中沙地块南部断裂发育特征及其成因机制

利用最新多道地震剖面资料,结合重力、磁力、地形等地球物理资料,揭示了中沙地块南部断裂空间展布特征、断裂发育时期、断裂内部构造形变特征及深部地壳结构,并基于认识探讨了断裂的发育机制。研究结果认为,中沙地块南部陆缘构造属性为非火山型被动大陆边缘：地壳性质从西北向东南由减薄陆壳向洋陆过渡壳再向正常洋壳发育变化;Moho面埋深从中沙地块下方的26 km快速抬升到海盆的10~12 km;从中沙地块陡坡至其前缘海域的重力异常明显负异常区为洋陆过渡带,在重力由高值负异常上升到海盆的低值正、负异常的边界为洋陆边界。中沙地块南部发育有4组阶梯状向海倾的深大正断裂,主要发育时期为晚渐新世到中中新世。断裂早期发育与南海东部次海盆近NS向扩张有关,后期遭受挤压变形、与菲律宾海板块向南海的NWW向仰冲有关。该研究有助于更好认识南海海盆的扩张历史和南海被动大陆边缘的类型。     

南海南部地壳结构的重力模拟及伸展模式探讨

对南海南部地壳结构研究有助于揭示南海完整的演化历史。本研究对南海南部获取的两条多道地震剖面进行了地震 解释,并对重力数据进行了壳幔密度反演。其中 NH973-1 测线始于南海西南次海盆,覆盖了南沙中部的北段;NH973-2 测 线始于南海东部次海盆,穿越礼乐滩东侧。反演结果显示,莫霍面埋深在海盆区 10~11 km,陆缘区 15~21 km 左右,洋壳向 陆壳莫霍面深度迅速增加。海盆区厚度在 6~7 km,为典型的洋壳;陆缘区地壳厚度在 15~19 km,为减薄型地壳。进一步研 究表明(1)在西南次海盆残余扩张脊之下,莫霍面比两侧略深;(2)在礼乐滩外侧海盆区有高值重力异常体,推测为洋壳与深 部岩浆混合的块体;(3)南沙区域上地壳存在高密度带,且横向上岩性可能变化。南海南部陆缘未发现有下地壳高速层,有 比较一致的构造属性和拉张样式,为非火山型陆缘。我们对两条测线陆缘的伸展因子进行了计算,发现上地壳脆性拉伸因 子与全地壳拉伸因子存在差异,其陆缘的拉张模式在纵向上是不均匀一的。     

菲律宾海四国海盆地壳结构重力反演及其形成演化过程分析

四国海盆是位于菲律宾海板块内由岛弧张裂形成的弧后盆地,其深部地壳结构对认识伊豆小笠原岛弧的裂解和弧后盆地的扩张过程有重要的意义.在反射多道地震剖面和深部海底地震（OBS）探测剖面的约束下,结合磁异常条带数据,利用两条横穿四国海盆的重力测线数据对海盆的地壳物性结构反演,对比重力反演剖面与深部探测剖面地壳厚度和密度特征,得到更加精细的四国海盆地壳结构.研究结果显示,四国海盆洋壳厚度自西向东逐渐增厚,在残留扩张脊处莫霍面深度迅速增加.根据地壳密度和厚度将四国海盆分为:洋壳减薄区、洋壳增厚区、后扩张洋壳增生区,分别对应初始慢速张裂、单翼快速扩张、对称慢速扩张3期扩张活动.南北测线不同构造分区得到的扩张速率与由磁异常条带得到扩张速率相同;洋壳减薄区下地壳均有高密度体,与OBS剖面中下地壳高速体相对应,可能是由于洋壳慢速扩张过程中强烈拆离作用,地幔蛇纹石化导致.      

