Slope Instability along the northeastern Iberian and Balearic continental margins

• Published in: Geologica acta Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 35 - 48
• Main Authors: Lastras Membrive, Galderic, Canals Artigas, Miquel, Amblàs Novellas, David, Frigola Ferrer, Jaime Ignacio, Urgeles Esclasans, Roger, Calafat Frau, Antoni, Acosta Yepes, Juan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universitat de Barcelona 2007; Universitat de Barcelona (UB). Institut de Ciències de la Terra Jaume Almera (ICTJA). Institut de Diagnosi Ambiental i Estudis de l'Aigua (IDEA). Universitat Autonònoma de Barcelona (UAB). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC); Institut de Ciències de la Terra "Jaume Almera"; Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Geociències Barcelona (Geo3BCN), Institut de Diagnosi Ambiental i Estudis de l'Aigua (IDAEA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
• Subjects: Catalan margin; Ebro margin; Estratigrafia sísmica; Mediterranean Sea; Mediterrània, Mar; Seismic stratigraphy; Submarine landslides; Swath bathymetry; Western Mediterranean Sea
• ISSN: 1695-6133; 1696-5728
• DOI: 10.1344/105.000000308

This paper gathers the available information on submarine landslides identified in the northeastern Iberian continental margin and presents new data on both already known landslides and new, previously unknown ones. The 2,000 km2, 26 km3 resulting deposit of the BIG’95 debris flow in the Ebro margin; the 4 up to 16 km2, 0.4 km3 Eivissa slides in the Eivissa Channel; the 2 up to 65.6 km2, 1.46 km3 Barcelona slides in the shallow southern Catalan margin; and the western Gulf of Lions debris flow in the deep north Catalan margin are presented. This compilation is completed with several other previously undescribed small-scale mass-wasting deposits together with those observed in the Balearic Promontory. The amount and widespreading of submarine landslide deposits in the northern Iberian margins demonstrate that these margins are not an exception to the common occurence of these kind of structures worldwide, and gives an idea on this phenomena recurrence even in margins considered moderately quiet, in terms of seismicity