Abstract The Demerara Plateau, off the French Guiana and Surinam margin, corresponds to a prominent sub-horizontal marginal plateau. The interpretation of a large set of seismic data acquired along the Demerara Plateau and integration with previous seismic stratigraphy and drill studies enables a better understanding of the sedimentary evolution of the outer Demerara marginal plateau. Since the end of the transform activity (late Albian), three sedimentary evolutionary stages have been identified. 1) The Pre-contourite Stage (late Albian to early Miocene) is strongly controlled by the structure of the margin that influences the distribution pattern of post-transform deposits through differential thermal subsidence between transform and divergent segments. 2) The Transitional Stage (middle Miocene to early Pliocene) is expressed as a current-controlled erosive surface resulting from the onset of bottom-current interactions due to the establishment and strengthening of the modern thermohaline circulation that is coeval with the progressive closure of the Isthmus of Panama. 3) The Contourite Stage (middle Pliocene to Holocene) is characterized by the development of a contourite depositional system that is linked to the activity of the North Atlantic Deep Water circulation and by a complex interaction between alongslope and downslope processes. Our study highlights that marginal plateaus might be particularly prone to develop contourite features since they regionally influence ocean current dynamics in guiding and accelerating bottom contour currents. Marginal plateaus should thus be considered as a key target to study bottom current dynamics and paleocirculation patterns.

中文翻译：

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德梅拉拉高原（中大西洋）从阿尔比安晚期到全新世的沉积演化综合

摘要 Demerara 高原位于法属圭亚那和苏里南边缘，对应于一个突出的亚水平边缘高原。对沿 Demerara 高原采集的大量地震数据进行解释，并与之前的地震地层学和钻探研究相结合，可以更好地了解 Demerara 边缘高原外缘的沉积演化。自转换活动结束（阿尔比安晚期）以来，已经确定了三个沉积演化阶段。1) 轮廓前阶段（Albian 晚期到中新世早期）受边缘结构的强烈控制，边缘结构通过转换段和发散段之间的差异热沉降影响转换后沉积物的分布模式。2) 过渡阶段（中新世中期到上新世早期）被表示为一个受洋流控制的侵蚀面，这是由于现代温盐环流的建立和加强而导致的底流相互作用的开始，与逐渐关闭的现代温盐环流同时期巴拿马地峡。3) 等高岩阶段（中上新世至全新世）的特点是等高岩沉积系统的发展与北大西洋深水环流的活动以及沿坡和下坡过程之间的复杂相互作用。我们的研究强调，边缘高原可能特别容易形成等高线特征，因为它们在引导和加速底部等高线流方面会区域性地影响洋流动力学。