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• Novel conceptional model for the tsunamigenesis of coastal mass-wasting events. • Unlocking the debate on the tsunamigenic potential of small-scale coastal collapses. • Benchmarking a cliff-failure tsunami numerical model with historical data. • First detailed investigation of the 1930 Cabo Girão tsunami in Madeira, NE Atlantic. Mass-wasting events are a key process in the evolution of volcanic ocean islands. They occur at various dimensional scales and present a major source of hazard. When the collapsed material plunges into the sea, destructive tsunamis can be generated. Yet, the hazard potential of collapse-induced tsunamis is still poorly understood with different opinions on what consequences to expect from this type of events, particularly those related to massive volcanic island flank collapses. In this paper, however, we explore the hazard extent of tsunamis triggered by the smaller – but more frequent – coastal cliff-failures, in order to isolate critical factors in the generation, propagation and impact of these tsunamis. To achieve this, we use the prime example of Madeira, a volcanic island in the Atlantic Ocean highly vulnerable to cliff-failure. Particularly, we explore the March 4th, 1930 Cabo Girão event that triggered a deadly tsunami. The coastal impact of the 1930 "Deadly Wave", as the island's inhabitants referred to the generated tsunami, resulted in 19 fatalities. We use historical description, morphological analysis, and numerical modelling to better understand the tsunamigenesis of tall island cliffs failing into the sea. Interestingly, we find that a relatively small-scale mass-wasting event (∼0.003 km3 volume) was the cause of the reported tsunami that inundated the nearest coasts. Our numerical results, fairly agreeing with the available collapse and subsequent tsunami descriptions, suggest that the tsunami impact was mainly localized on the southern coast of Madeira Island. Furthermore, our study allows proposing a novel morphology-based conceptional model for the tsunamigenesis and hazard extent induced by mass-wasting events on oceanic volcanic islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deep-water sedimentary processes and morphological features offshore Madeira Island, located in the Central-NE Atlantic have been scantly studied. The analysis of new multibeam bathymetry, echo-sounder profiles and few multichannel seismic reflection profiles allowed us to identify the main geomorphologies, geomorphic processes and their interplay. Several types of features were identified below 3800 m water depth, shaped mainly by i) the interplay between northward-flowing Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) and turbidity currents and ii) interaction of the AABW with oceanic reliefs and the Madeira lower slope. Subordinate and localized geomorphic processes consist of tectono-magmatic, slope instability, turbidity currents and fluid migration. The distribution of the morphological features defines three regional geomorphological sectors. Sector 1 represents a deep-seafloor with its abyssal hills, basement highs and seamounts inherited from Early Cretaceous seafloor spreading. Sector 2 is exclusively shaped by turbidity current flows that formed channels and associated levees. Sector 3 presents a more complex morphology dominated by widespread depositional and erosional features formed by AABW circulation, and localized mixed contourite system developed by the interplay between the AABW circulation and WNW-ESE-flowing turbidite currents. The interaction of the AABW with abyssal hills, seamounts and basement ridges leads to the formation of several types of contourites: patch drifts, double-crest mounded bodies, and elongated, mounded and separated drifts. The patch drifts formed downstream of abyssal hills defining an previously unknown field of relatively small contourites. We suggest they may be a result of localized vortexes that formed when the AABW's flow impinges these oceanic reliefs producingthe erosional scours that bound these features. The bottom currents in the area are known to be too weak (1–2 cm s−1) to produce the patch drifts and scours. Therefore, we suggest that these features could be relics at present, having developed when the AABW was stronger than today, as during glacial/end of glacial stages. • Geomorphic processes on the lower slope of Madeira Island and deep-sea. • Interplay between turbidity currents and the Antarctica Bottom Water. • Patch drift field formed by the Antarctica Bottom Water impinging submarine reliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]