A Jurassic Lost World - Seismic Imaging of the Drowned Topography at the Base of the Louann Salt

Explore the fascinating world of ancient landscapes through 3D seismic imaging of the base of the giant Bajocian Louann Salt evaporite. Delve into the exquisite details of a pre-salt arid desert terrain, featuring a network of incised rivers (wadis) flowing into a large, incised meandering river, which in turn empties into a massive lake at the basin's center. Discover how this lake, over 1km deep with a surface approximately 750m below Bajocian sea level, was dramatically transformed 170 million years ago when a connection to the Tethys Ocean opened. Learn about the subsequent flooding of the desert basin and the rapid deposition of salt in this deep-water environment. Gain insights into the astonishing speed of salt formation, with calculations suggesting the entire multi-kilometer thickness was deposited in just a few tens of thousands of years. This hour and 15-minute lecture offers a unique glimpse into a Jurassic lost world, revealing the power of seismic imaging in reconstructing ancient landscapes and geological processes.