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Sediment maps usually come from analysis of recent data. They are replaced several decades later when a new technique appears. For a world map such an approach is not possible, it is therefore necessary to merge very diverse data. The map presented here, broadcast in free access, is the culmination of 25 years of development. It had been initiated for the search for wrecks, installation of cables and acoustic propagation and finds new applications for the study of CO2 trapping and global warming modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A global seabed sediment map has been developed since 1995 to provide a necessary tool for different needs. This project is not completely original since it had already been done in 1912 when the French hydrographic Office and the University of Nancy produced sedimentary maps of the European and North American coasts. Seabed sediments is one of the last geographical domains which can't benefit of satellite data. Without this contribution, sediment maps need to use very old data mixed with the new ones to be able to reach the goal of a global map. In general, sediment maps are made with the latest available techniques and are replaced after a few decades, thus generating new cartographic works as if all the previous efforts had become useless. Such approach underestimates the quality of past works and prevents to have maps covering large areas. The present work suggests to standardize all kind of sedimentary data from different periods and from very different acquisition systems and integrate them into a single product. This process has already been done for bathymetric data of marine charts, we discuss in this article of the application of this method at a global scale for sediment data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A global seabed sediment map has been developed since 1995 to provide a necessary tool for different needs. This project is not completely original since it had already been done in 1912 when the French hydrographic Office and the University of Nancy produced sedimentary maps of the European and North American coasts. Seabed sediments is one of the last geographical domains which can't benefit of satellite data. Without this contribution, sediment maps need to use very old data mixed with the new ones to be able to reach the goal of a global map. In general, sediment maps are made with the latest available techniques and are replaced after a few decades, thus generating new cartographic works as if all the previous efforts had become useless. Such approach underestimates the quality of past works and prevents to have maps covering large areas. The present work suggests to standardize all kind of sedimentary data from different periods and from very different acquisition systems and integrate them into a single product. This process has already been done for bathymetric data of marine charts, we discuss in this article of the application of this method at a global scale for sediment data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Garlan, T.; Mathias, X.; Brenon E.; Favretto-Cristini, N.; Deschamps, A.; Beucler, E., Guyomard P., and Morio, O., 2018. Circular sedimentary figures of anthropic origin in a sediment stability context. In: Shim, J.-S.; Chun, I., and Lim, H.S. (eds.), Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2018 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 85, pp. 411–415. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The French POSA project studies the seismic energy released by bomb and mine blasting. This project is based on seismological and acoustical measurements recording during blasting actions in order to study seismic wave propagation nucleated by controlled sources (location and explosive energy). These measurements are compared to numerical modeling of the acoustic and seismic wave propagation based on the most faithful 3D representation of the seabed sediments and underlying rocks. This project first focused on the 3D environment representation based on specific surveys and on two blasting experiments which consist in exploding bombs of different loads at two distinct environmental places. The in-situ measurements reveal several hundred circular figures with very specific characteristics which clearly differentiate them from other sedimentary, biological and geological figures encountered on the seabed. They are found within the whole studied area and their diameter is from 10 to 130 m. About 30 circles by kilometer square are observed without correlation with the depth which varies from 10 to 150m. These sedimentary structures indicate that they have been generated by the explosion of bombs, but at different periods. The oldest ones most probably result from bombs dropped in 1940 and 1944 during the landing of the Allied forces in the region of Toulon. These original anthropic sedimentary figures and their differences compared with other circular structures observed on the seabed are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garlan, T.; Mathias, X.; Brenon E.; Favretto-Cristini, N.; Deschamps, A.; Beucler, E., Guyomard P., and Morio, O., 2018. Circular sedimentary figures of anthropic origin in a sediment stability context. In: Shim, J.-S.; Chun, I., and Lim, H.S. (eds.), Proceedings from the International Coastal Symposium (ICS) 2018 (Busan, Republic of Korea). Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 85, pp. 411–415. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The French POSA project studies the seismic energy released by bomb and mine blasting. This project is based on seismological and acoustical measurements recording during blasting actions in order to study seismic wave propagation nucleated by controlled sources (location and explosive energy). These measurements are compared to numerical modeling of the acoustic and seismic wave propagation based on the most faithful 3D representation of the seabed sediments and underlying rocks. This project first focused on the 3D environment representation based on specific surveys and on two blasting experiments which consist in exploding bombs of different loads at two distinct environmental places. The in-situ measurements reveal several hundred circular figures with very specific characteristics which clearly differentiate them from other sedimentary, biological and geological figures encountered on the seabed. They are found within the whole studied area and their diameter is from 10 to 130 m. About 30 circles by kilometer square are observed without correlation with the depth which varies from 10 to 150m. These sedimentary structures indicate that they have been generated by the explosion of bombs, but at different periods. The oldest ones most probably result from bombs dropped in 1940 and 1944 during the landing of the Allied forces in the region of Toulon. These original anthropic sedimentary figures and their differences compared with other circular structures observed on the seabed are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garlan, T.; Almar, R.; Gauduin, H.; Gosselin, M.; Morio, O., and Labarthe, C., 2020. 3D variability of sediment granulometry in two tropical environments: Nha Trang (Vietnam) and Saint-Louis (Sénégal). In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 495–499. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The sediment variability of two tropical beaches was studied in order to provide the input data of the COASTVAR project's morphodynamic models. The longshore, cross-shore and vertical sediment organization of the first decimeters seems important to take into account in modeling. In particular, the presence of coarser underlying sediments, very frequently observed at all latitudes, may be at the origin of the slope of the beach. And these coarser sediments can also cause significant changes in sedimentary dynamics, when the most energetic events come to set them in motion. But the 3D characterization of beach sediments is not easy and the methods to achieve it are presented here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State-of-art echosounders reveal fine-scale details of mobile sandy bedforms, which are commonly found on continental shelfs. At present, their dynamics are still far from being completely understood. These bedforms are a serious threat to navigation security, anthropic structures and activities, placing emphasis on research breakthroughs. Bedform geometries and their dynamics are closely linked; therefore, one approach is to develop semi-automatic tools aiming at extracting their structural features from bathymetric datasets. Current approaches mimic manual processes or rely on morphological simplification of bedforms. The 1D and 2D approaches cannot address the wide ranges of both types and complexities of bedforms. In contrast, this work attempts to follow a 3D global semi-automatic approach based on a bathymetric TIN. The currently extracted primitives are the salient ridge and valley lines of the sand structures, i.e., waves and mega-ripples. The main difficulty is eliminating the ripples that are found to heavily overprint any observations. To this end, an anisotropic filter that is able to discard these structures while still enhancing the wave ridges is proposed. The second part of the work addresses the semi-automatic interactive extraction and 3D augmented display of the main lines structures. The proposed protocol also allows geoscientists to interactively insert