Seismic stratigraphic and geomorphic analysis of deep-marine deposition along the West African continental margin

Abstract

Abstract The West African continental margin evolution is preserved in a small source-distant setting (20 x 30 km area) by changes in lobe-channel-levee seismic geomorphological elements within a threefold seismic stratigraphic hierarchy. The C . 32 Ma depositional record of rift, drift and depositional outbuilding of the margin by gravity-driven adjustment, deformation and deposition produced a hierarchy of second- through fourth-order stratigraphic cycles bounded by laterally continuous fine-grained drapes inferred to record prolonged periods of sediment starvation. The margin outbuilding phase, the focus of this contribution, consists of three second-order adjustment bounded cycles (ABCs) that record major adjustment and/or modification of the deep-marine depositional system. Seven third-order cycles also show changes in depositional trend and seismic facies architecture. Ten fourth-order cycles, best resolved within the upper part of the succession, consist of multiple, wedge-shaped and compensating, lobe-channel-levee complexes up to 20 km wide. These complexes show an upward increase in channel-levee and decrease in lobe proportion. They also show an upward change from lobes incised by sinuous channels to channels deflected to lobe flanks. Outcrop and shallow core-calibrated analogues from the Permian Brushy Canyon Formation, and modern Amazon and Zaire Fans help constrain these patterns. Changes in the sediment composition and volume of subaqueous flows at their point of origin, and subsequent gravitational deformation, syn-sedimentary mass-wasting and large-scale fan avulsion punctuating deep-marine sedimentation, adjust deep-marine depositional pattern during basin margin outbuilding. Lobe-channel-levee distributions in this sediment source-distant setting record a progressive increase in local topographic relief and gradient related to the basinward migration of deformation during depositional outbuilding of the continental margin. Two important conclusions derived from this record include (1) the importance of local seabed topography and gradient on producing changes in depositional pattern, and (2) that repeated and cyclic changes in these patterns reflect adjustment/deformation within, and probably restricted to, the deep-marine record. Integrated seismic stratigraphic and geomorphic analysis delineates multiple scales of these adjustment-bounded cycles. The evolving map patterns record adjustment by shifts in geomorphic pattern and orientation. These local geomorphic changes can be used to predict longer-term and larger-scale changes in the depositional record of the continental margin evolution. This analytical approach should have general utility along high shelf-to-basin relief margins with similar gravity-driven deformation.