西沙地块构造—地层特征及其记录的南海洋盆演化过程

西沙地块是南海岩石圈地壳拉伸减薄过程中发育于深水区的陆块,其保存了陆缘演化的重要信息。文章研究以西沙地块作为研究对象,基于研究区地质和地球物理资料,开展了地壳结构、盆地构造—地层分析和断层活动特征等研究。研究发现,西沙地块与其周缘的凹陷地壳结构具有显著的差异,西沙地块地壳厚度较大,发育了高角度断层控制的小型断陷盆地,基底断层活动一直可持续到T60地震界面发育时（~23 Ma）;而西沙地块周缘发育的是规模较大的拆离断层及其控制的强烈减薄陆壳。结合区域动力学事件,研究认为渐新世早期拆离断层在南海西北次海盆的活动导致了西沙地块北部的岩石圈地壳的减薄,而中新世早期拆离断层在南海西南次海盆构造位置的活动使西沙地块与南沙地块分离。文章研究成果不仅深化了西沙地块裂解规律的认识,而且对该区的油气勘探具有启示意义。     

南海海底地震仪三维深地震探测的进展及挑战

获取深部速度结构是认识南海形成演化模式的基础.海底地震仪（OBS）二维与三维深地震探测技术是获取深部速度结构最成功的方法之一.OBS三维探测结果揭示:西南次海盆横跨残留扩张脊两侧洋壳不对称增生的速度结构特征;东部次海盆具有4种不同洋壳类型的速度结构;珍贝-黄岩海山链是在海盆停止扩张后6~10 Ma岩浆活动形成的;东沙隆起区显示了张裂期后的岩浆活动及其上涌通道;南海东北部马尼拉俯冲带前缘是受到张裂期后岩浆活动影响的减薄陆壳.IODP367-368钻探区实施的OBS三维探测将以建立南海洋陆转换带（COT）张裂-破裂机制模型为科学目标.OBS三维探测方法在南海各向异性、岩浆活动、形成演化等方面将继续发挥着不可替代的作用.      

南海西南次海盆构造特征及其沉积响应

本文对穿过南海西南次海盆的逾1000 km的多道地震测线CFT剖面进行了地震界面特征的识别和地震层序的划分,分段分析了拆离断层对其减薄陆壳的拆离作用。结合前人研究成果,对南海西南次海盆地壳结构特征开展了分析,并总结了其构造特征。西南次海盆在发生陆缘张裂—海盆扩张、洋壳出现—扩张后稳定沉积这一系列过程中,可划分为4个阶段的沉积响应：A阶段(古新世之前)——前裂谷阶段,表现为地壳在拉张应力下产生小的断层;B阶段（始新世—早渐新世）——陆缘的裂谷阶段,地壳在拉张应力下拉张减薄,A阶段产生的断层出现了旋转,出现了大型掀斜的拆离断层,沉积物为同裂谷沉积,该阶段以产生了破裂不整合结束;C阶段（晚渐新世—早中新世）——海盆扩张阶段,海盆开始扩张,张应力从陆缘转移到了洋盆;D阶段（中中新世以来）——海盆扩张结束以后,以一套稳定沉积为特征。     

中南-礼乐断裂带在南海海盆北部的时空展布与深部结构

中南-礼乐断裂带是协调南海各次海盆扩张的重要断裂.深入研究中南-礼乐断裂带时空展布和深部结构对于认识南海海盆多期次海底扩张和构造演化具有重要意义.本文主要基于深反射多道地震的精细剖析,结合重力、磁力与地形等地质与地球物理资料,揭示了中南-礼乐断裂带在南海海盆北部的时空展布特征、内部构造形变及其深部结构特征.结果表明:中南-礼乐断裂带在西北次海盆与东部次海盆之间宽约25~35 km,北延于珠江海谷西侧(18.7°N,115.5°E),南消失于中沙地块东北侧(17.2°N,116.0°E),主要呈NNW向延伸.该断裂带的主控断裂沿大型海山和侵入岩体分布,主要发育时期是渐新世至早中新世,中中新世至晚中新世为继承性活动,其内部断裂对早中新世及以前的地层具有控制作用,表现为正断层.深部结构上,中南-礼乐断裂带两侧Moho面埋深不一,两侧次海盆的沉积厚度和洋壳厚度存在明显差异,表明该断裂带至少是一条地壳级断裂,甚至可能是岩石圈级断裂.      

