Topographic registers of paleo-valleys on the southeastern Brazilian continental shelf

Conti, Luis Américo; Furtado, Valdenir Veronese

Abstracts

The evolution of paleo-incised-valleys in the São Paulo State region of the southeastern Brazilian continental shelf is presented in this study in relation to the post Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) sea-level rises based on the submarine topography modeled by a detailed Digital Elevation Model and evidences noted in high resolution seismic profiles. The hypothesis that has guided this study is that the set of paleo-valley characteristics (i.e. the fluvial parameters of modern coastal drainage systems, the topographical shape and dimensions of the valleys and of the subsurface channels) may indicate aspects of the relation between the influence of the fluvial and the eustatic variation regime in geomorphological-stratigraphic registers. Models described in the literature sustain the view that faster marine transgressions tend to increase erosion in estuaries, which may explain the lack of registers of paleo-drainage both in topography and the sub-surface in areas with wider shelves. On the other hand, on narrower shelves, with a higher slope angle, the transgression process can preserve, or even enhance, the incised valley registers during shoreface retreat. In the area studied, we observed that the dimensions and form of the continental shelf varies from the northern to the southern part of the area, affecting aspects of the geomorphological registers of the submerged incised valleys.

Continental shelf; Incised valleys; Bathymetry; Digital terrain model

Este trabalho apresenta aspectos da relação entre a evolução da paleo-drenagem e evolução do nível do mar pós Último Máximo Glacial (UMG) para a região da plataforma continental do Estado de São Paulo. Para tal, foram analisados modelos topográficos de detalhe da região de Plataforma Continental a partir de Modelos Digitais de Terreno além de dados de subsuperfície obtidos a partir de linhas sísmicas de alta resolução. A hipótese que guiou este trabalho é de que o conjunto de características relativas aos paleo-vales (i.e. sua relação com a rede de drenagem atual, tamanho e forma dos vales em topografia de fundo além das características das feições de incisão dos canais em subsuperfície) podem caracterizar a relação entre a processos fluviais e eustáticos na formação desses registros geomorfológicos e estratigráficos. Modelos descritos na literatura sugerem que rápidas transgressões marinhas tendem a amplificar o efeito erosivo da passagem da linha de costa e afogamento dos canais estuarinos o que poderia explicar a falta de registros de paleodrenagem em plataformas continentais planas e largas; por outro lado, em plataformas mais estreitas e mais declivosas os processos regressivos podem preservar (ou até realçar) tais feições. Na área de estudo, foi possível observar que diferentes características de forma e dimensões da plataforma continental ao norte e sul da área estudada condicionaram o estabelecimento e preservação dos registros de paleodrenagem.