topological constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent completion of a coupled seismic and swath bathymetric survey, conducted across the sand ridge system of the Banc du Four located on the Atlantic continental shelf of Brittany (Mer d’Iroise, France), provided new data for the study of the long term evolution of deep tidal sand ridges. Five seismic units are distinguished within the ridge, separated by pronounced major bounding surfaces. The basal unit is interpreted to be shoreface deposits forming the core of the ridge. It is overlaid by a succession of marine sand dunes fields forming the upper units. Sandwave climbing, which combines progradation and accretion, is the major process controlling the growth of the ridge. The elevation of the preserved dune foresets reaches values of about 20–30 m within the ridge. The foresets indicate a combination of giant dunes characterized by numerous steep (up to 20°) clinoforms corresponding to a high-energy depositional environment. Moreover, the presence of scour pits linked to the 3D geometries of giant dunes allow the growth of bedforms migrating oblique to the orientation of giant dune crest lines. All of the radiocarbon ages of the biogenic surficial deposits of the Banc du Four range from 10,036 to 2748 cal years B.P. and suggest the Banc du Four has grown during the last sea-level rise. The apparent absence of recent surface deposits could be caused by a change in benthic biogenic productivity or the non-conservation of recent deposits. In contrast, the presence of relatively old sands at the top of the ridge could be explained by the reworking and leakage of the lower units that outcrop locally at the seabed across the ridge. Moreover, the long-term evolution of the ridge appears strongly controlled by the morphology of the igneous basement. The multiphase accretion of the ridge is closely linked to the presence of a residual tidal current eddy, consecutive with the progressive flooding of the coastal promontories and straits that structured the igneous basement. Therefore, the Banc du Four should be thought of as a representative example of a large-scale high-energy banner bank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insight on wave regimes along the world's coastlines is important for virtually all coastal and nearshore marine activities, installations, planning and protection. Waves are pervasive and the dominant source of energy driving extreme sea levels, the transport of pollutants and sediments, erosion, and a major contributor to risks of flooding. We quantify the global spatio-temporal wave conditions along the world's coasts and evaluate the needs for coastal Earth Observation strategies, with the aim, notably, that the derived scales of change can contribute to optimisation of these strategies. A global dominant timescale of 30 days is found in coastal wave variability that is, on average, spatially correlated just over the synoptic 5 degrees' regional scale (≈ 550 km at the equator). This regional-scale dimension suggests that the timing and design of traditional field surveys and observations relevant to a vast array of coastal activities, and which may be expensive in terms of human resources, may be complemented by information gained from satellite Earth Observation that throws light on spatio-temporal scales of wave-energy change along the world's coastlines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defining a model for the representation and the analysis of spatio-temporal dynamics remains an open domain in geographical information sciences. In this article we investigate a spatio-temporal graph-based model dedicated to managing and extracting sets of geographical entities related in space and time. The approach is based on spatial and temporal local relations between neighboring entities during consecutive times. The model allows us to extract sets of connected entities distant in time and space over long periods and large spaces. From GIS concepts and qualitative reasoning on space and time, we combine the graph model with a dedicated spatial database. It includes information on geometry and geomorphometric parameters, and on spatial and temporal relations. This allows us to extend classical measurements of spatial parameters, with comparisons of entities linked by complex relations in space and time. As a case study, we show how the model suggests an efficient representation of dunes dynamics on a nautical chart for safe navigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A one month field campaign featuring two spring–neap tide cycles and three strong storms has been performed in a mobile dune area located in the central part of the Dover Strait. These dunes are known to move in a complex manner as their migration direction varies in space and time (). In order to gain some insights into the dune motion processes we present an analysis of the spatio-temporal variability of currents in the area emphasizing the relative influence of tides and storms. A total of eight different hydro-meteorological regimes have been distinguished during the experiment duration. The analysis of the currents measurements at five locations in the area shows that the eight hydro-meteorological regimes induce very different current responses at the bottom. The residual tidal currents exhibit a significant spatial variability both in direction and in intensity. A numerical model of tidal currents over the Dover Strait confirms the strong spatio-temporal variability of the residual tidal currents featuring three singular points. Amongst them, a saddle point is located just south of the I-dune at the convergence of opposite direction residual tidal currents. The wind-induced currents are almost uniform in space, their intensity and direction however strongly depends on the wind regime and thus on time. The mean total current feature a spatial pattern which can be tidal of wind-induced currents dominated, or either in balance, depending on the regime considered. At the PERMOD campaign time scale, the total current is dominated by the residual tidal current. These results proved to give valuable insights to explain the complex dynamics of dune motion observed in this area by at short and long time scales. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Side-scan sonar investigations in the eastern part of the macrotidal Bay of Seine have revealed the presence of numerous rippled scour depressions (RSDs) at water depths of 5-9 m. The sediments in these depressions consist essentially of coarse-grained shell hash derived from underlying Holocene sediments dated at roughly 6,500 yearsBP, and arranged in large wave-generated ripples. The shallow marine area where these features occur consists of a wave-generated ravinement surface produced during the marine flooding of the late Holocene transgression. It can be shown that, during the last 20 years at least, erosion of the muddy sand and sandy seabed has exposed underlying relict sediments. These consist of stiff clays, silts and a layer of shell debris which, when exposed, cover the bottom of large scour depressions which appear to be in equilibrium with the local hydrodynamic regime. Morphological and hydrodynamic data suggest that the RSDs are generated by strong cross-shore bottom currents flowing parallel to the features in the direction of the prevailing waves, and probably associated with storm-induced downwelling events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the dynamics of sandwaves in relationship with tidal currents and weather conditions. The studied sandwaves are located in the Dover Straits and are covered by megaripples. These megaripples have migration speeds of 1 m h−1 and slopes of 34°, suggesting the potential for avalanches to occur along the flanks of the sandwave. Tidal cycles without reversing currents were observed during stormy weather. Wind-induced currents lead to a unidirectional migration of megaripples and sandwaves. Well-defined areas without megaripples were observed and correlated with an increase in sandwave height. We propose interpretations for understanding sandwave saturation and migration. To cite this article: D. Idier et al., C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 1079–1085. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The capacity to monitor suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) in the ocean, from surface to bottom, using data acquired by the future Meteosat Third-Generation (MTG)/flexible combined imager (FCI) satellite sensor has been quantified by observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs). The “true” ocean state for these experiments is based on a 15-month numerical simulation of hydrodynamic and sediment transport, configured to represent the highly dynamical waters of the English Channel under the influences of tides and waves. Simulated MTG/FCI hourly averaged acquisitions at a given location near the Isle of Wight have been processed via hidden Markov model combined with a statistical classification—based on self-organizing maps—of predicted vertical SSC profiles. The resulting experiments demonstrated that MTG/FCI images, despite their high temporal resolution, and because of many gaps due to nights and clouds over the English Channel, still require spatial interpolations to enhance the amount of information available at a given location. For an accurate determination of particle concentrations, time series of the main forcing (wind, tides, and waves) need to be included in the process: 1) as a crucial parameter correlated with the dynamics of large particles (sands) and 2) as an equally important parameter as satellite data themselves in the correlation with the dynamics of fine particles (silts). