Break In Gradient Research Articles

Spatial analysis of Holocene delta compound clinoforms

Recognition of compound delta clinoforms has led to a new understanding of delta progradation and architecture. Limited study has been dedicated to spatially delineate three dimensional morphologies of subaqueous deltas and their migration away from active sediment sources. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of 38 Holocene deltas lead to the observation of two main gradient breaks at tens-of-meters water depth and variable subaqueous geometries. Geometric variability was captured relative to riverine-sediment sources and basinal energies and presents steeper shoreline and subaqueous delta clinoforms, reaching 1°, separated by a gently-dipping 0.11° platform with widths from few kilometers (Ebro Delta) to 200 kilometers (Amazon Delta). In wave-dominated systems, the platform is absent ahead of the sediment source but widens laterally away as a smooth arcuate surface, whereas in tide-dominated systems the platform widens ahead of active sources and narrows ahead of starved ones while hosting erosional features and tidal channel/bar couplets.

Analyzing flexoelectric polarization of suspended membrane by nonlinear bending theory of plate

Strain gradient breaks inversion symmetry and induces flexoelectric polarization as well as electromechanical coupling in all material systems, though the effect is usually only significant at the nanoscale. Two-dimensional (2D) materials and thin membranes thus provide an ideal platform to explore flexoelectricity, which has been widely pursued, yet quantitative theoretical analysis is needed to guide the rapid experimental developments. In this work, we develop 2D flexoelectric model for suspended membrane based on von Kármán plate theory, and implement it into finite element computation using conforming BCIZ element. Numerical results and discussions on flexoelectric polarization in suspended membrane under uniform pressure or concentrated load are presented, which are validated by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) experiments under a range of membrane thicknesses and loading forces showing good agreement with computations. Since large strain gradient often exists in samples with small size in one or two dimensions, the method we develop provides a powerful tool to study a wide range of low-dimensional materials and structures with flexoelectric effect.

Strain and strain gradient engineering in membranes of quantum materials

Strain is powerful for discovery and manipulation of new phases of matter; however, elastic strains accessible to epitaxial films and bulk crystals are typically limited to small (<2%), uniform, and often discrete values. This Perspective highlights emerging directions for strain and strain gradient engineering in free-standing single-crystalline membranes of quantum materials. Membranes enable large (∼10%), continuously tunable strains and strain gradients via bending and rippling. Moreover, strain gradients break inversion symmetry to activate polar distortions, ferroelectricity, chiral spin textures, superconductivity, and topological states. Recent advances in membrane synthesis by remote epitaxy and sacrificial etch layers enable extreme strains in transition metal oxides, intermetallics, and Heusler compounds, expanding beyond the natively van der Waals (vdW) materials like graphene. We highlight emerging opportunities and challenges for strain and strain gradient engineering in membranes of non-vdW materials.

Metallicity gradient of barred galaxies with TYPHOON

ABSTRACT Bars play an important role in mixing material in the inner regions of galaxies and stimulating radial migration. Previous observations have found evidence for the impact of a bar on metallicity gradients but the effect is still inconclusive. We use the TYPHOON/PrISM survey to investigate the metallicity gradients along and beyond the bar region across the entire star-forming disc of five nearby galaxies. Using emission line diagrams to identify star-forming spaxels, we recover the global metallicity gradients ranging from −0.0162 to −0.073 dex kpc−1 with evidence that the galactic bars act as an agent in affecting in situ star formation as well as the motions of gas and stars. We observe cases with a ‘shallow-steep’ metallicity radial profile, with evidence of the bar flattening the metallicity gradients inside the bar region (NGC 5068 and NGC 1566) and also note instances where the bar appears to drive a steeper metallicity gradient producing ‘steep-shallow’ metallicity profiles (NGC 1365 and NGC 1744). For NGC 2835, a ‘steep-shallow’ metallicity gradient break occurs at a distance ∼4 times the bar radius, which is more likely driven by gas accretion to the outskirt of the galaxy instead of the bar. The variation of metallicity gradients around the bar region traces the fluctuations of star formation rate surface density in NGC 1365, NGC 1566, and NGC 1744. A larger sample combined with hydrodynamical simulations is required to further explore the diversity, and the relative importance of different ISM mixing mechanisms on the gas-phase metallicity gradients in local galaxies.

