Carbonate platform drowning caught in the act: The sedimentology of Saya de Malha Bank (Indian Ocean)

Christian Betzler; Sebastian Lindhorst; John J.G. Reijmer; Juan Carlos Braga; Thomas Lüdmann; Or M. Bialik; Jesus Reolid; Anna Lena Geßner; Dagmar Hainbucher; Dass Bissessur

doi:10.1111/sed.13032

Carbonate platform drowning caught in the act: The sedimentology of Saya de Malha Bank (Indian Ocean)

Christian Betzler^*, Sebastian Lindhorst, John J.G. Reijmer, Juan Carlos Braga, Thomas Lüdmann, Or M. Bialik, Jesus Reolid, Anna Lena Geßner, Dagmar Hainbucher, Dass Bissessur

^*Corresponding author for this work

Earth Sciences

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Mesophotic reefs, hardgrounds and current-controlled pelagic to hemipelagic carbonates are facies marking carbonate platform drowning successions, irrespective of the factors controlling this evolution. A modern analogue of a carbonate platform in a state of drowning, where these facies occur has not been properly reported on to date. In the present study, the sedimentary environments of the Saya de Malha Bank are characterized using a multi-disciplinary approach including sedimentology, hydroacoustics, seismics and oceanography. The Saya de Malha Bank edifice with a surface of 40 808 km² is located in the tropical Indian Ocean and lies in a water depth of 8 to 300 m extending from the surrounding more than 2000 m deep ocean floor, with no reef reaching the sea surface. Mesophotic coral and red algal facies co-exist with hemipelagic and bioclastic sands, together with a hardground. Ocean currents and internal waves are identified as major sedimentological controlling factors in the absence of elevated nutrient influx. Many features distributed along the present-day Saya de Malha Bank were described from studies presenting fossil examples of carbonate platform drowning. The results herein can therefore be applied to other drowning examples, in some cases allowing for more accurate interpretation of the stratigraphic record.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	78-99
Number of pages	22
Journal	Sedimentology
Volume	70
Issue number	1
Early online date	13 Aug 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.13032
Publication status	Published - Jan 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung funded the cruise SO270 and post-cruise work through Grant 03G0270A to CB. José Da Silva and Andrian New provided the georeferenced SAR data shown in Fig. 2. Ilona Schutter is thanked for her work within the project MASCARA, Oliver Eisermann helped with the acquisition and processing of the OFOS images. The Joint Commission of the Extended Continental Shelf Mascarene Plateau Region is thanked for allowing work in the JMA and the Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration & Exploration (Mauritius) allowed work in the Republic of Mauritius EEZ. HALLIBURTON-LANDMARK, SCHLUMBERGER and CEGAL Geosciences provided university grants for the seismic processing software PROMAX and seismic interpretation software PETREL as well as its BLUEBACK plugin. The constructive reviews of Stephan Jorry and an anonymous reviewer, and the helpful comments of AE Jody Webster which gave us the chance to sharpen the manuscript are greatly appreciated. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.

Funding Information:
The Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung funded the cruise SO270 and post‐cruise work through Grant 03G0270A to CB. José Da Silva and Andrian New provided the georeferenced SAR data shown in Fig. 2 . Ilona Schutter is thanked for her work within the project MASCARA, Oliver Eisermann helped with the acquisition and processing of the OFOS images. The Joint Commission of the Extended Continental Shelf Mascarene Plateau Region is thanked for allowing work in the JMA and the Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration & Exploration (Mauritius) allowed work in the Republic of Mauritius EEZ. HALLIBURTON‐LANDMARK, SCHLUMBERGER and CEGAL Geosciences provided university grants for the seismic processing software PROMAX and seismic interpretation software PETREL as well as its BLUEBACK plugin. The constructive reviews of Stephan Jorry and an anonymous reviewer, and the helpful comments of AE Jody Webster which gave us the chance to sharpen the manuscript are greatly appreciated. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. Sedimentology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Association of Sedimentologists.

Funding

The Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung funded the cruise SO270 and post-cruise work through Grant 03G0270A to CB. José Da Silva and Andrian New provided the georeferenced SAR data shown in Fig. 2. Ilona Schutter is thanked for her work within the project MASCARA, Oliver Eisermann helped with the acquisition and processing of the OFOS images. The Joint Commission of the Extended Continental Shelf Mascarene Plateau Region is thanked for allowing work in the JMA and the Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration & Exploration (Mauritius) allowed work in the Republic of Mauritius EEZ. HALLIBURTON-LANDMARK, SCHLUMBERGER and CEGAL Geosciences provided university grants for the seismic processing software PROMAX and seismic interpretation software PETREL as well as its BLUEBACK plugin. The constructive reviews of Stephan Jorry and an anonymous reviewer, and the helpful comments of AE Jody Webster which gave us the chance to sharpen the manuscript are greatly appreciated. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. The Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung funded the cruise SO270 and post‐cruise work through Grant 03G0270A to CB. José Da Silva and Andrian New provided the georeferenced SAR data shown in Fig. 2 . Ilona Schutter is thanked for her work within the project MASCARA, Oliver Eisermann helped with the acquisition and processing of the OFOS images. The Joint Commission of the Extended Continental Shelf Mascarene Plateau Region is thanked for allowing work in the JMA and the Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration & Exploration (Mauritius) allowed work in the Republic of Mauritius EEZ. HALLIBURTON‐LANDMARK, SCHLUMBERGER and CEGAL Geosciences provided university grants for the seismic processing software PROMAX and seismic interpretation software PETREL as well as its BLUEBACK plugin. The constructive reviews of Stephan Jorry and an anonymous reviewer, and the helpful comments of AE Jody Webster which gave us the chance to sharpen the manuscript are greatly appreciated. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.