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a pressing need for a fast and efficient satellite remote sensing tool to estimate coastal bathymetry for any coastline in the world. To date, satellite methods for deriving bathymetry have mainly focused on linking the radiometric response to a known water depth, as with SPOT, Landsat and Sentinel. Here, wave properties (static and dynamic) are approximated using the small time delay between the different color bands of Sentinel-2 to then calculate a depth using wave linear dispersion theory. In this paper, we present a spatial correlation method within the S2Shores (Satellites to Shores) Python toolbox: a processing chain/toolbox of coastal observations using methods applied to optical satellites. The resulting individual bathymetries are finally qualified according to the standards of the International Hydrographic Organization, anticipating their operational use. • S2Shores spatial-correlation method for optical satellite coastal observations. • Bathymetry qualified with the International Hydrographic Organization standards. • Wave characteristics from the time delay between spectral bands of Sentinel-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on experiments, a trawling-induced erosion dynamics was included in a 3D realistic and pre-validated hydro-sedimentary model so as to assess its contribution to the overall regional sediment dynamics in the specific case of the Bay of Biscay continental shelf. The effect of trawling was investigated throughout a 5-year period in terms of horizontal/vertical fluxes and changes in seabed mud content, and compared to the natural variability of sediment fluxes at different spatio-temporal scales. Trawling is shown in the model to significantly contribute to sediment re-suspension, and changes in the seabed at the scale of the shelf. The contribution of trawling to re-suspension is >80% during the high fishing season at many locations on the outer shelf and over the Grande-Vasière area (a large and intensively trawled muddy zone located in the middle of the shelf). The contribution of trawling is significantly weaker in winter and at annual scale, particularly over zones with (muddy-) sand facies (between 1‰ and 1%), but remains high, and reaches 20% of the annual erosion over muddy areas (e.g. northern part of the Grande-Vasière). This significant trawling-induced erosion dynamics results in high sediment fluxes which increase natural poleward dynamics from a few percent up to 40%, and contributes to the natural offshore export of sediment on the outer shelf (e.g. +35% of mud fluxes along the 130 m isobath). It is noteworthy that trawling-induced fluxes are larger in winter although the corresponding re-suspension is lower than in summer: this is due to stronger near-bottom flows occurring at this period (largely influenced by energetic wind conditions). In contrast, on the inner shelf, trawling-induced sediment fluxes are rather oriented towards the coast. Finally, simulation results reveal a trawling signature on changes in the seabed. A significant decrease (between 10% and >50%) in mud content is simulated over trawling hotspots, especially over the internal part of the Grande-Vasière and on mud patches located in front of the Gironde estuary. Conversely, trawling causes or intensifies mud deposition on both sides of these preferentially trawled areas. • Trawling-induced sediment dynamics is significant over mid and outer shelf regions. • Trawling increases natural off-shelf export of fine sediment by 30%. • Trawling induces seabed nature changes over and around fishing zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of changes in slope gradient on deposition processes and architecture have been investigated in different deep-sea systems both in modern and ancient environments. However, the impact of subtle gradient changes (< 0.3 ∘) on sedimentary processes along deep-sea fans still needs to be clarified. The Ogooue Fan, located in the northeastern part of the Gulf of Guinea, extends over more than 550 km westwards of the Gabonese shelf and passes through the Cameroon volcanic line. Here, we present the first study of acoustic data (multibeam echosounder and 3.5 kHz, very high-resolution seismic data) and piston cores covering the deep-sea part of this West African system. This study documents the architecture and sedimentary facies distribution along the fan. Detailed mapping of near-seafloor seismic-reflection data reveals the influence of subtle slope gradient changes (< 0.2 ∘) along the fan morphology. The overall system corresponds to a well-developed deep-sea fan, fed by the Ogooue River sedimentary load, with tributary canyons, distributary channel–levee complexes and lobe elements. However, variations in the slope gradient due to inherited salt-related structures and the presence of several seamounts, including volcanic islands, result in a topographically complex slope profile including several ramps and steps. In particular, turbidity currents derived from the Gabonese shelf deposit cross several interconnected intra-slope basins located on the low gradient segments of the margin (< 0.3 ∘). On a higher gradient segment of the slope (0.6 ∘), a large mid-system valley developed connecting an intermediate sedimentary basin to the more distal lobe area. Distribution and thickness of turbidite sands is highly variable along the system. However, turbidite sands are preferentially deposited on the floor of the channel and the most proximal depositional areas. Core description indicates that the upper parts of the turbidity flows, mainly composed of fine-grained sediments, are found in the most distal depocenters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ogooue deep-sea Fan located in the northeastern part of the Gulf of Guinea expands over more than 550 km westwards of the Gabonese shelf and passes through the Cameroun volcanic line. Here are presented the first study of acoustic data (multibeam echosounder and 3.5 kHz seismic data) and piston cores covering the deep-sea part of this West African system. This study led to the construction of the sedimentary processes map of this area. The overall system corresponds to a well-developed mud-sand rich deep-sea fan, fed by the Ogooue River 'sedimentary load. This system presents the typical morphological elements of clastic slope apron: tributary canyons, distributary channel-levees systems and lobes elements. However, variations on the slope gradient cumulated with the presence of numerous seamounts, including volcanic islands and mud volcanoes, led to a more complex fan architecture and sedimentary facies distribution. In particular, turbidity currents derived from the Gabonese shelf deposit across several interconnected sedimentary sub-basins located on the low gradient segments of the margin. The repeated spill-overs of the most energetic turbidite flows have notably led to the incision of a large distal valley connecting an intermediate sedimentary basin to the more distal lobe area. The sedimentary facies repartition over the fan indicates that pelagic to hemipelagic sedimentation is dominant across the area. Distribution and thickness of turbidite sand beds is highly variable along the system, however turbidite sands preferentially deposit in the bottom of channel-levee systems and on the most proximal depositional areas. The most distal depocenters receive only the upper parts of the flows, which are composed of fine-grained sediments. The Ogooue deep-sea system is predominantly active during periods of low sea-level because canyon heads are separated from terrestrial sediment sources by the broad shelf. However, the northern part of this system appears active during sea-level highstands. This feature is one deeply incised canyon, the Cape Lopez canyon, located on a narrower part of the continental shelf has a different behaviour and receives sediments transported by the longshore drift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal sand dune dynamics is observed for two tidal cycles in the Arcachon tidal inlet, southwest France. An array of instruments is deployed to measure bathymetric and current variations along dune profiles. Based on the measurements, dune crest horizontal and vertical displacements are quantified and show important dynamics in phase with tidal currents. We observed superimposed ripples on the dune stoss side and front, migrating and changing polarity as tidal currents reverse. A 2D RANS numerical model is used to simulate the morphodynamic evolution of a flat non-cohesive sand bed submitted to a tidal current. The model reproduces the bed evolution until a field of sand bedforms is obtained that are comparable with observed superimposed ripples in terms of geometrical dimensions and dynamics. The model is then applied to simulate the dynamics of a field of large sand dunes of similar size as the dunes observed in situ. In both cases, simulation results compare well with measurements qualitatively and quantitatively. This research allows for a better understanding of tidal sand dune and superimposed ripple morphodynamics and opens new perspectives for the use of numerical models to predict their evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydro-sedimentary numerical