Structure and recent evolution of the Zaire deep-sea fan: preliminary results of the ZaiAngo 1 & 2 cruises (Angola-Congo margin).

Two scientific submarine exploration cruises were realised in 1998 offshore Congo and Angola within the ZaiAngo project. The main goal of the project is the study of the present and recent Zaire submarine fan. The survey foll owed the present channel down to its distal end, 760 km horn the river mout h at a water depth of 4 800 m. Preliminary results indicate that it feeds a distal lobe complex. Only one turbiditic channel is active at one time. Th e channels are highly meandering in their upper course. More than 80 palaeo channels have been identified both south and north of the present channel. The estimated area of the Zaire deep-sea fan is close to those of the Amazo n fan. (C) 2000 Academie des sciences/Editions scientifiques et medicales E lsevier SAS.