A 100-km wide slump along the upper slope of the Canadian Arctic was likely preconditioned for failure by brackish pore water flushing

Exploration of the continental slope Canadian Beaufort Sea has revealed a remarkable coalescence slide scars with headwalls between 130 and 1100 m water depth (mwd). With increased depth, widen merge into one gigantic regional scar that is more than 100 km wide below ~1100 mwd. To understand development these features, five sites were investigated an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, which provided 1-m bathymetric grids Chirp profiles, surveyed Remotely Operated Vehicle. The morphologies are consistent retrograde failures occurred on failure planes located 30 75 modern seafloor. At issue whether in this area preconditioned for failure. While rapid sedimentation during glacial periods, presence shallow gas cannot be ruled out, given geological environment, it unclear they primary preconditioning factors. Evidence widespread flushing brackish waters, observed flows within scars, suggest fluid venting overpressure may play role extensive seen along margin. impact pore salinity changes at plane stability not been considered marine settings previously.