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Despite their very low relief and erosion rates, non‐orogenic (i.e., cratonic) continental domains account for over 60% of the Earth's exposed lands. Therefore, they contribute significantly to the clastic sediments and solutes exported to the ocean and should be accounted for in global studies. Nonetheless, they have been much less studied than orogenic domains. In this study, we establish the source‐to‐sink sedimentary budget of the sub‐saharan West African cratonic domain and its Equatorial Atlantic rifted margin using published low‐temperature thermochronological data to estimate onshore denudation and regional geological cross‐sections to estimate offshore accumulation. We show that during and immediately following rifting (130‐94 Ma), the build‐up and subsequent erosion of rift‐related relief resulted in a transient, 100–200 km wide strip along the margin recording high denudation rates (>50 m/Myr), while the inland domain underwent steady and very low denudation (<10 m/Myr). Afterward, the whole onshore domain underwent very low and steady denudation. Thus, the changes in post‐rift accumulation rates documented along the rifted margin were caused by changes in the climate and/or drainage network. During the Late Cretaceous, we document a regional rise in accumulation rates caused by the enlargement of drainage areas feeding the basins by a hinterlandward migration of the continental divide. During the Paleogene, we document a general drop in accumulation rates in all the basins of the African Atlantic margins caused by the global greenhouse climate, which enhanced the development of lateritic weathering mantles, storing clastic sediments on the continent and favoring solute exports to the ocean. Plain Language Summary: Cratons, shields and continental platforms have low relief and erode very slowly. As a result, they are often neglected while investigating sediment routing systems at the surface of the Earth over geological times. In this study, we determine the source‐to‐sink sedimentary budget of the sub‐saharan part of West Africa and its equatorial Atlantic margin. To do this, we estimate the histories of (a) erosion on the continent and (b) accumulation in the offshore basins. We show that the sub‐saharan region of West Africa has experienced very little erosion since at least 200 Ma. The only exception was the temporary removal of relief caused by the rift that split Africa and South America. Following that rifting, variations in sediment accumulation in the basins were driven by changes in climate that modified the way the continent was being eroded or by modifications of the river courses carrying sediments to the ocean. Key Points: The sub‐saharan West Africa cratonic domain underwent only very low steady denudation rates (<10 km/Ma) since Equatorial Atlantic riftingEquatorial Atlantic rifting altered the cratonic denudation only transiently, in a narrow domain corresponding to rift‐related relief erosionPost‐rift accumulation rates in the rifted margin basins were thus controlled by global climate change and/or drainage reorganizations [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Despite their very low relief and erosion rates, non‐orogenic (i.e., cratonic) continental domains account for over 60% of the Earth's exposed lands. Therefore, they contribute significantly to the clastic sediments and solutes exported to the ocean and should be accounted for in global studies. Nonetheless, they have been much less studied than orogenic domains. In this study, we establish the source‐to‐sink sedimentary budget of the sub‐saharan West African cratonic domain and its Equatorial Atlantic rifted margin using published low‐temperature thermochronological data to estimate onshore denudation and regional geological cross‐sections to estimate offshore accumulation. We show that during and immediately following rifting (130‐94 Ma), the build‐up and subsequent erosion of rift‐related relief resulted in a transient, 100–200 km wide strip along the margin recording high denudation rates (>50 m/Myr), while the inland domain underwent steady and very low denudation (

Sediment mass‐balance analysis provides key constraints on stratigraphic architecture and its controls. We use the data‐rich Middle Jurassic Brent Delta sediment routing system in the proto‐Viking Graben, Northern North Sea, to estimate sediment budgets and mass‐balance between source areas and depositional sinks. Published studies are synthesised to provide an age‐constrained sequence stratigraphic framework, consisting of four previously defined genetic sequences (J22, J24, J26, J32). Genetic sequence J32 (3.9 Myr) records transverse progradation of basin‐margin deltas, sourced from the Shetland Platform to the west and Norwegian Landmass to the east. Genetic sequences J24 (1.1 Myr) and J26 (0.9 Myr) record the rapid progradation and subsequent aggradation of the Brent Delta along the basin axis, sourced from the uplifted Mid‐North Sea High to the south, and the western and eastern source regions. Genetic sequence J32 (2.2 Myr) records the retreat of the Brent Delta. Sediment budgets for the four genetic sequences are estimated using palaeogeographical reconstructions, isopach maps, and sedimentological analysis of core and well‐log data. The estimated net‐depositional sediment budget for the mapped Brent Delta system is 2.0–2.8 Mt/year. Temporal variations in