Global bathymetric map (map obtained from NOAA website: http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/topo/img/globeco3.gif) showing locations of conventional lowstand delta examples documented in this review. Please refer to Tables 1 to 4 for the names and details of each of these 42 examples. Numbered white and red circles denote flattish or downward prograding shelf margins with and without fan growth, respectively.  

Contexts in source publication

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... the present review, a conventional lowstand shelf-margin data- base was developed, composed of 42 shelf-edge deltas on shelf margins with slightly falling or flat shelf-edge trajectories (Table 1; Fig. 1). This screened set of examples was employed to examine the effect of the interplay of dominant grain size, sediment-transport regimes, and sediment-flux magnitudes on driving shelf-edge sands into deepwater (Table 1; Fig. 1). In contrast to the earlier emphasis given to sea-level fluctuations or magnitude of sediment supply, the ...

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... composed of 42 shelf-edge deltas on shelf margins with slightly falling or flat shelf-edge trajectories (Table 1; Fig. 1). This screened set of examples was employed to examine the effect of the interplay of dominant grain size, sediment-transport regimes, and sediment-flux magnitudes on driving shelf-edge sands into deepwater (Table 1; Fig. 1). In contrast to the earlier emphasis given to sea-level fluctuations or magnitude of sediment supply, the current review argues that dominant grain size of sediment supply and sediment- transport regime at the shelf edge have a fundamental but so far underappreciated control on the delivery of shelf-edge sand to the deep-water slope ...

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... of the principle objectives of this review is to test the hypothesis that significant relative sea-level fall guarantees successful delivery of shelf-edge sands to deepwater. A conventional lowstand delta database composed of 42 shelf-edge deltas on flattish or downward prograding shelf margins has therefore been established (Tables 1-2; Fig. 1). ...

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... review comprises unpublished subsurface data as well as published seismic, borehole, and outcrop data. Unpublished subsur- face data consist mainly of 2D regional seismic lines, cores, and well- log data from the northwestern South China Sea margin, all of which were acquired and provided by the China National Offshore Oil Corpora- tion (CNOOC) (Fig. 1). Both published and unpublished cross-sections are selected for inclusion in the study, as much as possible along the sediment feeder pathways, on which slightly falling or nearly flattish shelf-edge trajectories and shelf-slope-basin physiography are seen (Figs. 2-15). They have an average frequency of ca 30 to 60 Hz in the study ...

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... acquired and provided by the China National Offshore Oil Corpora- tion (CNOOC) (Fig. 1). Both published and unpublished cross-sections are selected for inclusion in the study, as much as possible along the sediment feeder pathways, on which slightly falling or nearly flattish shelf-edge trajectories and shelf-slope-basin physiography are seen (Figs. 2-15). They have an average frequency of ca 30 to 60 Hz in the study interval of interest, yielding an estimated vertical resolution of ca 10 to 20 ...

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... chosen shelf-edge delta examples and associated shelf-edge growth patterns have been systematically quantified, in terms of for- ward progradational distances of the shelf edge (dx) (Tables 1-2), ver- tical aggradation heights attained by the shelf edge (dy) ( Table 1), angles of the shelf-edge trajectories (T se ) through the interval of interest (Table 1), and rates of shelf-edge progradation (R p ) ( Table 2). T se and R p are defined as: ...

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... the starting clinoform rollover of a given shelf-edge trajectory as the origin of coordinates (0, 0), dy and dx can be determined by projecting the terminal clinoform rollover (colored dots in Figs. 2-15) relative to the X-axis and Y-axis, respectively ( T se is used to decode relative sea-level behavior, whereas R p is a proxy for magnitude of sediment flux (Tables 1-2) ( Gong et al., 2016). Grain size of sediment supply was deduced from the lithological charac- ter of coeval upper delta-front deposits on the outer shelves. Grain size ...

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... ( Fig. 1 Table 2, together with Fig. 16B, show two statistically distinct populations of shelf-margin growth. The first population contains shelf margins with a lower rate of shelf-edge progradation (R p ) of ca 1 to 10 km/My (Table 2; black squares in Fig. 16B). The second population contains shelf margins with a higher R p of ca 10 to 60 ...

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... ( Fig. 1 Table 2, together with Fig. 16B, show two statistically distinct populations of shelf-margin growth. The first population contains shelf margins with a lower rate of shelf-edge progradation (R p ) of ca 1 to 10 km/My (Table 2; black squares in Fig. 16B). The second population contains shelf margins with a higher R p of ca 10 to 60 km/My (Table 2; red triangles in ...

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... ( Fig. 1 Table 2, together with Fig. 16B, show two statistically distinct populations of shelf-margin growth. The first population contains shelf margins with a lower rate of shelf-edge progradation (R p ) of ca 1 to 10 km/My (Table 2; black squares in Fig. 16B). The second population contains shelf margins with a higher R p of ca 10 to 60 km/My (Table 2; red triangles in Fig. ...

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... with Fig. 16B, show two statistically distinct populations of shelf-margin growth. The first population contains shelf margins with a lower rate of shelf-edge progradation (R p ) of ca 1 to 10 km/My (Table 2; black squares in Fig. 16B). The second population contains shelf margins with a higher R p of ca 10 to 60 km/My (Table 2; red triangles in Fig. ...

