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Seabed morphology and the bottom-current pathways around Rosemary Bank seamount, northern Rockall Trough, North Atlantic

Seabed morphology and the bottom-current pathways around Rosemary Bank seamount, northern Rockall Trough, North Atlantic
Seabed morphology and the bottom-current pathways around Rosemary Bank seamount, northern Rockall Trough, North Atlantic
Rosemary Bank is a broadly domed and elongate seamount with a diameter of 70 km, occurring in water depths of between 300 and 2300 m, 120 km west of the UK mainland in the northern Rockall Trough. Recent multibeam bathymetry and sub-bottom profiles, together with pre-existing current meter and CTD data, seismic reflection profiles and seabed core samples were examined in order to evaluate past and present bottom-current pathways and processes. The multibeam data image volcanic parasitic cones, concave slide scars and the terraced slopes of the bank. Bottom-current sedimentation is interpreted as producing a drift–moat complex surrounding the entire seamount and including two sediment wave-fields, developed to the west and east of the bank in water depths of 1500–2000 m. The western drift covers an area of over 1000 km2. Sediment waves to the west of the bank are up to 150 m high with wave lengths of 1.5–2 km. Four 100 m deep, 3 km wide, linear depressions, bisect the waves and are interpreted as 25–30 km long extensions of the moat. Seismic reflection profiles show the main phase of drift construction was during the mid-Miocene to Pliocene with the Pliocene to Holocene being an interval of drift maintenance. Cores from sediments draping over and adjacent to the seamount contain sandy and gravelly contourites interbedded with hemipelagites of late Pleistocene to Holocene age. Current meter and CTD data from the western moat indicate Labrador Sea Water flowing northwest, in contrast to the previously assumed anticlockwise circulation pattern around the seamount.
Rosemary Bank seamount, multibeam bathymetry, contourites, sediment drift, sediment waves
0264-8172
165-181
Howe, J.A.
15713028-0485-4d3f-847c-b7435422b8fb
Stoker, M.S.
df1073ad-384d-4d3f-95c9-e2d762a00cd6
Masson, D.G.
edd44c8b-38ca-45fb-8d0d-ac8365748a45
Pudsey, C.J.
acb48f10-1daa-46b3-8fa1-85f2e63cf873
Morris, P.
8ca7f9ca-ca8e-4979-b349-b9a07bd62096
Larter, R.D.
8c878725-fe90-4fe1-af66-cb25a2627151
Bulat, J.
415e4fc8-1671-483b-a276-fb0903c04e23
Howe, J.A.
15713028-0485-4d3f-847c-b7435422b8fb
Stoker, M.S.
df1073ad-384d-4d3f-95c9-e2d762a00cd6
Masson, D.G.
edd44c8b-38ca-45fb-8d0d-ac8365748a45
Pudsey, C.J.
acb48f10-1daa-46b3-8fa1-85f2e63cf873
Morris, P.
8ca7f9ca-ca8e-4979-b349-b9a07bd62096
Larter, R.D.
8c878725-fe90-4fe1-af66-cb25a2627151
Bulat, J.
415e4fc8-1671-483b-a276-fb0903c04e23

Howe, J.A., Stoker, M.S., Masson, D.G., Pudsey, C.J., Morris, P., Larter, R.D. and Bulat, J. (2006) Seabed morphology and the bottom-current pathways around Rosemary Bank seamount, northern Rockall Trough, North Atlantic. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 23 (2), 165-181. (doi:10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2005.08.003).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Rosemary Bank is a broadly domed and elongate seamount with a diameter of 70 km, occurring in water depths of between 300 and 2300 m, 120 km west of the UK mainland in the northern Rockall Trough. Recent multibeam bathymetry and sub-bottom profiles, together with pre-existing current meter and CTD data, seismic reflection profiles and seabed core samples were examined in order to evaluate past and present bottom-current pathways and processes. The multibeam data image volcanic parasitic cones, concave slide scars and the terraced slopes of the bank. Bottom-current sedimentation is interpreted as producing a drift–moat complex surrounding the entire seamount and including two sediment wave-fields, developed to the west and east of the bank in water depths of 1500–2000 m. The western drift covers an area of over 1000 km2. Sediment waves to the west of the bank are up to 150 m high with wave lengths of 1.5–2 km. Four 100 m deep, 3 km wide, linear depressions, bisect the waves and are interpreted as 25–30 km long extensions of the moat. Seismic reflection profiles show the main phase of drift construction was during the mid-Miocene to Pliocene with the Pliocene to Holocene being an interval of drift maintenance. Cores from sediments draping over and adjacent to the seamount contain sandy and gravelly contourites interbedded with hemipelagites of late Pleistocene to Holocene age. Current meter and CTD data from the western moat indicate Labrador Sea Water flowing northwest, in contrast to the previously assumed anticlockwise circulation pattern around the seamount.

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Published date: 2006
Keywords: Rosemary Bank seamount, multibeam bathymetry, contourites, sediment drift, sediment waves

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 20364
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/20364
ISSN: 0264-8172
PURE UUID: 7a6571f3-896d-4a0f-8b09-45266837242e

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Date deposited: 20 Feb 2006
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 06:24

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Contributors

Author: J.A. Howe
Author: M.S. Stoker
Author: D.G. Masson
Author: C.J. Pudsey
Author: P. Morris
Author: R.D. Larter
Author: J. Bulat

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