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EUSeaMap 2023 is the sixth iteration of EUSeaMap. All versions have been produced as part of the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project, which is one of several thematic lots in EMODnet. The project has brought together a European consortium of specialists in benthic ecology and seabed habitat mapping. The partners first worked together in EMODnet Phase 1 (2009-2012) to develop a prototype predictive seabed habitat map in four test basins (Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas, Baltic Sea, Western Mediterranean). This predictive model was named EUSeaMap (Cameron and Askew, 2011). In EMODnet Phase 2 (2012-2016), the consortium extended the spatial coverage of EUSeaMap to all European regions (Populus el al., 2017). In Phase 3 (2017-2021), a first version (2019) extended the spatial coverage further north to include the Barents Sea, incorporated improved environmental data, and dramatically improved the spatial detail. In 2021 EUSeaMap was improved with new seabed substrate data and was published in new classifications, including the new version of the marine section of EUNIS, called EUNIS 2019. In this new version, called EUSeaMap 2023, EUSeaMap has been extended to the Caribbean Sea and the Caspian Sea. In Continental Europe, Macaronesia, Iceland and the Arctic, progress has been made in integrating new data on seabed substrate, bathymetry, wave energy and the probability of the occurrence of the halocline at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

The North Anatolian Fault is the ∼1200-km-long active continental transform boundary between Anatolia and Eurasia. This strike-slip system initiated around 10–12 Ma and experienced diachronous episodes of strain localization along its strike. The structural evolution of the ∼350-km-long fault segments crossing the North Aegean Sea remains to be accurately investigated. There, the modern North Anatolian Fault is localized along two main branches: the northern branch ends at the North Aegean Trough and the southern branch ends at the Edremit-Skyros Trough. The Evia Basin is located in the North Aegean Domain between the North Anatolian Fault and the Corinth Rift. This study presents seismic reflection lines crossing the aforementioned structures of the North Aegean Domain, which document their subsurface structure and the sedimentary record of their activity since the Messinian. The seismic-reflection data set is tied to regional-scale stratigraphic markers, which constrains the age of main tectonic events related to the formation of the North Anatolian Fault. The seismic-reflection lines show that the two main branches of the North Anatolian Fault became localized structures at 1.3–2 Ma, coevally with the formation of the Evia Basin. Since 2 Ma, the North Aegean Troughs developed as a series of horsetail basins propagating westwards at the termination of the branches of the North Anatolian Fault. On a regional scale, the wide and diffuse North Anatolian transtensive shear zone active from Serravalian to Late Pliocene turned into a narrower shear zone at the two main branches of the North Anatolian Fault since the Early Pleistocene. This abrupt episode of strain localization occurred in the frame of the major Early Pleistocene change in stress regime from NE–SW to N–S extension, which has been observed throughout the Aegean Sea

The MagellanPlus workshop "BlackGate"addressed fundamental questions concerning the dynamic evolution of the Mediterranean-Black Sea (MBS) gateway and its palaeoenvironmental consequences. This gateway drives the Miocene-Quaternary circulation patterns in the Black Sea and governs its present status as the world's largest example of marine anoxia. The exchange history of the MBS gateway is poorly constrained because continuous Pliocene-Quaternary deposits are not exposed on land adjacent to the Black Sea or northern Aegean. Gateway exchange is controlled by climatic (glacio-eustatic-driven sea-level fluctuations) and tectonic processes in the catchment as well as tectonic propagation of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) in the gateway area itself. Changes in connectivity trigger dramatic palaeoenvironmental and biotic turnovers in both the Black Sea and Mediterranean domains. Drilling a Messinian to Holocene transect across the MBS gateway will recover high-amplitude records of continent-scale hydrological changes during glacial-interglacial cycles and allow us to reconstruct marine and freshwater fluxes, biological turnover events, deep biospheric processes, subsurface gradients in primary sedimentary properties, patterns and processes controlling anoxia, chemical perturbations and carbon cycling, growth and propagation of the NAFZ, the timing of land bridges for Africa and/or Asia-Europe mammal migration, and the presence or absence of water exchange during the Messinian salinity crisis. During thorough discussions at the workshop, three key sites were selected for potential drilling using a mission-specific platform (MSP): one on the Turkish margin of the Black Sea (Arkhangelsky Ridge, 400mb.s.f., metres below the seafloor), one on the southern margin of the Sea of Marmara (North Imrali Basin, 750mb.s.f.), and one in the Aegean (North Aegean Trough, 650mb.s.f.). All sites target Quaternary oxic-anoxic marl-sapropel cycles. Plans include recovery of Pliocen

EUSeaMap 2021 is the fifth iteration of EUSeaMap. All versions have been produced as part of the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project, which is one of several thematic lots in EMODnet. The project has brought together a European consortium of specialists in benthic ecology and seabed habitat mapping. The partners first collaborated in EMODnet phase 1 (2009-2012) to deliver a prototype predictive seabed habitat map in four trial basins (Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas, Baltic, Western Mediterranean). This predictive model was named EUSeaMap (Cameron and Askew, 2011). In EMODnet Phase 2 (2012-2016), the consortium extended EUSeaMap coverage to all European regions (Populus et al, 2017). In phase 3 (2017-2021), a first version (2019) extended the spatial coverage further North in order to include the Barents Sea, developed better environmental data were incorporated, and dramatically improved the spatial detail. The new version, developed in the period 2019-2021 and named 2021, is substantially evolved from the previous version as it accounts for new seabed substrate data published by EMODnet Geology in 2021, including in Denmark, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Norway and Spain, 2) is published in new classifications, including the new version of the marine section of EUNIS, named EUNIS 2019 and 3) addresses some issues identified in EUSeaMap 2019.