models have been widely employed to derive suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentrations in coastal and estuarine waters. These hydro-sedimentary models are computationally and technically expensive in nature. Here we have used a computationally less-expensive, well-established methodology of self-organizing maps (SOMs) along with a hidden Markov model (HMM) to derive profiles of suspended particulate inorganic matter (SPIM). The concept of the proposed work is to benefit from all available data sets through the use of fusion methods and machine learning approaches that are able to process a growing amount of available data. This approach is applied to two different data sets entitled "Hidden" and "Observable". The hidden data are composed of 15 months (27 September 2007 to 30 December 2008) of hourly SPIM profiles extracted from the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). The observable data include forcing parameter variables such as significant wave heights (Hs and Hs50 (50 days)) from the Wavewatch 3-HOMERE database and barotropic currents (Ubar and Vbar) from the Iberian-Biscay-Irish (IBI) reanalysis data. These observable data integrate hourly surface samples from 1 February 2002 to 31 December 2012. The time-series profiles of the SPIM have been derived from four different stations in the English Channel by considering 15 months of output hidden data from the ROMS as a statistical representation of the ocean for ≈11 years. The derived SPIM profiles clearly show seasonal and tidal fluctuations in accordance with the parent numerical model output. The surface SPIM concentrations of the derived model have been validated with satellite remote sensing data. The time series of the modeled SPIM and satellite-derived SPIM show similar seasonal fluctuations. The ranges of concentrations for the four stations are also in good agreement with the corresponding satellite data. The high accuracy of the estimated 25 h average surface SPIM concentrations (normalized root-mean-square error--NRMSE of less than 16%) is the first step in demonstrating the robustness of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sedimentary, isotopic and bulk geochemical proxies measured in sediment samples of five gravity cores collected in the distal part of the Ogooue turbidite system (around 4000 m-depth) were used to develop a conceptual model to describe the accumulation of terrigenous organic matter (OM) during the last 200,000 yrs BP in the eastern part of the Gulf of Guinea. This model takes into account the influence of the different depositional processes (turbiditic vs hemipelagic sedimentation), geomorphological features and sea-level variations. Total organic carbon (TOC) and the stable organic carbon isotopes of the OM (δ 13 C) variability follow the highstand/lowstand (interglacial/glacial) cyclicity with a very low accumulation rate of terrigenous OM during periods of high sea-level and higher accumulation rate during period of low sea-level. A sea-level of 80–120 m below present day seems to favor the transfer of terrigenous sediments to the deep offshore environment through the turbidite system and thanks to the connection of the canyons heads with the river system presently located at the shelf edge at −120 m water depth. In this system, terrigenous OM matter delivered by the river accumulate in the sediments via two main processes. Indeed, a part of the terrigenous OM settles in combination with the finest particles forming hemipelagites, while another part, formed of very well preserved land plant debris, is transported and deposited far offshore with turbidity currents. The proportion of terrigenous OM accumulated due to turbidity currents is important as it can represent more than 70% of the carbon accumulated during sea-level lowstand. Moreover, terrigenous OM seems to preferentially accumulate in the levees and the lobes of the system notably due to the higher frequency of organic-rich turbidites. This study demonstrates that gravity flows, influenced by the sea-level variations, can significantly affect the terrigenous OM budget of the deep offshore Atlantic margins and that channel-levee complexes as well as turbidite lobes can be regarded as good sink for terrestrial organic carbon. These processes should be taken into consideration in the context of source rocks exploration but also for the estimation of the general carbon accumulation in ocean sediment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detailed morphology and internal structure of the Calabrian accretionary wedge and adjacent Eastern Sicily margin are imaged in unprecedented detail by a combined dataset of multi-beam bathymetry and high-resolution seismic profiles. The bathymetric data represent the results of 6 recent marine geophysical surveys since 2010 as well as a compilation of earlier surveys presented as a 2 arc-sec (60 m) grid. Several distinct morpho-tectonic provinces are identified including: the deeply incised Malta–Hyblean Escarpment, numerous submarine canyons, broad regions of relatively flat seafloor dominated by fields of sediment waves, the gently undulating anticlinal fold-and-thrust belts of the external Calabrian accretionary wedge and the adjacent portion of the Western Mediterranean Ridge. The Calabrian arc can be divided into 4 domains (from SE to NW): 1) the undeformed Ionian abyssal plain, 2) the external evaporitic wedge, 3) the internal clastic wedge, 4) the Calabrian backstop (Variscan crystalline basement). The Calabrian accretionary wedge can also be divided laterally into two major lobes, the NE- and the SW lobes, and two minor lobes. The kinematics of the limit between the two major lobes is investigated and shown to be sinistral in the external (evaporitic) wedge. A network of radial slip lines within the southernmost external wedge unequivocally demonstrate ongoing dextral displacement of a rigid indenter (representing the corner of the clastic wedge) into the evaporitic wedge thereby confirming the geodynamic model of an active lateral slab tear fault here off eastern Sicily. The slab tear produces a series of major sub-parallel dextral strike-slip faults offshore Mt. Etna and south of the Straits of Messina consistent with the relative motions between Calabria and the Peloritan domain (NE Sicily). Abundant strike-slip faulting, and wide-spread folding and thrusting observed throughout the entire accretionary wedge, indicate regional shortening between the Ionian abyssal plain (foreland) and the Calabrian–Peloritan backstop caused by active subduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study details the sedimentary infilling of an original tidal-dominated estuary system during the final stage of the last marine transgression. The Bay of Brest is confined and connects the rivers Elorn and Aulne, to the sea of Iroise by a narrow strait encasing a well preserved paleo-channel. The compilation of high- and very-high-resolution bathymetric and seismic data, constrained by sediments datations, allows us to classify the paleo-morphology of the bay into three stepped domains: the paleo-valley floor surrounded by fluvial terraces, the central plateau, and the shallow embayments. Taking into account the main factors controlling the infilling, including sea-level rise, substratum morphology, and hydrodynamics, the stratigraphic scheme of the bay has been reconstructed. The lowstand system track (LST) is assumed to correspond to relict Pleistocene continental deposits associated with the last low sea level around 21,000 cal yr B.P. The transgressive phase, represented by the transgressive system track (TST), is divided into two parts. The lower part (TST1) constitutes the first stage of transgressive deposition in the bay. Starting around 9000 cal yr B.P. and currently conserved in the shallowest parts, it is characterized by tidal flats associated with deposits in the inner estuary. This stage ends at about 7000 cal yr B.P. and is separated from the upper part (TST2) by a tidal ravinement surface that occurs around 7700 cal yr B.P. at the foot slope. TST2 formed sand bodies in the central part of the bay between 6800 and 3000 cal yr B.P. These deposits, interpreted as tidal banks, are associated with the outer estuarine environment. The maximum flooding surface (MFS), dated around 3000 and 2000 cal yr B.P., marked the installation of a highstand system track (HST) under the combined influence of tidal currents, storms events, and anthropogenic activity. The geometry deposition of each system track is controlled at the first order by the combination of the irregular Holocene sea level rise and the inherited rocky substratum morphology. The retreat of the shoreline, and estuarine environments, is function of the successive flooding of stepped domains. The direct evolution of the volume of the assumed accumulated sea water in the bay favoured the gradual installation of the present-day hydrodynamic circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-studied with respect to its sedimentological features (1897), the Bay of Brest (Western Britanny, France) is a textbook example of a tide-dominated estuary. Characterised by macrotidal conditions, this estuary system is sheltered from the open sea (Iroise Sea) by a narrow strait that partitions the wave tide influences and continental/marine inputs. Sediments are supplied to the bay both by rivers (the Aulne and Elorn rivers) and by marine tidal currents. This study presents new analyses of detailed facies and morphological