The Almeria Canyon: a meandering channel system on an active margin, Alboran Sea, Western Mediterranean

The north-eastern Alboran Sea in the SW Mediterranean is characterized by active tectonics. The principal neotectonic elements in the area result from an approximately N-S compression between Africa and Iberia (Woodside and Maldonado 1992). The elements include NE-SW oriented wrenches separated by intervening N-S and NNW-SSE strike-slip faults. It is these latter trends that are on the sonograph images. Variations in the direction of the principal stresses have allowed a switching of activity between the two systems. The NE-SW trending Serrata Fault system extends offshore into Almeria Bay and beyond towards the Alboran Ridge from the Cabo de Gata (Fig. 14.1). Recent movement on this system has been recorded onshore by dog-legged stream courses (Th. Roep, pers. comm.). The shelf is itself narrow along much of the margin (4–6 km wide), except for the Almeria Bay area (20 km). It has deep-sea canyons and their tributaries incised into it. The best developed of these is the Almeria Canyon, a channel which is effected by the active tectonics.