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... et al., 2012;Gong et al., 2015bGong et al., , 2016). All of these 42 reviewed delta examples on shelf margins with slightly falling or flat shelf-edge trajectories can thus be interpreted as shelf- edge deltas developed during falling or lowstand of relative sea level, yielding so-called "conventional lowstand shelf-edge deltas" (Table 1; Fig. ...

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... et al. ( , 2015b suggest that higher R p do re- flect higher sediment-flux magnitudes and vice versa, and this was con- firmed by Petter et al. (2013). R p for the chosen margin examples 1 to 7, 13, 17 to 23, 26, 38, 40, and 41 are higher than margin cases 8 to 12, 14, 15, 24, 25, 27 to 37, 39, and 42 (Table 2; red triangles and blue squares in Fig. 16B, respectively). This suggests that the former and later groups of delta examples can be referred to as lowstand shelf-edge deltas with high and low sediment supply (represented by R p of b10 km/My and R p of N10 km/My) (zones 1 and 2 in Fig. 16B), ...

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... margin cases 8 to 12, 14, 15, 24, 25, 27 to 37, 39, and 42 (Table 2; red triangles and blue squares in Fig. 16B, respectively). This suggests that the former and later groups of delta examples can be referred to as lowstand shelf-edge deltas with high and low sediment supply (represented by R p of b10 km/My and R p of N10 km/My) (zones 1 and 2 in Fig. 16B), ...

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... upper delta fronts or sand-rich delta lobes are also recognized in seismic profiles, stratigraphic cross-sections, outcrops, well-log pro- files, and in previous studies (delta examples 1 to 24, 29, 32 to 34, and 39 in Table 3 and Fig. 18). The arguments for these shelfal sandbodies being of deltaic scale and for coarseness of grain size on the delta fronts are as follows. Firstly, sandy shelf-edge deltas seen as sigmoidal or oblique progradational seismic reflection packages (several 10s of meters high) made up of moderate to high amplitude, continuous re- flections ...

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... scale and for coarseness of grain size on the delta fronts are as follows. Firstly, sandy shelf-edge deltas seen as sigmoidal or oblique progradational seismic reflection packages (several 10s of meters high) made up of moderate to high amplitude, continuous re- flections are recognized in dip-view seismic sections from the Red River margin (Fig. 17A), northern Carnarvon Basin (Fig. 3A), Pliocene Taranaki Basin (Fig. 4A), Pliocene Bengal fan (Fig. 5A), Porcupine Basin (Figs. 6, 19A, and B), mid-Norwegian continental shelf (Fig. 7), and from Santos Basin (Fig. 10A). Secondly, upper delta-front deposits in the Porcupine Basin (see Fig. 2 of Ryan et al., 2009), Santos Basin (Fig. ...

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... or oblique progradational seismic reflection packages (several 10s of meters high) made up of moderate to high amplitude, continuous re- flections are recognized in dip-view seismic sections from the Red River margin (Fig. 17A), northern Carnarvon Basin (Fig. 3A), Pliocene Taranaki Basin (Fig. 4A), Pliocene Bengal fan (Fig. 5A), Porcupine Basin (Figs. 6, 19A, and B), mid-Norwegian continental shelf (Fig. 7), and from Santos Basin (Fig. 10A). Secondly, upper delta-front deposits in the Porcupine Basin (see Fig. 2 of Ryan et al., 2009), Santos Basin (Fig. 10B), the Molo Formation along offshore Norway (Figs. 7, 20A, and B), and also offshore Alabama (Fig. 22B) are seismically imaged as high ...

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... up of moderate to high amplitude, continuous re- flections are recognized in dip-view seismic sections from the Red River margin (Fig. 17A), northern Carnarvon Basin (Fig. 3A), Pliocene Taranaki Basin (Fig. 4A), Pliocene Bengal fan (Fig. 5A), Porcupine Basin (Figs. 6, 19A, and B), mid-Norwegian continental shelf (Fig. 7), and from Santos Basin (Fig. 10A). Secondly, upper delta-front deposits in the Porcupine Basin (see Fig. 2 of Ryan et al., 2009), Santos Basin (Fig. 10B), the Molo Formation along offshore Norway (Figs. 7, 20A, and B), and also offshore Alabama (Fig. 22B) are seismically imaged as high RMS or high-amplitude accumulations, suggesting sand-rich li- thologies (Table 3). ...

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... margin (Fig. 17A), northern Carnarvon Basin (Fig. 3A), Pliocene Taranaki Basin (Fig. 4A), Pliocene Bengal fan (Fig. 5A), Porcupine Basin (Figs. 6, 19A, and B), mid-Norwegian continental shelf (Fig. 7), and from Santos Basin (Fig. 10A). Secondly, upper delta-front deposits in the Porcupine Basin (see Fig. 2 of Ryan et al., 2009), Santos Basin (Fig. 10B), the Molo Formation along offshore Norway (Figs. 7, 20A, and B), and also offshore Alabama (Fig. 22B) are seismically imaged as high RMS or high-amplitude accumulations, suggesting sand-rich li- thologies (Table 3). These seismic examples of shelf-edge deltas occur on outer shelves and are smaller (i.e., 10s of m high) than shelf-edge ...

