Hubbard, Stephen M.Jobe, Zane R.Romans, Brian W.Covault, Jacob A.Sylvester, ZoltanFildani, Andrea2020-12-182020-12-182020-071527-1404http://hdl.handle.net/10919/101536We investigate the relationship between the cross-sectional geomorphic expression of a submarine channel as observed on the seafloor and the stratigraphic product of long-lived erosion, bypass, and sediment deposition. Specifically, by reconstructing the time-space evolution of an individual channel fill (i.e., channel element) exposed in outcrop, we establish a genetic link between thick-bedded channel-element-axis sandstone to thinly interbedded channel-element-margin deposits. Although the bounding surface between axis sandstone and margin thin beds is sharply defined, it is composed of a series of geomorphic surface segments of various ages; as such, the composite stratigraphic surface (similar to 17 m relief) was formed from numerous incision events that repeatedly sculpted the conduit. By demonstrating the origin of the stratigraphic surface, we conclude that geomorphic surfaces with 2-7 m of erosional relief were largely responsible for the observed intra-channel-element architecture (and ultimately, the composite 17-m-thick element). The widely documented channel element axis-to-margin architecture is a product of submarine-channel thalweg dynamics, primarily recording interactions between the seafloor and the basal high-concentration layers of channelized turbidity currents.application/pdfenCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 InternationalArticle - Refereedhttps://doi.org/10.2110/jsr.2020.369071938-3681