EUSeaMap 2021 is the fifth iteration of EUSeaMap. All versions have been produced as part of the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project, which is one of several thematic lots in EMODnet. The project has brought together a European consortium of specialists in benthic ecology and seabed habitat mapping. The partners first collaborated in EMODnet phase 1 (2009-2012) to deliver a prototype predictive seabed habitat map in four trial basins (Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas, Baltic, Western Mediterranean). This predictive model was named EUSeaMap (Cameron and Askew, 2011). In EMODnet Phase 2 (2012-2016), the consortium extended EUSeaMap coverage to all European regions (Populus et al, 2017). In phase 3 (2017-2021), a first version (2019) extended the spatial coverage further North in order to include the Barents Sea, developed better environmental data were incorporated, and dramatically improved the spatial detail. The new version, developed in the period 2019-2021 and named 2021, is substantially evolved from the previous version as it accounts for new seabed substrate data published by EMODnet Geology in 2021, including in Denmark, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Norway and Spain, 2) is published in new classifications, including the new version of the marine section of EUNIS, named EUNIS 2019 and 3) addresses some issues identified in EUSeaMap 2019.

EUSeaMap 2021 is the fifth iteration of EUSeaMap. All versions have been produced as part of the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project, which is one of several thematic lots in EMODnet. The project has brought together a European consortium of specialists in benthic ecology and seabed habitat mapping. The partners first collaborated in EMODnet phase 1 (2009-2012) to deliver a prototype predictive seabed habitat map in four trial basins (Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas, Baltic, Western Mediterranean). This predictive model was named EUSeaMap (Cameron and Askew, 2011). In EMODnet Phase 2 (2012-2016), the consortium extended EUSeaMap coverage to all European regions (Populus et al, 2017). In phase 3 (2017-2021), a first version (2019) extended the spatial coverage further North in order to include the Barents Sea, developed better environmental data were incorporated, and dramatically improved the spatial detail. The new version, developed in the period 2019-2021 and named 2021, is substantially evolved from the previous version as it accounts for new seabed substrate data published by EMODnet Geology in 2021, including in Denmark, Estonia, France, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Norway and Spain, 2) is published in new classifications, including the new version of the marine section of EUNIS, named EUNIS 2019 and 3) addresses some issues identified in EUSeaMap 2019.

EUSeaMap 2019 is the third iteration of EUSeaMap. All versions have been produced as part of the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project, which is one of several thematic lots in EMODnet. The project has brought together a European consortium of specialists in benthic ecology and seabed habitat mapping. The partners first collaborated in EMODnet phase 1 (2009-2012) to deliver a prototype predictive seabed habitat map in four trial basins (Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas, Baltic, Western Mediterranean). This predictive model was named EUSeaMap (Cameron and Askew, 2011). In EMODnet Phase 2 (2012-2016), the consortium extended EUSeaMap coverage to all European regions (Populus et al, 2017). In the new version, the spatial coverage was extended further North in order to include the Barents Sea. The spatial detail was substantially improved. This was made possible by improvements to the physical predictor variables created by the other EMODnet lots which are the input data to the EUSeaMap model. A substantial revision of the map creation process has also been carried out in order to make it more reproducible. This document describes all these modifications which have led to the elaboration of EUSeaMap 2019.

EUSeaMap 2019 is the third iteration of EUSeaMap. All versions have been produced as part of the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project, which is one of several thematic lots in EMODnet. The project has brought together a European consortium of specialists in benthic ecology and seabed habitat mapping. The partners first collaborated in EMODnet phase 1 (2009-2012) to deliver a prototype predictive seabed habitat map in four trial basins (Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas, Baltic, Western Mediterranean). This predictive model was named EUSeaMap (Cameron and Askew, 2011). In EMODnet Phase 2 (2012-2016), the consortium extended EUSeaMap coverage to all European regions (Populus et al, 2017). In the new version, the spatial coverage was extended further North in order to include the Barents Sea. The spatial detail was substantially improved. This was made possible by improvements to the physical predictor variables created by the other EMODnet lots which are the input data to the EUSeaMap model. A substantial revision of the map creation process has also been carried out in order to make it more reproducible. This document describes all these modifications which have led to the elaboration of EUSeaMap 2019.

EUSeaMap 2019 is the third iteration of EUSeaMap. All versions have been produced as part of the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project, which is one of several thematic lots in EMODnet. The project has brought together a European consortium of specialists in benthic ecology and seabed habitat mapping. The partners first collaborated in EMODnet phase 1 (2009-2012) to deliver a prototype predictive seabed habitat map in four trial basins (Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas, Baltic, Western Mediterranean). This predictive model was named EUSeaMap (Cameron and Askew, 2011). In EMODnet Phase 2 (2012-2016), the consortium extended EUSeaMap coverage to all European regions (Populus et al, 2017). In the new version, the spatial coverage was extended further North in order to include the Barents Sea. The spatial detail was substantially improved. This was made possible by improvements to the physical predictor variables created by the other EMODnet lots which are the input data to the EUSeaMap model. A substantial revision of the map creation process has also been carried out in order to make it more reproducible. This document describes all these modifications which have led to the elaboration of EUSeaMap 2019.

Marine transform faults and associated fracture zones (MTFFZs) cover vast stretches of the ocean floor, where they play a key role in plate tectonics, accommodating the lateral movement of tectonic plates and allowing connections between ridges and trenches. Together with the continental counterparts of MTFFZs, these structures also pose a risk to human societies as they can generate high magnitude earthquakes and trigger tsunamis. Historical examples are the Sumatra-Wharton Basin Earthquake in 2012 (M8.6) and the Atlantic Gloria Fault Earthquake in 1941 (M8.4). Earthquakes at MTFFZs furthermore open and sustain pathways for fluid flow triggering reactions with the host rocks that may permanently change the rheological properties of the oceanic lithosphere. In fact, they may act as conduits mediating vertical fluid flow and leading to elemental exchanges between Earth’s mantle and overlying sediments. Chemicals transported upward in MTFFZs include energy substrates, such as H2 and volatile hydrocarbons, which then sustain chemosynthetic, microbial ecosystems at and below the seafloor. Moreover, up- or downwelling of fluids within the complex system of fractures and seismogenic faults along MTFFZs could modify earthquake cycles and/or serve as “detectors” for changes in the stress state during interseismic phases. Despite their likely global importance, the large areas where transform faults and fracture zones occur are still underexplored, as are the coupling mechanisms between seismic activity, fluid flow, and life. This manuscript provides an interdisciplinary review and synthesis of scientific progress at or related to MTFFZs and specifies approaches and strategies to deepen the understanding of processes that trigger, maintain, and control fluid flow at MTFFZs.

