SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS/Contourites 523 Figure Schematic model showing some typical seismic characteristics of the sediment drifts and the ideal difference with a channel levee system Downlapping (onlapping on steep slopes) and sigmoidal progradational reflector patterns where downstream and upslope migration occurred; Uniform reflection pattern, commonly found with extensive subparallel moderate to low amplitude reflectors; Well-layered units with high lateral continuity along both strike and dip; and Distribution of the depositional/erosional areas and lateral migration influenced (significantly at high latitudes) by the Coriolis force Continuous, discontinuous, chaotic, and wavy reflectors in contourites and in turbidites, though seismic facies exclusively associated with contourites have not been defined yet; Sediment waves, in both contourite and turbidite systems, though initially considered diagnostic of contourites; and Bedforms, including longitudinal furrows, depositional tails in the lee of obstacles, and dunes Small Scale (i.e., Facies) Most typically, contourites are composed of finegrained, structureless, highly bioturbated mud However, they show a wide range of grain-sizes, composition, and preserved sedimentary structures (Figures and 10) Transparent layers and low-amplitude parallel reflectors, though seismic characteristics are very dependent on acquisition and processing methods; Facies Model