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... and are smaller (i.e., 10s of m high) than shelf-edge clinoforms (i.e., 100s of m high). Thirdly, some upper delta-front de- posits, which are made up of thick regressive, fine-to medium- grained sandstones and exhibit coarsening-upward well-log patterns, are identified in the Washakie Basin (Figs. 8B and 23A) and on the Nova Scotia margin (Fig. 10A). Fourthly, channelized upper delta-front deposits seen as laminated mudstones that coarsen upwards into fine- to medium-grained sandstone beds are observed in outcrops, such as in the Eocene Sobrarbe Formation in the Ainsa Basin (Figs. 3B and 24). Fifthly, previous studies (see Table 3) have suggested that upper delta-front deposits on ...

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... upper delta fronts or mud-dominated delta lobes are recog- nized in seismic data, well-log data, cores, bathymetric maps, or previ- ous studies (delta examples 25 to 28, 30 to 31, 35, 37 to 38, and 40 to 42 in Table 4 and Fig. 18), as supported by the following five lines of ob- servations (Fig. 17B). Firstly, muddy upper delta-front deposits are seen in dip-view seismic lines as sigmoidal or oblique progradational, low- amplitude seismic reflection packages of 10s m high, developed on the southern Hainan margin, Bonaparte margin (Fig. 12A), late Miocene- early ...

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... upper delta fronts or mud-dominated delta lobes are recog- nized in seismic data, well-log data, cores, bathymetric maps, or previ- ous studies (delta examples 25 to 28, 30 to 31, 35, 37 to 38, and 40 to 42 in Table 4 and Fig. 18), as supported by the following five lines of ob- servations (Fig. 17B). Firstly, muddy upper delta-front deposits are seen in dip-view seismic lines as sigmoidal or oblique progradational, low- amplitude seismic reflection packages of 10s m high, developed on the southern Hainan margin, Bonaparte margin (Fig. 12A), late Miocene- early Pliocene Norwegian continental margin (Fig. 7A), and late Pliocene to ...

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... to 38, and 40 to 42 in Table 4 and Fig. 18), as supported by the following five lines of ob- servations (Fig. 17B). Firstly, muddy upper delta-front deposits are seen in dip-view seismic lines as sigmoidal or oblique progradational, low- amplitude seismic reflection packages of 10s m high, developed on the southern Hainan margin, Bonaparte margin (Fig. 12A), late Miocene- early Pliocene Norwegian continental margin (Fig. 7A), and late Pliocene to early Pleistocene Taranaki margin (Fig. 4B). Secondly, mud-filled distributary channels were interpreted to have developed on the outer shelves of clinoform 2 in the Molo Formation (Fig. 21A) (Bullimore et al., 2005). These seismic examples of ...

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... m high, developed on the southern Hainan margin, Bonaparte margin (Fig. 12A), late Miocene- early Pliocene Norwegian continental margin (Fig. 7A), and late Pliocene to early Pleistocene Taranaki margin (Fig. 4B). Secondly, mud-filled distributary channels were interpreted to have developed on the outer shelves of clinoform 2 in the Molo Formation (Fig. 21A) (Bullimore et al., 2005). These seismic examples of delta lobes or upper delta fronts developed mainly on the outer shelves and are sever- al tens of meters high. Thirdly, muddy delta fronts, which exhibit blocky high gamma-ray patterns, are seen to develop on the middle Miocene New Jersey margin (Fig. 14A). Fourthly, well-preserved ...

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... of clinoform 2 in the Molo Formation (Fig. 21A) (Bullimore et al., 2005). These seismic examples of delta lobes or upper delta fronts developed mainly on the outer shelves and are sever- al tens of meters high. Thirdly, muddy delta fronts, which exhibit blocky high gamma-ray patterns, are seen to develop on the middle Miocene New Jersey margin (Fig. 14A). Fourthly, well-preserved gastropod and mollusk shells in offshore siltstone deposits (Fig. 14B), together with silty or clayey prodelta sediments with sporadic occurrence of sharp- based sandy storm beds (Fig. 14C), are found on the middle Miocene New Jersey and Gulf of Lions margins. Fifthly, previous studies suggest that upper ...

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... of delta lobes or upper delta fronts developed mainly on the outer shelves and are sever- al tens of meters high. Thirdly, muddy delta fronts, which exhibit blocky high gamma-ray patterns, are seen to develop on the middle Miocene New Jersey margin (Fig. 14A). Fourthly, well-preserved gastropod and mollusk shells in offshore siltstone deposits (Fig. 14B), together with silty or clayey prodelta sediments with sporadic occurrence of sharp- based sandy storm beds (Fig. 14C), are found on the middle Miocene New Jersey and Gulf of Lions margins. Fifthly, previous studies suggest that upper delta-front deposits on Pliocene Ebro margin and in the Upper Missisauga Formation of the Nova Scotia ...

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... muddy delta fronts, which exhibit blocky high gamma-ray patterns, are seen to develop on the middle Miocene New Jersey margin (Fig. 14A). Fourthly, well-preserved gastropod and mollusk shells in offshore siltstone deposits (Fig. 14B), together with silty or clayey prodelta sediments with sporadic occurrence of sharp- based sandy storm beds (Fig. 14C), are found on the middle Miocene New Jersey and Gulf of Lions margins. Fifthly, previous studies suggest that upper delta-front deposits on Pliocene Ebro margin and in the Upper Missisauga Formation of the Nova Scotia margin are also mud-dominated (see also Table ...

