Nature and Significance of the Recent Carbonate Mound Record

The discovery of recent carbonate mounds and cold-water coral reefs along the European continental margins is a major achievement of the past decade. Different research projects have been developed, fueling vivid debates. The objectives of this study, which rides the wave of recent carbonate mound and cold-water coral research, are twofold: (1) to elucidate for the first time in history the nature and internal structure of a whole carbonate mound body, from base to top, and (2) to discuss the significance of the recent carbonate mound record. Challenger Mound, localized in Porcupine Seabight SW of Ireland, has been drilled during IODP Expedition Leg 307 "Modern Carbonate Mounds: Porcupine Drilling". The obtained mound record is compared with other mound structures in Porcupine Seabight and with a cluster of mounds in the Gulf of Cadiz, along the Moroccan margin. In this way, the authors highlight that recent carbonate mounds form a specific and important category within the wide range of diverse deep-water carbonate systems.

Auteur

Dr. Anneleen Foubert

• MSc degree in geology, option marine geology (greatest distinction) at Ghent University (Belgium, 2002).

• Laureate Award Prof. Valère Billiet and Geologica Belgica Award for best MSc thesis (Belgium, 2002).

• PhD grant FWO-Flanders on cold-water coral reefs and carbonate mounds along the European Continental margins (2003-2007).

• Participation in numerous scientific campaigns from the Norwegian margins to the North-African margins. Major responsibility in the preparation of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Leg 307 "Modern Carbonate Mounds: Porcupine Drilling" aboard the R/V Joides Resolution.

• Active in stimulating educational activities to bring science into classrooms (such as class@poles, class@oceans).

• PhD degree of Doctor in Geology "Nature and Significance of the Carbonate Mound Record" (May, 2007)

• Carbonate sedimentologist at the CSTJF (Technical and Scientific Centre Jean Feger) from TOTAL S.A. in Pau, France (Geoscience Technologies, Dept. of Structural Geology, Sedimentology and Geology Laboratory, Carbonate Sedimentology Group) (2007 - 2008)

• Post-doctoral lecture position at the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences of the K.U. Leuven in Belgium (emphasis on diagenesis and petrophysical characteristics of mound/reef systems and dolomites) (from October 2008 on). Prof. Dr. Jean-Pierre Henriet

• Graduated as Magister in applied geophysics at Aarhus University (Denmark,1970) and as PhD in geology (1974) at Ghent University, Belgium.

• Founder of marine geology and geophysics at Ghent University (1976).

• Professor in marine geology and geophysics, director of the Renard Centre of Marine Geology (RCMG).

• Founder of the Erasmus Network Mercator in marine geology (1987).

• Director of the Département Géosciences Marines of IFREMER in Brest (1990-1995).

• President of the European Association of Exploration Geophysicists (1991).

• Founder and first Chairman of the EAGE-PACE Foundation (1993-1995).

• Vice-President of the Société Géologique de France (2007).

• Member of the Royal Academy for Science and the Arts of Belgium, Class of Natural Sciences.

• Pioneered Modern mound Research: discovery of major carbonate mound provinces in Porcupine Seabight 1997 (Nature 1998), first EC-sponsored international conference on carbonate mounds in Ghent 1998. Co-ordinator of projects on carbonate mound research at the EC (GEOMOUND), ESF (EUROCORES EuroDiversity project, MiCROSYSTEMS) and national levels (GeNesis), and partner in a few more. Lead Scientist of IODP proposal 573 (Challenger Mound Drilling) and first Co-Chief Scientist in the preparatory phase of IODP Exp. 307 (January-April 2005). Lead Scientist of IODP proposal 673 (Morocco Mound Drilling). Promotor/co-promotor of 10 PhD's related to modern carbonate mound research at Ghent University.

Texte du rabat

No books are available on the market describing recent carbonate mounds along the European continental margins and deciphering step by step their internal structure.

The first results of IODP Expedition 307 "Modern Carbonate Mounds: Porcupine Drilling" are published in Ferdelman, T.G., Kano, A., Williams, T., Henriet, J.-P., and the Expedition 307 Scientists, 2006. Proc. IODP, 307: Washington, DC (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Management International, Inc.). doi:10.2204/iodp.proc.307.2006. However, these proceedings do not give an overview of the existing knowledge on carbonate mounds and do not include detailed post-cruise analysis and advanced interpretations.

Contenu

Of Mounds and Cold-Water Corals.- Challenger Mound: A Case Study.- Imaging.- Geophysical and Geochemical Core Logging.- Magnetic Record of a Carbonate Mound.- The Top of the Record: On-Mound and Off-Mound.- Surface Processes.- Carbonate Mounds in the Gulf of Cadiz.- Conclusions and Outlook.