Redescription and Distribution of the Rare Deep-Sea Eel Xenomystax atrarius in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

1972 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex E. Peden
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Continental Slope ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Vancouver Island ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Eastern Pacific Ocean ◽  
Major Revision ◽  
Subjective Synonym

Xenomystax atrarius Gilbert has been considered a possible representative of as many as three eel families (Congridae, Muraenesocidae, and Nettastomidae) by recent authors. Although the species is described in detail in this account, it cannot be definitely assigned to a family without major revision of these families. The species is now known from 19 specimens captured mostly near the continental slope of the eastern Pacific Ocean between Valparaiso, Chile, and Vancouver Island, B.C. Xenomystax rictus Garman 1899 should be considered a junior subjective synonym of X. atrarius Gilbert 1891.

Turbulent Dissipation Over the Continental Slope Off Vancouver Island

1983 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1809-1818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rolf G. Lueck ◽  
William R. Crawford ◽  
Thomas R. Osborn
Keyword(s):  
Continental Slope ◽  
Vancouver Island ◽  
Turbulent Dissipation

Structure and Tectonics of the Continental Slope West of Southern Vancouver Island

1974 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1187-1199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra M. Barr
Keyword(s):  
Continental Slope ◽  
Vancouver Island ◽  
Juan De Fuca Ridge ◽  
Spreading Center ◽  
Source Depth ◽  
Northern Margin ◽  
Juan De Fuca Plate ◽  
Juan De Fuca ◽  
Diffuse Zone ◽  
Oceanic Basement

The lower continental slope west of southern Vancouver Island consists of a series of ridges formed by folding, faulting, and uplift of Cascadia Basin deposits; underlying oceanic basement, at least initially, is not involved in this deformation. The middle and upper continental slope has probably formed by the same process, combined with deposition of overlying material coming directly from the continent. This compressive deformation is postulated to be a result of underthrusting of the America Plate by the Juan de Fuca Plate. Linear magnetic anomalies produced at the Juan de Fuca spreading center can be traced under the slope for at least 40 km, further evidence for underthrusting. Anomaly source depth calculations indicate that oceanic basement dips beneath the continental slope at an angle of more than 10°. A diffuse zone of earthquake epicenters extending northeast from the northern tip of Juan de Fuca Ridge may mark the present northern margin of the Juan de Fuca Plate.

The Lithoprobe corridor across the Vancouver Island continental margin: the structural and tectonic consequences of subduction

1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (10) ◽  
pp. 1777-1802 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Hyndman
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flow ◽  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Continental Slope ◽  
Continental Margin ◽  
Deep Structure ◽  
Vancouver Island ◽  
Source Zone ◽  
Oceanic Plate ◽  
Tectonic History ◽  
South Central

The deep structure and tectonic history of the continental margin of southwestern Canada have been determined by phase I of the Lithoprobe program across south-central Vancouver Island and associated marine studies across the continental shelf and slope. This article reviews results from the marine portion of the corridor but also presents continuous onshore–offshore data and interpretation. The geophysical data include multichannel seismic reflection, seismic refraction, magnetics, gravity, bathymetry, sea-floor acoustic imagery, heat flow, and seismicity. There has been Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) coring and downhole measurements on the continental slope. The margin structure and Cenozoic tectonic history are dominated by the consequences of subduction. Two narrow terranes, the Eocene volcanic Crescent and the Mesozoic mainly sedimentary Pacific Rim, were emplaced along the coast at the time of north Pacific plate reorganization at 43 Ma. They provide the landward-dipping backstop to a large accretionary sedimentary prism formed from the sediments scraped off the incoming oceanic plate. The prism exhibits active folding, thrusting, and tectonic consolidation, and it provides a model for the formation of ancient fold and thrust belts. An extensive gas hydrate layer was detected beneath the continental slope by a seismic BSR (bottom-simulating reflector) and was penetrated by the ODP drilling. The surface heat flow decreases landward from high values over the young oceanic plate to low values just seaward of the volcanic arc as a consequence of the heat sink provided by the underthrusting oceanic plate. The margin seismicity includes continental crust-events and earthquakes in the downgoing oceanic plate. No earthquakes have been detected on the subduction thrust fault but great thrust events are inferred to occur with an average interval of 600 years. The seismic source zone for such events is restricted to a narrow region beneath the continental shelf because of the high temperatures over the young Juan de Fuca plate.

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