Marine transform faults and associated fracture zones (MTFFZs) cover vast stretches of the ocean floor, where they play a key role in plate tectonics, accommodating the lateral movement of tectonic plates and allowing connections between ridges and trenches. Together with the continental counterparts of MTFFZs, these structures also pose a risk to human societies as they can generate high magnitude earthquakes and trigger tsunamis. Historical examples are the Sumatra-Wharton Basin Earthquake in 2012 (M8.6) and the Atlantic Gloria Fault Earthquake in 1941 (M8.4). Earthquakes at MTFFZs furthermore open and sustain pathways for fluid flow triggering reactions with the host rocks that may permanently change the rheological properties of the oceanic lithosphere. In fact, they may act as conduits mediating vertical fluid flow and leading to elemental exchanges between Earth’s mantle and overlying sediments. Chemicals transported upward in MTFFZs include energy substrates, such as H2 and volatile hydrocarbons, which then sustain chemosynthetic, microbial ecosystems at and below the seafloor. Moreover, up- or downwelling of fluids within the complex system of fractures and seismogenic faults along MTFFZs could modify earthquake cycles and/or serve as “detectors” for changes in the stress state during interseismic phases. Despite their likely global importance, the large areas where transform faults and fracture zones occur are still underexplored, as are the coupling mechanisms between seismic activity, fluid flow, and life. This manuscript provides an interdisciplinary review and synthesis of scientific progress at or related to MTFFZs and specifies approaches and strategies to deepen the understanding of processes that trigger, maintain, and control fluid flow at MTFFZs.

Marine transform faults and associated fracture zones (MTFFZs) cover vast stretches of the ocean floor, where they play a key role in plate tectonics, accommodating the lateral movement of tectonic plates and allowing connections between ridges and trenches. Together with the continental counterparts of MTFFZs, these structures also pose a risk to human societies as they can generate high magnitude earthquakes and trigger tsunamis. Historical examples are the Sumatra-Wharton Basin Earthquake in 2012 (M8.6) and the Atlantic Gloria Fault Earthquake in 1941 (M8.4). Earthquakes at MTFFZs furthermore open and sustain pathways for fluid flow triggering reactions with the host rocks that may permanently change the rheological properties of the oceanic lithosphere. In fact, they may act as conduits mediating vertical fluid flow and leading to elemental exchanges between Earth’s mantle and overlying sediments. Chemicals transported upward in MTFFZs include energy substrates, such as H2 and volatile hydrocarbons, which then sustain chemosynthetic, microbial ecosystems at and below the seafloor. Moreover, up- or downwelling of fluids within the complex system of fractures and seismogenic faults along MTFFZs could modify earthquake cycles and/or serve as “detectors” for changes in the stress state during interseismic phases. Despite their likely global importance, the large areas where transform faults and fracture zones occur are still underexplored, as are the coupling mechanisms between seismic activity, fluid flow, and life. This manuscript provides an interdisciplinary review and synthesis of scientific progress at or related to MTFFZs and specifies approaches and strategies to deepen the understanding of processes that trigger, maintain, and control fluid flow at MTFFZs.

Marine transform faults and associated fracture zones (MTFFZs) cover vast stretches of the ocean floor, where they play a key role in plate tectonics, accommodating the lateral movement of tectonic plates and allowing connections between ridges and trenches. Together with the continental counterparts of MTFFZs, these structures also pose a risk to human societies as they can generate high magnitude earthquakes and trigger tsunamis. Historical examples are the Sumatra-Wharton Basin Earthquake in 2012 (M8.6) and the Atlantic Gloria Fault Earthquake in 1941 (M8.4). Earthquakes at MTFFZs furthermore open and sustain pathways for fluid flow triggering reactions with the host rocks that may permanently change the rheological properties of the oceanic lithosphere. In fact, they may act as conduits mediating vertical fluid flow and leading to elemental exchanges between Earth’s mantle and overlying sediments. Chemicals transported upward in MTFFZs include energy substrates, such as H2 and volatile hydrocarbons, which then sustain chemosynthetic, microbial ecosystems at and below the seafloor. Moreover, up- or downwelling of fluids within the complex system of fractures and seismogenic faults along MTFFZs could modify earthquake cycles and/or serve as “detectors” for changes in the stress state during interseismic phases. Despite their likely global importance, the large areas where transform faults and fracture zones occur are still underexplored, as are the coupling mechanisms between seismic activity, fluid flow, and life. This manuscript provides an interdisciplinary review and synthesis of scientific progress at or related to MTFFZs and specifies approaches and strategies to deepen the understanding of processes that trigger, maintain, and control fluid flow at MTFFZs.

Marine transform faults and associated fracture zones (MTFFZs) cover vast stretches of the ocean floor, where they play a key role in plate tectonics, accommodating the lateral movement of tectonic plates and allowing connections between ridges and trenches. Together with the continental counterparts of MTFFZs, these structures also pose a risk to human societies as they can generate high magnitude earthquakes and trigger tsunamis. Historical examples are the Sumatra-Wharton Basin Earthquake in 2012 (M8.6) and the Atlantic Gloria Fault Earthquake in 1941 (M8.4). Earthquakes at MTFFZs furthermore open and sustain pathways for fluid flow triggering reactions with the host rocks that may permanently change the rheological properties of the oceanic lithosphere. In fact, they may act as conduits mediating vertical fluid flow and leading to elemental exchanges between Earth’s mantle and overlying sediments. Chemicals transported upward in MTFFZs include energy substrates, such as H2 and volatile hydrocarbons, which then sustain chemosynthetic, microbial ecosystems at and below the seafloor. Moreover, up- or downwelling of fluids within the complex system of fractures and seismogenic faults along MTFFZs could modify earthquake cycles and/or serve as “detectors” for changes in the stress state during interseismic phases. Despite their likely global importance, the large areas where transform faults and fracture zones occur are still underexplored, as are the coupling mechanisms between seismic activity, fluid flow, and life. This manuscript provides an interdisciplinary review and synthesis of scientific progress at or related to MTFFZs and specifies approaches and strategies to deepen the understanding of processes that trigger, maintain, and control fluid flow at MTFFZs

