Oceanographic processes and products around the Iberian margin: a new multidisciplinary approach

Our understanding of the role of bottom currents and associated oceanographic processes (e.g., overflows, barotropic tidal currents) including intermittent processes (e.g., vertical eddies, deep sea storms, horizontal vortices, internal waves and tsunamis) is rapidly evolving. Many deep-water processes remain poorly understood due to limited direct observations, but may generate significant depositional and erosional features on both short- and long-term time scales. This paper describes these oceanographic processes and examines their potential role in the sedimentary features around the Iberian margin. The paper explores the implications of the processes studied, given their secondary role relative to other factors such as mass-transport and turbiditic processes. An integrated interpretation of these oceanographic processes requires an understanding of contourites, sea-floor features, their spatial and temporal evolution, and the near-bottom flows that form them. Given their complex, three-dimensional and temporally-variable nature, integration of these processes into sedimentary, oceanographic and climatological frameworks will require a multidisciplinary approach that includes Geology, Physical Oceanography, Paleoceanography and Benthic Biology. This approach will synthesize oceanographic data, seafloor morphology, sediments and seismic images to improve our knowledge of permanent and intermittent processes around Iberia, and evaluate their conceptual and regional role in the sedimentary evolution of the margin.Department of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg. SueciaDepartment of Geoscience, University of Bremen. AlemaniaDepartment of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway University, Reino UnidoCentro Andaluz de Ciencia y Tecnología Marinas, EspañaInstituto de Ciencias del Mar, EspañaInstituto Geológico y Minero de España, EspañaInstitut für Meereskunde, Universität Hamburg, AlemaniaFacultade de Ciencias do Mar, Universidad de de Vigo, EspañaIstituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale, ItaliaVankgroep Geologie en Bodemwetenschappen, Universiteit Gent, BélgicaCentro oceanográfico de Gijón, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, EspañaCentro oceanográfico de Santander, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, EspañaInstituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía, EspañaInstituto Español de Oceanografía, EspañaChevron Upstream Europe, Chevron North Sea Limited, Reino UnidoMarine Sedimentation Systems Group, Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen. AlemaniaSchool of Coastal and Marine Systems Sciences, Coastal Carolina University, Estados UnidosCentro oceanográfico de Cádiz, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, EspañaGrupo de Oceanografía Física, Universidad de Málaga, EspañaInstitute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt Univ.ersity, Reino UnidoShell International Exploration & Production, Países Bajo