Sonar Studies of Submarine Mass Wasting and Volcanic structures off Savaii Island, Samoa

Abstract

—Sidescan sonar observations show that mass wasting plays an important role in the geologic development of the Savaii Island edifice. Observations on the south and west flanks indicate that debris movement on the submarine slopes between rift zones is characterized by large sheets of unchannelized debris. Farther downslope these sheets have slumped into folded although still relatively coherent slump sheets. Closer to the rift zones, more chaotic slumps are found. The presence of large detached landslide blocks, without obvious upslope headwall scarps, suggests that earlier slumps are covered by subsequent veneers of debris moving downslope.¶In contrast, on Stearns Bank west of the island of Savaii most of the features are of constructional origin, formed during the building of this volcanic edifice of unknown age. Two prominentsubmarine platforms are evident, the shallower one with a summit cone. Sea cliffs and subdued terraces record platforms cut by sea-level oscillations late in the history of the volcanic edifice. Fractures and fissures are present on the bank, however there is little evidence of landslides in this area. The absence of landslides may reflect differing ages of the bank and the island or the edifice could have remained submarine during its construction with few or no subaerially derived ashes and clays present to facilitate mass wasting.¶We conclude that mass wasting is an important influence on the evolution of the Savaii volcanic edifice. It appears that sediment and debris cover most of the slope outside the submarine rift zones. The sonar images indicate that mass wasting is a common process in the submarine environment. Unlike the giant landslides documented by GLORIA imagery around the Hawaiian Islands, the southern margin of Samoa is characterized by numerous small slumps and slides. Although we have little information at present regarding the recurrence interval for submarine landslides, their ubiquitous presence in these sidescan sonar records indicates that they are an important component of the geologic record of the Samoan Islands.