晚中新世红河断裂走滑反转事件的海底滑坡证据

晚中新世(~5.5Ma),琼东南盆地深水区发育面积约18000km~2、最大沉积厚度达到930m的大型海底滑坡.大型海底滑坡具有明显的地震相特征,头部发育正断层,侧向边界形成陡崖,底部形成强剪切面,内部地震反射杂乱,被平行-亚平行的连续地震相所围限,呈现从南向北的主体搬运方向,主要物源来自于位于中南半岛以东、广乐隆起以北的琼东南盆地南部区域.在区域上,晚中新世红河断裂发生走滑反转,中南半岛的隆升和侵蚀加剧,南海西部的沉积速率突然加速,这些事件为大型海底滑坡的形成提供了基本条件与触发机制.大型海底滑坡的发现提供了晚中新世红河断裂走滑反转构造事件的沉积学证据,并通过海底滑坡顶界面地质时间的约束,推断红河断裂反转过程中最剧烈的构造活动发生在~5.5Ma.     

莺歌海—琼东南盆地构造-地层格架及南海动力变形分区

通过对盆地地震剖面构造-地层的详细解释,在莺歌海盆地和琼东南盆地(简称莺-琼盆地)古近纪同裂陷充填序列中识别出一条区域性的构造变革界面——T70,该界面在地震剖面上表现为显著的下削上超的地震反射结构特征,发育的时代为32～30 Ma,与南海海底扩张起始和红河断裂带左旋走滑的时间一致;T70界面将莺-琼盆地的同裂陷期地层...     

阿尔金断裂中段晚新生代走滑过程的沉积响应

通过阿尔金断裂中段晚新生代盆地的沉积特征和构造变形过程的野外观测和室内分析, 建立了阿尔金断裂中段晚新生代的沉积序列; 并根据盆地断裂-沉积-古地貌的恢复, 推断晚新生代阿尔金断裂至少经历了3期走滑作用过程. 通过晚第三纪沉积体错移和盆地形成与演化过程的复原分析, 提出了阿尔金断裂晚新生代以来80~100 km左旋走滑位错的地质新证据.     

红河断裂带南段中新世以来大型右旋位错量的定量研究

红河断裂带南段(元江—元阳一带)穿经盆地内的“中谷断裂”,是一条新构造期明显活动的主平移断裂。它的新近活动将中新世红河盆地一分为二,右旋切错至倮头山—大曼迷一带。与此相伴,山前断裂则以正断活动为主。沿“中谷断裂”高角度切错中新统的剪切走滑断面,被断错的中新世条形盆地内发育轴向NE的挤压褶皱及压缩变形的空间变化特征,下中新统、中上中新统、上新统及第四系的分布依次自SE向NW有序迁移且在“中谷断裂”的东北盘节节错后分布等,均表明红河断裂南段中新世以来自SE向NW的不断破裂扩展和右旋走滑位错;区段内中下中新统较厚的山前磨拉石沉积建造、卷入“中谷断裂”剪切变形的强度中新统明显强于上新统等表明,红河断裂南段大规模的右旋走滑运动应发生在中中新世前后,其FT年龄约为距今13.7Ma;根据切错的中新统的平面尺度、用平衡剖面法恢复压缩前盆地的长度和由断层变形带宽度等计算,求得红河断裂带南段中新世以来大型右旋位错总量介于62~69km,中值为65km。研究资料还表明,红河断裂右旋走滑运动作为一个过程,经历转换活动期(N1)、右旋走滑初始期(N21)、大型右旋走滑期(N31—N21)和右旋走滑扩展期(N22—Qp1)等多个发生、发     

秦岭的由来

秦岭山脉是在新生代发生强烈隆升而形成的,但它在古生代-中生代却经历了一个漫长的造山带演化过程.秦岭造山带的发展涉及到大洋板块俯冲、弧后盆地扩张、不同陆块/地体分离与拼合以及造山期后强烈陆内变形.晚中生代秦岭造山带大规模走滑变形、地体侧向挤出以及陆壳俯冲等地质过程最终奠定了秦岭造山带现今的平面几何形态和内部地质结构.秦岭造山带演化所形成的挤压构造地貌在晚白垩世-古新世阶段被完全夷平.秦岭山脉新生代的隆升与地壳伸展作用相关,而非挤压构造的结果.秦岭山脉隆升与北侧渭河盆地沉降同时发生,两者构成了一个完整的伸展构造环境下的山-盆体系.秦岭山脉的隆升速率在晚始新世-渐新世中期相对缓慢,在渐新世晚期-中新世早期基本停止.中新世中期秦岭山脉开始重新隆升,并且在晚中新世-第四纪隆升速率明显增大.秦岭山脉的隆升主要受其北缘断层的控制.当秦岭北缘断裂为正断层时,它不仅导致上盘渭河盆地强烈断陷,而且造成下盘的秦岭山脉发生翘倾抬升.当秦岭北缘断裂为压扭性走滑断层时,它所引发的挤压作用则使渭河盆地发生抬升和剥蚀,秦岭山脉也停止了翘倾抬升.秦岭北缘断裂在1 0百万年左右演化为一个侧向连续的大型正断层,从而导致秦岭山脉自晚中新世以来发生强烈快速隆升.     

