Palaeoenvironmental context and significance of ferruginous tubular bioforms and other authigenic mineral formations in source-to-sink sedimentary systems

Abstract Surficial sediments on the seafloor from passive continental margins can provide insight into recent Late Quaternary sedimentary dynamics acting over offshore systems. This work focuses study of some particular ferruginous tubular structures resembling bioforms (FTB) located in distal Galician Continental Margin (NW Iberian Margin) at water depths between ~ 1550 and 2200 m. The characterisation these made it possible to depth their formation environment subsequent evolution during Pleistocene Holocene. FTB consist goethite with a framboidal texture. They were interpreted as formed by an initial pyrite precipitation reducing microenvironments conditioned activity sediment-dwelling organisms early diagenesis. is followed oxidation combination hydrothermal fluids erosional processes, which triggers oxyhydroxides. data allowed obtaining comprehensive understanding environmental context significance tubules, there are no previous studies scientific literature that describe source-to-sink system.