CANYON MORPHOLOGY AND SEDIMENTS ON NORTHERN SLOPE OF THE BAIYUN SAG

Detail interpretation of morphology and stratigraphic structure was made in this paper for the bottom deposits in the Baiyun Sag, based on the multi-beam bathymetric data and multi-channel seismic profiles. We recognized 14 submarine canyons of 12~39.2 km long and 1.1~3.4 km wide distributed in NNW-SSE or nearly N-S directions in the water depth of 500~1 700 m. The maximum incision is up to 234m in depth. The eastern wall of the canyons is usually steeper than the western and the deepest part of the canyon is close to the eastern wall. There is none or only a small amount of sediments occurred in the upper segments of the canyons and the surface of sediments, if any, tilted slightly eastward. However, the lower segments of canyons usually occur upon turbidite fans with parallel or sub-parallel reflection. Faults and slumping structures are densely developed in some places. Convex structures are commonly observed on canyon ridges and the internal structure of the deposits indicates a climbing up trend along slope.