Flexoresponses of Synthetic Antiferromagnetic Systems Hosting Skyrmions

While strain gradients break lattice centrosymmetry, ferromagnetism is a time-reversal symmetry breaking product. Flexomagnetic effect in ferromagnets is usually indirect and weak. In this Letter, we reveal a topologically enhanced flexomagnetic effect in synthetic antiferromagnetic systems based on Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction and the large deformability of skyrmion. Moreover, the synthetic antiferromagnetic skyrmion exhibits an unexpected Hall effect under strain gradient. We propose that this flexo-Hall effect originates from a geometric Magnus force related to the asymmetric deformation of skyrmion. Our results shed new insights into the flexoresponses in systems hosting topological structures and may open up a new field-"flexoskyrmionics".

Radial Migration from the Metallicity Gradient of Open Clusters and Outliers

Abstract Radial migration is an important process in the evolution of the Galactic disk. The metallicity gradient of open clusters and its outliers provide an effective way to examine this process. In this work, we compile metallicity, age, and kinematic parameters for 225 open clusters and carry out a quantitative analysis of radial migration via the calculated migration distances. Based on clusters with age <0.5 Gyr, we obtain a present-day metallicity gradient of −0.074 ± 0.007 dex kpc−1. Three sequences are distributed along this gradient, and clusters in the upper, middle, and lower groups are found to be old outward migrators, in situ clusters, and inward migrators, respectively. The migration distance increases with age, but the time when it is most effective is probably less than 3 Gyr. The metallicity gradient breaks at guiding center radius R g ∼ 11.5 kpc, which is caused by the lack of young open clusters in the outer disk and the presence of old outward migrators in the upper sequence. This shows that this boundary is related to the different effects of radial migration between the inner and outer disks. We also found many special open clusters in and near the outer disk with R > 11 kpc and a steeper metallicity gradient from the inner disk of R g < 7 kpc, which tells of a complicated evolution history of the Galactic disk caused by different effects of stellar radial migration.

Application of morphometric techniques for the delimitation of Borborema Highlands, northeast of Brazil, eastern escarpment from drainage knick-points

This article seeks to contribute to the understanding of the dynamics and evolution of landforms, on a regional scale, from the application of morphometric indexes and structural analyzes, in the eastern portion of the Borborema Highlands, Northeast Brazil. The aim of this analysis is to minimize the subjectivities of the classifications and morphological hierarchies in the region in question. We sought to relate the morphology of the eastern sector of Borborema Highlands and the drainages that flow into the Atlantic, thus obtaining a morphometric indicator that would establish, in a quantitative fashion, how this relationship presents itself in the geomorphological landscape, in addition to proposing numerical and morphological thresholds that permitted the delimitation of the Highlands eastern escarpment. For that, the SL/K index was applied, based on HACK (1973) original propositions, subsequently adapted by Seeber and Gornitz (1983), in order to identify sectors of major regional gradient breaks. The Hypsometric Integral values were also obtained in search for correlations between drainage erosion capacity and regional flexural and tectonic influences. Distance measurements between anomalous sectors and base levels on the coast were added. The indexes were applied to the main watersheds that drain the eastern escarpment of the Borborema Highlands: Paraíba (PBW), Goiana (GOW), Capibaribe (CAW), Ipojuca (IPW), Sirinhaém (SIW), Una (UNW) and Mundaú (MUW). It was observed that the sectors identified as regional breaks on relief levels are found at different elevations, varying between 150m and 275m, instead of 200m as traditionally designated by regional literature. It was also observed that on the Transversal Zone, between Patos and Pernambuco lineaments, only one major regional gradient break occurs, whereas to the south of the Pernambuco Shear Zone more than one regional breaks were found, indicating a predominantly flexural influence in the first context and a more brittle in the second. As for the Hypsometric Integral, it was observed that the relationship commonly made between its values and evolutionary stages in the Davisian sense was not found.

Stochastic ion and electron heating on drift instabilities at the bow shock

Abstract The analysis of the wave content inside a perpendicular bow shock indicates that heating of ions is related to the lower hybrid drift (LHD) instability, and heating of electrons is related to the electron cyclotron drift (ECD) instability. Both processes represent stochastic acceleration caused by the electric field gradients on the electron gyroradius scales, produced by the two instabilities. Stochastic heating is a single-particle mechanism where large gradients break adiabatic invariants and expose particles to direct acceleration by the direct current and wave fields. The acceleration is controlled by function $\chi = m_iq_i^{-1} B^{-2}$div(E), which represents a general diagnostic tool for processes of energy transfer between electromagnetic fields and particles, and the measure of the local charge non-neutrality. The identification was made with multipoint measurements obtained from the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft. The source for the LHD instability is the diamagnetic drift of ions, and for the ECD instability the source is ExB drift of electrons. The conclusions are supported by laboratory diagnostics of the ECD instability in Hall ion thrusters.

