Large bedforms on contourite terraces: Sedimentary and

conceptual implications
F.J. Hernández-Molina1*, S. Campbell1, G. Badalini2, P. Thompson3, R. Walker4, M. Soto5, B. Conti6, B. Preu7,
A. Thieblemont1,8, L. Hyslop1, E. Miramontes9, and E. Morales5
1
Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
2
Shell Malaysia Limited, Menara Shell, 211 Jalan Tun Sambanthan, KL 50470, Malaysia
3
Shell International, Portfolio and New Business, London E14 5NR, UK
4
Consultant Geophysicist, 25 Sturges Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 2HG, UK
5
Instituto de Ciencias Geológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Iguá 4225, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
6
Administración Nacional de Combustibles, Alcohol y Portland (ANCAP), Exploración y Producción, Paysandú s/n esq. Av.
del Libertador, 11100 Montevideo, Uruguay
7
Patzold, Köbke Engineers GmbH & Co. KG, 21244 Bucholz i.d. Nordheide, Germany
8
TOTAL, R&D Frontier Exploration program, Avenue Larribau, 64000 Pau, France
9
IFREMER, Géosciences Marines, 29280 Plouzané, France

ABSTRACT information on stratigraphy and regional age

While bedforms are increasingly being recognized and analyzed in bathymetric and seismic ranges. Morphosedimentary features were iden-
data sets, exact mechanisms for the formation of large bedforms are not well understood. This tified using 3-D seismic profiles, and charac-
paper describes a suite of Paleocene to Miocene bedforms found along a series of contourite terized according to surface attributes [as root
terraces that compose the Uruguayan continental slope. Results are compared with similar mean square amplitude (RMS) or anomaly sur-
bedforms found along other continental margins. This study describes diagnostic, large-scale faces, as well as dip and dip azimuth surfaces]
features associated with major discontinuities, including channels, scours, furrows, sand and a PaleoScan geomodel (Eliis).
ribbons, and barchan dunes. These record periods of increased bottom current activity and
thus represent distinct paleoceanographic markers within the basin. Sequences of layered, RESULTS: CONTOURITE TERRACES
muddy two-dimensional dune-like bedforms also commonly occur between discontinuities. AND BEDFORMS
The vertical bedform distribution exhibits a repetitive pattern generated by bottom cur- According to well data and Morales (2013),
rents, with sediment supply from simultaneous downslope processes deposited primarily four seismic units (SU1–SU4 from top to base)
over discontinuous intervals. Sediment reworking and redistribution along slope by bottom appear in the Paleocene to Miocene slope record.
currents generated thick, extensive sand-rich deposits concentrated at particular locations. Each unit is bounded by regional discontinui-
These features raise fundamental questions concerning margin processes, morphologies, ties (DI–DV, Fig. 2). In seismic profiles these
stratigraphic context, and bedform development in deep-marine environments. Given their discontinuities appear as erosion surfaces with
role in paleoceanographic reconstructions and resource exploration, these deposits and the high-amplitude reflections with good lateral
mechanisms that form them require more formal understanding. continuity. The seismic units exhibit either an
aggradational configuration (SU4, SU3, and
INTRODUCTION sand rich based on their morphology and seis- SU1) or slightly prograding sigmoidal clino-
Over the last decade, numerous bottom cur- mic facies (e.g., seismic amplitude distribution forms (SU2). They vary in thickness and form
rent–controlled features (contourites) have been and architecture). The bedforms occur within depocenters parallel to the slope. These exhibit
recognized in deep-water settings (Rebesco Paleocene to Miocene contourite terraces along high-amplitude reflections (HARs) in proximal
et al., 2014). While most contourite deposits the Uruguayan continental slope (Fig. 1). This domains but appear as weaker seismic facies in
(drifts) are mud dominated, sandy deposits have paper provides a description of specific features basinward areas. Units thin both in proximal
also been recognized, especially with advances from the Uruguayan margin and compares them and distal domains, with reflection terminations
in high-resolution three-dimensional (3-D) with other modern and ancient examples. Inter- onlapping and downlapping respective proximal
seismic data processing and associated seismic pretations of sedimentary processes and pale- and distal surfaces. For proximal areas of each
attribute imaging and analysis. Deep-water sand oceanographic history can clarify the conceptual unit and along the middle slope, units appear as
deposits are usually interpreted as forming from and economic significance of large bedforms in sheets, lenses, and slightly elongated mounds
sediment gravity flows. Some deep-water, sand- contourites. within a broad contourite terrace (hereafter
rich deposits however are interpreted to have “terrace” for simplicity) (Fig. 2). The terraces,
formed or been reworked by bottom currents METHODS where most HARs occur, trend northeast with
(e.g., Mutti et al., 2014). The frequency with This study analyzed a regional database of slope gradients (<1°) that progressively increase
which such deposits occur in modern-day set- multichannel two-dimensional (2-D) seismic in a basinward direction.
tings raises the question of their general scarcity reflection profiles, post-stack depth-migrated Large morphosedimentary features and a
in the ancient record. The present study provides 3-D seismic reflection data covering >13,000 number of bedforms occur within the terraces
an analysis of large bedforms interpreted to be km2, and data from two wells (Fig. 1). Seismic (Fig. 2). The largest erosional along-slope
interpretation was completed using Petrel 2015 features include (1) regional discontinuities,
*E-mail: [email protected] software (Schlumberger). Well data provided (2) abraded surfaces, (3) contourite channels