Marine transform faults and associated fracture zones (MTFFZs) cover vast stretches of the ocean floor, where they play a key role in plate tectonics, accommodating the lateral movement of tectonic plates and allowing connections between ridges and trenches. Together with the continental counterparts of MTFFZs, these structures also pose a risk to human societies as they can generate high magnitude earthquakes and trigger tsunamis. Historical examples are the Sumatra-Wharton Basin Earthquake in 2012 (M8.6) and the Atlantic Gloria Fault Earthquake in 1941 (M8.4). Earthquakes at MTFFZs furthermore open and sustain pathways for fluid flow triggering reactions with the host rocks that may permanently change the rheological properties of the oceanic lithosphere. In fact, they may act as conduits mediating vertical fluid flow and leading to elemental exchanges between Earth’s mantle and overlying sediments. Chemicals transported upward in MTFFZs include energy substrates, such as H2 and volatile hydrocarbons, which then sustain chemosynthetic, microbial ecosystems at and below the seafloor. Moreover, up- or downwelling of fluids within the complex system of fractures and seismogenic faults along MTFFZs could modify earthquake cycles and/or serve as “detectors” for changes in the stress state during interseismic phases. Despite their likely global importance, the large areas where transform faults and fracture zones occur are still underexplored, as are the coupling mechanisms between seismic activity, fluid flow, and life. This manuscript provides an interdisciplinary review and synthesis of scientific progress at or related to MTFFZs and specifies approaches and strategies to deepen the understanding of processes that trigger, maintain, and control fluid flow at MTFFZs.

Marine transform faults and associated fracture zones (MTFFZs) cover vast stretches of the ocean floor, where they play a key role in plate tectonics, accommodating the lateral movement of tectonic plates and allowing connections between ridges and trenches. Together with the continental counterparts of MTFFZs, these structures also pose a risk to human societies as they can generate high magnitude earthquakes and trigger tsunamis. Historical examples are the Sumatra-Wharton Basin Earthquake in 2012 (M8.6) and the Atlantic Gloria Fault Earthquake in 1941 (M8.4). Earthquakes at MTFFZs furthermore open and sustain pathways for fluid flow triggering reactions with the host rocks that may permanently change the rheological properties of the oceanic lithosphere. In fact, they may act as conduits mediating vertical fluid flow and leading to elemental exchanges between Earth’s mantle and overlying sediments. Chemicals transported upward in MTFFZs include energy substrates, such as H2 and volatile hydrocarbons, which then sustain chemosynthetic, microbial ecosystems at and below the seafloor. Moreover, up- or downwelling of fluids within the complex system of fractures and seismogenic faults along MTFFZs could modify earthquake cycles and/or serve as “detectors” for changes in the stress state during interseismic phases. Despite their likely global importance, the large areas where transform faults and fracture zones occur are still underexplored, as are the coupling mechanisms between seismic activity, fluid flow, and life. This manuscript provides an interdisciplinary review and synthesis of scientific progress at or related to MTFFZs and specifies approaches and strategies to deepen the understanding of processes that trigger, maintain, and control fluid flow at MTFFZs.

In order to most benefit from the potential offered by the European marine basins in terms of growth and employment (Blue Growth), and to protect the marine environment, we need to know more about the seafloor. European Directives, such as the MSFD, but also the Horizon 2020 roadmap explicitly called for a multi-resolution full coverage of all European seas including bathymetry, geology and habitats. The present work, following on a suite of past initiatives, has made a big step forward in this direction. It has first boosted the collation of existing maps from surveys by setting up a framework and a procedure to encourage people to submit their maps and data. This resulted in a more attractive EMODnet seabed habitat portal and a snowball effect with more and more people willing to join. However, collation will eventually come to an end and as new creations of seabed habitat maps are so complex and time-consuming, a cost-efficient way to meet the need for a full-coverage habitat map was found to be low-resolution maps and models to predict seafloor habitat types. The broad-scale map referred to as EUSeaMap has been created by this project and after the first two phases it now covers all European basins from the Barents Sea to Macaronesia and to the Black Sea. By harmonising mapping procedures - based on the EUNIS classification - and fostering a common understanding among seabed mappers in Europe, EUSeaMap provides today the community with a comprehensive, free and ready-to-use map that can find applications at regional scale for management and conservation issues. Tables and maps for all basins can be found in section 3 “Results and disciussions”. The project has played a key role in giving feedback to other EMODnet communities dealing with bathymetry, geology and biology, all essential data sources for the broad-scale map. It has also improved the understanding of the EUNIS habitat classification - with a focus on the Adriatic and the Black Sea - by better specify

This chapter gives an overview of the environmental changes to the European shelf and its marginal seas during the Late Pleistocene to the Middle Holocene. It first explains the regional tectonics of Europe. The age of the consolidation of the basement together with the plate tectonic setting serves as the main parameters determining coastal formation. Next, the chapter reviews the fluctuation of glacial and interglacial stadia as an effect of orbital parameters of the Earth around the Sun. In addition, it examines eustatic change during the Last Glacial Cycle (LGC). The chapter also describes the development of the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the Atlantic shelf, based on numerical sea-level scenarios constrained by observational data. Finally, it explains the basics of the ECHO-G global climate model, together with an overview of Late Holocene changes in European climate with special attention to wind forces.

In order to most benefit from the potential offered by the European marine basins in terms of growth and employment (Blue Growth), and to protect the marine environment, we need to know more about the seafloor. European Directives, such as the MSFD, but also the Horizon 2020 roadmap explicitly called for a multi-resolution full coverage of all European seas including bathymetry, geology and habitats. The present work, following on a suite of past initiatives, has made a big step forward in this direction. It has first boosted the collation of existing maps from surveys by setting up a framework and a procedure to encourage people to submit their maps and data. This resulted in a more attractive EMODnet seabed habitat portal and a snowball effect with more and more people willing to join. However, collation will eventually come to an end and as new creations of seabed habitat maps are so complex and time-consuming, a cost-efficient way to meet the need for a full-coverage habitat map was found to be low-resolution maps and models to predict seafloor habitat types. The broad-scale map referred to as EUSeaMap has been created by this project and after the first two phases it now covers all European basins from the Barents Sea to Macaronesia and to the Black Sea. By harmonising mapping procedures - based on the EUNIS classification - and fostering a common understanding among seabed mappers in Europe, EUSeaMap provides today the community with a comprehensive, free and ready-to-use map that can find applications at regional scale for management and conservation issues. Tables and maps for all basins can be found in section 3 “Results and disciussions”. The project has played a key role in giving feedback to other EMODnet communities dealing with bathymetry, geology and biology, all essential data sources for the broad-scale map. It has also improved the understanding of the EUNIS habitat classification - with a focus on the Adriatic and the Black Sea - by better specify

