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Morphology, distribution and origin of recent submarine landslides of the Ligurian Margin (North-western Mediterranean): some insights into geohazard assessment

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Abstract

Based on new multibeam bathymetric data, seismic-reflection profiles and side-scan sonar images, a great number of submarine failures of various types and sizes was identified along the northern margin of the Ligurian Basin and characterized with 3 distinct end-members concerning their location on the margin, sedimentary processes and possible triggering mechanisms. They include superficial landslides mainly located in the vicinity of the main mountain-supplied rivers and on the inner walls of canyons (typically smaller that 108 m3 in volume: Type 1), deep scars 100–500 m high along the base of the continental slope (Type 2), and large-scale scars and Mass Transport Deposits (MTDs) affecting the upper part of the slope (Type 3 failures). The MTDs are located in different environmental contexts of the margin, including the deep Var Sedimentary Ridge (VSR) and the upper part of the continental slope in the Gulf of Genova (Finale Slide and Portofino Slide), with volumes of missing sediment reaching up to 1.5 × 109 m3. High sedimentation rates related to hyperpycnal flows, faults and earthquake activity, together with sea-level fluctuations are the main factors invoked to explain the distribution and sizes of these different failure types.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the captains and crew of the RV Le Suroît (Ifremer-Genavir) and the RV Téthys II (INSU-CNRS). This work was funded by the French research programs “GDR Marges”, “Reliefs de la Terre” and “Action Marges”. The final version of the manuscript benefited from constructive suggestions and comments by Sam Johnson and an anonymous reviewer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR GéoAzur, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, OCA, Port de la darse, 06235, Villefrance/Mer, France

    Sébastien Migeon, Virginie Hassoun, Alexandre Dano & Françoise Sage

  2. IFREMER, GM-LES, 29280, Plouzané, France

    Antonio Cattaneo

  3. UMR GéoAzur, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, OCA, 250 Rue A. Einstein, 06560, Valbonne, France

    Christophe Larroque & Bernard Mercier de Lepinay

  4. University of Genova, Dip.Te.Ris, Corso Europa, 26, 16100, Genoa, Italy

    Nicola Corradi

  5. University of Trieste, DiGe, Italy

    Francesco Fanucci

  6. UMR iSTeP, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 4 Place Jussieu, 75252, Paris cedex05, France

    Christian Gorini

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  1. Sébastien Migeon
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  2. Antonio Cattaneo
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Correspondence to Sébastien Migeon.

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Migeon, S., Cattaneo, A., Hassoun, V. et al. Morphology, distribution and origin of recent submarine landslides of the Ligurian Margin (North-western Mediterranean): some insights into geohazard assessment. Mar Geophys Res 32, 225–243 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-011-9123-3

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