GEOLOGY, January 2018; v. 46; no. 1; p. 27–30 | https://doi.org/10.1130/G39655.1 | Published online 31 October 2017
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 (moats) trending northeast along the middle
slope, (4) furrows, (5) marginal troughs, and
(6) scours. The dominant depositional features
include (1) 2-D wave-like bedforms, (2) barcha-
noid bedforms, and (3) linear sand ribbons. The
sequences hosting 2-D wave-like bedforms have
a weak acoustic response that nonetheless shows
undulating wavy to sigmoidal reflections. They
Fi g u re 1. A : S e l e c te d commonly occur between regional disconti-
examples for this work
nuities at spacings on the order of 0.5–10 km,
with deep-water bottom
water–related large bed- heights up to 150 m, and lateral widths rang-
fo rm s . B : U ru g u aya n ing from 0.7 to 3 km. The crests are straight to
margin indicating posi- slightly sinuous, align obliquely NNE at 5°–40°
tion of study area, water with respect to the regional trend of the terrace,
masses, and data sets.
2-D, 3-D—two-dimen- and are migrating toward the west-southwest
sional, three-dimensional. (upslope).
C: Water masses along the Major discontinuities are associated with
margin, indicating current channels, scours, furrows, sand ribbons, and
flowing northeast (circle
3-D dunes (barchanoid bedforms) (Fig. 2). The
cross) and southwest
(circled dot). Horizon- barchanoid bedforms appear crescent shaped
tal distance and water in plan view, span 1–4 km width, are 2.5–6 km
depth are in x and y axes, long, and are located at the top of a 60-m-thick
respectively. sand body. Their convex-to-the-southwest
shapes include steep lee faces to the northeast,
thus indicating a predominantly northeast-flow-
ing current. The scale of their internal struc-
ture falls below the vertical resolution of the
seismic images (~20 m). Barchanoid bedforms
developed where HARs are present and these
bedforms are migrating toward the northeast on
the terraces. The angle between the barchanoid
bedforms and the general trend of the terraces
ranges from 10° to 30°. Sand ribbons devel-
oped within the same surfaces and exhibit a
northeast-southwest orientation in association
with the erosional furrows. Other across-slope
features, including down-slope channels and
depositional lobes, accompany the aforemen-
tioned along-slope features on the terraces, but
these mainly occur in association with regional
discontinuities.

DISCUSSION
Deposits from seismic units represent plas-
tered drifts that formed on the middle and lower
slope by predominantly along-slope processes
and only a minor contribution from down-slope
processes. Proximal, flatter areas of drifts form
terraces characterized by a large, low-gradient
physiography along the middle slope, whereas
the distal surfaces dip slightly seaward. Such
terraces have also been documented along other
margins, being interpreted as mixed features
formed by both erosional and depositional pro-
cesses. Previous research found that they may
develop in association with a pycnocline formed
between two different water masses (Preu et al.,
2013).
The along-slope bedforms identified above
Figure 2. A: Example of three-dimensional seismic line indicating major morphological features, have fundamental implications on the (1) flow
seismic units (SU), and discontinuities (D). B: Examples of bedforms along a terrace. C,D: Root
mean square amplitude (RMS) anomaly maps for two-dimensional (2-D) dune-like bedforms velocity and direction, (2) grain size, and
(C) and barchan dunes and sand ribbons (discontinuity DIV) (D). E: Example of sand body (3) depositional loci of sands. Channels, fur-
topped by barchanoid bedform (discontinuity DIV), indicating its length, width, and height. rows, sand ribbons, and barchanoid bedforms