Ocean Crust Character and Spreading Age of Northwest Sub-sea, the South China Sea: Evidence from Sediment Strata and the Abnormity of Gravity and Magnetism

利用沉积地层被动超覆和基底重磁异常特征对南海西北次海形成时代和洋壳性质进行了探讨.推断南海西北次海初始扩张时间为早渐新世,结束扩张时间为晚渐新世早期.地层变形、被动超覆特征、洋壳基底形态及对称性特点反映出两期洋壳扩张事件.第一期发生在早渐新世.由于洋壳扩张,上始新统被拉断,在洋壳边界处上始新统突然终止现象明显.受洋壳横向扩张推挤和纵向沉降作用影响,上始新统明显变形,并向扩张中心倾覆.第二期洋壳扩张发生在晚渐新世早期.该期洋壳扩张持续时间短,扩张幅度小,下渐新统被拉开的距离有限.由于南海西北次海形成期间不同部位地壳伸展减薄程度不同,南海西北次海洋壳基底呈北东部较宽,向南西方向变窄,并逐渐尖灭的不规则三角形.根据盆地边缘上始新统向海盆中心方向的断点/线和重磁异常资料,推测西北次海南西侧洋壳边界位于海盆基底坡角处附近,洋壳较窄;而北东侧洋壳边界位于海底坡角处附近,洋壳相对较宽.另外,重磁异常表明,在洋壳基底中有陆壳残留块体存在.上述这些现象说明南海西北次海在洋壳萌芽阶段就先天天折,停止发育.     

南海东北陆缘的地壳速度结构及其构造意义: 来自广角地震剖面的约束

南海东北部深部地壳结构蕴含着南海陆缘伸展张裂过程的重要信息。在南海东北陆缘布设的一条广角地震测线(DP13)沿NW-SE方向依次穿过东沙隆起和台西南盆地。本文利用射线追踪和正演走时拟合软件RayInvr构建地壳纵波速度结构,模型表明：沉积层速度1.6～4.6 km/s,厚度0.5～3.8 km,横向分布不均匀,沉积基底起伏剧烈;莫霍面埋藏深度由陆架区的25.5 km急剧减小到陆坡下方的13 km,随后向下陆坡远端增深至16 km;陆架处东沙隆起下方地壳厚度从～25 km减薄到～21 km,下陆坡远端地壳厚约10～13 km,地壳拉张因子分别为1.3～1.5和2.6～3.1,表现为轻微和中等减薄;陆坡区台西南盆地内地壳厚度从17 km急剧减薄至7～8 km,地壳拉张因子高达4.6,呈超伸展减薄;地壳厚度由陆向海非单调减薄,地壳伸展具有明显的空间差异性;陆架-上陆坡和下陆坡下地壳底部发现两个相对孤立的不连续高速体,速度分别为7.0～7.5 km/s和7.0～7.3 km/s,厚度分别3～5 km和1～3 km,前者位于古太平洋俯冲带前缘,几乎与南海东北部高磁异常重叠,推测由中生代古太平洋板...     

南海西北次海盆新生代构造 沉积特征及伸展模式 探讨

通过对穿越西北次海盆的3条地震测线以及一条深反射地震剖面的解释,对其新生代的构造 沉积特征进行研究,探讨了伸展模型,并进而对其新生代的构造演化过程和动力学机制进行了分析。结果显示：西北次海盆在30 Ma时开始发育,断层的活动期集中在渐新世,并大致以海盆中部的岩浆岩凸起为轴对称分布,对渐新统的沉积起控制作用。海盆扩张东强西弱,西部显示出更多的陆缘裂谷盆地的特征。25 Ma后扩张轴向南跃迁,西北次海盆的海底扩张运动停止,进入裂后沉降阶段。构造展布方向受到其南侧的中-西沙地块的影响,大致沿其北部边界展布。深反射地震剖面所反映的深部地壳结构也显示出大致沿海盆中轴对称的特征,显示研究区很可能为纯剪的变形模式。     

Crustal Structure across the Northwestern Margin of South China Sea: Evidence for Magma‐poor Rifting from a Wide‐angle Seismic Profile

