The Role of Fluid Seepage in the Erosion of Mesozoic Carbonate Escarpments

Mesozoic submarine carbonate escarpments are erosional features that host box canyons, the formation of which had been attributed to seepage erosion in view their similarity subaerial canyons. The latter cited as diagnostic groundwater activity, although efficacy fluid an erosive agent bedrock remains controversial. Here we use multibeam echosounder data from Blake, Campeche, Malta and Florida Escarpments demonstrate canyon is, general, a significant process eroding escarpments. Numerical modeling based on parameters Escarpment shows canyons can initiate retrogressively evolve by seeping via joints, causes reduction rock strength due pressure dissolution, resulting periodic block failure at head. Box elongation is promoted exponential distribution joint density, increase joints oriented perpendicular parallel escarpment, or thickness flowing zone slope gradient escarpment. angularity head decreases with decrease density when uniform, whereas width regulated extent set zone. Since key factors contributing along appear characterize Campeche Escarpments, model for should be applicable these well.