Plataforma continental; Paleo-vales; Batimetria; Modelo digital de terreno

ABREU, J. G. N.; CALLIARI, L. J. Paleocanais na plataforma continental interna do Rio Grande do Sul: evidências de uma drenagem fluvial pretérita. Revta Brasil. Geof., v. 23, p. 123-132, 2005.
ASHLEY, G. M.; SHERIDAN, R. E. Depositional model for valley fills on a passive continental margin. In: DALRYMPLE, R. W.; BOYD, R.; ZAITLIN, B. A. (Ed.). Incised-valley systems: origin and sedimentary sequences. Spec. Publs Soc. econ. Paleont. Miner.,Tulsa, v. 51, p 285-302, 1994.
BLUM, M. D.; THORNQVIST, T. Fluvial responses to climate and sea level changes. a review and look foward. Sedimentology, v. 47 (supl. 1), p. 2-48, 2000.
COLLINA-GIRARD, J. Observation en plongee de replats d'erosion eustatique a l'ile d'Elbe (Italie) et a Marie-Galante (Antilles): une sequence bathymetrique mondiale. C.r. Acad. Sci, . Paris, v. 328, p. 823–829, 1999
CONTI, L. A.; FURTADO, V. V. Geomorfologia da Plataforma Continental do estado de São Paulo. Revta Brasil. Geociên., v. 32, p. 12-31, 2006.
CORREA, I. C. S. Les variations du niveau de la mer durant les derniers 17.500 ans BP: l'exemple de la plate-forme continentale de Rio Grande do Sul — Brésil, Mar. Geol., v. 130 , p. 163–178, 1996.
DALRYMPLE, R. W.; BOYD, R.; ZAITLIN, B. A. History of research, types and internal organization of incised-valley systems: introduction to the volume. In: DALRYMPLE, R. W.; BOYD, R.; ZAITLIN, B.A. (Ed.). Incised-valley systems: Origin and sedimentary sequences. Spec. Publs Soc. econ. Paleont. Miner.,Tulsa, n. 51, p. 3-10, 1994.
DOMINGUEZ, J. M. L. The Coastal zone of Brazil. In: DILLENBURG, S. R.; HESP, P. A. (Ed. ). Geology and geomorphology of Holocene coastal barriers of Brazil Berlin / Heidelberg: Springer Verlag, 2009.
FINKL, C. W.; BENEDET, L.; ANDREWS, J. L. Interpolation of seabed geomorphology based on spatial analysis of high-density airborne laser bathymetry. J. coast. Res , v. 21, n. 9, p. 501-514, 2005.
FURTADO, V. V., BONETTI FILHO, J.; CONTI, L. A. Paleo river valley morphology and sea level changes on the southeastern Brazilian Continental Shelf. An. Acad. Bras. Ciênc.,v. 68 (supl. 1), p. 163-169, 1996.
GUTIERREZ, B. T.; UCHUPI, E.; DRISCOLL, N. W.; AUBREY, D. G. Relative sea-level rise and the development of valley-fill and shallow-water sequences in Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts. Mar. Geol, v. 193, p.295 -314, 2003
HARRIS, P. T.; O'BRIEN, P. E. Geomorphology and sedimentology of the continental shef adjacent to MacRobertson Land, East Antarctica: A scalped shelf. Geo-Marine Lettss, v. 16, p .287-296, 1996.
HORI, K.; SAITO, Y.; ZHAO, Q; WANG, P. Control of incised-valley fill stacking patterns by accelerated and decelerated sea-level: the Changjiang example during the last deglaciation. Geo-Marine Letts, v . 22, p. 127-132, 2002.
KOSS, J. E.; ETHRIDGE, F.; SCHUMM, S. A. An experimental study of the effects of base-level change on fluvial, coastal plain and shelf systems: J. sedim. Res , v. 64, p. 90-98, 1994.
LACROIX, M. P.; MARTZ, L. W.; KITE, G. W.; GARBRECHT, J. 2002. Using digital terrain analysis modeling techniques for the parameterization of a hydrologic model, Environ. Model. Software, 17, p. 127–136.
LERICOLAIS, G.; BERNÉ, S.; FÉNIES, H. Seaward pinching out and internal stratigraphy of the Gironde incised valley on the shelf (Bay of Biscay). Mar. Geol, v. 175, n. 1-4, p. 183-197, 2001.
LERICOLAIS, G. ; AUFFRET, J. P. ; BOURILLET, J. F. The Quaternary Channel River : seismic stratigraphy of its palleo-valleys and deeps. J. Quat. Sci, v. 18, p. 245-260, 2003.
MAHIQUES, M. M.; SILVEIRA, I. C. A.; SOUSA, S. H. M.; RODRIGUES, M. Post-LGM sedimentation on the outer shelf–upper slope of the northernmost part of the São Paulo Bight, southeastern Brazil. Mar. Geol , v. 181, n. 4, p. 387-400, 2002.
MAHIQUES, M. M.; TESSLER, M. G.; CIOTTI, A. M.; SILVEIRA, I.C.A.; SOUSA, S.H.M.; FIGUEIRA, R.C.L.; TASSINARI, C.C.G.; FURTADO, V.V. and PASSOS, R.F.. Hydrodynamically-driven patterns of recent sedimentation in the shelf and upper slope off southeast Brazil. Continent Shelf Res 24: 1685-1697, 2004.