This chapter gives an overview of the environmental changes to the European shelf and its marginal seas during the Late Pleistocene to the Middle Holocene. It first explains the regional tectonics of Europe. The age of the consolidation of the basement together with the plate tectonic setting serves as the main parameters determining coastal formation. Next, the chapter reviews the fluctuation of glacial and interglacial stadia as an effect of orbital parameters of the Earth around the Sun. In addition, it examines eustatic change during the Last Glacial Cycle (LGC). The chapter also describes the development of the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the Atlantic shelf, based on numerical sea-level scenarios constrained by observational data. Finally, it explains the basics of the ECHO-G global climate model, together with an overview of Late Holocene changes in European climate with special attention to wind forces.

This chapter gives an overview of the environmental changes to the European shelf and its marginal seas during the Late Pleistocene to the Middle Holocene. It first explains the regional tectonics of Europe. The age of the consolidation of the basement together with the plate tectonic setting serves as the main parameters determining coastal formation. Next, the chapter reviews the fluctuation of glacial and interglacial stadia as an effect of orbital parameters of the Earth around the Sun. In addition, it examines eustatic change during the Last Glacial Cycle (LGC). The chapter also describes the development of the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the Atlantic shelf, based on numerical sea-level scenarios constrained by observational data. Finally, it explains the basics of the ECHO-G global climate model, together with an overview of Late Holocene changes in European climate with special attention to wind forces.

In order to most benefit from the potential offered by the European marine basins in terms of growth and employment (Blue Growth), and to protect the marine environment, we need to know more about the seafloor. European Directives, such as the MSFD, but also the Horizon 2020 roadmap explicitly called for a multi-resolution full coverage of all European seas including bathymetry, geology and habitats. The present work, following on a suite of past initiatives, has made a big step forward in this direction. It has first boosted the collation of existing maps from surveys by setting up a framework and a procedure to encourage people to submit their maps and data. This resulted in a more attractive EMODnet seabed habitat portal and a snowball effect with more and more people willing to join. However, collation will eventually come to an end and as new creations of seabed habitat maps are so complex and time-consuming, a cost-efficient way to meet the need for a full-coverage habitat map was found to be low-resolution maps and models to predict seafloor habitat types. The broad-scale map referred to as EUSeaMap has been created by this project and after the first two phases it now covers all European basins from the Barents Sea to Macaronesia and to the Black Sea. By harmonising mapping procedures - based on the EUNIS classification - and fostering a common understanding among seabed mappers in Europe, EUSeaMap provides today the community with a comprehensive, free and ready-to-use map that can find applications at regional scale for management and conservation issues. Tables and maps for all basins can be found in section 3 “Results and disciussions”. The project has played a key role in giving feedback to other EMODnet communities dealing with bathymetry, geology and biology, all essential data sources for the broad-scale map. It has also improved the understanding of the EUNIS habitat classification - with a focus on the Adriatic and the Black Sea - by better specify

In order to most benefit from the potential offered by the European marine basins in terms of growth and employment (Blue Growth), and to protect the marine environment, we need to know more about the seafloor. European Directives, such as the MSFD, but also the Horizon 2020 roadmap explicitly called for a multi-resolution full coverage of all European seas including bathymetry, geology and habitats. The present work, following on a suite of past initiatives, has made a big step forward in this direction. It has first boosted the collation of existing maps from surveys by setting up a framework and a procedure to encourage people to submit their maps and data. This resulted in a more attractive EMODnet seabed habitat portal and a snowball effect with more and more people willing to join. However, collation will eventually come to an end and as new creations of seabed habitat maps are so complex and time-consuming, a cost-efficient way to meet the need for a full-coverage habitat map was found to be low-resolution maps and models to predict seafloor habitat types. The broad-scale map referred to as EUSeaMap has been created by this project and after the first two phases it now covers all European basins from the Barents Sea to Macaronesia and to the Black Sea. By harmonising mapping procedures - based on the EUNIS classification - and fostering a common understanding among seabed mappers in Europe, EUSeaMap provides today the community with a comprehensive, free and ready-to-use map that can find applications at regional scale for management and conservation issues. Tables and maps for all basins can be found in section 3 “Results and disciussions”. The project has played a key role in giving feedback to other EMODnet communities dealing with bathymetry, geology and biology, all essential data sources for the broad-scale map. It has also improved the understanding of the EUNIS habitat classification - with a focus on the Adriatic and the Black Sea - by better specify

This chapter gives an overview of the environmental changes to the European shelf and its marginal seas during the Late Pleistocene to the Middle Holocene. It first explains the regional tectonics of Europe. The age of the consolidation of the basement together with the plate tectonic setting serves as the main parameters determining coastal formation. Next, the chapter reviews the fluctuation of glacial and interglacial stadia as an effect of orbital parameters of the Earth around the Sun. In addition, it examines eustatic change during the Last Glacial Cycle (LGC). The chapter also describes the development of the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the Atlantic shelf, based on numerical sea-level scenarios constrained by observational data. Finally, it explains the basics of the ECHO-G global climate model, together with an overview of Late Holocene changes in European climate with special attention to wind forces.

High-resolution NMR of samples in the solid state is typically performed under mechanical sample spinning around an axis that makes an angle, called the magic angle, of 54.7 degrees with the static magnetic field. There are many cases in which geometrical and engineering constraints prevent spinning at this specific angle. Implementations of in-situ and ex-situ magic angle field spinning might be extremely demanding because of the power requirements or an inconvenient sample size or geometry. Here we present a methodology based on switched angle spinning between two angles, none of which is the magic angle, which provide both isotropic and anisotropic information. Using this method, named Projected Magic Angle Spinning, we were able to obtain resolved isotropic chemical shifts in spinning samples where the broadening is mostly inhomogeneous.

