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Slope Instability of Continental Margins

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Ocean Margin Systems

Abstract

Giant submarine landslides occur on almost every contintental margin. Individual slides involve up to 20,000 km3 of slope material and cover an area of up to 113,000 km2. Their wide spread distribution and their large dimensions make them important geological features, particularly as many of them are located within hydrocarbon exploration areas. The factors that are controlling slope stability are still poorly understood in spite of significant research efforts, and there are only few landslides for which the trigger is known with certainty. It appears that ground motion due to earthquakes, rapid sedimentation, and slope destabilization by gas hydrates are among the most important factors, whereas slope angles seem to be less important.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Tromsø, Dramsveien 201, 9037, Tromsø, Norway

    J. Mienert, C. Berndt, J. S. Laberg & T. O. Vorren

Authors
  1. J. Mienert
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  2. C. Berndt
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  3. J. S. Laberg
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  4. T. O. Vorren
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Correspondence to J. Mienert .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Universität Bremen, Klagenfurter Straße 2, 28359, Bremen, Germany

    Gerold Wefer  & Dierk Hebbeln  & 

  2. DEEPSEAS Benthic Biology Group George Deacon Division for Ocean Processes, Southampton Oceanography Centre, European Way, Empress Dock, SO14 3ZH, Southampton, UK

    David Billett

  3. Max-Planck-Institut für Marine Mikrobiologie, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359, Bremen, Germany

    Bo Barker Jørgensen

  4. Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany

    Michael Schlüter

  5. Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands

    Tjeerd C. E. van Weering

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© 2002 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Mienert, J., Berndt, C., Laberg, J.S., Vorren, T.O. (2002). Slope Instability of Continental Margins. In: Wefer, G., Billett, D., Hebbeln, D., Jørgensen, B.B., Schlüter, M., van Weering, T.C.E. (eds) Ocean Margin Systems. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-05127-6_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-05127-6_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-07872-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-05127-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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