DataSheet1_Tectonic Influence on the Geomorphology of Submarine Canyons: Implications for Deep-Water Sedimentary Systems.csv

A database-informed metastudy of 294 globally distributed submarine canyons has been conducted with the aim of elucidating the role of tectonic setting on submarine-canyon geomorphology. To achieve this, data from seafloor and subsurface studies derived from 136 peer-reviewed publications and from open-source worldwide bathymetry datasets have been statistically analyzed. In particular, relationships between margin type (active vs. passive) or plate-boundary type (convergent vs. transform vs. complex) have been assessed for key morphometric parameters of submarine canyons, including: streamwise length, maximum and average width and depth, canyon sinuosity, average canyon thalweg gradient, and maximum canyon sidewall steepness. In addition, possible scaling relationships between canyon morphometric parameters and characteristics of the associated terrestrial catchment, continental shelf and slope, and of the broader physiographic setting for canyons along both active and passive margins have been evaluated. The following principal findings arise: 1) overall canyon geomorphology is not markedly different across tectonic settings; 2) slope failure might be more important in passive-margin canyons compared to active ones, possibly due to seismic strengthening in the latter; 3) some aspects of canyon geomorphology scale with attributes of the source-to-sink system and environmental setting, but the strength and sign in scaling might differ between active and passive margins, suggesting that the extent to which canyon geomorphology can be predicted depends on the tectonic setting. Insights from our analysis augment and improve conceptual, experimental and numerical models of slope systems at the scale of individual canyons and source-to-sink systems, and increase our understanding of the complex role played by tectonic setting in shaping deep-water systems.

一项基于数据库的294个全球分布海底峡谷的元分析研究已得以实施，旨在阐明构造背景对海底峡谷地貌的作用。为实现此目标，对136篇同行评审出版物及开源全球水深数据集的海底和地下研究数据进行了统计分析。特别是，对海底峡谷的关键形态学参数（包括：顺流向长度、最大和平均宽度与深度、峡谷曲折度、平均峡谷谷底坡度以及最大峡谷侧壁陡峭度）与边缘类型（活动型与被动型）或板块边界类型（汇聚型、走滑型及复杂型）之间的关系进行了评估。此外，还评估了峡谷形态学参数与相关陆地流域、大陆架和斜坡特征，以及海底峡谷在活动型和被动型边缘的更广泛地貌背景之间的可能尺度关系。以下主要发现如下：1）整体峡谷地貌在不同构造背景间并无显著差异；2）与活动型峡谷相比，斜坡失稳可能在被动型峡谷中更为重要，这可能是由于后者地震加强的结果；3）某些峡谷地貌的方面与源至汇系统及环境背景的属性相关，但尺度关系中的强度及符号可能在活动型和被动型边缘间有所不同，这表明预测峡谷地貌的程度取决于构造背景。我们分析的结果丰富并改进了单个峡谷及源至汇系统尺度的斜坡系统概念、实验及数值模型，并加深了我们对于构造背景在塑造深水系统中所扮演复杂角色的理解。