MAHIQUES, M. M.; BÍCEGO, M. C.; SILVEIRA, I. C. A.; SOUSA, S. H. M; LOURENÇO, R. A. and FUKUMOTO, M.M.. Modern sedimentation in the Cabo Frio upwelling system, Southeastern Brazilian shelf. An Acad Bras Cienc 77: 535-548. 2005
MARTZ, L. W. ; GARBRECHT, J. An outlet breaching algorithm algorithm for the treatment of closed depressions in a raster DEM. Computers, Geoscienses, v. 25, p. 835-844, 1999.
MEIJER, X. D. Modelling the drainage evolution of a river-shelf system forced by Quaternary glacio-eustasy. Basin Res., v. 14, n. 3, p. 361-377, 2002.
MILLIMAN, J. D. Morphology and structure of the upper continental margin of Southern Brazil, Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists 62, pp. 1029–1048. 1978
NORDFJORD, S.; GOFF, J. A.; AUSTIN, JR., J. A.; SOMMERFIELD, C. K. Seismic geomorphology of buried channel systems on the New Jersey outer shelf: Assessing past environmental conditions. Mar. Geol., v. 214, p. 339-364, 2005.
O'CALLAGHAN, J. F.; MARK, D. M. The extraction of drainage networks from digital elevation data. Comput. Vis., Graph., Image process,v. 28, p. 323–344, 1984.
PLANCHON, O.; DARBOUX, F. A fast, simple and versatile algorithm to fill the depressions of digital elevation models. Catena, v. 46, p. 159–176, 2001.
REYNAUD, J.; TESSIER, B.; PROUST, J. N., DALRYMPLE, R., BOURILLET, J. F.; DEBATIST, M.; LERICOLAIS, G.; BERNÉ, S.; MARSSET, T. Architecture and sequence stratigraphy of a Late Neocene incised valley at the shelf margin, Southern Celtic Sea. J. sedim. Res, v. 69, n. 2, p. 351-364, 1999.
RIEGER, W. A phenomenon-based approach to upslope contributing area and depressions in DEMs. Hydrolog. Processes , v. 12, p 857-872, 1998.
SCHIMANSKI, A.; STATTEGGER, K. Deglacial and Holocene evolution of the Vietnam shelf: stratigraphy, sediments and sea-level change. Mar. Geol,v. 214, p. 365– 387, 2005.
STRAHLER, A. N. Quantitative geomorphology of drainage basins and channel networks. In: VEN TE CHOW (Ed.) Handbook of applied hydrology. New York: McGraw- Hill, 1964.
STRAUB, K. M.; JEROLMACK, D. J.; MOHRIG, D.; ROTHMAN, D. H. 2007. Channel network scaling laws in submarine basins. Geophys. Res. Lett., v. 34,2007. L12613, doi:10.1029/2007GL030089.
SUGUIO, K.; MARTIN, L. Quaternary marine formations of the states of São Paulo and southern Rio de Janeiro. In: INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON COASTAL EVOLUTION IN THE QUATERNARY, 1978, São Paulo.
Spec. Publ. , n. 1, p 1-55, 1978.
TESSON, M.; LABAUNE, C.; GENSOUS, B. Small rivers contribution to the Quaternary evolution of a Mediterranean littoral system: The western gulf of Lyon, France. Mar. Geol,v. 222– 223, p. 313–334, 2005.
THORNE, J., 1994. Constraints on riverine valley incision and the response of sea-level change based on fluid mechanics. In: DALRYMPLE, R.W.; BOYD, R.; ZAITLIN, B.A. (Ed.). Incised-valley systems: Origin and sedimentary sequences: Spec.
Publs Soc. econ. Paleont. Miner., Tulsa, n. 51, p. 29–44, 1944.
WEBER, N. ; CHAUMILLON, E.; TESSON, M. ; GARLAN, T. Architecture and morphology of the outer segment of a mixed tide and wave-dominated-incised valley, revealed by HR seismic reflection profiling: the paleo-Charente River, France. Mar. Geol, v. 207, p. 17–38, 2004.
ZAITLIN, B. A.; DALRYMPLE, R. W.; BOYD, R. The stratigraphic organization of incised-valley systems associated with relative sea-level change. In: DALRYMPLE, R.W.; BOYD, R. B.A. ZAITLIN, B. A. (Ed.). Incised-valley systems: Origin and sedimentary sequences.
Spec. Publs Soc. econ. Paleont. Miner., Tulsa,n. 51, p. 45–62, 1994.
ZALÁN, P. V.; OLIVEIRA, J. A. B. Origem e evolução estrutural do Sistema de Riftes Cenozóicos do Sudeste do Brasil. Bolm Geociênc. Petrobras, v. 13, n. 2, p. 269-300, 2005.
ZEMBRUSCKI, S. G. Geomorfologia da Margem Continental Sul Brasileira e das Bacias Oceânicas Adjacentes. In: CHAVES, H. A. F. (Ed.). Geomorfologia da margem continental Brasileira e das áreas oceânicas adjacentes Rio de Janeiro: REMAC, 1979. p. 129-174. REMAC Project n. 7.