Stress sensitivity of tight reservoirs and its effect on oil saturation: A case study of Lower Cretaceous tight clastic reservoirs in the Hailar Basin, Northeast China

To analyze stress sensitivity of tight reservoirs and the boundary conditions for oil filling, core samples of tight clastic reservoirs in the Lower Cretaceous Nantun Formation in the Hailar Basin were selected. The measurements include optical observation of thin sections, changes of porosity and permeability under overburden pressure, together with physical simulation experiments of oil filling. The results show that the stress sensitivity coefficient of permeability is a product of two parameters including the power exponent of porosity-permeability and pore compressibility, which reflect the geometric and mechanical characteristics of pores. The stress sensitivity and pore geometry of tight reservoirs of different lithologies vary greatly. Medium-coarse sandstones-conglomerates have relatively small stress sensitivity coefficient and large power exponent of porosity-permeability, indicating stronger anti-compaction, weaker stress sensitivity and dominated fissure-type pores. Fine sandstone with large stress sensitivity coefficient and small power exponent of porosity-permeability, indicating that stress sensitivity is high, and matrix circular/elliptical pores predominate. Oil filling in tight reservoirs displays two pressure gradient points with threshold characteristics (i.e., starting pressure gradient and critical pressure gradient) and two flow characteristics (i.e., low-speed nonlinear seepage and quasi-linear seepage). Only when the actual pressure gradient breaks through the critical pressure gradient into the quasi-linear seepage zone can oil saturation in the tight reservoir reach the lower limit of 30%, attaining higher oil saturation levels gradually during the subsequent filling process. The favorable tight reservoir is characterized by a low stress sensitivity coefficient and a high power exponent of porosity-permeability, and oil exhibits rapid filling characteristics with quasi-linear seepage. Another type of tight reservoir is characterized by a high stress sensitivity coefficient and a low power exponent of porosity-permeability, and oil exhibits slow filling rate with nonlinear seepage. It is therefore difficult in actual geological conditions for such reservoirs to achieve high oil saturation. Increase in oil saturation during the filling process is controlled by a combination of initial permeability, pore geometry, stress sensitivity and the displacement pressure gradient. These factors affect and compensate each other, comprehensively controlling the accumulation of tight oil, and could be used to classify the reservoir types.

Controlling the Dynamics and Optical Binding of Nanoparticle Homodimers with Transverse Phase Gradients.

While transverse phase gradients enable studies of driven nonequilibrium phenomena in optical trapping, the behavior of electrodynamically interacting particles in a transverse phase gradient has not been explored in detail. In this Letter we study electrodynamically interacting pairs of identical nanoparticles (homodimers) in transverse phase gradients. We establish that the net driving force on homodimers is modulated by a separation-dependent interference effect for small phase gradients. By contrast, large phase gradients break the symmetry of the interaction between particles and profoundly change the electrodynamic interparticle energy landscape. Our findings are particularly important for understanding multiparticle dynamics during the self-assembly and rearrangement of optical matter.

Morphometric analysis of plunge pools and sediment wave fields along western Great Bahama Bank

A systematic assessment of morphometric parameters of over 200 plunge pools along the steep escarpment base of western Great Bahama Bank and ~2000km2 of sediment wave fields of upslope migrating cyclic steps documents the importance of cascading density currents for sedimentation on the slope. The abrupt downslope termination of the Holocene mud wedge with the cyclic steps shows that strike parallel bottom currents interacting with the off-bank currents are responsible for slope sediment distribution. The plunge pools and sediment waves were generated by density-cascading and both are related to a hydraulic jump caused by two gradient changes along the slope profile. The bedforms highlight both the erosional and depositional nature of this current regime, which is controlled by slope gradient and the directional confinement by either grooves on the steep escarpment or gullies on the middle to lower slope. The >20m deep plunge pools are ellipsoidal, with an average width of 211m and length of 283m, but variations between 80–360m and 100–650m for width and length occur. They are caused by an average gradient break of 16° on the cemented upper slope. Gradient breaks of as low as 2° are reported to be sufficient to scour a plunge pool like the ones in the study area, but higher gradient breaks between 10 and 20° are quite common for consistent plunge pool development. A second gradient break further down slope changes flow conditions for the generation of cyclic steps, with asymmetric waveforms of 4m high (average) in large wave fields in the entire the study area. Orientation is mainly orthogonal to the main slope direction but wave lengths and sinuosity vary, depending on the morphologic location of the wave field. The comparison with sediment wave fields with similar geometries or in similar environments shows that flow reconstruction based on the wave height and wave length alone along with a characterization of sediment grain size, however, yields non-unique results and is site specific.

