The Block composite submarine landslide, southern New England slope, U.S.A.: A morphological analysis

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Abstract

Recent multibeam surveys along the continental slope and rise off southeast New England has enabled a detailed morphological analysis of the Block composite landslide. This landslide consists of at least three large debris lobes resting on a gradient less than 0.5 °. The slide took place on gradients of between 1 ° and 5 ° in Quaternary sediments likely deposited at the time of low sea level and high sedimentation rates associated with glaciations. The slide debris lobes are very close to each other and cover an area of about 1.125 km2 of the sea floor. With an average thickness of 50 m, the total volume of the deposit is estimated at 36 km3. In some cases, the departure zone appears to be near the crest of the continental slope, at a water depth between 500 and 2,000 m with debris spreading over about 20 km at a depth ranging from 2,500 to 2,600 m. From preliminary analysis, at least one lobe of the Block Composite slide (lobe 2) would require further study to evaluate its tsunamigenic potential.

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Publication type Book chapter
Publication Subtype Book Chapter
Title The Block composite submarine landslide, southern New England slope, U.S.A.: A morphological analysis
DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-3071-9_22
Volume 28
Year Published 2010
Language English
Publisher Springer
Publisher location Netherlands
Contributing office(s) Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center
Description 11 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Monograph
Larger Work Title Submarine mass movements and their consequences
First page 267
Last page 277
Other Geospatial Southern New England continental margin
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