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Repeated slope failure linked to fluid migration: The Ana submarine landslide complex, Eivissa Channel, Western Mediterranean Sea

Repeated slope failure linked to fluid migration: The Ana submarine landslide complex, Eivissa Channel, Western Mediterranean Sea
Repeated slope failure linked to fluid migration: The Ana submarine landslide complex, Eivissa Channel, Western Mediterranean Sea
Submarine slope failures are a well-known geohazard. They are able to destroy seafloor installations along their path and by generating tsunamis they may threaten coastal infrastructures. While the mechanisms involved in submarine landslide generation remain poorly known, there are observations that slope stability can be reduced in the presence of free gas. Here, we present new high-resolution 3D seismic data from the Eivissa Channel between the Iberian Penninsula and the Balearic Promontory in the Western Mediterranean Sea. The data reveal slope stability reduction in this area at least since mid-Quaternary times, and an intimate relationship between fluid migration and slope stability. We show that two landslides, i.e. pre-Ana Slide and Ana Slide, occurred at almost the same location above an erosional channel in the Messinian unconformity. There is seismic evidence that fluids including gas are migrating upwards through this erosional surface and that they charge sedimentary layers at the base of the Ana Slide possibly reducing its strength and predisposing it to failure. Our data show in unprecedented detail the ways in which the presence of gas influences slope stability. The findings illustrate the importance of including high-resolution 3D seismic data in slope stability and tsunami risk assessments to identify shallow gas distribution as one of the main controls on slope stability in gas prone areas.
0012-821X
65-74
Berndt, Christian
d6db3f62-9891-4e8a-9210-b3aa6a8a4c22
Costa, Sergio
f911f2e4-763a-472d-8047-1528512201c5
Canals, Miquel
70ed5c8a-cc8a-4e56-9d0d-4bf5ee0fb479
Camerlenghi, Angelo
f109114c-3b93-478e-bea8-3e50d3bf30c3
de Mol, Ben
6fc59452-d362-4a44-a6af-39207f78518c
Saunders, Martin
c4bd639d-6f98-4aa2-a33f-0ad36f389c0c
Berndt, Christian
d6db3f62-9891-4e8a-9210-b3aa6a8a4c22
Costa, Sergio
f911f2e4-763a-472d-8047-1528512201c5
Canals, Miquel
70ed5c8a-cc8a-4e56-9d0d-4bf5ee0fb479
Camerlenghi, Angelo
f109114c-3b93-478e-bea8-3e50d3bf30c3
de Mol, Ben
6fc59452-d362-4a44-a6af-39207f78518c
Saunders, Martin
c4bd639d-6f98-4aa2-a33f-0ad36f389c0c

Berndt, Christian, Costa, Sergio, Canals, Miquel, Camerlenghi, Angelo, de Mol, Ben and Saunders, Martin (2012) Repeated slope failure linked to fluid migration: The Ana submarine landslide complex, Eivissa Channel, Western Mediterranean Sea. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 319-320, 65-74. (doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2011.11.045).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Submarine slope failures are a well-known geohazard. They are able to destroy seafloor installations along their path and by generating tsunamis they may threaten coastal infrastructures. While the mechanisms involved in submarine landslide generation remain poorly known, there are observations that slope stability can be reduced in the presence of free gas. Here, we present new high-resolution 3D seismic data from the Eivissa Channel between the Iberian Penninsula and the Balearic Promontory in the Western Mediterranean Sea. The data reveal slope stability reduction in this area at least since mid-Quaternary times, and an intimate relationship between fluid migration and slope stability. We show that two landslides, i.e. pre-Ana Slide and Ana Slide, occurred at almost the same location above an erosional channel in the Messinian unconformity. There is seismic evidence that fluids including gas are migrating upwards through this erosional surface and that they charge sedimentary layers at the base of the Ana Slide possibly reducing its strength and predisposing it to failure. Our data show in unprecedented detail the ways in which the presence of gas influences slope stability. The findings illustrate the importance of including high-resolution 3D seismic data in slope stability and tsunami risk assessments to identify shallow gas distribution as one of the main controls on slope stability in gas prone areas.

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More information

Published date: 15 February 2012
Organisations: Marine Geoscience

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 340664
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/340664
ISSN: 0012-821X
PURE UUID: f42bf830-83a5-4d3e-b4b2-941dd6fef588

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Date deposited: 28 Jun 2012 09:41
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 11:27

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Contributors

Author: Christian Berndt
Author: Sergio Costa
Author: Miquel Canals
Author: Angelo Camerlenghi
Author: Ben de Mol
Author: Martin Saunders

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