Sea floor erosion by slumping sediments

Abstract

Investigations of the ancient and recent continental slope of the Black Sea basin revealed sedimentary layers to be truncated in some sections. The thickness of the layers removed reaches a few kilometers within the Gudauty region. The authors believe the truncation results from erosive action of slumping sediments. The theory of continental slope erosion by moving sediments is developed as a modification of the general theory of erosional processes. The slumping sediment about 13 cm thick is shown to erode the slope if the latter is composed of clay. An equation is obtained which defines the process of continental slope erosion by sediments.