Évolution géomorphologique de l'avant-pays du Sud-Ouest de la Nouvelle-Calédonie durant les derniers cycles glaciaires

We present the morphological analysis of a combined digital elevation model (DEM) obtained by merging data from terrestrial and coastal regions of southern New-Caledonia. Our aim is to describe the Quaternary morphotectonic evolution of the southwestern lagoon of New Caledonia, a region with a shallow average bathymetry (20 m), recently submerged in response to both tectonic and eustatic fluctuations. The marine DEM was obtained by interpolating 131 000 depth soundings from MOP–SHOM (‘Mission océanographique du Pacifique’–‘Service hydrographique et océanographique de la Marine’, France). We confirm that morphologies such as meandering channels and deeply incised canyons are the result of a sub-aerial fluviatile evolution during periods of low sea levels. The marine sedimentation in this region is very recent, probably corresponding to no more than two glacial–interglacial cycles. Geometrical relationships between submerged paleo-rivers and streams, including captures and incisions, strongly suggest that Quaternary active tectonics affected river development. We identify two hydrographic palaeo-networks suggesting outflow changes, from parallel to the present-day island axis to perpendicular. To cite this article: V. Chevillotte et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).