Funders	Funder number
AE Jody Webster
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung	03G0270A
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung

Keywords

Internal waves, Mascarene Plateau
mesophotic reefs
South Equatorial Current

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1111/sed.13032

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title = "Carbonate platform drowning caught in the act: The sedimentology of Saya de Malha Bank (Indian Ocean)",

abstract = "Mesophotic reefs, hardgrounds and current-controlled pelagic to hemipelagic carbonates are facies marking carbonate platform drowning successions, irrespective of the factors controlling this evolution. A modern analogue of a carbonate platform in a state of drowning, where these facies occur has not been properly reported on to date. In the present study, the sedimentary environments of the Saya de Malha Bank are characterized using a multi-disciplinary approach including sedimentology, hydroacoustics, seismics and oceanography. The Saya de Malha Bank edifice with a surface of 40 808 km2 is located in the tropical Indian Ocean and lies in a water depth of 8 to 300 m extending from the surrounding more than 2000 m deep ocean floor, with no reef reaching the sea surface. Mesophotic coral and red algal facies co-exist with hemipelagic and bioclastic sands, together with a hardground. Ocean currents and internal waves are identified as major sedimentological controlling factors in the absence of elevated nutrient influx. Many features distributed along the present-day Saya de Malha Bank were described from studies presenting fossil examples of carbonate platform drowning. The results herein can therefore be applied to other drowning examples, in some cases allowing for more accurate interpretation of the stratigraphic record.",

keywords = "Internal waves, Mascarene Plateau, mesophotic reefs, South Equatorial Current",

author = "Christian Betzler and Sebastian Lindhorst and Reijmer, \{John J.G.\} and Braga, \{Juan Carlos\} and Thomas L{\"u}dmann and Bialik, \{Or M.\} and Jesus Reolid and Ge{\ss}ner, \{Anna Lena\} and Dagmar Hainbucher and Dass Bissessur",

note = "Funding Information: The Bundesministerium f{\"u}r Bildung und Forschung funded the cruise SO270 and post-cruise work through Grant 03G0270A to CB. Jos{\'e} Da Silva and Andrian New provided the georeferenced SAR data shown in Fig. 2. Ilona Schutter is thanked for her work within the project MASCARA, Oliver Eisermann helped with the acquisition and processing of the OFOS images. The Joint Commission of the Extended Continental Shelf Mascarene Plateau Region is thanked for allowing work in the JMA and the Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration \& Exploration (Mauritius) allowed work in the Republic of Mauritius EEZ. HALLIBURTON-LANDMARK, SCHLUMBERGER and CEGAL Geosciences provided university grants for the seismic processing software PROMAX and seismic interpretation software PETREL as well as its BLUEBACK plugin. The constructive reviews of Stephan Jorry and an anonymous reviewer, and the helpful comments of AE Jody Webster which gave us the chance to sharpen the manuscript are greatly appreciated. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. Funding Information: The Bundesministerium f{\"u}r Bildung und Forschung funded the cruise SO270 and post‐cruise work through Grant 03G0270A to CB. Jos{\'e} Da Silva and Andrian New provided the georeferenced SAR data shown in Fig. 2 . Ilona Schutter is thanked for her work within the project MASCARA, Oliver Eisermann helped with the acquisition and processing of the OFOS images. The Joint Commission of the Extended Continental Shelf Mascarene Plateau Region is thanked for allowing work in the JMA and the Department for Continental Shelf, Maritime Zones Administration \& Exploration (Mauritius) allowed work in the Republic of Mauritius EEZ. HALLIBURTON‐LANDMARK, SCHLUMBERGER and CEGAL Geosciences provided university grants for the seismic processing software PROMAX and seismic interpretation software PETREL as well as its BLUEBACK plugin. The constructive reviews of Stephan Jorry and an anonymous reviewer, and the helpful comments of AE Jody Webster which gave us the chance to sharpen the manuscript are greatly appreciated. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors. Sedimentology published by John Wiley \& Sons Ltd on behalf of International Association of Sedimentologists.",

year = "2023",

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doi = "10.1111/sed.13032",

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AU - Braga, Juan Carlos

AU - Lüdmann, Thomas

AU - Bialik, Or M.

AU - Reolid, Jesus

AU - Geßner, Anna Lena

AU - Hainbucher, Dagmar

AU - Bissessur, Dass

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N2 - Mesophotic reefs, hardgrounds and current-controlled pelagic to hemipelagic carbonates are facies marking carbonate platform drowning successions, irrespective of the factors controlling this evolution. A modern analogue of a carbonate platform in a state of drowning, where these facies occur has not been properly reported on to date. In the present study, the sedimentary environments of the Saya de Malha Bank are characterized using a multi-disciplinary approach including sedimentology, hydroacoustics, seismics and oceanography. The Saya de Malha Bank edifice with a surface of 40 808 km2 is located in the tropical Indian Ocean and lies in a water depth of 8 to 300 m extending from the surrounding more than 2000 m deep ocean floor, with no reef reaching the sea surface. Mesophotic coral and red algal facies co-exist with hemipelagic and bioclastic sands, together with a hardground. Ocean currents and internal waves are identified as major sedimentological controlling factors in the absence of elevated nutrient influx. Many features distributed along the present-day Saya de Malha Bank were described from studies presenting fossil examples of carbonate platform drowning. The results herein can therefore be applied to other drowning examples, in some cases allowing for more accurate interpretation of the stratigraphic record.

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Carbonate platform drowning caught in the act: The sedimentology of Saya de Malha Bank (Indian Ocean)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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