We present results from a 484 km wide-angle seismic profile acquired in the northwest part of the South China Sea (SCS) during OBS2006 cruise. The line that runs along a previously acquired multi-channel seismic line (SO49-18) crosses the continental slope of the northern margin, the Northwest Subbasin (NWSB) of the South China Sea, the Zhongsha Massif and partly the oceanic basin of the South China Sea. Seismic sections recorded on 13 ocean-bottom seismometers were used to identify refracted phases from the crustal layer and also reflected phases from the crust-mantle boundary (Moho). Inversion of the traveltimes using a simple start model reveals crustal images in the study area. The velocity model shows that crustal thickness below the continental slope is between 14 and 23 km. The continental part of the line is characterized by gentle landward mantle uplift and an abrupt oceanward one. The velocities in the lower crust do not exceed 6.9 km/s. With the new data we can exclude a high-velocity lower crustal body (velocities above 7.0 km/s) at the location of the line. We conclude that this part of the South China Sea margin developed by a magma-poor rifting. Both, the NWSB and the Southwest Sub-basin (SWSB) reveal velocities typical for oceanic crust with crustal thickness between 5 and 7 km. The Zhongsha Massif in between is extremely stretched with only 6–10 km continental crust left. Crustal velocity is below 6.5 km/s; possibly indicating the absence of the lower crust. Multi-channel seismic profile shows that the Yitongansha Uplift in the slope area and the Zhongsha Massif are only mildly deformed. We considered them as rigid continent blocks which acted as rift shoulders of the main rift subsequently resulting in the formation of the Northwest Sub-basin. The extension was mainly accommodated by a ductile lower crustal flows, which might have been extremely attenuated and flow into the oceanic basin during the spreading stage. We compared the crustal structures along the northern margin and found an east-west thicken trend of the crust below the continent slope. This might be contributed by the east-west sea-floor spreading along the continental margin.     

Seismic imaging of the transitional crust across the northeastern margin of the South China Sea

Crustal structure across the passive continental margin of the northeastern South China Sea (SCS) is presented based on a deep seismic survey cooperated between Taiwan and China in August 2001. Reflection data collected from a 48-hydrophone streamer and the vertical component of refraction/reflection data recorded at 11 ocean-bottom seismometers along a NW–SE profile are integrated to image the upper (1.6–2.4 km/s), lower (2.5–2.9 km/s), and compacted (3–4.5 km/s) sediment, the upper (4.5–5.5 km/s), middle (5.5–6.5 km/s) and lower (6.5–7.5 km/s) crystalline crust successively. The velocity model shows that the thickness (0.5–3 km) and the basement of the compacted sediment are strongly varied due to intrusion of the magma and igneous rocks after seafloor spreading of the SCS. Furthermore, several volcanoes and igneous rocks in the upper/middle crust (7–10 km thick) and a high velocity layer (0–5 km thick) in the lower crust of the model are identified as the ocean–continent transition (OCT) below the lower slope in the northeastern margin of the SCS. A thin continent NW of the OCT and a thick oceanic crust SE of the OCT in the continental margin of the northeastern SCS are also imaged, but these transitional crusts cannot be classified as the OCT due to their crustal thickness and the limited amount of the volcano, the magma and the high velocity layer. The extended continent, next to the gravity low and a sag zone extended from the SW Taiwan Basin, may have resulted from subduction of the Eurasian Plate beneath the Manila Trench whereas the thick oceanic crust may have been due to the excess volcanism and the late magmatic underplating in the oceanic crust after seafloor spreading of the SCS.     