Publication Dates

Publication in this collection
06 July 2009
Date of issue
June 2009

History

Reviewed
29 Sept 2008
Received
26 June 2008
Accepted
15 Dec 2008

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

[1] ABREU, J. G. N.; CALLIARI, L. J. Paleocanais na plataforma continental interna do Rio Grande do Sul: evidências de uma drenagem fluvial pretérita. Revta Brasil. Geof., v. 23, p. 123-132, 2005.

[2] ASHLEY, G. M.; SHERIDAN, R. E. Depositional model for valley fills on a passive continental margin. In: DALRYMPLE, R. W.; BOYD, R.; ZAITLIN, B. A. (Ed.). Incised-valley systems: origin and sedimentary sequences. Spec. Publs Soc. econ. Paleont. Miner.,Tulsa, v. 51, p 285-302, 1994.

[3] BLUM, M. D.; THORNQVIST, T. Fluvial responses to climate and sea level changes. a review and look foward. Sedimentology, v. 47 (supl. 1), p. 2-48, 2000.

[4] COLLINA-GIRARD, J. Observation en plongee de replats d'erosion eustatique a l'ile d'Elbe (Italie) et a Marie-Galante (Antilles): une sequence bathymetrique mondiale. C.r. Acad. Sci, . Paris, v. 328, p. 823–829, 1999

[5] CONTI, L. A.; FURTADO, V. V. Geomorfologia da Plataforma Continental do estado de São Paulo. Revta Brasil. Geociên., v. 32, p. 12-31, 2006.

[6] CORREA, I. C. S. Les variations du niveau de la mer durant les derniers 17.500 ans BP: l'exemple de la plate-forme continentale de Rio Grande do Sul — Brésil, Mar. Geol., v. 130 , p. 163–178, 1996.

[7] DALRYMPLE, R. W.; BOYD, R.; ZAITLIN, B. A. History of research, types and internal organization of incised-valley systems: introduction to the volume. In: DALRYMPLE, R. W.; BOYD, R.; ZAITLIN, B.A. (Ed.). Incised-valley systems: Origin and sedimentary sequences. Spec. Publs Soc. econ. Paleont. Miner.,Tulsa, n. 51, p. 3-10, 1994.

[8] DOMINGUEZ, J. M. L. The Coastal zone of Brazil. In: DILLENBURG, S. R.; HESP, P. A. (Ed. ). Geology and geomorphology of Holocene coastal barriers of Brazil Berlin / Heidelberg: Springer Verlag, 2009.

[9] FINKL, C. W.; BENEDET, L.; ANDREWS, J. L. Interpolation of seabed geomorphology based on spatial analysis of high-density airborne laser bathymetry. J. coast. Res , v. 21, n. 9, p. 501-514, 2005.

[10] FURTADO, V. V., BONETTI FILHO, J.; CONTI, L. A. Paleo river valley morphology and sea level changes on the southeastern Brazilian Continental Shelf. An. Acad. Bras. Ciênc.,v. 68 (supl. 1), p. 163-169, 1996.