High-resolution NMR of samples in the solid state is typically performed under mechanical sample spinning around an axis that makes an angle, called the magic angle, of 54.7 degrees with the static magnetic field. There are many cases in which geometrical and engineering constraints prevent spinning at this specific angle. Implementations of in-situ and ex-situ magic angle field spinning might be extremely demanding because of the power requirements or an inconvenient sample size or geometry. Here we present a methodology based on switched angle spinning between two angles, none of which is the magic angle, which provide both isotropic and anisotropic information. Using this method, named Projected Magic Angle Spinning, we were able to obtain resolved isotropic chemical shifts in spinning samples where the broadening is mostly inhomogeneous.

The Corinth Rift, central Greece, enables analysis of early rift development as it is young (<5Ma) and highly active and its full history is recorded at high resolution by sedimentary systems. A complete compilation of marine geophysical data, complemented by onshore data, is used to develop a high-resolution chronostratigraphy and detailed fault history for the offshore Corinth Rift, integrating interpretations and reconciling previous discrepancies. Rift migration and localization of deformation have been significant within the rift since inception. Over the last circa 2Myr the rift transitioned from a spatially complex rift to a uniform asymmetric rift, but this transition did not occur synchronously along strike. Isochore maps at circa 100 kyr intervals illustrate a change in fault polarity within the short interval circa 620-340 ka, characterized by progressive transfer of activity frommajor south dipping faults to north dipping faults and southward migration of discrete depocenters at similar to 30 m/kyr. Since circa 340 ka there has been localization and linkage of the dominant north dipping border fault system along the southern rift margin, demonstrated by lateral growth of discrete depocenters at similar to 40 m/kyr. A single central depocenter formed by circa 130 ka, indicating full fault linkage. These results indicate that rift localization is progressive (not instantaneous) and can be synchronous once a rift border fault system is established. This study illustrates that development processes within young rifts occur at 100kyr timescales, including rapid changes in rift symmetry and growth and linkage of major rift faults.

The Corinth Rift, central Greece, enables analysis of early rift development as it is young (<5Ma) and highly active and its full history is recorded at high resolution by sedimentary systems. A complete compilation of marine geophysical data, complemented by onshore data, is used to develop a high-resolution chronostratigraphy and detailed fault history for the offshore Corinth Rift, integrating interpretations and reconciling previous discrepancies. Rift migration and localization of deformation have been significant within the rift since inception. Over the last circa 2Myr the rift transitioned from a spatially complex rift to a uniform asymmetric rift, but this transition did not occur synchronously along strike. Isochore maps at circa 100 kyr intervals illustrate a change in fault polarity within the short interval circa 620-340 ka, characterized by progressive transfer of activity frommajor south dipping faults to north dipping faults and southward migration of discrete depocenters at similar to 30 m/kyr. Since circa 340 ka there has been localization and linkage of the dominant north dipping border fault system along the southern rift margin, demonstrated by lateral growth of discrete depocenters at similar to 40 m/kyr. A single central depocenter formed by circa 130 ka, indicating full fault linkage. These results indicate that rift localization is progressive (not instantaneous) and can be synchronous once a rift border fault system is established. This study illustrates that development processes within young rifts occur at 100kyr timescales, including rapid changes in rift symmetry and growth and linkage of major rift faults.

The Corinth Rift, central Greece, enables analysis of early rift development as it is young (<5Ma) and highly active and its full history is recorded at high resolution by sedimentary systems. A complete compilation of marine geophysical data, complemented by onshore data, is used to develop a high-resolution chronostratigraphy and detailed fault history for the offshore Corinth Rift, integrating interpretations and reconciling previous discrepancies. Rift migration and localization of deformation have been significant within the rift since inception. Over the last circa 2Myr the rift transitioned from a spatially complex rift to a uniform asymmetric rift, but this transition did not occur synchronously along strike. Isochore maps at circa 100 kyr intervals illustrate a change in fault polarity within the short interval circa 620-340 ka, characterized by progressive transfer of activity frommajor south dipping faults to north dipping faults and southward migration of discrete depocenters at similar to 30 m/kyr. Since circa 340 ka there has been localization and linkage of the dominant north dipping border fault system along the southern rift margin, demonstrated by lateral growth of discrete depocenters at similar to 40 m/kyr. A single central depocenter formed by circa 130 ka, indicating full fault linkage. These results indicate that rift localization is progressive (not instantaneous) and can be synchronous once a rift border fault system is established. This study illustrates that development processes within young rifts occur at 100kyr timescales, including rapid changes in rift symmetry and growth and linkage of major rift faults.

The Corinth Rift, central Greece, enables analysis of early rift development as it is young (<5Ma) and highly active and its full history is recorded at high resolution by sedimentary systems. A complete compilation of marine geophysical data, complemented by onshore data, is used to develop a high-resolution chronostratigraphy and detailed fault history for the offshore Corinth Rift, integrating interpretations and reconciling previous discrepancies. Rift migration and localization of deformation have been significant within the rift since inception. Over the last circa 2Myr the rift transitioned from a spatially complex rift to a uniform asymmetric rift, but this transition did not occur synchronously along strike. Isochore maps at circa 100 kyr intervals illustrate a change in fault polarity within the short interval circa 620-340 ka, characterized by progressive transfer of activity frommajor south dipping faults to north dipping faults and southward migration of discrete depocenters at similar to 30 m/kyr. Since circa 340 ka there has been localization and linkage of the dominant north dipping border fault system along the southern rift margin, demonstrated by lateral growth of discrete depocenters at similar to 40 m/kyr. A single central depocenter formed by circa 130 ka, indicating full fault linkage. These results indicate that rift localization is progressive (not instantaneous) and can be synchronous once a rift border fault system is established. This study illustrates that development processes within young rifts occur at 100kyr timescales, including rapid changes in rift symmetry and growth and linkage of major rift faults.