Physical modeling of oil charging in tight reservoirs: A case study of Permian Lucaogou Formation in Jimsar Sag, Junggar Basin, NW China

Abstract Modeling experiments of oil charging were conducted to find out patterns and affecting factors of oil migration and seepage in tight reservoirs, and analyze oil migration and accumulation and low limit conditions of tight oil accumulation using core samples from tight reservoir beds of the Permian Lucaogou Formation in the Jimsar Sag of the Junggar Basin. Crude oil charging in tight reservoir beds has two pressure gradient points (start-up pressure gradient and critical pressure gradient, and has two features: low velocity non-Darcy seepage, quasi-linear seepage). During crude oil charging in tight reservoir beds in the Lucaogou Formation, the process of oil saturation increase can be divided into three types: saltation increase, quick increase and stable increase. Samples of quick increase type reached the highest oil saturation, the second place is the stable increase type, and saltation increase type is the last. Oil saturation increase is controlled by the combined effect of porosity, permeability, oil viscosity and displacement pressure gradient. These factors interact and complement one another. By establishing template for oil accumulation in tight reservoir beds, it can be seen that only when pressure gradient breaks through the critical pressure gradient and the oil flow is quasi-linear, can oil saturation reaches the lower limit value (30%) in tight reservoir beds. It is hard for stable tight reservoir beds to become tight firstly and be charged with oil and gas later; while for conventional reservoir beds, after oil and gas charging, the formation compaction, cementation, and secondary mineral outgrowth may be the reasons for the formation of tight oil accumulation with high oil saturation.

Geomorphic response of submarine canyons to tectonic activity: Insights from the Cook Strait canyon system, New Zealand

Active margins host more than half of submarine canyons worldwide. Understanding the coupling between active tectonics and canyon processes is required to improve modeling of canyon evolution and derive tectonic information from canyon morphology. In this paper we analyze high-resolution geophysical data and imagery from the Cook Strait canyon system (CS), offshore New Zealand, to characterize the influence of active tectonics on the morphology, processes, and evolution of submarine canyons, and to deduce tectonic activity from canyon morphology. Canyon location and morphology bear the clearest evidence of tectonic activity, with major faults and structural ridges giving rise to sinuosity, steep and linear longitudinal profiles, cross-sectional asymmetry, and breaks in slope gradient, relief, and slope-area plots. Faults are also associated with stronger and more frequent sedimentary flows, steep canyon walls that promote gully erosion, and seismicity that is considered the most likely trigger of failure of canyon walls. Tectonic activity gives rise to two types of knickpoints in the CS. Gentle, rounded and diffusive knickpoints form due to short-wavelength folds or fault breakouts. The more widespread steep and angular knickpoints have migrated through canyon-floor slope failures and localized quarrying and/or plucking. Migration is driven by base-level lowering due to regional margin uplift and deepening of the lower Cook Strait Canyon, and is likely faster in larger canyons because of higher sedimentary flow throughput. The knickpoints, nonadherence to Playfair’s Law, linear longitudinal profiles, and lack of canyon-wide, inverse power law slope-area relationships indicate that the CS is in a transient state, adjusting to perturbations associated with tectonic displacements and changes in base level and sediment fluxes. We conclude by inferring unmapped faults and regions of more pronounced uplift, and proposing a generalized model for canyon geomorphic evolution in tectonically active margins.

Interaction effects on galaxy pairs with Gemini/GMOS – II: oxygen abundance gradients

In this paper, we derive oxygen abundance gradients from H ii regions located in 11 galaxies in eight systems of close pairs. Long-slit spectra in the range 4400–7300 Å were obtained with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph at Gemini South (GMOS-S). Spatial profiles of oxygen abundance in the gaseous phase along galaxy discs were obtained using calibrations based on strong emission lines (N2 and O3N2). We found oxygen gradients to be significantly flatter for all the studied galaxies than those in typical isolated spiral galaxies. Four objects in our sample, AM 1219A, AM 1256B, AM 2030A and AM 2030B, show a clear break in the oxygen abundance at galactocentric radius R/R25 between 0.2 and 0.5. For AM 1219A and AM 1256B, we found negative slopes for the inner gradients, and for AM 2030B, we found a positive slope. All three cases show a flatter behaviour to the outskirts of the galaxies. For AM 2030A, we found a positive slope for the outer gradient, while the inner gradient is almost compatible with a flat behaviour. We found a decrease of star formation efficiency in the zone that corresponds to the oxygen abundance gradient break for AM 1219A and AM 2030B. For the former, a minimum in the estimated metallicities was found very close to the break zone, which could be associated with a corotation radius. However, AM 1256B and AM 2030A, present a star formation rate maximum but not an extreme oxygen abundance value. All four interacting systems that show oxygen gradient breaks have extreme SFR values located very close to break zones.The H ii regions located in close pairs of galaxies follow the same relation between the ionization parameter and the oxygen abundance as those regions in isolated galaxies.

