dolphin-3K and research submersible Shinkai-2000 after the regional geophysical survey, in order to locate the possible seismic faults and/or underwater landslides as the source of tsunami and to study the process which took place off Sissano Lagoon and the driving force of the event. The study area is characterised by substantial fan sediment supply from Sissano Lagoon. Straight small-scale submarine canyons and valleys are eroding the shelf slope constructed by the fan sediment. Topographic features of arcuate slumps caused by landslides are recognised at numerous sites of the study area. Most of them are old and the most recent is located 25 km northeast off the Sissano Lagoon. Two major topographic depressions on the shelf were located off Sissano Lagoon. The western is a depression of about 10-km width and the eastern is a meandering deep-sea canyon. Amphitheatre topographic features with slumps caused by landslides that were discovered by Kairei's cruise were extensively surveyed in the study area. Six dives by Dolphin-3K and seven dives by Shinkai-2000 revealed that a fresh crack of about 15 km in total length is located along the slope of the amphitheatre. The crack is apparently the upper slope of a large-scale slumping on the amphitheatre, characterised by tensional stress on it. The easternmost part of the fresh crack is accompanied by living chemosynthetic organisms such as mussels and tube worms. The chemosynthetic community is apparently associated with cold seepage along the crack suggesting that the crack was constructed very recently. The areas other than the crack were rather old with bioturbation.