CHARACTERISTICS AND CONTROLLING FACTORS OF DEEPWATER DEPOSITS ON THE CONTINENTAL SLOPE OF THE ROVUMA BASIN, EAST AFRICA

The characteristics of deepwater deposits on the continental slope of the Rovuma basin (CSRB), East Africa, where gravitational Mocimba thrust belt and Kerimbas graben were developed, are still unclear. In this paper, on the base of newly acquired high resolution 3D seismic data, we demonstrate the characteristics of Quaternary deepwater deposits on the CSRB, and discuss their formation controlling factors. The analysis results indicated that five types of deepwater deposits were developed in the study area:Canyoncanyon-channel fill deposits, faulted lobe, sediment wave, submarine landslide and contourite. The Canyon-channel fill deposits, sediment wave and contourite were formed in the western uplift erosional area due to formation of Mocimba thrust belt, while faulted lobe and submarine landslide were formed in the eastern depositional area dominated by Kerimbas graben. The deepwater deposits were mainly controlled by tectonic deformation and seabed slope and the deepwater depositional model of the CSRB was proposed.