The interplay between structural inheritance and morphology in the Equatorial Continental Shelf of Brazil

Abstract The primary objective of this study is to assess the control of faults of the rift and post-rift stages on the shelf morphology of the Potiguar Basin in northeastern Brazil. This aborted rift basin was generated during the opening of the Equatorial Atlantic in the Aptian. The offshore portion of the continental margin consists of a narrow (~ 40 km) and shallow (~ 70 m below present sea-level) continental shelf with a very steep continental slope (1:11). Our dataset encompasses gravity, bathymetric, shallow seismic and structural data. The results indicate that low sedimentation rates during the Quaternary period contributed to the identification of structural controls in pre-Holocene rocks. The key evidence for fault reactivation on the seafloor is the link between coastal and shelf features associated with pre-Cenozoic structures of the Potiguar Basin. During periods of low sea level, the incision of shelf valleys was readjusted longitudinally and transversally due to the structural controls. Shelf gradient breaks are associated with the occurrences of coplanar ESE–WNW-oriented faults, and uplifted and subsided areas occur in between these fault systems. The results indicate a strong correlation between the margin geometry, modern shelf surface, near-surface expression, and the rift-phase faults, which appear to be reactivated in concordance with the present-day margin stress field. We conclude that neotectonics has influenced both the sediment deposition and morphology of the NE Brazilian Equatorial margin during Quaternary times.

Borehole temperatures reveal a changed energy budget at Mill Island, East Antarctica, over recent decades

Abstract. A borehole temperature record from the Mill Island (East Antarctica) icecap reveals a large surface warming signal manifested as a 0.75 K temperature difference over the approximate 100 m depth in the zone of zero annual amplitude below the seasonally varying zone. The temperature profile shows a break in gradient around 49 m depth, which we model with inverse numerical simulations, indicating that surface warming started around the austral summer of 1980/81 AD ±5 yr. This warming of approximately 0.37 K per decade is consistent with trends seen in both instrumental and other reconstructions for Antarctica and, therefore, suggests that regional- rather than local-scale processes are largely responsible. Alteration of the surface energy budget arising from changes in radiation balances due to local cloud, the amount of liquid deposition and local air temperatures associated with altered air/sea exchanges also potentially plays a role at this location due to the proximity of the Shackleton Ice Shelf and sea-ice zone.

Regulation of multiple tip formation by caffeine in cellular slime molds.

BackgroundThe multicellular slug in Dictyostelium has a single tip that acts as an organising centre patterning the rest of the slug. High adenosine levels at the tip are believed to be responsible for this tip dominance and the adenosine antagonist, caffeine overrides this dominance promoting multiple tip formation.ResultsCaffeine induced multiple tip effect is conserved in all the Dictyostelids tested. Two key components of cAMP relay namely, cAMP phosphodiesterase (Pde4) and adenyl cyclase-A (AcaA) levels get reduced during secondary tip formation in Dictyostelium discoideum. Pharmacological inhibition of cAMP phosphodiesterase also resulted in multiple tips. Caffeine reduces cAMP levels by 16.4, 2.34, 4.71 and 6.30 folds, respectively in D. discoideum, D. aureostipes, D. minutum and Polysphondylium pallidum. We propose that altered cAMP levels, perturbed cAMP gradient and impaired signalling may be the critical factors for the origin of multiple tips in other Dictyostelids as well. In the presence of caffeine, slug cell movement gets impaired and restricted. The cell type specific markers, ecmA (prestalk) and pspA (prespore) cells are not equally contributing during additional tip formation. During additional tip emergence, prespore cells transdifferentiate to compensate the loss of prestalk cells.ConclusionCaffeine decreases adenyl cyclase–A (AcaA) levels and as a consequence low cAMP is synthesised altering the gradient. Further if cAMP phosphodiesterase (Pde4) levels go down in the presence of caffeine, the cAMP gradient breaks down. When there is no cAMP gradient, directional movement is inhibited and might favour re-differentiation of prespore to prestalk cells.

