Continental Margin Processes Overview Team Projects Publications Latest News Technologies Data Continental margins are the area of the seafloor where the continental shelf transitions to the abyssal plain. This dynamic region of the seafloor is modified by geologic processes both slowly, over long periods of time, as well as abruptly, in discrete events. These include erosion, transport and deposition of sediments by currents; tectonic deformation; and discharge of submarine groundwater.The impact of the slow, steady on-going processes has historically been inferred from the seafloor morphology and the nature of the underlying strata. However, there are also turbidity currents, submarine landslides, earthquake ruptures and tsunamis that cause extremely rapid changes to the seafloor. Such events constitute significant marine geohazards and understanding their recurrence rates are of societal importance. We investigate how the morphology of the seafloor here is sculpted and changed over time. Perspective views of 1 m resolution bathymetry collected with MBARI’s mapping AUVs showing three unique morphologies that provide insight into the sedimentary processes occurring on the seafloor. Technological advances over the last few decades have allowed us to collect extremely high-resolution maps, make direct visual observations, monitor turbidity currents in real time, and surgically sample event deposits. These techniques allow the rates and dynamics of these processes to be quantified in ways that were previously impossible. Of particular benefit is the ability to conduct repeated high-resolution mapping surveys which directly quantifies seabed changes over known time periods.Our present focus is on distinguishing the relative importance of slow versus rapid changes in four areas: submarine canyons and channels, permafrost under the Arctic shelf, pockmarks, and seafloor fault deformation.The impact of the slow, steady on-going processes has historically been inferred from the seafloor morphology and the nature of the underlying strata. However, there are also turbidity currents, submarine landslides, earthquake ruptures and tsunamis that cause extremely rapid changes to the seafloor. Such events constitute significant marine geohazards and understanding their recurrence rates are of societal importance. We investigate how the morphology of the seafloor here is sculpted and changed over time. Know Your OceanMonterey CanyonMonterey Canyon brings the deep sea close to shore. Studying this underwater canyon helps us understand the dynamic processes in the largest environment on Earth. Team Directory Charles K. Paull Senior Scientist Principal Investigator Roberto Gwiazda Senior Research Specialist Eve Lundsten Senior Research Technician Dave Caress Principal Engineer Rebecca Englert Postdoctoral Fellow Projects All Projects Arctic Shelf Edge Project Arctic Shelf Edge Investigating rapid changes in the seafloor morphology that have been discovered to occur under the Arctic Ocean. Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE) Project Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE) The Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE) is an extensive long-term effort to monitor turbidity currents in situ and at multiple locations simultaneously. Here you can find all the data and relevant metadata collected throughout this groundbreaking study. Morro Bay Wind Farm Pockmarks Project Morro Bay Wind Farm Pockmarks Understanding the origins and activity of the pockmarks and submarine channels offshore of Morro Bay is paramount to developing a proposed floating wind farm. Cascadia Subduction Zone Project Cascadia Subduction Zone Deciphering the geologic records left by earthquake stimulated turbidity currents along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Publications All Publications Paull, C. K., J. K. Hong, D. W. Caress, R. Gwiazda, H. Kim, E. Lundsten, J. B. Paduan, Y. K. Jin, M. J. Duchesne, T. S. Rhee, V. Brake, J., Obelcz, and M.A.L. Walton. 2024. Massive Ice Outcrops and Thermokarst Along the Arctic Shelf Edge: By-Products of Ongoing Groundwater Freezing and Thawing in the Sub-Surface. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 129(10). https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JF007719 Kang, S.E., Y.K. Jin, U. Jang, M.J. Duchesne, C. Shin, S. Kim, M. Riedel, S.R. Dallimore, C.K. Paull, Y. Choi, and J.K. Hong. 2021. Imaging the P-wave velocity structure of Arctic subsea permafrost using Laplace-domain full-waveform inversion. JGR Earth Surface, 126: 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JF005941 Paull, C.K., S.R. Dallimore, Y.K. Jin, D.W. Caress, E. Lundsten, R. Gwiazda, K. Anderson, J.H. Clarke, C. Youngblut, and H. Melling. 2022. Rapid seafloor changes associated with the degradation of Arctic submarine permafrost. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119: 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2119105119 Gwiazda, R., C.K. Paull, B. Kieft, D. Klimov, R. Herlien, E. Lundsten, M. McCann, M.J. Cartigny, A. Hamilton, J. Xu, K.L. Maier, D.R. Parsons, and P.J. Talling. 2022. Near-bed structure of sediment gravity flows measured by motion-sensing “boulder-like” Benthic Event Detectors (BEDs) in Monterey Canyon. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 127: 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JF006437 Lee, D.H., J.H. Kim, Y.M. Lee, J.H. Kim, Y.K. Jin, C. Paull, J.S. Ryu, and K.H. Shin. 2021. Geochemical and microbial signatures of siboglinid tubeworm habitats at an active mud volcano in the Canadian Beaufort Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8: 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.656171 Latest News All News News MBARI research and technology play integral role in new Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences Press Release 06.09.25 News New MBARI research reveals the dynamic processes that sculpt the Arctic seafloor Press Release 10.01.24 News New research reveals that prehistoric seafloor pockmarks off the California coast are maintained by powerful sediment flows Press Release 05.21.24 Technologies All Technologies Instrument Vibracores Technology Vibracores Vibracoring is a common technique used to obtain samples from water-saturated sediment. Software MB-System Technology MB-System Open source software for processing and display of multibeam and sidescan sonar data. Vehicle, Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) Wave Glider Technology Wave Glider An autonomous surface vehicle built by Liquid Robotics, purchased and outfitted with sensors and communications gear by MBARI engineering. Vehicle, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), Dorado Class Seafloor Mapping AUV Technology Seafloor Mapping AUV The Dorado class autonomous underwater vehicles are optimized for meter-scale seafloor mapping. Vehicle, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) MiniROV Technology MiniROV The MiniROV is used to conduct shallow water transects and make in situ observations. Vehicle, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) ROV Doc Ricketts Technology ROV Doc Ricketts An integrated unmanned submersible research platform with features providing efficient, reliable, and precise sampling and data collection. Instrument Benthic Event Detectors Technology Benthic Event Detectors A motion-sensing instrument that can be placed within the sediment or on the canyon floor. Instrument CTD Rosette Technology CTD Rosette The CTD measures conductivity (which helps determine salinity), temperature, and depth. Instrument Sediment Traps Technology Sediment Traps Sediment traps collect the samples needed for the lab’s measure of particulate organic carbon. Data All Data Data Monterey Bay Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE) Repeat Mapping Bathymetry Data from repeat, high-resolution, multibeam, bathymetric surveys of the Monterey Canyon floor with MBARI’s mapping AUVs Data Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE) Data Report The CCE was an extensive long-term effort to monitor the passage of sediment gravity flows at multiple locations simultaneously
Arctic Shelf Edge Project Arctic Shelf Edge Investigating rapid changes in the seafloor morphology that have been discovered to occur under the Arctic Ocean.
Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE) Project Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE) The Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE) is an extensive long-term effort to monitor turbidity currents in situ and at multiple locations simultaneously. Here you can find all the data and relevant metadata collected throughout this groundbreaking study.
Morro Bay Wind Farm Pockmarks Project Morro Bay Wind Farm Pockmarks Understanding the origins and activity of the pockmarks and submarine channels offshore of Morro Bay is paramount to developing a proposed floating wind farm.
Cascadia Subduction Zone Project Cascadia Subduction Zone Deciphering the geologic records left by earthquake stimulated turbidity currents along the Cascadia Subduction Zone.
Paull, C. K., J. K. Hong, D. W. Caress, R. Gwiazda, H. Kim, E. Lundsten, J. B. Paduan, Y. K. Jin, M. J. Duchesne, T. S. Rhee, V. Brake, J., Obelcz, and M.A.L. Walton. 2024. Massive Ice Outcrops and Thermokarst Along the Arctic Shelf Edge: By-Products of Ongoing Groundwater Freezing and Thawing in the Sub-Surface. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 129(10). https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JF007719
Kang, S.E., Y.K. Jin, U. Jang, M.J. Duchesne, C. Shin, S. Kim, M. Riedel, S.R. Dallimore, C.K. Paull, Y. Choi, and J.K. Hong. 2021. Imaging the P-wave velocity structure of Arctic subsea permafrost using Laplace-domain full-waveform inversion. JGR Earth Surface, 126: 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JF005941
Paull, C.K., S.R. Dallimore, Y.K. Jin, D.W. Caress, E. Lundsten, R. Gwiazda, K. Anderson, J.H. Clarke, C. Youngblut, and H. Melling. 2022. Rapid seafloor changes associated with the degradation of Arctic submarine permafrost. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119: 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2119105119
Gwiazda, R., C.K. Paull, B. Kieft, D. Klimov, R. Herlien, E. Lundsten, M. McCann, M.J. Cartigny, A. Hamilton, J. Xu, K.L. Maier, D.R. Parsons, and P.J. Talling. 2022. Near-bed structure of sediment gravity flows measured by motion-sensing “boulder-like” Benthic Event Detectors (BEDs) in Monterey Canyon. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 127: 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JF006437
Lee, D.H., J.H. Kim, Y.M. Lee, J.H. Kim, Y.K. Jin, C. Paull, J.S. Ryu, and K.H. Shin. 2021. Geochemical and microbial signatures of siboglinid tubeworm habitats at an active mud volcano in the Canadian Beaufort Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8: 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.656171
News MBARI research and technology play integral role in new Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences Press Release 06.09.25
News New MBARI research reveals the dynamic processes that sculpt the Arctic seafloor Press Release 10.01.24
News New research reveals that prehistoric seafloor pockmarks off the California coast are maintained by powerful sediment flows Press Release 05.21.24
Instrument Vibracores Technology Vibracores Vibracoring is a common technique used to obtain samples from water-saturated sediment.
Software MB-System Technology MB-System Open source software for processing and display of multibeam and sidescan sonar data.
Vehicle, Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) Wave Glider Technology Wave Glider An autonomous surface vehicle built by Liquid Robotics, purchased and outfitted with sensors and communications gear by MBARI engineering.
Vehicle, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), Dorado Class Seafloor Mapping AUV Technology Seafloor Mapping AUV The Dorado class autonomous underwater vehicles are optimized for meter-scale seafloor mapping.
Vehicle, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) MiniROV Technology MiniROV The MiniROV is used to conduct shallow water transects and make in situ observations.
Vehicle, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) ROV Doc Ricketts Technology ROV Doc Ricketts An integrated unmanned submersible research platform with features providing efficient, reliable, and precise sampling and data collection.
Instrument Benthic Event Detectors Technology Benthic Event Detectors A motion-sensing instrument that can be placed within the sediment or on the canyon floor.
Instrument CTD Rosette Technology CTD Rosette The CTD measures conductivity (which helps determine salinity), temperature, and depth.
Instrument Sediment Traps Technology Sediment Traps Sediment traps collect the samples needed for the lab’s measure of particulate organic carbon.
Data Monterey Bay Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE) Repeat Mapping Bathymetry Data from repeat, high-resolution, multibeam, bathymetric surveys of the Monterey Canyon floor with MBARI’s mapping AUVs
Data Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE) Data Report The CCE was an extensive long-term effort to monitor the passage of sediment gravity flows at multiple locations simultaneously