patterns, based on the integration of multisource data compiling seabed sampling, swath and LIDAR bathymetry, and backscatter imagery. TheMain Map, at a scale of 1:90,000, contains (1) a sedimentological distribution using the ‘Code Manche’ classification, (2) a morphological map, and (3) bathymetric mapping which presents the morphology of marine and terrestrial landforms. This work may lay the foundation for a future study on sedimentary transport in a unique and confined coastal environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea trials were performed on two zones with different fishing efforts on the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay ('Grande-Vasière' area of muddy sand) in order to assess particulate matter resuspension and seabed disturbances (i.e., penetration, reworking, grain size changes) induced by different types of trawls. Optical and acoustic measurements made in the water column indicate a significant trawling-induced resuspension mainly due to the scraping action of doors. It manifests as a highly dynamic turbid plume confined near the seabed, where suspended sediment concentrations can reach 200 mg l. Concentration levels measured behind an 'alternative' configuration (trawls with jumper doors instead of classical doors penetrating the sediment) are significantly lower (around 10-20 mg l), which indicates a potential limiting impact regarding the seabed. Grain size analyses of the surficial sediment led to highlight a potential reworking influence of bottom trawling. On the intensively trawled zone, this reworking manifests as an upward coarsening trend in the first 5 cm of the cores. A significant decrease in mud content (30 %) has been also witnessed on this zone between 1967 and 2014, which suggests an influence on the seabed evolution. The geometric analysis of bottom tracks (4-5-cm depth, 20-cm width) observed with a benthic video sledge was used to compute an experimental trawling-induced erosion rate of 0.13 kg m. This erosion rate was combined with fishing effort data, in order to estimate trawling-induced erosion fluxes which were then compared to natural erosion fluxes over the Grande-Vasière at monthly, seasonal and annual scales. Winter storms control the annual resuspended load and trawling contribution to annual resuspension is in the order of 1 %. However, results show that trawling resuspension can become dominant during the fishing high season (i.e., until several times the natural one in summer). In addition, the contribution of trawling-induced resuspension is shown to increase with water depth, because of the rapid decay of wave effects. Finally, the seasonal evolution of the respective contributions for erosion (mainly trawling and waves) could be mapped for the whole study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Barents Sea is particularly vulnerable to large-scale hydro-climatic changes associated with the polar amplification of climate change. Key oceanographical variables in this region are the seasonal development of sea-ice and the location and strength of physico-chemical gradients in the surface and subsurface water layers induced by the convergence of Arctic- and Atlantic-derived water masses. Remote sensing imagery have highlighted the increasing success of calcifying haptophytes (coccolithophores) in the summer phytoplankton production of the Barents Sea over the last 20 years, as a response to an overall larger contribution of Atlantic waters to surface and sub-surface waters, as well as to enhanced sea-ice melt-induced summer stratification of the photic layer. The present study provides a first thorough description of coccolithophore standing stocks and diversity over the shelf and slope of the western Barents Sea from two sets of surface and water column samples collected during August–September 2014 from northern Norway to southern Svalbard. The abundance and composition of coccolithophore cells and skeletal remains (coccoliths) are discussed in view of the physical–chemical–biological status of the surface waters and water column based on in-situ (temperature, salinity, fluorescence) and shore-based (microscope enumerations, chemotaxonomy) measurements, as well as satellite-derived data (Chl a and particulate inorganic carbon contents). The coccolithophore population is characterized by a low species diversity and the overwhelming dominance of Emiliania huxleyi . Coccolithophores are abundant both within the well stratified, Norwegian coastal water — influenced shallow mixed layer off northern Norway, as well as within well-mixed cool Atlantic water in close vicinity of the Polar Front. Bloom concentrations with standing stocks larger than 4 million cells/l are recorded in the latter area north of 75°N. Our limited set of chemotaxonomic data suggests that coccolithophores contribute substantially (ca. 20% of the total Chl a ) to the summer phytoplankton community which is made essentially of small-sized algal groups. Excluding the bloom area, coccolith calcite accounts for an average of 20% to the bulk particulate inorganic carbon content in the surface waters, and explains to some extent the satellite-derived spatial distribution of this parameter. Deep water living coccolithophore species thriving below the pycnocline as well as populations present in well-mixed cool Atlantic water are rapidly transferred to depth in the form of intact coccospheres down to at least 200 m. High amplitude internal waves which, according to our observations, affect a wide range of water depth up to the lower photic zone, might strengthen the vertical transfer of this sinking population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ionian Sea, due to the presence of two accretionary prisms, the Calabrian Arc and the Mediterranean Ridge, associated with the subduction of the Nubia plate and the Eurasia plate, is the witness of large and catastrophic turbidite events. These events are associated with high magnitude earthquakes and tsunamis. They lead an important gravity-driven sedimentary deposit in the Ionian basin. In this study, we analysed turbidite deposits in order to establish a calendar of the palaeoseismicity and volcaniclastic events from Etna on the Calabrian Arc. Two gravity cores collected in a slope basin on the Calabrian Arc and in the Ionian abyssal plain record more than two hundred turbidites over the last 60,000 years. These turbidites were dated with a multi-proxy approach: radiometric dating, tephrochronology and sapropels. The origin of the turbidites was studied with a sedimentary approach: grain-size, lithology, thin section, and geochemistry of volcanic glass. The results suggest that three triggers are responsible for the deposits of turbidites. There are siliciclastic turbidites triggered by earthquakes and tsunamis waves, and volcaniclastic turbidites triggered by the Etna volcano eruptions or flank collapses. Co-seismic turbidites present different recurrence times depending on the location of the core. On the Calabrian Arc, recurrence times vary between 450 and 1000 years according to the periods in time. On the abyssal plain, recurrence times are shorter and more regular: around every 240 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale coastal bathymetry is paramount to understand natural and human-induced coastal behaviour and plays a vital role in coastal research and governance. Here, we use a recently developed algorithm, S2Shores (Satellite to Shores), to invert coastal bathymetry from wave kinematics, based on the linear dispersion relation. Wave numbers and celerity are extracted from optical Sentinel-2 imagery, by exploiting the small temporal offset between the image bands of its Multi-Spectral Instrument. Inverted depths are output at 200 m resolution, and individual depth points are merged to create a composite bathymetry using a weighted average of images from 10 different dates. The resulting bathymetry mosaic spans 4000 km along the West African coast. S2Shores is able to detect depths up to 35 m, depending on mean incident wave conditions and cloud cover, which varies by location. Underwater features are well reproduced by S2Shores, such as flow channels in Guinea, the St. Ann's Shoal in Sierra Leone, and ebb delta lobes at several outlets along the Niger River Delta. S2Shores results match well (r 2 = 0.76, RMSE = 4.9 m) with a bathymetry survey along the Senegalese coast. As a difference with traditional satellite-derived bathymetry methods based on water colour, a wave-based approach allows estimations in turbid areas and relatively deep waters, which suggest that the two approaches are complementary and should be used in combination to cover coastal environments in their diversity. The new possibility offered by this regional coastal atlas opens the door to increased research and planning capabilities and sets an example that can be applied to the rest of the world. • S2Shores SDB algorithm used to estimate bathymetry from Sentinel-2 MSI image bands. • Depth estimates spanning 4000 km along the West African coast compared to GEBCO. • Maximum detecable depth of 35 m is 2.5 times deeper than colour-based SDB methods. • Shallow features are well reproduced, such as underwater dunes and ebb delta lobes. • S2Shores opens the door to increased research and planning capabilities in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the seabed morphodynamics of the south Aquitaine inner shelf in the area known as “La Salie” (150 km 2 , Atlantic ocean, west coast of France), through a