The Dangeard and Explorer canyons, South Western Approaches UK: Geology, sedimentology and newly discovered cold-water coral mini-mounds

Abstract

The Celtic Margin is a complex area in terms of sedimentary dynamics and evolution, with a number of submarine canyons dissecting the continental slope and outer continental shelf. The complex terrain and diverse range of sea-bed sediments play a part in submarine canyons being described as areas of high habitat heterogeneity. This study has concentrated on the heads of two canyons: Dangeard (also known as Dangaard) and Explorer (first named here) located in UK territorial waters, in water depths between 138 and 1165m. Multibeam echosounder, 2D reflection seismic and photographic ground-truthing data have been combined to map the sea-bed geomorphology, sedimentary features and canyon megafauna of these canyons. In addition, two previously unknown provinces of cold-water coral (CWC) mini-mounds were discovered on the interfluves of the Dangeard and Explorer canyons.The study area comprises a dendritic network of gullies feeding into the canyon thalwegs. Amphitheatre rims, where slope angles are commonly in excess of 20°, occur along the margins and heads of both canyons and are interpreted as drainage basins indicative of retrogressive mass-wasting in a shelfward direction.The CWC mini-mounds occur in water depths between 250m and 410m, with more than 400 mounds identified. They are up to 3m in height and 50–150m in diameter with no sub-surface expression, suggesting these mounds are, in geological terms, relatively young and possibly Holocene in age. Biological analyses revealed that the mounds form a habitat for ophiuroids and Munida associated with Lophelia pertusa coral rubble, suggesting these mini-mounds are not present-day living features.