Evolution of submarine canyon-fan systems in fault-controlled margins: Insights from physical experiments

Abstract. Different fault settings make the morphology of submarine canyon-fan systems on active margins complex and diverse. In this study we explore the continuum of erosion, transport and sedimentation processes taking place in fault-controlled canyon-fan systems by using physical experiments and a morphodynamic model. Based on morphometric analyses we show how Hack’s scaling relationships exist in submarine canyons and fans. The DEM of differences (DoDs) demonstrate the growth patterns and allow to establish relevant relationships between volumes of canyons and their corresponding fans. We reveal strong self-similarities on canyon-fan long profiles and, through a new morphodynamic model, we capture their evolution over time, including the trajectory of internal moving boundaries. We observe that fault slip rate controls the merging speed of coalescent submarine canyon-fan systems and, when coupling fault slip rate with inflow discharge, a competitive influence arises. In this study we also uncover scaling relationships spanned from laboratory to field-scale. Overall, our findings are inspiring and valuable for field investigators and modelers to better interpret and predict the morphological evolution and sedimentary processes of submarine canyon-fan systems in active fault settings.