Crustal structure and transform margin development south of Svalbard based on ocean bottom seismometer data

The Barents Sea is located in the northwestern corner of the Eurasian continent, where the crustal terrain was assembled in the Caledonian orogeny during Late Ordovician and Silurian times. The western Barents Sea margin developed primarily as a transform margin during the early Tertiary. In the northwestern part south of Svalbard, multichannel reflection seismic lines have poor resolution below the Permian sequence, and the early post-orogenic development is not well known here. In 1998, an ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) survey was collected southwest to southeast of the Svalbard archipelago. One profile was shot across the continental transform margin south of Svalbard, which is presented here. P-wave modeling of the OBS profile indicates a Caledonian suture in the continental basement south of Svalbard, also proposed previously based on a deep seismic reflection line coincident with the OBS profile. The suture zone is associated with a small crustal root and westward dipping mantle reflectivity, and it marks a boundary between two different crystalline basement terrains. The western terrain has low (6.2–6.45 km s⁻¹) P-wave velocities, while the eastern has higher (6.3–6.9 km s⁻¹) velocities. Gravity modeling agrees with this, as an increased density is needed in the eastern block. The S-wave data predict a quartz-rich lithology compatible with felsic gneiss to granite within and west of the suture zone, and an intermediate lithological composition to the east. A geological model assuming westward dipping Caledonian subduction and collision can explain the missing lower crust in the western block by subduction erosion of the lower crust, as well as the observed structuring. Due to the transform margin setting, the tectonic thinning of the continental block during opening of the Norwegian-Greenland Sea is restricted to the outer 35 km of the continental block, and the continent–ocean boundary (COB) can be located to within 5 km in our data. Distinct from the outer high commonly observed on transform margins, the upper part of the continental crust at the margin is dominated by two large, rotated down-faulted blocks with throws of 2–3 km on each fault, apparently formed during the transform margin development. Analysis of the gravity field shows that these faults probably merge to one single fault to the south of our profile, and that the downfaulting dominates the whole margin segment from Spitsbergen to Bjørnøya. South of Bjørnøya, the faulting leaves the continental margin to terminate as a graben 75 km south of the island. Adjacent to the continental margin, there is no clear oceanic layer 2 seismic signature. However, the top basement velocity of 6.55 km s⁻¹ is significantly lower than the high (7 km s⁻¹) velocity reported earlier from expanding spread profiles (ESPs), and we interpret the velocity structure of the oceanic crust to be a result of a development induced by the 7–8-km-thick sedimentary overburden.     

Crustal structure in an onshore–offshore transitional zone near Hong Kong,northern South China Sea

To study the crustal structure beneath the onshore–offshore transitional zone, a wide-angle onshore–offshore seismic experiment was carried out in northern South China Sea near Hong Kong, using large volume airgun sources at sea and seismic stations on land. The crustal velocity model constructed from traveltime fitting shows that the sedimentary thickness abruptly increases seaward of the Dangan Islands based on the characteristics of Pg and Multiple Pg, and the crustal structure beneath the sedimentary layer is relatively simple. The Moho depth is about 25–28 km along the profile and the P-wave velocity increases gradually with depth. The velocities in the upper crust range from 5.5 to 6.4 km/s, while that in the lower crust is 6.4–6.9 km/s. It also reveals a low velocity zone with a width of more than 10 km crossing the crust at about 75–90 km distance, which suggests that the Littoral Fault Zone (LFZ) exists beneath the onshore–offshore transitional zone. The magnetism anomalies, bouguer gravity anomalies and active seismic zone along the coastline imply the LFZ is a main tectonic fault in the onshore–offshore area. Combined with two previously published profiles in the continental South China (L–G profile) and in the northern margin of South China Sea (OBS1993) respectively, we constructed a land-sea super cross-section about 1000 km long. The results show the onshore–offshore transitional zone is a border separating the unstretched and the stretched continental crust. The low velocity layer (LVL) in the middle crust was imaged along L–G profile. However, the high velocity layer (HVL) in the lower crust was detected along OBS1993. By analyzing the mechanisms of the LVL in the middle crust and HVL in the base of crust, we believe the crustal structures had distinctly different attributes in the continental South China and in the northern SCS, which indicates that the LFZ could be the boundary fault between them.     

