3D Morphometric Analysis of the Columbretes Grande Channel (Ebro Continental Margin, NW Mediterranean)
- Publicada
- Servidor
- Preprints.org
- DOI
- 10.20944/preprints202507.0971.v1
Turbidite channels are final conduits for the transfer of terrigenous detritus to the deep-sea depositional systems. Studying their morphology and geometric parameters can provide information on density flow characteristics and sedimentary processes, making it an objective and quantitative way to differentiate deep-sea deposits they feed, of special interest to the oil industry. In this work, the morphology is studied, the main geometric parameters are calculated, and the potential sedimentary fill of a turbiditic channel, the Columbretes Grande channel, located on the Ebro continental margin (NW Mediterra-nean Sea), is visualized in 3D. This complete morphometric analysis, performed by applying a specific methodology, shows a concave and smooth channel indicating a profile in equilibrium with local evidence of erosion. Considering the height of the flanks (< 150 m), the existence of well-developed levees, the high sinuosity of some of its reaches, and the relatively low slopes, the channel can be classified as depositional. The sinuosity index closes to 2 in some courses and the gentle slopes suggest that the fine-grained turbidity currents that episodically circulate in its interior reach the channel’s end.