Submarine canyons cutting continental shelves and slopes are considered to be erosive features allowing continental derived sediment to reach the deep sea. In order to better understand their sedimentary dynamic and morphologic evolution through time, two submarine canyons, the Bourcart canyon in the Gulf of Lion and the Capbreton canyon in the Bay of Biscay have been studied. The Bourcart canyon, located at the shelf break at 110 m water depth, is disconnected from direct sediment supply during sea-level highstand and is considered as inactive. The Capbreton canyon's head is located 400 m off the coastline, and is disconnected from the Adour river since the 16th century. Bathymetric, core, radioisotopic and current data showed that these canyons are... |