Late Miocene contourite channel system reveals intermittent overflow behavior

Wouter de Weger; F. Javier Hernandez-Molina; Rachel M Flecker; Francisco Sierro; Domenico Chiarella; Wout Krijgsman; M. Amine Manar

doi:10.1130/G47944.1

Late Miocene contourite channel system reveals intermittent overflow behavior

Wouter de Weger^*, F. Javier Hernandez-Molina, Rachel M Flecker, Francisco Sierro, Domenico Chiarella, Wout Krijgsman, M. Amine Manar

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

33 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

Paleoceanographic information from submarine overflows in the vicinity of oceanic gateways is of major importance for resolving the role of ocean circulation in modulating Earth’s
climate. Earth system models are currently the favored way to study the impact of gateways
on global-scale processes, but studies on overflow-related deposits are more suitable to understand the detailed changes. Such deposits, however, had not yet been documented in outcrop.
Here, we present a unique late Miocene contourite channel system from the Rifian Corridor
(Morocco) related to the initiation of Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW). Two channel
branches were identified consisting of three vertically stacked channelized sandstone units
encased in muddy deposits. Both branches have different channel-fill characteristics. Our
findings provide strong evidence for intermittent behavior of overflow controlled by tectonic
processes and regional climatic change. These fluctuations in paleo-MOW intermittently
influenced global ocean circulation.

Original language	English
Number of pages	6
Journal	Geology
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1130/G47944.1
Publication status	Published - 13 Aug 2020

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33 Citations
1 Article (Academic Journal)

Mediterranean isolation preconditioning the Earth System for late Miocene climate cooling
Capella, W., Flecker, R., Hernández-Molina, F. J., Simon, D., Meijer, P., Rogerson, M., Sierro, F. J. & Krijgsman, W., 7 Mar 2019, In: Scientific Reports. 9, 8 p., 3795.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

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title = "Late Miocene contourite channel system reveals intermittent overflow behavior",

abstract = "Paleoceanographic information from submarine overflows in the vicinity of oceanic gateways is of major importance for resolving the role of ocean circulation in modulating Earth{\textquoteright}sclimate. Earth system models are currently the favored way to study the impact of gatewayson global-scale processes, but studies on overflow-related deposits are more suitable to understand the detailed changes. Such deposits, however, had not yet been documented in outcrop.Here, we present a unique late Miocene contourite channel system from the Rifian Corridor(Morocco) related to the initiation of Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW). Two channelbranches were identified consisting of three vertically stacked channelized sandstone unitsencased in muddy deposits. Both branches have different channel-fill characteristics. Ourfindings provide strong evidence for intermittent behavior of overflow controlled by tectonicprocesses and regional climatic change. These fluctuations in paleo-MOW intermittentlyinfluenced global ocean circulation.",

author = "{de Weger}, Wouter and Hernandez-Molina, {F. Javier} and Flecker, {Rachel M} and Francisco Sierro and Domenico Chiarella and Wout Krijgsman and Manar, {M. Amine}",

year = "2020",

month = aug,

day = "13",

doi = "10.1130/G47944.1",

language = "English",

journal = "Geology",

issn = "0091-7613",

publisher = "Geological Society of America",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Late Miocene contourite channel system reveals intermittent overflow behavior

AU - de Weger, Wouter

AU - Hernandez-Molina, F. Javier

AU - Flecker, Rachel M

AU - Sierro, Francisco

AU - Chiarella, Domenico

AU - Krijgsman, Wout

AU - Manar, M. Amine

PY - 2020/8/13

Y1 - 2020/8/13

N2 - Paleoceanographic information from submarine overflows in the vicinity of oceanic gateways is of major importance for resolving the role of ocean circulation in modulating Earth’sclimate. Earth system models are currently the favored way to study the impact of gatewayson global-scale processes, but studies on overflow-related deposits are more suitable to understand the detailed changes. Such deposits, however, had not yet been documented in outcrop.Here, we present a unique late Miocene contourite channel system from the Rifian Corridor(Morocco) related to the initiation of Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW). Two channelbranches were identified consisting of three vertically stacked channelized sandstone unitsencased in muddy deposits. Both branches have different channel-fill characteristics. Ourfindings provide strong evidence for intermittent behavior of overflow controlled by tectonicprocesses and regional climatic change. These fluctuations in paleo-MOW intermittentlyinfluenced global ocean circulation.

AB - Paleoceanographic information from submarine overflows in the vicinity of oceanic gateways is of major importance for resolving the role of ocean circulation in modulating Earth’sclimate. Earth system models are currently the favored way to study the impact of gatewayson global-scale processes, but studies on overflow-related deposits are more suitable to understand the detailed changes. Such deposits, however, had not yet been documented in outcrop.Here, we present a unique late Miocene contourite channel system from the Rifian Corridor(Morocco) related to the initiation of Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW). Two channelbranches were identified consisting of three vertically stacked channelized sandstone unitsencased in muddy deposits. Both branches have different channel-fill characteristics. Ourfindings provide strong evidence for intermittent behavior of overflow controlled by tectonicprocesses and regional climatic change. These fluctuations in paleo-MOW intermittentlyinfluenced global ocean circulation.

U2 - 10.1130/G47944.1

DO - 10.1130/G47944.1

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

JO - Geology

JF - Geology

SN - 0091-7613

ER -

Late Miocene contourite channel system reveals intermittent overflow behavior

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Research output

Mediterranean isolation preconditioning the Earth System for late Miocene climate cooling

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