Climate-controlled submarine landslides on the Antarctic continental margin
Gales, Jenny A.; McKay, Robert M.; De Santis, Laura; Rebesco, Michele; Laberg, Jan Sverre; Shevenell, Amelia E.; Harwood, David M.; Leckie, R. Mark; Kulhanek, Denise K.; King, Maxine; Patterson, Molly; Lucchi, Renata G.; Kim, Sookwan; Kim, Sunghan; Dodd, Justin; Seidenstein, Julia; Prunella, Catherine; Ferrante, Giulia M.; IODP Expedition 374 Scientists
(2023) Nature Communications, volume 14, issue 1, pp. 1 - 16
(Article)
Abstract
Antarctica’s continental margins pose an unknown submarine landslide-generated tsunami risk to Southern Hemisphere populations and infrastructure. Understanding the factors driving slope failure is essential to assessing future geohazards. Here, we present a multidisciplinary study of a major submarine landslide complex along the eastern Ross Sea continental slope (Antarctica) that identifies
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preconditioning factors and failure mechanisms. Weak layers, identified beneath three submarine landslides, consist of distinct packages of interbedded Miocene- to Pliocene-age diatom oozes and glaciomarine diamicts. The observed lithological differences, which arise from glacial to interglacial variations in biological productivity, ice proximity, and ocean circulation, caused changes in sediment deposition that inherently preconditioned slope failure. These recurrent Antarctic submarine landslides were likely triggered by seismicity associated with glacioisostatic readjustment, leading to failure within the preconditioned weak layers. Ongoing climate warming and ice retreat may increase regional glacioisostatic seismicity, triggering Antarctic submarine landslides.
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Keywords: Ice-sheet sensitivity, Debris flow deposits, Ross sea, Slope stability, Pliocene, Tsunami, West, Contourites, Peninsula, Level, General Physics and Astronomy, General Chemistry, General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
ISSN: 2041-1723
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
Note: Funding Information: This research used data and samples provided by the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP), which is sponsored by the US National Science Foundation (NSF) and participating countries. J.G. was funded by Natural Environmental Research Council Grant (NE/R018189/1) and EUROFLEETS funding programme (ANTSSS). R.M. was funded by Royal Society Te Aparangi Marsden Fund (18-VUW-089) and the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment through the Antarctic Science Platform (ANTA1801). L.D.S. and M.R. were funded by National Antarctic Research Program PNRA16_00205 ODYSSEA, PNRA16 00016 WHISPERS. D.K.K. was supported by the IODP JOIDES Resolution Science Operator and National Science Foundation (grant numbers OCE-#1326927 and OPP-#2000995). D.H., R.M.L., M.P., A.E.S., and J.D. acknowledge support from the United States Science Support Program (USSSP). M.L., A.E.S., and J.D. were supported by the National Science Foundation (OPP AES#1947558 (R.M.L.); OPP AES #1947646 (A.E.S.); OPP AES-#1947657 (J.D.)). J.G., J.S.L. and L.D.S. acknowledge the support from European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling and the Research Council of Norway (J.S.L.) for allowing participation on Expedition 374 and the post-cruise work. Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).
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