The continental slope off New England: A long-range sidescan-sonar perspective

The first continuous overview of a large segment of the continental slope and rise off the northeastern United States has been obtained using the GLORIA II long-range sidescan-sonar system. Extensive dissection by canyon and gully systems and evidence of possible large-scale sediment sliding are seen on the slope. The style and degree of incision, as well as the numbers and locations of canyons, have been found to differ significantly from previously published maps. It is suggested that the slope is a significant source of the sediment that has been deposited on the rise, and that some abrupt changes in the courses of canyons may be the result of local structural control.