We present here the first results of the analysis and interpretation of the swath bathymetry and side scan sonar data collected along the southeastern outer shelf and upper slope regions of the Cyprus insular margin (offshore Cape Greco). The resultant bathymetric model and the derivatives (e.g.: slope, aspect, benthic position index) are presented and analyzed in order to describe the morphology of the seabed and the main geomorphological features through quantitative indicators including morphometric indexes and statistical descriptors. The presence of deep sea coral communities (Dendrophylia ramea) in a particular location of the surveyed area is also discussed and tentatively related to the landscape morphology where the colonies are settled

© The Author(s), 2015. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Scientific Reports 5 (2015): 12152, doi:10.1038/srep12152., Natural CO2 releases from shallow marine hydrothermal vents are assumed to mix into the water column, and not accumulate into stratified seafloor pools. We present newly discovered shallow subsea pools located within the Santorini volcanic caldera of the Southern Aegean Sea, Greece, that accumulate CO2 emissions from geologic reservoirs. This type of hydrothermal seafloor pool, containing highly concentrated CO2, provides direct evidence of shallow benthic CO2 accumulations originating from sub-seafloor releases. Samples taken from within these acidic pools are devoid of calcifying organisms, and channel structures among the pools indicate gravity driven flow, suggesting that seafloor release of CO2 at this site may preferentially impact benthic ecosystems. These naturally occurring seafloor pools may provide a diagnostic indicator of incipient volcanic activity and can serve as an analog for studying CO2 leakage and benthic accumulations from subsea carbon capture and storage sites., This research was supported by the Eurofleets Caldera 2012 Project (EU), a NASA Astrobiology Science & Technology for Exploring Planets grant #NNX09AB76G (USA), a CAREER Award grant #OCE-0955674 to R. Camilli from the National Science Foundation (USA), and IPGP (France).

© The Author(s), 2015. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Scientific Reports 5 (2015): 12152, doi:10.1038/srep12152., Natural CO2 releases from shallow marine hydrothermal vents are assumed to mix into the water column, and not accumulate into stratified seafloor pools. We present newly discovered shallow subsea pools located within the Santorini volcanic caldera of the Southern Aegean Sea, Greece, that accumulate CO2 emissions from geologic reservoirs. This type of hydrothermal seafloor pool, containing highly concentrated CO2, provides direct evidence of shallow benthic CO2 accumulations originating from sub-seafloor releases. Samples taken from within these acidic pools are devoid of calcifying organisms, and channel structures among the pools indicate gravity driven flow, suggesting that seafloor release of CO2 at this site may preferentially impact benthic ecosystems. These naturally occurring seafloor pools may provide a diagnostic indicator of incipient volcanic activity and can serve as an analog for studying CO2 leakage and benthic accumulations from subsea carbon capture and storage sites., This research was supported by the Eurofleets Caldera 2012 Project (EU), a NASA Astrobiology Science & Technology for Exploring Planets grant #NNX09AB76G (USA), a CAREER Award grant #OCE-0955674 to R. Camilli from the National Science Foundation (USA), and IPGP (France).

The recently started research project CYCLAMEN (CYprus Cold-corals Levantine SeA, Eastern MEditerraneaN), will conduct the first detailed study of cold-water coral communities in eastern Cypriot waters. Cold-water coral habitats have been found during exploratory surveys. The 2-yr long project will include the environmental characterization of the area, as well as the study of the spatial distribution of cold-water coral communities. In addition to the study of the biology of the coral species, genetic and eco-physiological studies will be included. This project is the first of its kind in Cyprus and will additionally have an associated scientific outreach programme in order to bring these ecosystems, still poorly known, to the general public. The project is led by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), and relies on the participation of research Institutions in Cyprus: The Cyprus Institute (CyI) and the NGO Enalia Physis Environmental Research Centre (EPERC); France: Aix-Marseille University – Mediterranean Institute for Biodiversity & Ecology (AMU-IMBE); Greece: The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR); Mónaco: Centre Scientifique de Monaco (CSM); United Kingdom: National Oceanography Centre (NOC), and Spain: Universitat de Barcelona (UB). Here we present the conceptual frame of the project, the background knowledge and the first obtained results in the oceanographic cruise carried out in summer 2015.

During the last one million years the land area of Europe was at times 40% larger than at present, and was usually 10-20% larger because of the global volumes of water locked up in ice-caps several kilometres thick on land. Our human precursors lived 200km inland from the coast of the Black Sea more than 1.5 million years ago, in northern Spain more than 1 million years ago, and on the British coast of the North Sea at least 800,000 years ago. Early tribes migrated from Africa through the Middle East, and then along the Mediterranean shore, as well as through central Europe, occupying northern territories when the ice melted and retreating southward when the ice expanded. These migrations across continental shelves, including the abandonment and re-occupation of ancient coastal plains, took place many times. Continental Shelf Prehistoric Research is a new integrated discipline linking the analysis of climate change, sea-level change, environmental conditions, and the prehistoric archaeology of peoples who lived on and migrated across the continental shelf, land now submerged beneath the sea. It requires collaboration between experts in the humanities and earth sciences, as well as collaboration with offshore industries such as hydrocarbons, wind farm installations, fishing, dredging, and channel maintenance. Modern technology in seabed acoustic survey, data acquisition, diving technology, data storage and predictive modelling make it feasible to envisage a proactive strategy which would have been impossible 10-20 years ago. Costs can be kept to a minimum by combining the initial surveys needed for Continental Shelf Prehistoric Research with those already being conducted for environmental impact assessment and national and regional environmental monitoring requirements. Europe leads the world in this research and it is imperative to consolidate and expand this advantage. The variable and partial traces of early humans found on land cannot be fully understood unless w