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... a good indication of the dominant or maximum grain size of supplied sediment (e.g., Porębski and Steel, 2003). Accordingly, sandy upper delta-front deposits on the reviewed margin examples 1 to 24, 29, 32 to 34, and 39 can be regarded as having been supplied by dominantly sandy sedi- ment (Table 3; red stars, red triangles, and red squares in Fig. 18), whereas muddy upper delta-front deposits on examples 25 to 28, 30 to 31, 35, 37 to 38, and 40 to 42 can be regarded as dominantly muddy sediment flux bypassing to deepwater (Table 4; blue stars and blue triangles in Fig. ...

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... be regarded as having been supplied by dominantly sandy sedi- ment (Table 3; red stars, red triangles, and red squares in Fig. 18), whereas muddy upper delta-front deposits on examples 25 to 28, 30 to 31, 35, 37 to 38, and 40 to 42 can be regarded as dominantly muddy sediment flux bypassing to deepwater (Table 4; blue stars and blue triangles in Fig. ...

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... use the ternary classification system of river deltas proposed by Galloway (1975) to classify the likely process regimes of 42 considered shelf-edge deltas (see Tables 3-4 and Fig. 18 for a complete description and ...

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... arguments for the identification of river-dominated process re- gimes at shelf edge are as follows (red or blue stars in Fig. 18). Firstly, in outcrops, river-dominated shelf-edge deltas (Δ r ) in our database are characterized by long, gradual coarsening-upward profiles (b 100 m thick) that are relatively muddy and by a relative lack of wave or tidal structures on the delta fronts. The delta front is generally muddy, but thin sandy turbidites and a sandy mouth ...

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... and by a relative lack of wave or tidal structures on the delta fronts. The delta front is generally muddy, but thin sandy turbidites and a sandy mouth bar at the top of the delta front are common. The capping distributary channel is also usually sandy. Among the 29 river-dominated shelf-edge deltas recog- nized in this review (colored stars in Fig. 18), delta 9 of the Sobrarbe For- mation in the Ainsa Basin offers a classical outcrop example (Table 3) ( Moss-Russell, 2009). As presented in Figs. 3B, 24A, and B, distributary channels and mouth bars in the Eocene Ainsa shelf-edge deltas are com- posed mostly of structureless to plane-parallel laminated sandstone. No wave ripples or ...

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... summary, of 42 shelf-edge deltas presented here, 73.8% (31 of 42) are categorized as river-dominated cases (colored stars in Fig. 17). They collectively developed on shelf margins where fluvial distributary chan- nels delivered their suspended and bedload sediment immediately in front of river mouths without being significantly influenced by waves or tides. Distributary complexes, bars, delta lobes, or elongate deltaic bodies are widely developed in front of ...

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... (Tables 3-4). Some representative wave-dominated shelf-edge deltas come from the Eocene Porcupine Basin (examples 8 and 29), the Fuji Einstein margin (examples 18 and 19), and the Eocene Santos Basin (case 24) (Tables 3-4). Most of them appear in RMS attribute maps as high attribute accumulations with an elongate strike-extended morphol- ogy (Figs. 10B, 19A, B, and 22B). Thirdly, published data indicate that shelf-edge delta examples 3 and 24 can also be classified as wave- dominated deltas (Table 3). In summary, of the 42 delta examples presented here, about 16.7% (7 of 42 examples) are categorized as waves-dominated regimes (red triangles in Fig.18B). They collectively occur on shelf ...

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... published data indicate that shelf-edge delta examples 3 and 24 can also be classified as wave- dominated deltas (Table 3). In summary, of the 42 delta examples presented here, about 16.7% (7 of 42 examples) are categorized as waves-dominated regimes (red triangles in Fig.18B). They collectively occur on shelf margins where single or very few fluvial channels terminate at coastlines to form strike-extended smooth lobes because of wave remobilization and longshore-drift redistribution of sediment from river mouths (Tables 3-4). ...

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... shelf-edge deltas have highly elongated morphological elements, because of the elongate tidal bars (e.g., Ganges-Brahmaputra delta). For example, tide-dominated deltas on the Bonaparte shelf margin (example 26) ap- pear in plan-view coherence images as highly elongated bands, on which tidally influenced distributary channels developed (Fig. 12B) (Bourget et al., 2014). Thirdly, literature studies show that shelf-edge delta example 34 on the Norwegian Barents margin also had a tide- dominated origin ( Klausen et al., ...

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... summary, tide-dominated shelf-edge deltas are less common in our lowstand delta database, because there are only few identified in the lit- erature, such as examples 5, 26, 34, and 39 (Table 3). Of 42 reviewed delta examples presented in Tables 3-4, only 9.5% (4 of 42 examples) are classified as tide-dominated shelf-edge deltas (squares in Fig. 18). In closing, sediment-supply magnitudes (Q s ) can be high or low, grain size of sediment supply can be dominantly sandy or muddy, and shelf-edge delta regimes can be river-(Δ r ), wave-(Δ w ), or tide-dominated (Δ r ) (Fig. 18A and B). The interaction between these three variables results in ten main types of shelf-edge deltas, ...

