Geomorphological patterns and sedimentary facies in a modern mixed carbonate-siliciclastic lagoon (New Caledonia)

A detailed sedimentary mapping of the New Caledonian lagoon reveals distinct geomorphological patterns and sedimentary facies between its southwestern and southeastern zones, highlighting differences likely driven by inherited morphologies and contrasting hydrodynamic conditions. The southwestern lagoon, bordered by a massive barrier reef, is more prone to fine-grained sedimentation, while the narrower eastern lagoon exhibits meandering channels parallel to the shore due to a discontinuous and partially submerged barrier reef. This high-resolution mapping at a 1/70,000 scale, utilizing bathymetric imagery and seabed sampling, provides insights into the surface sediment distribution, bioconstructed morphologies, and drainage network architecture in this mixed carbonate-siliciclastic system.

Tournadour, E., Ehrhold, A., Le Roy, P., Etienne, S., Jorry, S. J., Jouet, G., Collot, J., Patriat, M., Guérin, C., Michel, G., Decultot, C., Tertrais, E., & Champilou, N. (2025). Geomorphological patterns and sedimentary facies in a modern mixed carbonate-siliciclastic lagoon (New Caledonia). Journal of Maps, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2025.2494855