descriptive and comparative analysis (time lapse of 29 years) of geophysical and sedimentological datasets. At a water depth of 24–50 m, four orders of sedimentary body types were observed at different scales. The first order are large cross-shore “morphological ridges,” corresponding with the properties of very large sorted bedforms. The second order consisted in patchy sorted bedforms, composed of alternately medium to fine sand patches (0.5–2 m in thickness), cut by smaller, elongated coarse sediment depressions. In particular, the data from the sub-bottom profiler revealed that sand patches predominantly overlayed the coarse-grained blankets on the eastern (shoreward) extremities, while coarse-grained blanket wedges were found in front of the sand patches (southwestward) or locally overlying them on the southwestern extremities. The third order of bedforms involved groups of dune-like features (fine/medium sand), lying in wide areas of coarse-grained sediment. Finally, in the fouth order, the entire inner shelf was covered with wave-generated ripples, oriented N15°, that were larger where sediments were coarse (wavelengths of 2.2 m) than where sediments were fine (wavelengths of 0.3 m). Over the past 29 years, at a large scale of observation, patchy sorted bedforms have remained remarkably persistent, as has their overall appearance. However, at a smaller scale, weak but constant movements were observed. The coarse depressions have become elongated at their extremities (by a maximum of 300 m over 15 years), and certain coarse/fine sediment boundaries have moved toward the northeast and southeast (by a maximum of 75 m over 12 years). The general movement has been shoreward as has the migration of third-order submarine dune-like features. The persistence of sorted bedforms thus appears to be the consequence of sediment sorting feedback and recurrent storm events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, the Capbreton canyon head, just off the coast, is investigated using high-resolution multibeam bathymetry datasets, sediment samples and numerical modeling. The HR bathymetry analysis reveals a morphological connection between the longshore trough and the head of the canyon. The analysis of recent sediment samples shows a clear correlation between the sediment of the canyon head and that of the nearshore. Hydrodynamic modeling (a coupled wave-flow model) shows that for high-energy waves, the rotational nature of surf-zone circulation reverses and wave-induced currents have the potential to transport large quantities of nearshore sands toward the canyon head. All these arguments support the assumption that the canyon head captures a part of the sand transported by longshore drift. Over the 15years of observation (1998–2013), time-lapse bathymetry shows that the floor of the canyon head and one lateral gully network experienced significant morphological reworking. In terms of hazards, despite this strong activity, the position of the canyon head and the profile of its longitudinal slope remained stable and appear as a comforting factor. However, the activity of unusual lateral erosions needs to be monitored. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to improve the knowledge of spatio-temporal variability of very large to giant dunes in deep tide dominated environment. Their growth mechanisms and dynamic evolution still remain in debate and constitute a significant scientific challenge in regard to difficulties to achieve accurate measures of migrations. This motivated the realisation of three recent swath bathymetry surveys across the wide dune field of the Banc du Four located offshore the western Brittany. The Banc du Four field is composed of more than 500 large dunes exhibiting a great diversity of morphologies ranging from 2D to 3D shapes and reaching the largest sizes of such sedimentary structure ever described (wavelength over 1000m and height over 30m). The analysis of the entire ensemble of dune parameters offers the opportunity to discuss the relative influence of forcings and the validity of the equations predicting the bedform geometry in shallow waters. Our results show a good height-spacing power law correlation but do not strike the usual statistical regression observed in previous studies. The steeper positive slope of the equation and the outstanding values of the height parameter reveal the complexity of local hydrodynamic regime, interacting with bed load transport and sediment supply. No clear relationship has been observed between asymmetry and size parameters. Water depth cannot be considered as a major factor controlling the size of dunes. Otherwise, the vertical sedimentary variation suggests the action of storm waves on dune crests and the horizontal migration rates of dunes in the eastern field of the Banc du Four were found to range from 3 to 20m·yr−1. Such velocities were only mentioned before by Van Landeghem et al. (2012) on deep continental shelves (>70m deep) and attest of the still present morphodynamical equilibrium of the large dunes. Furthermore, as was previously found for similar dunes in the Irish Sea, no power–law relationship between dune migration rates and dune size can be deduced. Similarly, no strong correlation is established between migration rates and the degree of asymmetry. Nevertheless, the dune asymmetry can be used to predict the migration direction. As for dimension parameters, the evolution asymmetry depends on the study area and migration rates. More precisely, when the crest lines of dunes form straight lines and their migration rates remain below 8–10m·yr−1, the degree of dune asymmetry increases with the migration rate. This trend is reversed for the dunes with higher migration velocities and crests which are sinuous. These results relativize the migratory predictions based on punctual geometrical observations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sénéchal, N., Sottolichio A., Bertrand, F., Goeldner-Giannella, L., Garlan, T., 2013. Analysis of currents and storm surge in a mixed-energy tidal inlet during storm conditions. Coastal morphodynamic processes around tidal inlets in mixed-energy environments are particularly complex due to severe tide and wave conditions. Collecting data in this area is generally very challenging. Here we present the first hydrodynamic data collected in the outer inlet of the Arcachon lagoon, a mixed-energy inlet situated on the southern part of the French Atlantic coast. Data consist in vertical current profiles and sea surface elevations collected on the offshore edge of the ebb delta under various tidal and wave conditions. In particular data were collected during the severe Joachim storm associated to wave heights up to 8 m. Preliminary results indicate that current profiles, intensities and direction are very sensitive to wave conditions. Under energetic conditions, the vertical profile of currents become uniform and the longshore drift is enhanced (up to 1.5 m/s). Nevertheless data show that under severe wave conditions (Hm0 > 6.0m) and despite high incidence of waves, the longshore drift is weaker (l< 1 m/s) than under 'usual' storm conditions associated to Hm0 = 4 - 5m. More surprisingly, directions of the longshore drift are not always consistent with wave incidence under those severe storm conditions and the cross-shore components are very weak while under less energetic conditions we observe intense offshore currents (up to 0.8 m/s). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Comparison of bathymetric data on short time scales (1959–2008) is used to provide new insights into the modern sedimentary dynamics of the Cap Lopez Canyon (Gabon, West Africa). The canyon head evolution is characterized by a north–eastward lateral migration of ~180m between 1959 and 2008. The evolution of the coastline position over the same period highlights the strong relationship between the probable increase of the longshore transport, related to the smoothing of the coast and the morphological evolution of the canyon head. Lateral migration of the thalweg from the inner bend to the outer bend is estimated between 77 and 190m (or between 1.6 and 3.8m/year), leading to an increase of the sinuosity (from 1–1.5 in 1959 to 1.3–3.6 in 2008). The migration of the thalweg is associated with strong erosion on the outer bends (up to 60m) and sediment deposition on the inner bends (up to 25m). Both the absence of overbank deposits and the developing point-bar morphology may reflect that equilibrium flows are the most frequent flows encountered in the Cap Lopez Canyon. Although erosion of the outer bends is the result of slope failures and steady erosional processes, our study suggests that erosion related to the transit of sediment gravity flows would be the predominant process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A large multi-institutional nearshore field experiment was conducted at Truc Vert, on the Atlantic coast of France in early 2008. Truc Vert'08 was designed to measure beach change on a long, sandy stretch of coast without engineering works with emphasis on large winter waves (offshore significant wave height up to 8 m), a three-dimensional morphology, and macro-tidal conditions. Nearshore wave transformation, circulation and bathymetric changes involve coupled processes at many spatial and temporal scales thus implying the need to improve our knowledge for the full spectrum of scales to achieve a comprehensive view of the natural system. This experiment is unique when compared with existing