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... presented in Tables 3-4, only 9.5% (4 of 42 examples) are classified as tide-dominated shelf-edge deltas (squares in Fig. 18). In closing, sediment-supply magnitudes (Q s ) can be high or low, grain size of sediment supply can be dominantly sandy or muddy, and shelf-edge delta regimes can be river-(Δ r ), wave-(Δ w ), or tide-dominated (Δ r ) (Fig. 18A and B). The interaction between these three variables results in ten main types of shelf-edge deltas, namely: (1) sandy Δ r with high Q s , (2) sandy Δ r with low Q s , (3) muddy Δ r with high Q s , (4) muddy Δ r with low Q s , (5) sandy Δ w with high Q s , (6) sandy Δ w with low Q s , (7) sandy Δ t with high Q s , (8) sandy Δ t with low Q s ...

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... in ten main types of shelf-edge deltas, namely: (1) sandy Δ r with high Q s , (2) sandy Δ r with low Q s , (3) muddy Δ r with high Q s , (4) muddy Δ r with low Q s , (5) sandy Δ w with high Q s , (6) sandy Δ w with low Q s , (7) sandy Δ t with high Q s , (8) sandy Δ t with low Q s , (9) muddy Δ t with high Q s , and (10) muddy Δ t with low Q s ( Fig. 18A and B). them link downdip to volumetrically significant sand accumulations on the deeper slope and basin floors (Table 3), among which the Late Cre- taceous Washakie basin and the late Miocene Red River margin provide some typical cases. The Late Cretaceous Washakie shelf margin is interpreted as a supply-dominated (high Q s ) case, and it ...

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... sandy Δ r with low Q s are recognized in our lowstand delta data- base, including examples 9 to 12, 14, 15, 32, and 33 in Tables 3-4 and Fig. 18. They collectively yielded basin-floor fans at their outlying deep-water reaches, except for cases 32 and 33 (Tables 3-4). Some rep- resentative outcrop examples of this type of delta with sandy submarine fan growth come from the Eocene Sobrarbe Formation in the Spanish Pyrenees and from clinoform 14 on the Spitsbergen margin (Table ...

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... muddy Δ r with high Q s (examples 25, 27, 28, 30 to 33, 35, 37 to 38, 40, and 41 in Table 4 and Fig. 18B), together with two sandy Δ r with low Q s (cases 36 and 42), are recognized, in front of which no sandy deposition has been interpreted (Table 4). Among them, some classical examples come from the Molo clinoforms 2, 4, and 6, the Taranaki Basin, the middle Miocene New Jersey mar- gin, and the Pliocene to Pleistocene Gulf of Lions ...

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... packages developed at the downdip extension of sandy Δ r with low Q s on the same margin (Table 4; Fig. 4A) (Salazar et al., 2015). The same trends were also obtained from the middle Miocene New Jersey margin, where muddy Δ r with high Q s and their resultant toeset beds composed predominantly of laminated silty clay are recog- nized (Table 4; Fig. 14). The similar affinity is also evidenced by the borehole data from the Pliocene to Pleistocene Gulf of Lions, where muddy sedimentary prisms made up predominantly of clay or calcare- ous clay are interpreted to be present in the downdip extension of Fig. 16. Plots of T se and R p of flattish or downward prograding shelf margins ...

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... toeset beds composed predominantly of laminated silty clay are recog- nized (Table 4; Fig. 14). The similar affinity is also evidenced by the borehole data from the Pliocene to Pleistocene Gulf of Lions, where muddy sedimentary prisms made up predominantly of clay or calcare- ous clay are interpreted to be present in the downdip extension of Fig. 16. Plots of T se and R p of flattish or downward prograding shelf margins documented in the current study (upper and lower panels, respectively). According to R p , the magnitude of sediment supply to the chosen margin examples can be low or high (blue and red triangles in Fig. 16B, respectively). A t-test confirms that T se populations ...

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... ous clay are interpreted to be present in the downdip extension of Fig. 16. Plots of T se and R p of flattish or downward prograding shelf margins documented in the current study (upper and lower panels, respectively). According to R p , the magnitude of sediment supply to the chosen margin examples can be low or high (blue and red triangles in Fig. 16B, respectively). A t-test confirms that T se populations are statistically distinctive at the 90% confidence interval. (For interpretation of the references to color in this figure, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.) Table 3 A summary of deep-water sedimentary response to the interplay of process regime at the shelf edge, ...

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... delta lobes ( Banfield and Anderson, 2004). High River dominated ( Banfield and Anderson, 2004) Sand-prone Rio Grande basin-floor fans ( Banfield and Anderson, 2004 contemporaneous muddy Δ r with either high or low Q s ( Leroux et al., 2016) (Table 4; Fig. ...

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... sandy Δ w with high Q s are identified, including examples 3, 6, 18, and 19 in Table 3 and Fig. 18A. They are all accompanied by time- equivalent basin-floor fans, which are volumetrically smaller than those associated with sandy Δ r with either high or low Q s (Table 3). The lower Waterford Formation in the Karoo Basin and the Fuji Einstein system along offshore Alabama are examples showing such affinities. Shelf-edge deltas on ...

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... has prevented deepwater delivery downdip of the wave-dominated sites (e.g., Dixon et al., 2012). (Table 3). The reviewed examples 8 and 24 are characterized by low sediment supply (sug- gested by R p of ca 2 to 3 km/My) ( Table 2). The former Eocene Porcupine case appears in RMS attribute-extraction maps as lobate high attribute accumulations (Fig. 18A), and is categorized as a wave-dominated delta by Ryan et al. (2009). It did produce some locally restricted basin-floor fans at its outlying deep-water reaches (i.e., 10s km 2 in fan area), which are imaged as lobate high RMS-attribute accumulations (Table 3; Fig. 19A). The Santos example was interpreted to be wave- dominated by Dixon ...