REEXAMINATION OF THE RADIAL ABUNDANCE GRADIENT BREAK IN NGC 3359

In this contribution, we reexamine the radial oxygen abundance gradient in the strongly barred spiral galaxy NGC 3359, for which, using an imaging spectrophotometric technique, Martin & Roy detected a break near the effective radius of the galaxy. We have new emission line flux measurements of HII regions in NGC 3359 from spectra obtained with the Subaru telescope to further investigate this claim. We find that there are small systematic variations in the line ratios determined from narrow-band imaging as compared to our spectroscopic measurements. We derive and apply a correction to the line ratios found by Martin & Roy and statistically examine the validity of the gradient break proposed for NGC 3359 using recently developed metallicity diagnostics. We find that, with a high degree of confidence, a model with a break fits the data significantly better than one without it. This suggests that the presence of a strong bar in spiral galaxies can generate measurable changes in the radial distribution of metals.

Geomorphometry and landform mapping: What is a landform?

Starting from a concept of the land surface, its definition and subdivision from Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) is considered. High-resolution DEMs from active remote sensing form a new basis for geomorphological work, which is moving on from consideration of whether data are accurate enough to how the surface of interest can be defined from an overabundance of data. Discussion of the operational definition and delimitation of specific landforms of varying degrees of difficulty, from craters to mountains, is followed by the applicability of ‘fuzzy’ boundaries. Scaling, usually allometric, is shown to be compatible with the scale-specificity of many landforms: this is exemplified by glacial cirques and drumlins. Classification of a whole land surface is more difficult than extraction of specific landforms from it. Well-dissected fluvial landscapes pose great challenges for areal analyses. These are tackled by the delimitation of homogeneous elementary forms and/or land elements in which slope position is considered. The boundaries are mainly breaks in gradient or aspect, but may also be in some type of curvature: breaks in altitude are rare. Elementary forms or land elements are grouped together into functional regions (landforms) such as ‘hill sheds’. It may often be useful to recognise fuzziness of membership, or core and periphery of a surface object. Plains and etched or scoured surfaces defy most of these approaches, and general geomorphometry remains the most widely applicable technique. It has been applied mainly within arbitrary areas, and to some extent to drainage basins, but more experimentation with mountain ranges and other landforms or landform regions is needed. Geomorphological mapping is becoming more specialised, and its legends are being simplified. Its incorporation into geographical information systems (GIS) has required greater precision with definitions, and the separation of thematic layers, so that it is converging with specific geomorphometry and becoming more flexible and more applicable, with a broader range of visualisation techniques.

Geomorphology and benthic cover of mesophotic coral ecosystems of the upper insular slope of southwest Puerto Rico

The upper insular slope of southwest Puerto Rico is defined as extending from the shelf break at ~20 m water depth down to a depth of ~160 m where there is a pronounced change in geomorphic character and the basal slope begins. The upper slope is divided into two geomorphic zones separated by a pronounced break in slope gradient at ~90 m water depth. Descending from the shelf break, these are Zone I (20–90 m) and Zone II (90–160 m). As orientation of the shelf margin changes, geomorphology of Zone I shows systematic variations consistent with changes in exposure to prevailing waves. Within Zone I, exposed southeast-facing slopes have a gentler gradient and lower relief than more sheltered southwest-facing slopes, which are steep and irregular. Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) are largely restricted to Zone I and concentrated on topographic highs removed from the influence of active downslope sediment transport. Accordingly, MCEs are more abundant, extensive and diverse on southwest-facing slopes where irregular topography funnels downslope sediment transport into steep narrow grooves. MCEs are more sporadic and widely spaced on southeast-facing slopes where topographic highs are more widely spaced and downslope sediment transport is spread over open, low-relief slopes inhibiting coral recruitment and growth. Relict features formed during preexisting sea levels lower than present include deep buttresses at ~45–65 m water depth and a prominent terrace at ~80 m. Based on correlations with existing reef accretion and sea-level records, it is proposed that the 80-m terrace formed during the last deglaciation ~14–15 ka and subsequently drowned during a period of rapid sea-level rise associated with meltwater pulse 1A at ~14 ka and deep buttresses at ~45–65 m formed between ~11.5 and 13.5 ka and then drowned during a period of rapid sea-level rise associated with meltwater pulse 1B at ~11.3 ka.