Abstract
Paleoceanographic information from submarine overflows in the vicinity of oceanic gateways is of major importance for resolving the role of ocean circulation in modulating Earth’s climate. Earth system models are currently the favored way to study the impact of gateways on global-scale processes, but studies on overflow-related deposits are more suitable to understand the detailed changes. Such deposits, however, had not yet been documented in outcrop. Here, we present a unique late Miocene contourite channel system from the Rifian Corridor (Morocco) related to the initiation of Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW). Two channel branches were identified consisting of three vertically stacked channelized sandstone units encased in muddy deposits. Both branches have different channel-fill characteristics. Our findings provide strong evidence for intermittent behavior of overflow controlled by tectonic processes and regional climatic change. These fluctuations in paleo-MOW intermittently influenced global ocean circulation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1194-1199 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Geology |
| Volume | 48 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 13 Aug 2020 |
Funding
We thank Sonya Legg (Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey) for her review and contribution in improving the manuscript before submission, and G. Davoli and two anonymous reviewers for their positive suggestions and comments. Furthermore, we are very appreciative of the help and support given by the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), Morocco. This project was funded by the Joint Industry Project supported by TOTAL, BP, ENI, ExxonMobil, Wintershal DEA, and TGS and was done in the framework of “The Drifters Research Group” at Royal Holloway University of London (RHUL), and it is related to projects CTM 2012–39599-C03, CGL2016–80445-R, and CTM2016–75129-C3–1-R.