Turbidites dominated by supercritical flows and hydraulic jumps in relation to morphologic variations in tectonically controlled basins

Abstract

In this thesis, a range of different approaches are used in order to accomplish the research objectives consisting in analyse the deposits of supercritical turbidity currents and identifying the effects of hydraulic jump occurring in relation to morphological variations of the seafloor. Supercritical turbidity currents are sensitive to morphological variations of the seafloor that are extremely common in areas shaped by active tectonic. Our general aim is to increase the knowledge on this particular type of deposit since still numerous question marks characterize this argument that, nowadays, is principally approached by carrying out tank experiments or numerical modelling. Differently, this thesis approaches three geological cases of study concerning two modern submarine fans and one ancient turbiditic system. The thesis is organized into three principal chapters reporting one case study each. The two modern submarine fans are localized on articulate continental margins, the Acquarone Fan (Chapter 2) and the Amantea Fan (Chapter 3). The study of those modern marine systems have been carried out through the analysis of high-resolution morphobathymetries, subsurface profiles (subbottom chirp) and, in one case (Amantea Fan) sediment gravity cores. While the third case study is an outcrop study on the ancient Paretaio turbidite system (Northern Apennines, Italy), which is presented in Chapter 4.