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... in RMS attribute-extraction maps as lobate high attribute accumulations (Fig. 18A), and is categorized as a wave-dominated delta by Ryan et al. (2009). It did produce some locally restricted basin-floor fans at its outlying deep-water reaches (i.e., 10s km 2 in fan area), which are imaged as lobate high RMS-attribute accumulations (Table 3; Fig. 19A). The Santos example was interpreted to be wave- dominated by Dixon (2013), and contains shoreface ridges expressed as strike-elongate, high RMS-attribute bands (Fig. 10B). It fostered a se- ries of relatively small basin-floor fans (i.e., 10s km 2 in fan area) that show in seismic sections as wedge-shaped, high-amplitude reflection ...

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... some locally restricted basin-floor fans at its outlying deep-water reaches (i.e., 10s km 2 in fan area), which are imaged as lobate high RMS-attribute accumulations (Table 3; Fig. 19A). The Santos example was interpreted to be wave- dominated by Dixon (2013), and contains shoreface ridges expressed as strike-elongate, high RMS-attribute bands (Fig. 10B). It fostered a se- ries of relatively small basin-floor fans (i.e., 10s km 2 in fan area) that show in seismic sections as wedge-shaped, high-amplitude reflection packages and in RMS attribute-extraction maps as fan-shaped, dip- extended high RMS lobes (Fig. 10A and B), collectively indicating sand-rich properties (Dixon, 2013). 8. ...

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... and contains shoreface ridges expressed as strike-elongate, high RMS-attribute bands (Fig. 10B). It fostered a se- ries of relatively small basin-floor fans (i.e., 10s km 2 in fan area) that show in seismic sections as wedge-shaped, high-amplitude reflection packages and in RMS attribute-extraction maps as fan-shaped, dip- extended high RMS lobes (Fig. 10A and B), collectively indicating sand-rich properties (Dixon, 2013). 8. Sedimentary response to different types of tide-dominated shelf-edge regimes 8.1. Tide-dominated shelf-edge regime collectively leading to deep-water mud ...

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... are only few examples of tide-dominated shelf-edge regimes recognized in our database, such as examples 5, 26, 34, and 39 in Tables 3-4 and Fig. 18, so care must be taken in drawing conclusions. In marked contrast with sandy Δ r or Δ w with either high or low Q s , most of them (cases 26, 34, and 39), whether they are fed by dominant- ly sandy or muddy sediment, are not associated with the growth of sandy basin-floor fans. This suggests that little shelf-edge sand was transported ...

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... Basin 24 Shelf-sand ridges seen in RMS attribute-extraction map as depositional strike-elongated, high RMS bands (Fig. ...

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... dominated (Dixon, 2013) Sandy basin-floor fans seen in section view as wedge-shaped, high amplitude reflections and in plain view as lobate, high RMS accumulations ( Fig. 10A and B). Table 4 A summary of deep-water sedimentary response to the interplay of process regime at the shelf edge, dominant grain size of supplied sediment, and magnitude of sediment flux for the tabulated examples without fan growth. (Fig. ...

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... view as wedge-shaped, high amplitude reflections and in plain view as lobate, high RMS accumulations ( Fig. 10A and B). Table 4 A summary of deep-water sedimentary response to the interplay of process regime at the shelf edge, dominant grain size of supplied sediment, and magnitude of sediment flux for the tabulated examples without fan growth. (Fig. ...

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... dominated ( Li et al., 2015) Marine mudstone sheets and mud-dominated mass-transport deposits (Fig. 11A and B). Bonaparte Basin ...

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... upper delta fronts (Fig. 13) Due to a wide shelf of up to 700 km, sandy fluvial channels or deltas are unable to reach the shelf edge ( Fig. 13A) (Klausen et al., ...

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... upper delta fronts (Fig. 13) Due to a wide shelf of up to 700 km, sandy fluvial channels or deltas are unable to reach the shelf edge ( Fig. 13A) (Klausen et al., ...

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... dominated (Klausen and Mørk, 2014) No indications of seismically detectable sandstone bodies are found to occur in deep-water areas (Fig. 13B) (Klausen et al., 2015). Høgsnyta clinoforms 1 on the Spitsbergen ...

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... dominated ( Dixon et al., 2012) Muddy slope aprons and mudstone sheets, due to the absence of sediment conduits Mud-dominated upper delta fronts consisting mainly of clay, carbonated clay, silty clay seen in wells Sirocco1, Mistral1, Rascasse1, and Autan1 (see Fig. 15B and Leroux et al., 2016 for more ...

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... Gilbert deltas ( Lofi et al., 2003) As evidenced by well GLP2, downdip extension of Pliocene muddy Δ r with high Q s in Gulf of Lions is made up mainly of clay and carbonated clay, with sporadic occurrence of thin sandstone beds (Fig. 15B). Pleistocene Gulf of Lions margin 42 Mud-dominated upper delta fronts consisting of clay, carbonated clay, silty clay, and silty marl recognized in wells Sirocco1, Mistral1, Rascasse1, and Autan1 (see Fig. 15B ( Fig. 13). Thirdly, Bourget et al. (2014) have shown that there is a lack of turbidite reservoir development in front of the ...