During the last one million years the land area of Europe was at times 40% larger than at present, and was usually 10-20% larger because of the global volumes of water locked up in ice-caps several kilometres thick on land. Our human precursors lived 200km inland from the coast of the Black Sea more than 1.5 million years ago, in northern Spain more than 1 million years ago, and on the British coast of the North Sea at least 800,000 years ago. Early tribes migrated from Africa through the Middle East, and then along the Mediterranean shore, as well as through central Europe, occupying northern territories when the ice melted and retreating southward when the ice expanded. These migrations across continental shelves, including the abandonment and re-occupation of ancient coastal plains, took place many times. Continental Shelf Prehistoric Research is a new integrated discipline linking the analysis of climate change, sea-level change, environmental conditions, and the prehistoric archaeology of peoples who lived on and migrated across the continental shelf, land now submerged beneath the sea. It requires collaboration between experts in the humanities and earth sciences, as well as collaboration with offshore industries such as hydrocarbons, wind farm installations, fishing, dredging, and channel maintenance. Modern technology in seabed acoustic survey, data acquisition, diving technology, data storage and predictive modelling make it feasible to envisage a proactive strategy which would have been impossible 10-20 years ago. Costs can be kept to a minimum by combining the initial surveys needed for Continental Shelf Prehistoric Research with those already being conducted for environmental impact assessment and national and regional environmental monitoring requirements. Europe leads the world in this research and it is imperative to consolidate and expand this advantage. The variable and partial traces of early humans found on land cannot be fully understood unless w

During the last one million years the land area of Europe was at times 40% larger than at present, and was usually 10-20% larger because of the global volumes of water locked up in ice-caps several kilometres thick on land. Our human precursors lived 200km inland from the coast of the Black Sea more than 1.5 million years ago, in northern Spain more than 1 million years ago, and on the British coast of the North Sea at least 800,000 years ago. Early tribes migrated from Africa through the Middle East, and then along the Mediterranean shore, as well as through central Europe, occupying northern territories when the ice melted and retreating southward when the ice expanded. These migrations across continental shelves, including the abandonment and re-occupation of ancient coastal plains, took place many times. Continental Shelf Prehistoric Research is a new integrated discipline linking the analysis of climate change, sea-level change, environmental conditions, and the prehistoric archaeology of peoples who lived on and migrated across the continental shelf, land now submerged beneath the sea. It requires collaboration between experts in the humanities and earth sciences, as well as collaboration with offshore industries such as hydrocarbons, wind farm installations, fishing, dredging, and channel maintenance. Modern technology in seabed acoustic survey, data acquisition, diving technology, data storage and predictive modelling make it feasible to envisage a proactive strategy which would have been impossible 10-20 years ago. Costs can be kept to a minimum by combining the initial surveys needed for Continental Shelf Prehistoric Research with those already being conducted for environmental impact assessment and national and regional environmental monitoring requirements. Europe leads the world in this research and it is imperative to consolidate and expand this advantage. The variable and partial traces of early humans found on land cannot be fully understood unless w

During the last one million years the land area of Europe was at times 40% larger than at present, and was usually 10-20% larger because of the global volumes of water locked up in ice-caps several kilometres thick on land. Our human precursors lived 200km inland from the coast of the Black Sea more than 1.5 million years ago, in northern Spain more than 1 million years ago, and on the British coast of the North Sea at least 800,000 years ago. Early tribes migrated from Africa through the Middle East, and then along the Mediterranean shore, as well as through central Europe, occupying northern territories when the ice melted and retreating southward when the ice expanded. These migrations across continental shelves, including the abandonment and re-occupation of ancient coastal plains, took place many times. Continental Shelf Prehistoric Research is a new integrated discipline linking the analysis of climate change, sea-level change, environmental conditions, and the prehistoric archaeology of peoples who lived on and migrated across the continental shelf, land now submerged beneath the sea. It requires collaboration between experts in the humanities and earth sciences, as well as collaboration with offshore industries such as hydrocarbons, wind farm installations, fishing, dredging, and channel maintenance. Modern technology in seabed acoustic survey, data acquisition, diving technology, data storage and predictive modelling make it feasible to envisage a proactive strategy which would have been impossible 10-20 years ago. Costs can be kept to a minimum by combining the initial surveys needed for Continental Shelf Prehistoric Research with those already being conducted for environmental impact assessment and national and regional environmental monitoring requirements. Europe leads the world in this research and it is imperative to consolidate and expand this advantage. The variable and partial traces of early humans found on land cannot be fully understood unless w

Hummocky seafloor features were discovered on the eastern flank of Santorini volcano, Greece. Multibeam bathymetric mapping, airgun seismic profiling, side scan sonar survey, and remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives have been carried out to characterize the nature of the hummocks. These hummocks appear to be composed of several tens of blocks that are up to several hundredmeters in diameter, and are the surface expression of amuch larger deposit than is observed in the bathymetry. The sidescan and airgun data show that the deposit covers an area of approximately 6 km wide by 20 km long, and is up to 75 mthick.We estimate the total volume of the deposit to be approximately 4.4×109 m3. Sampling of these blocks show they are composed of pyroclastic flowdeposits produced during theMinoan eruption of Santorini (ca. 3600 BP).Wepropose that the deposit is the result of a multi-stage landslide event that was caused by one of the several large earthquakes or volcanic eruptions that have occurred in the vicinity of Santorini since theMinoan eruption. One ormore of these events likely triggered the destabilization of a part of the eastern flank of Santorini,which led to a debris avalanche, depositing blocks and forming a hummocky terrain at the base of the island's slope. Themassmovement later evolved into a turbulent suspension flow that traveled 20 km or more from the presumed initial failure. Given the size of the landslide deposit, it might have a tsunami potentially affecting the islands across the southern Aegean Sea. The understanding of earthquake-landslide dynamics has important implications for hazard assessment in this seismically active, historical, and highly populated region of the world. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Your articles on human dispersal in the late Pleistocene epoch (Nature 485, 23; 2012) overlook the significance of now-submerged archaeological sites on the continental shelf during this period (126,000–11,000 years ago). It is wrong to assume that these were completely destroyed by the sea and that the interpretation of human movements must rely on proxy data, such as DNA or evidence from islands. More than 3,000 prehistoric sites on the seabed have been found and mapped, and in some cases excavated. They range in age from 500,000 to 5,000 years old, and at locations from the present-day shoreline out to a depth of 130 metres. These sites were extensive, often located on key travel routes and more attractive than arid hinterlands to human settlers. Marine archaeologists have recovered in-context stone artefacts, animal remains and human fossils from such sites. Some materials, including food remains, organics, bone, DNA and plants, are better preserved underwater than on land. Questions of early human dispersal will not be resolved until continental shelves are fully investigated — spurred by advances in modern oceanographic technology (see http://splashcos.org).