Dynamism of the Neogene and Quaternary erosional processes in the Lesser Antilles volcanoes, constrained by morphometric approaches

Understanding the temporal variations in erosion dynamics is crucial when exploring the intricate relationship between climates and the evolution of landforms. Volcanic surfaces constitute an undeniable asset for documenting temporal variations in erosion dynamics, as they readily reveal the onset of erosion. Indeed, the dating of volcanic materials constrains the age of eruptive activity, volcanic surface formation, and the time since erosion occurred. This study quantifies the Neogene and Quaternary erosional processes that shaped the current Lesser Antilles's volcanic reliefs. We apply morphometric approaches on high-resolution digital topographies of very densely dated volcanoes to discern the influence of factors driving erosion, focusing on climatic context and erosion duration.

The detailed analysis of the erosion signature's evolution was carried out on the French volcanic oceanic arc islands of Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe) and Martinique, thanks to the large number of geochronological constraints (around 100 K-Ar datings on each of them) and the high-resolution topography (LIDAR DEM at horizontal 1m resolution). The meticulous examination of erosion signatures is facilitated because magmatic activity, which produced the same kind of volcanic edifices in both islands, has undergone a spatial migration (westward in Martinique, southward in Basse-Terre). It results in outcrops of terrains spanning vastly different ages (0-3 and 0-25 Ma, respectively), providing a unique opportunity to investigate the distinct influences of geological processes on erosion signature. The study focuses on quantitative analysis of river-long profiles by scaling river profile concavity, hypsometric indexes and knickpoints, which are noticeable slope breaks or abrupt changes in the gradient of the river channel. Thanks to the dense geochronological database, metrics computed for each geomorphological feature can be associated with the age of formation of the local volcanic surface. Then, as these ages are relevant to the cumulated erosion process occurring since the end of the volcanic activity, such metrics can be correlated to the time and evolution trends in morphometric parameters can be investigated.

The 25 Ma-long erosion history of Martinique Island reveals two distinct patterns. During the initial 5 million years of erosion, there is a rapid increase in river concavities and a decrease in the intensity and number of heterogeneities along river profiles, resulting in smoother stream patterns. In contrast, over the 5-25 Ma erosion period, every river's morphometric parameters evolve slowly, suggesting a preservation of river concavity. This transition phase in concavity evolution could mark the moment when the rivers’ incision, driven by regressive erosion and carving into the volcano from every side, having finally affected the summit area, also reached a maximum concavity. Erosive processes then reduced the volcano's elevation but maintained a relatively uniform profile shape and, consequently, concavity over time. Despite Basse-Terre Island's shorter erosion history of 3 million years, morphometric parameters testify that this island experienced strictly similar evolution as Martinique Island during the same erosion lifespan, suggesting a comparable evolution of the Basse-Terre reliefs in the future.