Geomorphology and sedimentary features of the Simpson Submarine Canyon, 44°S, southern Chilean margin

Abstract

This note analyzes for the first time the geomorphology and sedimentary features of the Simpson Submarine Canyon (SSC), located between Chiloé Island and the Taitao Peninsula. For that purpose, multibeam bathymetric data were obtained in 2018. The SSC has a unique orientation compared to most canyons on the Chilean margin. Slope escarpments, topographic irregularities, and sinuosity of the canyon could be associated with regional tectonics. Sediment transport and deposition along the axis define the transversal morphology. On the canyon walls, erosion and transport processes dominate, evidenced by gullies, channels, and mass removals, which leave debris on the axis. We report a large landslide from a canyon wall, which could be due to a high-energy event such as an earthquake; and the generation of a large sediment wave field outside the canyon mouth, indicating a great activity by sedimentary processes. All the above could indicate that the canyon is continuously evolving.