experiments because of the simultaneous investigation of processes at different scales, both spatially (from ripples to sand banks) and temporally (from single swash events to several spring-neap tidal cycles, including a major storm event). The purpose of this paper is to provide background information on the experiment by providing detailed presentation of the instrument layout and snapshots of preliminary results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to define the nature and distribution of the organic matter (OM) preserved in the modern Ogooué deep sea turbidite system (Gabon), bulk geochemical techniques (Rock-Eval pyrolysis, elemental and isotopic analyses) and palynofacies were applied to three piston cores collected in the Cape Lopez Canyon and lobe and on the continental slope, north of the canyon. The hemipelagic sedimentation in the study area is characterized by high accumulations of well-preserved OM (∼2–3 wt. TOC %). Bulk geochemical and palynofacies analysis indicate both a marine and terrestrial origin of the OM. Contribution of the marine source is higher on the slope than in the canyon and lobe. OM accumulation in turbidites is strongly controlled by the combined influence of the Cape Lopez Canyon and littoral drift. In the canyon and lobe, turbidites show generally low TOC content (0.5 wt. %) and OM is oxidized. The origin of the OM is interpreted as both marine and terrestrial, with a higher contribution of continental source versus marine source. The low TOC contents are due to the large siliciclastic fraction transported by the littoral drift and diverted in the Cape Lopez Canyon during high energy processes (e.g. storms) which tend to dilute the OM in the turbidites. Transport by long-shore currents and/or turbiditic flows leads to oxidation of the OM. On the continental slope located north of the Cape Lopez Canyon, large amounts of OM are deposited in turbidites (up to 14 wt. %). The OM is predominantly derived from terrestrial land plants and has not been subjected to intense oxidation. These deposits are characterized by high hydrocarbon potential (up to 27 kg HC/t rock), indicating a good potential as gas-prone source rock. Because Cape Lopez Canyon captures a significant part of the sediment transported by the littoral drift, the siliciclastic sedimentary flux is reduced north of the canyon; OM is thus concentrated in the turbidites. Variation in TOC content within turbidite laminae can be explained by the burst and sweep deposition process affecting the boundary layer of the turbulent flow. This study confirms that gravity flows play a preponderant role in the accumulation and preservation of OM in deep water and that deep sea turbidite systems could be regarded as an environment where organic sedimentation occurs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study investigates the morphology and Late Quaternary sediment distribution of the Makran turbidite system (Makran subduction zone, north-west Indian Ocean) from a nearly complete subsurface mapping of the Oman basin, two-dimensional seismic and a large set of coring data in order to characterize turbidite system architecture across an active (fold and thrust belt) margin. The Makran turbidite system is composed of a dense network of canyons, which cut into high relief accreted ridges and intra-slope piggyback basins, forming at some locations connected and variably tortuous paths down complex slopes. Turbidite activity and trench filling rates are high even during the Holocene sea-level highstand conditions. In particular, basin-wide, sheet-like thick mud turbidites, probably related to major mass wasting events of low recurrence time, drape the flat and unchannellized Oman abyssal plain. Longitudinal depth profiles show that the Makran canyons are highly disrupted by numerous thrust-related large-scale knickpoints (with gradients up to 20° and walls up to 500 m high). At the deformation front, the strong break of slope can lead to the formation of canyon-mouth 'plunge pools' of variable shapes and sizes. The plunge pools observed in the western Makran are considerably larger than those previously described in sub-surface successions; the first insights into their internal architecture and sedimentary processes are presented here. Large plunge pools in the western Makran are associated with large scoured areas at the slope break and enhanced sediment deposition downstream: high-amplitude reflectors are observed inside the plunge pools, while their flanks are composed of thin-bedded, fine-grained turbidites deposited by the uppermost part of the turbidity flows. Thus, these architectural elements are associated with strong sediment segregation leading to specific trench-fill mechanisms, as only the finer-grained component of the flows is transferred to the abyssal plain. However, the Makran accretionary prism is characterized by strong along-strike variability in tectonics and fluvial input distribution that might directly influence the turbidite system architecture (i.e. canyon entrenchment, plunge pool formation or channel development at canyon mouths), the sedimentary dynamics and the resulting sediment distribution. Channel formation in the abyssal plain and trench-fill characteristics depend on the theoretical 'equilibrium' conditions of the feeder system, which is related closely to the balance between erosion rates and tectonic regime. Thus, the Makran turbidite system constitutes an excellent modern analogue for deep-water sedimentary systems with structurally complex depocentres, in convergent margin settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seafloor—or bathymetry—of the world's coastal waters remains largely unknown despite its primary importance to human activities and ecosystems. Here we present S2Shores (Satellite to Shores), the first sub-kilometer global atlas of coastal bathymetry based on depth inversion from wave kinematics captured by the Sentinel-2 constellation. The methodology reveals coastal seafloors up to a hundred meters in depth which allows covering most continental shelves and represents 4.9 million km 2 along the world coastline. Although the vertical accuracy (RMSE 6–9 m) is currently coarser than that of traditional surveying techniques, S2Shores is of particular interest to countries that do not have the means to carry out in situ surveys and to unexplored regions such as polar areas. S2Shores is a major step forward in mitigating the effects of global changes on coastal communities and ecosystems by providing scientists, engineers, and policy makers with new science-based decision tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present new single-channel high-resolution seismic reflection profiles, ground-truthed by vibrocore data, dedicated to the outer segment of an incised valley connected to the Charente River (French Atlantic coast). The present-day Charente is located about 50 km northward of the well-known Gironde estuary. Those river mouths are comparable in terms of marine hydrodynamic parameters, but strongly differ by their water discharge and catchment area. Seismic data are processed and interpreted to develop a three-dimensional seismic stratigraphic framework for the Charente-incised valley fill. The channel network of the drowned Charente valley is evidenced for the first time, and shows a seaward distributary pattern which is likely influenced by neotectonic control. Incision depth and width of the Charente and Gironde-incised valleys are similar, supporting the idea that correlation between valley width and modern hydrology is poor.The internal geometry of the Charente valley fill shows in seismic lines high to middle angle dipping reflectors at the base and a top of sequence with an intervening low angle seismic unit. This pattern is associated with a landward migration of the seismic unit depocentres. Sedimentary facies of the main seismic units suggests an upward and landward shift from estuarine mixed sands and muds, to estuary mouth massive sands, topped by fine marine sands. The described sedimentary and seismic characters, and the Holocene age of the valley fill near the present-day Charente river mouth, suggest that the drowned Charente valley infill mainly corresponds to a single transgressive sequence emplaced during the last sea level rise. Beyond the local interest, the dense seismic grid recorded across the Charente drowned valley gives a seismic validation for the model of large valley fill proposed by Ashley and Sheridan [Ashley, G.M., Sheridan, R.E., 1994. Depositional model for valley fills on a passive continental margin. In: R.W. Dalrymple, R.J. Boyd, B.A. Zaitlin (Eds.), Incised Valley Systems: Origin and Sedimentary Sequences. SEPM (Soc. Sediment. Geol.) Spec. Publ., Tulsa, Vol. 51, pp. 285–301.]. We propose that high–low–high internal reflection pattern succession represents the “Seismic Sandwich” in reference to the Ashley and Sheridan [Ashley, G.M., Sheridan, R.E., 1994. Depositional model for valley fills on a passive continental margin. In: R.W. Dalrymple, R.J. Boyd, B.A. Zaitlin (Eds.), Incised Valley Systems: Origin and Sedimentary Sequences. SEPM (Soc. Sediment. Geol.) Spec. Publ., Tulsa, Vol. 51, pp. 285–301.] “Sedimentary Sandwich”. Such seismic pattern is also recognized in the Gironde valley [Mar. Geol. 175 (2001) 183.]. