This dataset includes high-resolution bathymetric data in numerical form (xyz) and depth given in m for a not previously covered (at this resolution=50 m) 4970 km^2 area of the Ionian Sea (Italy). The study area is located on the upper part of the continental slope of the Calabrian-Ionian margin between 120 m and 2000 m water depth. Dataset represents results of multibeam survey carried out during the Seismofaults 2017 cruise using a multibeam Teledyne Reson SeaBat 7160 (41-47 kHz; footprint size of 1°× 1°) echosounder. <br> We identified precise positioning through differential GPS (accuracy ±0.5 m), while we derived sound velocity profiles from multiple Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) casts (Seabird 911plus) to ray trace the acoustic wave along the water column. We processed multibeam data on board using Caris Hips & Sips hydrographic software (Bosman et al, 2015) We used backscatter images and observations of raw data scattering along the water column to verify anomalies of amplitude on the seafloor and along the water column.The resulting dataset is presented in ASCII format and included in the following files: bathymetry_seismofault.txt (contains coordinates (°) - col1:lon and col2:lat (WGS 84, DD) - and seabottom depth (m) - col3 -). A detailed description of the scientific background is given in Cuffaro et al. (2019) to which these data are supplementary material. For technical reference, please consult the data description file.
This dataset supports the study "Seafloor Slopes Control Submarine Canyon Distribution: A Global Analysis", which investigates the global-scale controls on the distribution of submarine canyons. The dataset includes geospatial and environmental attributes for 2,261 submarine canyon heads located along the continental margins between 50°N and 50°S (excluding islands and regions dominated by glacial or salt tectonic processes).
Each canyon head is assigned 16 variables encompassing topographic, oceanographic, lithologic, and climatic attributes of adjacent marine and terrestrial environments. These variables serve as potential predictors of canyon occurrence and were used in spatial-statistical models—including inhomogeneous Poisson point process models—to assess the influence of marine slope inclination and other factors on canyon distribution. Canyon locations are represented as point features projected onto a global network of continental slope centerlines to facilitate linear-network-based point pattern analysis. This data package includes: (1) submarine canyon locations and attributes, (2) global environmental datasets representing potential controls on canyon distribution, (3) MATLAB code for conducting point pattern analysis on linear networks, and (4) scripts for residual analysis using operational spatial count models. Together, these resources enable detailed exploration of the geomorphological and environmental factors influencing submarine canyon formation, providing a valuable foundation for research on sediment transport, continental margin evolution, and global biogeochemical cycling.