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... muddy Δ r with high Q s in Gulf of Lions is made up mainly of clay and carbonated clay, with sporadic occurrence of thin sandstone beds (Fig. 15B). Pleistocene Gulf of Lions margin 42 Mud-dominated upper delta fronts consisting of clay, carbonated clay, silty clay, and silty marl recognized in wells Sirocco1, Mistral1, Rascasse1, and Autan1 (see Fig. 15B ( Fig. 13). Thirdly, Bourget et al. (2014) have shown that there is a lack of turbidite reservoir development in front of the late Quaternary Bona- parte tide and wave-dominated shelf-edge deltas during lowstands (Fig. ...

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... with high Q s in Gulf of Lions is made up mainly of clay and carbonated clay, with sporadic occurrence of thin sandstone beds (Fig. 15B). Pleistocene Gulf of Lions margin 42 Mud-dominated upper delta fronts consisting of clay, carbonated clay, silty clay, and silty marl recognized in wells Sirocco1, Mistral1, Rascasse1, and Autan1 (see Fig. 15B ( Fig. 13). Thirdly, Bourget et al. (2014) have shown that there is a lack of turbidite reservoir development in front of the late Quaternary Bona- parte tide and wave-dominated shelf-edge deltas during lowstands (Fig. ...

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... of clay, carbonated clay, silty clay, and silty marl recognized in wells Sirocco1, Mistral1, Rascasse1, and Autan1 (see Fig. 15B ( Fig. 13). Thirdly, Bourget et al. (2014) have shown that there is a lack of turbidite reservoir development in front of the late Quaternary Bona- parte tide and wave-dominated shelf-edge deltas during lowstands (Fig. ...

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... is not interpreted as a successful shelf-edge scenario for transfer of shelf-edge sands to basin-floor fans. However, some tide-dominated shelf-edge regimes with direct link be- tween deltas and canyon heads do occur, as evidenced by the examples of sandy Δ t with high Q s from the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Bengal sediment-routing system (Table 3; Fig. 18). The Ganges and Brahmapu- tra rivers with an annual sediment discharge of ca 5.2 × 10 8 t/yr dis- charge into an energetic marine environment characterized by very strong tidal currents, resulting in the tide-dominated Ganges- Brahmaputra deltas with characteristic elongate tidal bars (Fig. 18) (Milliman and Syvitski, 1992;Kuehl et ...

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... sediment-routing system (Table 3; Fig. 18). The Ganges and Brahmapu- tra rivers with an annual sediment discharge of ca 5.2 × 10 8 t/yr dis- charge into an energetic marine environment characterized by very strong tidal currents, resulting in the tide-dominated Ganges- Brahmaputra deltas with characteristic elongate tidal bars (Fig. 18) (Milliman and Syvitski, 1992;Kuehl et al., 1997). The Swathe of No Ground Canyon, together with slope gullies or submarine channels cut deeply back into deltas, thus incising across much of the shelf ( Romans et al., 2016). In this way, submarine conduits are able to main- tain a connection to the nearby delta lobes and/or ...

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... size of sediment supply and transport regime at the shelf edge in driving sand into deepwater 9.1. Sandy river-dominated shelf-edge deltas are most efficient at delivering sand into deep-water fans Among the 42 shelf-edge delta examples presented in this re- view, nearly all cases of sandy Δ r with either high or low Q s (red and blue starts in Fig. 18A) gave rise to extensive sandy accumulations on the slope and basin floor (examples 1, 2, 4, 7, 9 to 17, and 20 to 23 in Table 3). This indicates that large volumes of shelf-edge sands are commonly partitioned into deep-water areas by river- dominated shelf-edge deltas, even with low sediment supply, confirming the conclusion of Dixon ...

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... cannibalized by their own river distributaries ( Mellere et al., 2002), enhancing the volumes of shelf-edge sands delivered into deep- water reaches of the recognized examples of sandy Δ r with either high or low Q s (Table 3; Fig. 26A). In fact, it is a characteristic feature of the conventional sequence-stratigraphic model that relative sea- Fig. 17. Depositional dip-view seismic lines illustrating sandy Δ r with high Q s developed in front of Asia's third largest river (Red River) and small rivers with a total catchment area of less than 3000 km 2 on the Hainan Island (upper and lower images, respectively). level fall drives shelf-edge sands to the outlying deeper slope and basin ...

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... Sandy wave-dominated shelf-edge deltas are less efficient at delivering sand into deep-water fans Of seven sandy Δ w with either high or low Q s presented here (red triangles in Fig. 18), many of them also link downdip to very small sandy basin-floor fans or slope turbidite systems (examples 3, 6, 8, 18, 19, 24, and 29 in Table 3). However, sandy basin-floor fans asso- ciated with sandy Δ w with low Q s are only a few kilometers in width and several tens of km 2 in area, and thereby are significantly smaller than ...