Seismic structure in the northeastern South China Sea: S-wave velocity and Vp/Vs ratios derived from three-component OBS data

A nearly 500-km-long seismic profile with reflective and refractive wide-angle Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS) data and Multi-Channel Seismic (MCS) data was acquired across the northeastern continental margin of the South China Sea (SCS). The S-wave crustal structure and Vp/Vs ratios have been obtained based on a previously published P-wave model using the software RayInvr. Modeling of vertical- and horizontal-component OBS data yields information on the seismic crustal velocities, lithology, and geophysical properties along the OBS-2001 seismic profile. S-wave velocities in the model increase generally with depth but exhibit high spatial variability, particularly from the shelf to the upper slope of the northeastern SCS margin. Vp/Vs ratios also reveal significant lithological heterogeneity. Dongsha–Penghu Uplift (DPU) is a tectonic zone with a thicker crust than adjacent areas and a high magnetic anomaly. With a Vp/Vs of 1.74 and a P-wave velocity of 5.0–5.5 km/s, the DPU primarily consists of felsic volcanic rocks in the upper crust and is similar to the petrology of Zhejiang–Fujian volcanic provinces, which perhaps is associated with a Mesozoic volcanic arc. The ocean–continent transition (OCT) in the northeastern SCS is characterized by a thinning continental crust, volcanoes in the upper crust, and a high velocity layer (HVL) in the lower crust. The S-wave velocity and Vp/Vs ratio suggest that the HVL has a mafic composition that may originate from underplating of the igneous rocks beneath the passive rifted crust after the cessation of seafloor spreading.     

Crustal structure of the continental margin of Korea in the East Sea (Japan Sea) from deep seismic sounding data: evidence for rifting affected by the hotter than normal mantle

Despite the various opening models of the southwestern part of the East Sea (Japan Sea) between the Korean Peninsula and the Japan Arc, the continental margin of the Korean Peninsula remains unknown in crustal structure. As a result, continental rifting and subsequent seafloor spreading processes to explain the opening of the East Sea have not been adequately addressed. We investigated crustal and sedimentary velocity structures across the Korean margin into the adjacent Ulleung Basin from multichannel seismic (MCS) reflection and ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) data. The Ulleung Basin shows crustal velocity structure typical of oceanic although its crustal thickness of about 10 km is greater than normal. The continental margin documents rapid transition from continental to oceanic crust, exhibiting a remarkable decrease in crustal thickness accompanied by shallowing of Moho over a distance of about 50 km. The crustal model of the margin is characterized by a high-velocity (up to 7.4 km/s) lower crustal (HVLC) layer that is thicker than 10 km under the slope base and pinches out seawards. The HVLC layer is interpreted as magmatic underplating emplaced during continental rifting in response to high upper mantle temperature. The acoustic basement of the slope base shows an igneous stratigraphy developed by massive volcanic eruption. These features suggest that the evolution of the Korean margin can be explained by the processes occurring at volcanic rifted margins. Global earthquake tomography supports our interpretation by defining the abnormally hot upper mantle across the Korean margin and in the Ulleung Basin.     

Lithospheric structure of the Southwest South China Sea: implications for rifting and extension

ABSTRACT

The South China Sea (SCS) is an excellent site for studying the process of conjugate margin rifting, and the origin and evolution of oceanic basins. Compared with the well-defined northern margin of the SCS, the western and southern segments of the SCS margin have not been researched in significant detail. To investigate the regional structure of the southwestern SCS, a gravity model is constructed, along with the lithospheric thermal structure along a wide-angle seismic profile. The profile extends across the conjugate margins of the Southwest Sub-Basin (SWSB) of the SCS and is based on the latest multiple geophysical measurements (including heat flow and thermo-physical parameters). The results show that the average thicknesses of the crust and thermal lithosphere along the profile are about 15 km and 57 km, respectively. The overall amount of extension of continental crust and lithosphere is more than 200 km. Thermal structure of the lithosphere shows that the continental margins are in a warm thermal state. The southwest SCS is characterized by ultra-wide, thinned continental crust and lithosphere, high Moho heat flow, early syn-rift faulted basins, undeformed late syn-rifting, and high seismic velocities in the lower crust. These various pieces of evidence suggest that the break-up of the mantle lithosphere occurred before that of the continental crust favouring a depth-dependent extension of the southwestern SCS margin.