[11] GUTIERREZ, B. T.; UCHUPI, E.; DRISCOLL, N. W.; AUBREY, D. G. Relative sea-level rise and the development of valley-fill and shallow-water sequences in Nantucket Sound, Massachusetts. Mar. Geol, v. 193, p.295 -314, 2003

[12] HARRIS, P. T.; O'BRIEN, P. E. Geomorphology and sedimentology of the continental shef adjacent to MacRobertson Land, East Antarctica: A scalped shelf. Geo-Marine Lettss, v. 16, p .287-296, 1996.

[13] HORI, K.; SAITO, Y.; ZHAO, Q; WANG, P. Control of incised-valley fill stacking patterns by accelerated and decelerated sea-level: the Changjiang example during the last deglaciation. Geo-Marine Letts, v . 22, p. 127-132, 2002.

[14] KOSS, J. E.; ETHRIDGE, F.; SCHUMM, S. A. An experimental study of the effects of base-level change on fluvial, coastal plain and shelf systems: J. sedim. Res , v. 64, p. 90-98, 1994.

[15] LACROIX, M. P.; MARTZ, L. W.; KITE, G. W.; GARBRECHT, J. 2002. Using digital terrain analysis modeling techniques for the parameterization of a hydrologic model, Environ. Model. Software, 17, p. 127–136.

[16] LERICOLAIS, G.; BERNÉ, S.; FÉNIES, H. Seaward pinching out and internal stratigraphy of the Gironde incised valley on the shelf (Bay of Biscay). Mar. Geol, v. 175, n. 1-4, p. 183-197, 2001.

[17] LERICOLAIS, G. ; AUFFRET, J. P. ; BOURILLET, J. F. The Quaternary Channel River : seismic stratigraphy of its palleo-valleys and deeps. J. Quat. Sci, v. 18, p. 245-260, 2003.

[18] MAHIQUES, M. M.; SILVEIRA, I. C. A.; SOUSA, S. H. M.; RODRIGUES, M. Post-LGM sedimentation on the outer shelf–upper slope of the northernmost part of the São Paulo Bight, southeastern Brazil. Mar. Geol , v. 181, n. 4, p. 387-400, 2002.

[19] MAHIQUES, M. M.; TESSLER, M. G.; CIOTTI, A. M.; SILVEIRA, I.C.A.; SOUSA, S.H.M.; FIGUEIRA, R.C.L.; TASSINARI, C.C.G.; FURTADO, V.V. and PASSOS, R.F.. Hydrodynamically-driven patterns of recent sedimentation in the shelf and upper slope off southeast Brazil. Continent Shelf Res 24: 1685-1697, 2004.

[20] MAHIQUES, M. M.; BÍCEGO, M. C.; SILVEIRA, I. C. A.; SOUSA, S. H. M; LOURENÇO, R. A. and FUKUMOTO, M.M.. Modern sedimentation in the Cabo Frio upwelling system, Southeastern Brazilian shelf. An Acad Bras Cienc 77: 535-548. 2005

[21] MARTZ, L. W. ; GARBRECHT, J. An outlet breaching algorithm algorithm for the treatment of closed depressions in a raster DEM. Computers, Geoscienses, v. 25, p. 835-844, 1999.

[22] MEIJER, X. D. Modelling the drainage evolution of a river-shelf system forced by Quaternary glacio-eustasy. Basin Res., v. 14, n. 3, p. 361-377, 2002.

[23] MILLIMAN, J. D. Morphology and structure of the upper continental margin of Southern Brazil, Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists 62, pp. 1029–1048. 1978

[24] NORDFJORD, S.; GOFF, J. A.; AUSTIN, JR., J. A.; SOMMERFIELD, C. K. Seismic geomorphology of buried channel systems on the New Jersey outer shelf: Assessing past environmental conditions. Mar. Geol., v. 214, p. 339-364, 2005.

[25] O'CALLAGHAN, J. F.; MARK, D. M. The extraction of drainage networks from digital elevation data. Comput. Vis., Graph., Image process,v. 28, p. 323–344, 1984.

