Deep-water sedimentation controlled by interaction between bottom current and gravity flow: A case study of Rovuma Basin, East Africa

By using 3D seismic dataset recently acquired in offshore Mozambique, we address the distribution pattern of an Upper Eocene channel-levee-lobe complex in deep-water of Rovuma Basin. The unique levee of this complex asymmetrically developed only on one side of the channel course. We attribute this asymmetric levee development to the interaction between the western slope bottom current from south to north and the gravity flow from west down slope. Due to the winnowing and sorting by the western slope bottom current, the sorted fine grain sediments of the gravity flow was blew and deposited to aside remaining clean sand from the gravity flow deposited within the channel as quality reservoir. The stacking and expanding of the levee forced the channels windward migrated to the south forming channel-1 to 6 from north to south. The corresponding lobe did not keep its feeder channel's axis direction, but bended from northeast to east or southeast, forming a U-turn from the channel to lobe. We believe that in addition to the paleotopography effect, the bottom current in Querimbus Graben might also lead to the bending of the lobe. The Querimbus Graben bottom current in this region flows from north to the south driven by the southward-drifting eddy. We suppose that a southward bottom current also existed at the Eocene time in this region and contributed to the southward bending of the lobes.

Automated summary

The study of an Upper Eocene channel-levee-lobe complex in offshore Mozambique using 3D seismic data revealed the unique asymmetric development of levees and the bending of lobes due to factors such as paleotopography effects and interaction between gravity flows and bottom currents. The asymmetric distribution of sediments and the migration patterns of channels were influenced by the sorting and stacking of sediments by the flow dynamics in the Rovuma Basin.