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents the results of an investigation on different timescales of the main mechanisms governing fine-grained sedimentation on a macrotidal sandy shoreface-to-inner-shelf setting with a supply of terrigenous sediment: the subtidal area of the southeastern Bay of the Seine (Calvados coast, France). Interpretation and calibration of side-scan sonar imagery clearly shows that compact clays crop out in water depths of 3–6 m. Radiocarbon dating and palynological studies of the material sampled using long cores from this subtidal area show that these relict sediments constitute the infilling of lateral valleys of the palaeo-Seine during the last 10 000 years. The lower parts of these deposits consist of compact clays that accumulated in a floodplain setting, later a salt marsh environment, and are succeeded by sediment with sand/mud couplets which formed in a tidal/estuarine system. The top of this sequence has been truncated by a wave erosion surface formed during the Holocene transgression. Today, the sediment accumulating is composed of fine sand, mixed with fine-grained sediment and sometimes temporarily covered by fresh mud. The more recent sedimentological data, compared with surveys in the 1960s–1970s, demonstrate both an increase in the erosion of the submerged earlier Holocene clays and an increase in the mud (silt+clay) content of the superficial sediments. On a seasonal timescale, the seafloor is affected by high-frequency variations in the nature of the contemporary sedimentary cover. Spatial and temporal observations of the seafloor composition have been undertaken during different seasons for four years (1998–2001) to study these sedimentation events. The sedimentation on the inner-shelf is at its maximum when veneers of fresh mud occur after some particular hydrological periods, i.e. sustained high-river outputs following several dry years (i.e. prolonged weak river flows), when significant volumes of mud have been stored within the Seine estuary. Such mud veneers result from: (1) the direct supply of river-born material, (2) the seaward shifting of the turbidity maximum, and (3) the resuspension of mud from the lower estuary (i.e. fluid mud and intertidal flats) under wind-waves, and have been termed ‘estuarine flood deposits’. On a longer timescale of at least the last decades, the southeastern Bay of the Seine is an area of erosion, but it is subjected to ephemeral fine-grained sedimentation on a seasonal timescale. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Coastal erosion at Saint Louis in Senegal is affecting the local population that consists of primarily fishermen communities in their housing and their access to the sea. This paper aims at quantifying urban beach erosion at Saint Louis, Senegal, West Africa which is located on the northern end of the 13 km long Langue de Barbarie sand spit. The coastal evolution is examined quantitatively over a yearly period using Pleiades sub-metric satellite imagery that allows for stereogrammetry to derive Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). The comparison with ground truth data shows sub-metric differences to the satellite DEMs. Despite its interest in remote areas and developing countries that cannot count on regular surveys, the accuracy of the satellite-derived topography is in the same order as the coastal change itself, which emphasizes its current limitations. These 3D data are combined with decades-long regular Landsat and Sentinel-2 imagery derived shorelines. These observations reveal that the sand spit is stretching, narrowing at its Northern part while it is lengthening downdrift Southward, independently from climatological changes in the wave regime. A parametric model based on a stochastic cyclic sand spit behaviour allows for predicting the next northern opening of a breach and the urban erosion at Saint Louis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bergsma, E.W.J.; Sadio, M.; Sakho, I.; Almar, R.; Garlan, T.; Gosselin, M., and Gauduin, H., 2020. Sand-spit evolution and inlet dynamics derived from space-borne optical imagery: Is the Senegal-river inlet closing? In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 372-376. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. With the majority of the world' population living in urbanised coastal zones, regional-scale coastal monitoring is a paramount tool to assess the risk exposure of local areas. At St. Louis, Senegal the coast experienced a recent acceleration in coastal erosion. Additionally, the sand-spit South of St. Louis is highly dynamic with one of the largest migration rates worldwide. In this study we showcase the use of satellite imagery to assess the morphological change of the St. Louis inlet position over more than 3 decades. The Senegal river inlet was artificially opened in 2003 Northward of its natural position. The effect of this opening is measured through local shoreline erosion and use of satellite data to predict the next closure of the Senegal-river inlet. Since the artificial breach coastal erosion at the fishmarket of St. Louis was measured, while the sand-spit initially accreted. Southerly sand-spit migration rates that varied from 475 m per year (before an artificial breach in 2003) to 590 m per year after the breach. With these migration rates and assuming limited changes in, for example, river run-off and wave environment, the inlet will close again around 2050 and 2055. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fram Strait is a key gateway connecting Arctic and Nordic basins, and thus controlling water-masse exchanges between those basins with a northward penetration of warm and salty waters from the Atlantic and a southward of cold and fresher Arctic water masses. Here we present results obtained on a sediment core retrieved from the central part of the Fram Strait, which has been studied with a multiproxy approach to determine paleoceanographical and climatological changes over this area during the late Pleistocene. As shown by the data obtained on foraminifera assemblages, coccolithophorids, Ice-Rafted Detritus (IRD), oxygen isotope values (measured in Neogloboquadrina pachyderma shells), and XRF elemental ratio (bulk sediment measurements), the recovered deposits span a time interval covering MIS 7 to MIS 2. Several muddy beds marked by the absence of microfossils and high IRD contents were observed recurrently in this core, implying a repeated occurrence of harsh conditions, that we attributed to nearly perennial sea-ice covers over the Fram Strait. Conversely, recurrent muddy beds of high microfossil concentrations together often rich in IRD contents suggest a repeated occurrence of seasonally ice-free waters. A tentative correlation, done on the basis of oxygen stable isotopic ratios with the reference core PS1243 (e.g., Helmke et al., 2003), provides a preliminary stratigraphical frame detailing the last 250 ka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Capbreton canyon stands out by its deep incision through continental shelf and slope and its present turbidity activity. The head of the canyon is disconnected from the Adour River since 1310 AD but is located close enough to the coast to allow a direct supply by longshore drifting. Gravity processes in the canyon body are well understand, but many questions remain for the head and the upper part of the Capbreton submarine canyon such as: Which kind of gravity processes provide sediment transfer from the head to the canyon? How these processes interact with the canyon floor morphology: floor shaping and feedback? Our study is based on the analysis and comparison of eight multibeam bathymetric surveys acquired between 1998 and 2018 from a depth of 10 to 320 m below sea level. This data set covers the same area of the upper part of the canyon and allows the comparison and morphologic follow-up of this outstanding dynamic area. This proximal dataset is completed by two distal bathymetric surveys on a meander at 1500m water depth acquired in the canyon in 2013 and 2016. The morphological evolutions in these sites over the last 20 years especially affect the canyon floor and the canyon head. Time of flat floor talweg is observed, succeeded by a period of talweg incision (low lateral terraces and axial narrow talweg). The entrenchment of the narrow talweg is induced by retrogressive erosion and is evidenced by upstream-migrating-knickpoints suggesting a return to the equilibrium profile. The construction process of the low terraces observed here appears to be an analog of the fluvial terraces construction, where axial channel entrenchment follow the sediment filling of the valley. Time of flat shaped talweg (1998) suggests a partial filling of the canyon talweg related to a substantial emptying of the canyon head and significant mass transfer to the proximal part of the canyon. Such flat floor talweg has not been observed again so far (since 2010), suggesting a possible quieter working mode of the canyon. In fact, in the light of currentmeter data (ADCP) recorded during winters 2015 and 2016 (at 555, 900 and 1500m water depth in the canyon), periods of talweg entrenchment (2010 to present day) are subject to gravity flows weaker than 40 cm.s-1. However, first accurate volume quantification on the canyon floor has been undertaken. This underlines an alternation of filling and erosive periods in the canyon axis and an unexpected continuous sediment deposition in the canyon head during the last 20 years. At the present time, the canyon head is filling up and we may fear an important head emptying including costal risks during the upcoming violent event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]