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 occur primarily within regional discontinuities,
indicating greater sandy sediment supply in
association with bottom currents flowing toward
the northeast. Currents were vigorous enough to
locally erode the slope and the terrace. The lay-
ered 2-D wave-like bedform sequences between
discontinuities represent the dominant deposi-
tional intervals under conditions of weaker
current flow to the southwest. The large 2-D
bedforms correspond to muddy 2-D dune-like
bedforms and appear to have migrated westward
at an angle oblique to the mean current due to
the Ekman effect, which deflects these currents
toward the right in the Southern Hemisphere
(Rebesco et al., 2014). Such features occur in
many settings and develop in association with
relatively weak bottom currents of 0.1–0.3 m/s
(Stow et al., 2009). Similar features have been
reported from terraces along the Brazilian (Mutti
et al., 2014), Canadian (Campbell and Mosher,
2016), and Namibian (AziNam; S. Usiku, 2017,
personal commun.) margins (Fig. 3). Maximum
dune size is controlled by the shear velocity
defining the transition from bedload to suspen-
sion and is hence grain-size dependent (Bar-
tholdy et al., 2005; i.e., the coarser grain size,
the larger a dune can grow in size, water depth
being an additional limiting factor). These large
2-D dune-like bedforms do not fit into this dune
hierarchy, perhaps indicating that a higher-order
hierarchy of compound bedforms grown exists,
about which little is known.
Some of the aforementioned sand bodies
exhibit considerable lateral continuity and are
dozens of meters thick. The barchanoid bed-
forms show similar characteristics and could
thus represent sand bodies (formsets) composed
of stacked, cross-bedded sets created by smaller
dunes, whose upper sections transformed into
barchanoid dunes. Barchan dunes form only in
sandy sediments (fine to coarse grained, typi- Figure 3. Examples of bedforms along contourite terraces on modern sandy deposits (see
cally well sorted) and at flow velocities of 0.6– Fig. 1A for location). A: Porcupine seabight, Irish slope (courtesy of MARUM, Germany). B:
1.2 m/s (Stow et al., 2009). Submarine barchan Modern sandy deposits in Mozambique Channel (courtesy of S. Courgeon, IFREMER, France).
dunes also occur in similar settings along other C: Middle Miocene sequence, Canada, illustrating two-dimensional (2-D) dune-like bedforms
and barchan dunes, with inset from AA surface (Campbell and Mosher, 2016). D: Mozambique
continental slopes (e.g., Viana, 2008; Mutti et Channel sequence showing high-amplitude reflections (HARs) (Late Cretaceous) and large
al., 2014; Campbell and Mosher, 2016) such bedforms (Paleocene to Miocene) (courtesy from TOTAL S.A., Pau, France). E: 2-D dunes, Late
as the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Cádiz, and the Cretaceous, Namibian margin (courtesy of AziNam, Namibia). F: Oligocene sequence, Brazil,
Canadian, North European, and Brazilian con- indicating thick sand bodies topped by barchan dunes drilled by a well (Mutti et al., 2014).
tinental margins (Figs. 1 and 3). Other large, Images in B and C are used with permission from Elsevier.
sandy dunes have been reported along slope
terraces in the South China Sea (Reeder et al., develop in current settings similar to those host- masses along the middle and lower slope (Fig. 4)
2011) and in the Mozambique Channel (Fig. 3). ing barchan dunes, whereas erosional furrows include a vigorous deeper water mass flowing
Sand bodies topped by barchan dunes recorded and scours are formed when current velocities toward the northeast and a weaker intermedi-
in late Paleocene to early Eocene sediments of range from 0.4 and 1.9 m/s (Stow et al., 2009). ate water mass circulating toward the southwest.
the Santos and Campos Basins (Brazil) exhibit The estimated mean grain-size values for sandy Spatial variations in these water masses and their
seismic facies and dimensions (~3 km long and barchan dunes and 2-D muddy dune-like bed- interface controlled terrace formation and evo-
up to ~75 m in height; Fig. 3) similar to those forms can be used to calibrate their RMS anoma- lution and the distribution of bedforms. During
described here. These Brazilian examples are lies and estimate the potential distribution of periods when the interface shifted upward, the
composed of fine sands with porosities >35% muddy and sandy deposits. northeast-flowing water mass acted on the lower
(Mutti et al., 2014). This value resembles those The bedform distribution has a diagnostic, and middle slope terrace to generate erosional
recorded from sandy contourite deposits (34%– repetitious discontinuity pattern indicating (channels and furrows) and depositional (sand
38%) buried along the slope of the Gulf of Cádiz variation in processes related to the influence ribbons and barchan dunes) features. During
(Hernández-Molina et al., 2014). Sand ribbons of bottom currents. Specifically, two water periods of downward shift of the interface, the

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preceded present-day oceanographic conditions ACKNOWLEDGMENTS /10​.1130​/G25259A​.1.
established between the middle Miocene and The authors would like to thank ANCAP, British Viana, A.R., 2008, Economic relevance of contourites,
late Pliocene (Preu et al., 2013). Gas Group, and Shell for permission to use unpub- in Rebesco, M., and Camerlenghi, A., eds., Con-
lished seismic data sets. The research was supported tourites: Amsterdam, Elsevier, Developments in
The data described here indicate that down- through the Spanish Ciencia y Tecnologías Marinas Sedimentology, v. 60, p. 493–510, https://​doi​.org​
and along-slope processes controlled by environ- projects CTM 2012-39599-C03, CGL2016-80445-R, /10​.1016​/S0070​-4571​(08)10023​-1.
mental conditions (climate and sea level) and tec- and CTM2016-75129-C3-1-R, and the Uruguayan
tonics govern sand body formation in three major ANCAP-UDELAR Nº 21 project; and conducted in Manuscript received 24 August 2017
the framework of “The Drifters” research group of Revised manuscript received 27 September 2017
settings (Fig. 4). The first setting is dominated the Royal Holloway University of London (RHUL). Manuscript accepted 27 September 2017
by along-slope processes with vigorous bottom We thank A. Gough and D. Chiarella (RHUL, UK)
currents (>0.4 m/s) that redistribute sediment for feedback prior to submission, and reviewers Printed in USA

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