caa a22 4500 463216164 CHVBK 20180405153157.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170326e20071201xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s00367-007-0082-2 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s00367-007-0082-2 Geomorphological evidence for upslope canyon-forming processes on the northern KwaZulu-Natal shelf, SW Indian Ocean, South Africa [Elektronische Daten] [Andrew Green, John Goff, Ron Uken] A geomorphological and statistical analysis of slope canyons from the northern KwaZulu-Natal continental margin is documented and compared with submarine canyons from the Atlantic margin of the USA. The northern KwaZulu-Natal margin is characterized by increasing upslope relief, concave slope-gradient profiles and features related to upslope growth of the canyon forms. Discounting slope-gradient profile, this morphology is strikingly similar to canyon systems of the New Jersey slope. Several phases of canyon incision indicate that downslope erosion is also an important factor in the evolution of the northern KwaZulu-Natal canyon systems. Despite the strong similarities between the northern KwaZulu-Natal and New Jersey slope-canyon systems, key differences are evident: (1) the concavity of the northern KwaZulu-Natal slope, contrasting with the ∼linear New Jersey slope; (2) the relative isolation of the northern KwaZulu-Natal canyons, rather than the dense clustering of the New Jersey canyons; and (3) the absence of strongly shelf-breaching canyons along the northern KwaZulu-Natal margin. In comparison with the New Jersey margin, we surmise a more youthful stage of canyon evolution, a result of either the canyons themselves being younger or the formative processes being less active. Less complicated patterns of erosion resulting from reduced sediment availability have developed in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The reduction in slope concavity on the New Jersey margin may be the result of grading of the upper slope by intensive headward erosion, a process more subdued—or less evident—on the KwaZulu-Natal margin. Springer-Verlag, 2007 Green Andrew Joint Council for Geoscience—University of KwaZulu-Natal, Marine Geoscience Unit, School of Geological Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 4000, Durban, South Africa aut Goff John Institute for Geophysics, Jackson School of Geoscience, University of Texas at Austin, 4412 Spicewood Springs Road, Building 600, 78759, Austin, TX, USA aut Uken Ron Joint Council for Geoscience—University of KwaZulu-Natal, Marine Geoscience Unit, School of Geological Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 4000, Durban, South Africa aut Geo-Marine Letters Springer-Verlag 27/6(2007-12-01), 399-409 0276-0460 27:6<399 2007 27 367 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-007-0082-2 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00367-007-0082-2 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Green Andrew Joint Council for Geoscience—University of KwaZulu-Natal, Marine Geoscience Unit, School of Geological Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 4000, Durban, South Africa aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Goff John Institute for Geophysics, Jackson School of Geoscience, University of Texas at Austin, 4412 Spicewood Springs Road, Building 600, 78759, Austin, TX, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Uken Ron Joint Council for Geoscience—University of KwaZulu-Natal, Marine Geoscience Unit, School of Geological Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 4000, Durban, South Africa aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Geo-Marine Letters Springer-Verlag 27/6(2007-12-01), 399-409 0276-0460 27:6<399 2007 27 367 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer