The Frontiers in Sedimentary Geology series was established for the student, the researcher, and the applied scientist to enhance their potential to stay abreast of the most recent ideas and developments and to become familiar with certain topics in the field of sedimentary geology. This series deals with subjects that are in the forefront of both scientific and economic interests. The treatment of a subject in an individual volume, therefore, should be a combina tion of topical, regional, and interdisciplinary approaches. The interdisciplinary aspects are becoming more and more important because most studies dealing with the natural sciences cannot effectively stand alone. Although this thrust may sound simple, in reality it is not, basi cally because each discipline has developed its own jargon and definitions ofterms. Communi cation among disciplines is a major issue and can be accomplished more constructively when people with different backgrounds join together at the same symposium and can read from the same volume rather than confining themselves within the world of their own specialty meetings and journals. Books in this series provide this connective link between disciplines. Each book in this series provides a continuous and connected flow of concepts throughout the volume by the use of introductory chapters that outline a topic to help the reader grasp its problems and to understand the contributions that follow.

Exchange of information in the field of earth sciences is increasingly needed to stay informed about advances. However, the continuous increase in the number of journal articles and books is very noticeable, while the available time to keep up is decreasing. Such a large flow of information commonly necessitates professionals to search selec tively for material and special publications in one's sub-discipline that have more specific coverage. In addition to surveying research needs, earth scientists working in a pure or applied research environment collect and produce information that often is of interest to the much larger group of industry-employed geologists and geophysicists, to professionals employed by agencies, and to students. To accommodate this exchange of needed information, Springer-Verlag is launching a monograph series entitled "Frontiers in Sedimentary Geology." This series will cover a number of subjects related to sediments and sedimentary rocks in a manner that both the researcher and the industrially oriented earth scientist can use constructively. Pub lications in this monograph series may fit one or more of the following main categories: Topical A topical subject will cover either the different aspects of a selected environment of deposition, or present a world tour of a particular depositional environment to dem onstrate its variability and its commonalities. The author(s) or editor(s) accepts the responsibility to guide the reader as to the state of knowledge, rather than providing a set of independent chapters.

The Frontiers in Sedimentary Geology series was established for the student, the researcher, and the applied scientist to enhance their potential to stay abreast of the most recent ideas and developments and to become familiar with certain topics in the field of sedimentary geology. This series deals with subjects that are in the forefront of both scientific and economic interests. The treatment of a subject in an individual volume, therefore, should be a combina tion of topical, regional, and interdisciplinary approaches. The interdisciplinary aspects are becoming more and more important because most studies dealing with the natural sciences cannot effectively stand alone. Although this thrust may sound simple, in reality it is not, basi cally because each discipline has developed its own jargon and definitions ofterms. Communi cation among disciplines is a major issue and can be accomplished more constructively when people with different backgrounds join together at the same symposium and can read from the same volume rather than confining themselves within the world of their own specialty meetings and journals. Books in this series provide this connective link between disciplines. Each book in this series provides a continuous and connected flow of concepts throughout the volume by the use of introductory chapters that outline a topic to help the reader grasp its problems and to understand the contributions that follow.

This third volume in the IAS Reprint Series reviews some of themajor contributions that have been made over the last twenty yearsto our understanding of deep water environments. Few groups ofrocks have received as much attention in recent years as deep seasands and yet retained so many unsolved problems - How far and howfast can sediment debris flows travel? Do the many ancient seriesthat have been interpreted as submarine fan deposits bear anyresemblance to present day deep sea flows? How valid are thesequences described as coarsening upward or fining upward, and howshould they be interpreted? This timely review of contributionsmade to this area of study since 1970 reflects the heightenedinterest that has surrounded it. Deep Water Turbidite Systems contains 22 papers(reproduced in full) and 22 abstracts of papers that have appearedin the journal Sedimentology, concerned with the broadspectrum of topics within the field of turbidites and associateddeep water systems. If you are a member of the International Association ofSedimentologists, for purchasing details, please see:http://www.iasnet.org/publications/details.asp?code=RP3

Submarine slopes provide the critical link between shallow-water and deep-water sedimentary environments. They accumulate a sensitive record of sediment supply, accommodation creation/destruction, and tectonic processes during basin filling. There is a complex stratigraphic response to the interplay between parameters that control the evolution of submarine slope systems, e.g. slope gradient, topographic complexity, sediment flux and calibre, base-level change, tectonic setting, and post-depositional sediment remobilization processes. The increased understanding of submarine slope systems has been driven partly by the discovery of large hydrocarbon fields in morphologically complex slope settings, such as the Gulf of Mexico and offshore West Africa, and has led to detailed case studies and improved generic models for their evolution. This volume brings together research papers from modern, outcrop and subsurface settings to highlight these recent advances in understanding of the stratigraphic evolution of submarine slope systems.