Contrôle exercé par la dorsale médio-Atlantique et le Gulf Stream sur la sédimentation quaternaire sur le plateau des Açores

The Azores Plateau is characterized by very low sedimentary fluxes. These consist of pelagic oozes slightly diluted by volcanogenic material. Sedimentary processes are controlled by (1) current activity: during at least the last three glacial periods the Gulf Stream has winnowed fine particles at depth shallower than 1 500 m, (2) the sea-bottom morphology: Mid-Atlantic ridge ponds act as sediment traps. The lateral flux can represent up to 92 % of the infill.