Contourite features in the northern Scotia Sea: preliminary sedimentary and paleoceanographic implications

HERNÁNDEZ MOLINA, J.; PÉREZ, L.; ESTEBAN, F.; TASSONE, A,; MALDONADO, A.; LODOLO, E,

Granada

Conferencia; The Scotia Arc: Geodynamic Evolution & Global Implications; 2013

Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra

After a preliminary analysis of the available data sets, we infer that the growth patterns of the lower units are highly controlled by the structure of the acoustic basement, whereas the upper units, tentatively from the middle Miocene to the present, mostly include contourite depositional and erosive features associated to the local circulation of the AAIW, UCDW, SPDSW and LCDW. The interfaces between these water masses are related to morphologic changes along the slope. Thus, the boundary between the AAIW and the UCDW is associated with the occurrence of a regional contourite terrace along the middle slope. Further work will be focused on the correlation between the Malvinas/Falkland Trough and the northwest Scotia Sea stratigraphy, and the generation of a regional circulation model since the Miocene to the present.