Sedimentary infill in the equatorial Mid-Oceanic Canyon, Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

Facts confirming the hypothesis of contourite sediment infill of the Equatorial Mid-Ocean Canyon (EMOC) are presented. We examined two cores recovered in Cruises 37 and 43 of the R/V Akademik Ioffe (2012, 2013). The cores recovered upper Quaternary miopelagic clays on the EMOC floor (AI-3149) and the adjacent abyssal plain (AI-2620). The study of these cores unraveled significant differences in their composition. In contrast to the lithologically homogeneous Core AI-2620, Core AI-3149 includes interlayers enriched in the biogenic CaCO₃, terrigenous silt, and authigenic ferromanganese micronodules. These peculiarities are attributed to activity of the Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) contour currents along the EMOC.