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Looking for clues to paleoceanographic imprints: A diagnosis of the Gulf of Cadiz contourite depositional systems

¹ Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad de Vigo, 36200 Vigo, Spain
² Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Ríos Rosas, 23, 28003 Madrid, Spain
³ Instituto Español de Oceanografía, C/ Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Spain
⁴ Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad de Cádiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
⁵ CIACOMAR, Avenida 16 de Junho s/n, 8700–311, Olhao, Portugal
⁶ Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra, Facultad de Ciencias, 18002 Granada, Spain
⁷ Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7420, 455 Overlook Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20081, USA

A new morphosedimentary map of the Gulf of Cadiz is presented, showing the contourite depositional system on the gulf's middle slope. This map is constructed from a broad database provided by the Spanish Research Council and the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. Our map shows that this contourite depositional system comprises five morphosedimentary sectors: (1) proximal scour and sand ribbons; (2) overflow sedimentary lobe; (3) channels and ridges; (4) contourite deposition; and (5) submarine canyons. The Gulf of Cadiz contourite depositional system stems directly from the interaction between Mediterranean Outflow Water and the seafloor; its morphosedimentary sectors are clearly related to the systematic deceleration of the Mediterranean Outflow Water's westward branches, bathymetric stress on the margin, and the Coriolis force. The slope's depositional system can be considered as a mixed contourite and turbidite system, i.e., a detached combined drift and fan.

Key Words: contourite depositional system • middle slope • drifts • channels • diapirs • Gulf of Cadiz

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