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... ( Jones et al., 2014). This scenario is conceptually illustrated in Fig. 26A. 9.3. Tide-dominated shelf-edge deltas and muddy river-or tide-dominated shelf-edge deltas appear to be inefficient in driving shelf-edge sands into deepwater In contrast to sandy Δ r or Δ w with either high or low Q s , Δ t with either high or low Q s (red squares in Fig. 18B) appear to be less likely to dis- perse sand to deep-water settings, as evidenced by delta examples 34 and 39 in Table 4, though we use some caution because there is very few data on this type of shelf-edge delta. Most of the examples of tide- dominated shelf-edge deltas appear to have no associated submarine fan growth (Fig. 26B). A ...

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... pened in the Bonaparte case during the Last Glacial Maximum ( Bourget et al., 2014). In contrast to the sandy Δ r or Δ w with either high or low Q s , ten muddy river-or tide-dominated shelf-edge deltas with either high or low Q s are all fronted by muddy deep-water systems (examples 25 to 28,30,31,35, and to 38, and 40 to 42 in Table 4 and in Fig. 18B). It Fig. 18. The classification system of the 42 chosen delta examples, based on magnitudes of sediment supply (low or high), the dominant grain size of sediment supply (dominantly sandy or muddy), and shelf-edge delta regimes (river-, wave-, or tide-dominated). Note that sandy Δ r and Δ w with either high or low Q s (examples 1 ...

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... Bonaparte case during the Last Glacial Maximum ( Bourget et al., 2014). In contrast to the sandy Δ r or Δ w with either high or low Q s , ten muddy river-or tide-dominated shelf-edge deltas with either high or low Q s are all fronted by muddy deep-water systems (examples 25 to 28,30,31,35, and to 38, and 40 to 42 in Table 4 and in Fig. 18B). It Fig. 18. The classification system of the 42 chosen delta examples, based on magnitudes of sediment supply (low or high), the dominant grain size of sediment supply (dominantly sandy or muddy), and shelf-edge delta regimes (river-, wave-, or tide-dominated). Note that sandy Δ r and Δ w with either high or low Q s (examples 1 through 24 in ...

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... r and Δ w with either high or low Q s (examples 1 through 24 in Table 3) are consistent with conventional sequence-stratigraphic models that link relative sea-level fall to submarine-fan growth, but that muddy Δ r , Δ w , and Δ t with either high or low Q s (examples 24 through 42, as listed in Table 4) have no associated sandy basin-floor fans. Fig. 19. RMS amplitude-extraction maps (from Ryan et al., 2009) illustrating plan-view geomorphological appearance of sandy Δ w with low Q s and associated deep-water systems. Note that sandy Δ w with low Q s with channelized shelf edges gave rise to volumetrically small sandy basin-floor fans, but that sandy Δ w with low Q s with ...

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... has also been highlighted by Dixon et al. (2012); Bourget et al. (2014), andLaugier andPlink-Björklund (2016). However, the cur- rent work suggests that wave-dominated shelf-edge process domi- nance is also sometimes able to foster slope or basin-floor turbidite reservoirs, as reflected through examples 3, 6, 8, 18, 19, and 24 in Table 3 and in Fig. 18A. Among examples of sandy wave- dominated regimes with fan growth, examples 3, 6, 18, and 19 with R p N10 km/My are characterized by relatively high sediment flux, whereas examples 8 and 24 with R p b 10 km/My are character- ized by a low sediment flux (Fig. 18A). This suggests that, no matter how high or low sediment supply may be, ...

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... reservoirs, as reflected through examples 3, 6, 8, 18, 19, and 24 in Table 3 and in Fig. 18A. Among examples of sandy wave- dominated regimes with fan growth, examples 3, 6, 18, and 19 with R p N10 km/My are characterized by relatively high sediment flux, whereas examples 8 and 24 with R p b 10 km/My are character- ized by a low sediment flux (Fig. 18A). This suggests that, no matter how high or low sediment supply may be, sandy wave-dominated shelf-edge deltas are also sometimes able to deliver shelf-edge sands to the deepwater areas, as conceptually illustrated in Fig. 26A. In some cases the deepwater delivery site is not necessarily downdip of the wave-dominated shelf edge, but ...

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... to the slope. This is well illustrated by delta examples 29, 32, 33, and 36. Sandy wave-dominated upper delta fronts expressed as high RMS-attribute sheets and sandy barrier bars or delta lobes seen as depo- sitional strike-elongate, high-amplitude accumulations are also seen to develop on the outer shelves of the Porcupine margin (case 29, Fig. 19B) and the Molo clinoforms 4 and 6 (examples 32 and 33, Fig. 21A), collectively suggesting a sandy river-dominated shelf-edge re- gime (Table 4). Examples 32 and 33, however, did not foster seismically detectable submarine fans (Tables 3-4). A closer look at them suggests that they lack active sediment dispersal conduits (i.e., canyons, ...

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... 29, 32, 33, and 36. Sandy wave-dominated upper delta fronts expressed as high RMS-attribute sheets and sandy barrier bars or delta lobes seen as depo- sitional strike-elongate, high-amplitude accumulations are also seen to develop on the outer shelves of the Porcupine margin (case 29, Fig. 19B) and the Molo clinoforms 4 and 6 (examples 32 and 33, Fig. 21A), collectively suggesting a sandy river-dominated shelf-edge re- gime (Table 4). Examples 32 and 33, however, did not foster seismically detectable submarine fans (Tables 3-4). A closer look at them suggests that they lack active sediment dispersal conduits (i.e., canyons, channels, or slope gullies) that eat their way back on to the ...