Seismic and Depositional Facies of Paleocene-Eocene Wilcox Group Submarine Canyon Fills, Northwest Gulf Coast, U.S.A.

Abstract

The late Paleocene Yoakum/Lavaca submarine canyon system exhibits morphologies and fill patterns typical of canyons cut in prograding continental margins. Initially, canyons were excavated largely by retrogressive slumping of unstable sediments of the flank of the Wilcox deltaic platform. Given sufficient time and extensive submergence of the depositional platform during regional transgressive events, canyon morphology evolved through combined submarine erosion and slumping.