Based on high-resolution seismic data (sub-bottom profiler 7,0 kHz and side scan sonar 100 kHz) and geological bottom samples, interesting aspects of the Ilha Grande bay seabed were investigated. The seabed along the eastern-central channel of the bay was characterized by eight bottom sedimentary patterns. Such patterns showed variations in the texture, in the bio-debris content and in the acoustic back-scattering of the sediments. Among these patterns, lithobioclastic muds are closer to the land, terrigenous muds are closer to Ilha Grande and sands are far eastward from the central channel. Sediment analyses indicated a low energy environment predominantly in the lithobioclastic muds area, subject to some random events of higher energy. It seems to influence the area by selecting the bottom sediments, besides the submarine topography. Observed evidences of modern facies transitions from sub-environments dominated by higher energy agents (waves) to facies dominated by lower energy agents (tides, bottom currents) were related to the complex submarine topography and to the coast line orientation. The boundary geometry among the ecofacies also suggests a hydrodynamic control by wave action and bottom currents. Evidences of these combined effects of waves and currents may be approached in a future study, based on the observed bedforms. The observed characteristics of the eastern-central channel seabed of the bay indicate that oscillations on the level of energy may be acting on the sediments sorting. Therefore regularity of the seabed has an important role in relation to the sediment environment on the Ilha Grande bay central channel.
high resolution seismic; sediments; bathymetry; ecofacies; Ilha Grande bay