net‐depositional sediment budget were driven by changes in tectonic boundary conditions, such as the onset of uplift before the deposition of genetic sequence J24. Over the same time period, the Shetland Platform, Norwegian Landmass and Mid‐North Sea High source regions are estimated to have supplied 2.3–5.6, 5.0–14.1, and 2.8–9.4 Mt/year of sediment, respectively, using the BQART sediment load model and independent geometrical reconstruction of eroded volumes, which are constrained by isostatic uplift estimates based on the geochemistry of syn‐depositional volcanic rocks. The net‐depositional sediment budget in the sink is an order‐of‐magnitude smaller than the total sediment budget supplied by the source regions (13.9–23 Mt/year). This discrepancy suggests that along‐shore transport by wave‐generated currents into the coeval Faroe‐Shetland Basin and/or down‐dip transport by gravity flows into the coeval western Møre Basin played a key role in redistributing sediments away from the Brent Delta system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using bathymetric and seismic data, this study describes the morpho-sedimentary features in Qiongdongnan basin and southwest Taiwan collision basin, northern South China Sea and reveals the linkages between sediment routing system and basin types. The modern Central Canyon in the Qiongdongnan basin is located along the rift margin, and subparallel to the shelf-break southeast of Hainan Island. The modern Central Canyon develops along the basin axis (i.e., Xisha Trough) and longitudinally transports sediments eastward which are mainly supplied by northern continental slope. The Penghu Canyon in the southwest Taiwan collision basin is located along the collision boundary parallel to the strike of the adjacent uplifted Taiwan orogen. The Penghu Canyon develops along the tilting basin axis transporting sediments longitudinally southward to the deep-sea basin and Manila Trench. The Penghu Canyon is supplied with sediments from both flank Kaoping and South China Sea slopes where tributary canyons and channels transport sediments down-slope and feed the axial canyon. The certain basin types may be occupied by particular styles of sediment routing system. By comparing the morpho-sedimentary features and basin characteristics associated with the modern Central Canyon to that of the Valencia Channel in NW Mediterranean Sea, the longitudinal sediment routing system in rift basin type can be determined. In contrast, the longitudinal sediment routing systems in collision setting can be represented by the comparable examples of Penghu Canyon in southwest Taiwan collision basin and Markham Canyon in western Solomon Sea. The rift type sediment routing system is characterized by an axial canyon with a single sediment supply from land drainage margin. In contrast, sediment routing system in collision type basins consists of an axial canyon and dual sediment supplies from flank adjacent slopes. The axial canyons in collision basins are more active than that of the rift basin due to abundant sediment supply and active tectonics. The results demonstrate the role of longitudinal sediment transport in delivering terrestrial sediments for a long distance from land drainages (source) to far-field deep-sea basin (sink). This study has implication for better understanding of the linkages between basin mechanics, sediment routing systems and sedimentary processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to tackle the relationship between the exhumed Taiwan Orogeny and the associated sediment routing systems, new results from zircon fission track (ZFT) dating, calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy, and the occurrence of the diagnostic magnetic mineral pyrrhotite in modern and ancient syn-orogenic sediments from pro-foreland basins in western Taiwan are reported. The ZFT age spectra of modern river sediments correspond well to the thermochronometric ages of exposed bedrock and indicate a rapidly exhumed source with a young ZFT peak age of 1.7 Myr in central Taiwan, which has not been widely reported. ZFT results from the Pleistocene successions show diachronous deposition of totally-reset zircons from south to north, accompanied by a trend of younging up-section. The progression of these ZFT signals in conjunction with changes in petrography and pyrrhotite occurrence suggest transient developments of sediment routing systems in central Taiwan and the importance of paleo sediment routing systems. In the Dadu River, totally-reset zircons did not appear until 1–0.45 Myr, when the flux of thermally mature material became prominent. The course of the Choshui river migrated during the past 1 Myr and the reorganization of the river reflects activity of frontal thrusts in Pleistocene times. Exhumation rates recorded by detrital sediments of the Choshui River catchment have been consistently higher than those of the Dadu River, suggesting inherited heterogeneity of exhumation in the orogen. • Modern and ancient pro-foreland deposits of Taiwan were subjected to ZFT, calcareous nannofossils, and pyrrhotite studies. • Detrital ZFT spectra revealed reorganization of sediment routing systems in central Taiwan. • ZFT spectra of modern sediments recognize fast exhumed source areas with the young 1.7 Myr peak age. • Differences of exhumation rates suggest heterogeneity of unroofing between catchments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]