[26] PLANCHON, O.; DARBOUX, F. A fast, simple and versatile algorithm to fill the depressions of digital elevation models. Catena, v. 46, p. 159–176, 2001.

[27] REYNAUD, J.; TESSIER, B.; PROUST, J. N., DALRYMPLE, R., BOURILLET, J. F.; DEBATIST, M.; LERICOLAIS, G.; BERNÉ, S.; MARSSET, T. Architecture and sequence stratigraphy of a Late Neocene incised valley at the shelf margin, Southern Celtic Sea. J. sedim. Res, v. 69, n. 2, p. 351-364, 1999.

[28] RIEGER, W. A phenomenon-based approach to upslope contributing area and depressions in DEMs. Hydrolog. Processes , v. 12, p 857-872, 1998.

[29] SCHIMANSKI, A.; STATTEGGER, K. Deglacial and Holocene evolution of the Vietnam shelf: stratigraphy, sediments and sea-level change. Mar. Geol,v. 214, p. 365– 387, 2005.

[30] STRAHLER, A. N. Quantitative geomorphology of drainage basins and channel networks. In: VEN TE CHOW (Ed.) Handbook of applied hydrology. New York: McGraw- Hill, 1964.

[31] STRAUB, K. M.; JEROLMACK, D. J.; MOHRIG, D.; ROTHMAN, D. H. 2007. Channel network scaling laws in submarine basins. Geophys. Res. Lett., v. 34,2007. L12613, doi:10.1029/2007GL030089.

[32] SUGUIO, K.; MARTIN, L. Quaternary marine formations of the states of São Paulo and southern Rio de Janeiro. In: INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON COASTAL EVOLUTION IN THE QUATERNARY, 1978, São Paulo.

[33] Spec. Publ. , n. 1, p 1-55, 1978.

[34] TESSON, M.; LABAUNE, C.; GENSOUS, B. Small rivers contribution to the Quaternary evolution of a Mediterranean littoral system: The western gulf of Lyon, France. Mar. Geol,v. 222– 223, p. 313–334, 2005.

[35] THORNE, J., 1994. Constraints on riverine valley incision and the response of sea-level change based on fluid mechanics. In: DALRYMPLE, R.W.; BOYD, R.; ZAITLIN, B.A. (Ed.). Incised-valley systems: Origin and sedimentary sequences: Spec.

[36] Publs Soc. econ. Paleont. Miner., Tulsa, n. 51, p. 29–44, 1944.

[37] WEBER, N. ; CHAUMILLON, E.; TESSON, M. ; GARLAN, T. Architecture and morphology of the outer segment of a mixed tide and wave-dominated-incised valley, revealed by HR seismic reflection profiling: the paleo-Charente River, France. Mar. Geol, v. 207, p. 17–38, 2004.

[38] ZAITLIN, B. A.; DALRYMPLE, R. W.; BOYD, R. The stratigraphic organization of incised-valley systems associated with relative sea-level change. In: DALRYMPLE, R.W.; BOYD, R. B.A. ZAITLIN, B. A. (Ed.). Incised-valley systems: Origin and sedimentary sequences.

[39] Spec. Publs Soc. econ. Paleont. Miner., Tulsa,n. 51, p. 45–62, 1994.

[40] ZALÁN, P. V.; OLIVEIRA, J. A. B. Origem e evolução estrutural do Sistema de Riftes Cenozóicos do Sudeste do Brasil. Bolm Geociênc. Petrobras, v. 13, n. 2, p. 269-300, 2005.

[41] ZEMBRUSCKI, S. G. Geomorfologia da Margem Continental Sul Brasileira e das Bacias Oceânicas Adjacentes. In: CHAVES, H. A. F. (Ed.). Geomorfologia da margem continental Brasileira e das áreas oceânicas adjacentes Rio de Janeiro: REMAC, 1979. p. 129-174. REMAC Project n. 7.

Brasil

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Topographic registers of paleo-valleys on the southeastern Brazilian continental shelf

Abstracts

Publication Dates

History