{"title":"Seismo-stratigraphic and morpho-bathymetric analysis revealing recent fluid-rising phenomena on the Adventure Plateau (northwestern Sicily Channel)","authors":"Mariagiada Maiorana, Daniele Spatola, Simona Todaro, Francesco Caldareri, Fabrizio Parente, Alessandro Severini, Attilio Sulli","doi":"10.1007/s11001-024-09549-0","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p>The northwestern region of the Sicily Channel hosts a great number of morphological highs, the widest of which is the Adventure Plateau that is part of the Sicilian Maghrebian Fold and Thrust Belt system, formed since the Neogene. The Adventure Plateau was shaped in the Early Pliocene by an extensional phase that produced high-angle normal faults mostly WNW-ESE to N-S oriented. Through these faults, magmatic fluids ascended and produced widespread volcanic manifestations often associated to fluid flow processes. The interpretation of multibeam echosounder, seismic reflection (sparker, airgun) and well-log data allow us to identify several features related to the presence of fluids in the study area. The morpho-structural analysis showed a NW–SE oriented fault system and a string of pockmarks that follow the same trend. A detailed well-log analysis confirmed the presence of oil traces, at a depth of ~ 250 m, and gas (i.e., CO<sub>2</sub>) at a depth of ~ 450 m. The seismo-stratigraphic analysis highlighted seismic signals located below the pockmarks, (e.g. seismic chimneys, bright spots) which suggest the presence of fluids that would rise to a few meters’ depth. Based on the observations, two sources and two corresponding rising mechanisms have been identified. Morphometric analysis of pockmarks has been performed to delineate their possible interaction with the bottom currents. A fluids pathway model has been reconstructed, revealing the source of fluids emissions at depth in the Adventure Plateau, and providing new insights into the identification of fluid leakage pathways.</p>","PeriodicalId":49882,"journal":{"name":"Marine Geophysical Research","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Marine Geophysical Research","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-024-09549-0","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"GEOCHEMISTRY & GEOPHYSICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The northwestern region of the Sicily Channel hosts a great number of morphological highs, the widest of which is the Adventure Plateau that is part of the Sicilian Maghrebian Fold and Thrust Belt system, formed since the Neogene. The Adventure Plateau was shaped in the Early Pliocene by an extensional phase that produced high-angle normal faults mostly WNW-ESE to N-S oriented. Through these faults, magmatic fluids ascended and produced widespread volcanic manifestations often associated to fluid flow processes. The interpretation of multibeam echosounder, seismic reflection (sparker, airgun) and well-log data allow us to identify several features related to the presence of fluids in the study area. The morpho-structural analysis showed a NW–SE oriented fault system and a string of pockmarks that follow the same trend. A detailed well-log analysis confirmed the presence of oil traces, at a depth of ~ 250 m, and gas (i.e., CO2) at a depth of ~ 450 m. The seismo-stratigraphic analysis highlighted seismic signals located below the pockmarks, (e.g. seismic chimneys, bright spots) which suggest the presence of fluids that would rise to a few meters’ depth. Based on the observations, two sources and two corresponding rising mechanisms have been identified. Morphometric analysis of pockmarks has been performed to delineate their possible interaction with the bottom currents. A fluids pathway model has been reconstructed, revealing the source of fluids emissions at depth in the Adventure Plateau, and providing new insights into the identification of fluid leakage pathways.
期刊介绍:
Well-established international journal presenting marine geophysical experiments on the geology of continental margins, deep ocean basins and the global mid-ocean ridge system. The journal publishes the state-of-the-art in marine geophysical research including innovative geophysical data analysis, new deep sea floor imaging techniques and tools for measuring rock and sediment properties.
Marine Geophysical Research reaches a large and growing community of readers worldwide. Rooted on early international interests in researching the global mid-ocean ridge system, its focus has expanded to include studies of continental margin tectonics, sediment deposition processes and resulting geohazards as well as their structure and stratigraphic record. The editors of MGR predict a rising rate of advances and development in this sphere in coming years, reflecting the diversity and complexity of marine geological processes.