辽河盆地东部凹陷新生代伸展-走滑构造作用及断裂构造特征

基于最新的三维地震资料处理与地震剖面解释、地震相干切片分析和平衡剖面恢复等方法,对辽河盆地东部凹陷所发育的断裂几何形态、盆地演化过程和走滑构造平面特征进行研究,并结合区域板块构造活动背景,分析其对郯庐断裂带新生代时期活动的响应.结果表明:辽河盆地东部凹陷为伸展和走滑两期构造变形叠加的产物,是具有"下断上坳"双层结构的裂谷型盆地.盆地演化过程经历了强烈断陷期(Es3)、区域隆升期(Es2)、断坳转化期(初始走滑期)(Es1)、坳陷沉降期(强烈走滑期)(Ed)和构造反转期(Ng-现今)5个演化阶段.研究区主要发育正断层、逆断层、走滑正断层和走滑逆断层4种断层类型,经伸展间歇期和后期区域挤压作用,发育两期正反转构造.盆地经历的走滑运动过程可细化为初始走滑(Es1),强烈走滑(Ed)和衰减走滑(Ng)3个阶段.     

川滇南北向构造带早中生代构造变形研究

贺兰-川滇南北向构造带是划分中国大陆东西的地幔陡变带,其南段川滇南北向构造带是由几个性质不同的构造系统叠加组成的复杂构造带.研究发现,位于扬子地块西缘的川滇南北向构造带发育由雁行状左行走滑断裂为骨架的走滑构造带.走滑构造带经历了两期构造叠加,早期变形为北东-南西挤压应力场形成的一系列北西-南东走向的逆冲断裂,晚期北西-南东挤压应力场环境下沿先前的逆冲断层形成一系列左行走滑断裂.在这些左行走滑断裂之间,发育一些中生代盆地,盆地沉积相和古流向研究显示,这些盆地的形成受走滑断裂控制.因此,依据盆地内最老地层限定,扬子西缘走滑构造带形成于早中生代.作者认为,这个走滑构造带的形成,很可能与晚三叠世-侏罗纪时期扬子地块顺时针旋转并持续向北俯冲-碰撞有关,川滇南北向构造带在早中生代中国大陆的主体碰撞拼贴过程中就已经开始形成.     

太行山南缘断裂带新构造活动及其区域运动学意义

基于TM遥感影像的构造地貌解译和野外活动断层滑动矢量的测量和分析 ,阐述了太行山南缘断裂带第四纪左旋走滑活动的构造和地貌标志 ,反演了断裂变形的构造应力场 ,探讨了太行山南缘断裂带左旋走滑活动的区域运动学意义。研究表明 ,第四纪时期太行山南缘断裂带是一条斜张左旋走滑断裂。断层滑动矢量观测显示新近纪以来有 2期引张应力作用 :早期为NE -SW向引张 ,晚期为NNW -SSE向引张 ,这个观测结果与渭河地堑盆地的新近纪—第四纪 2期引张构造应力场一致。根据华北盆地构造资料推断 ,太行山南缘断裂带向东延伸与盆地内的泌阳 -开封 -商丘断陷带相接 ,共同构成了南华北和北华北 2个断陷区的构造边界。指出该断裂带作为南华北块体北缘 ,其新构造时期的斜张左旋走滑活动与南部秦岭断裂系左旋走滑活动一致 ,它们组成了一个宽阔的、向东撒开的、弥散型分布的左旋走滑形变带 ,调节着华南地块相对于华北地块向SEE方向的构造挤出     

红河断裂带东南的延伸及其构造演化意义

红河断裂是中国华南与印支地块的分界线, 莺歌海盆地的一号断裂是红河断裂向东进入南海的延伸部分. 根据新的地球物理调查资料和盆地模拟技术的研究认为, 红河断裂是沿着越东断裂向南延伸, 在越南南部海域进一步分为两支断裂: 一支是卢帕尔断裂, 它继续向南延伸并消失于西北婆罗州之下; 另一支是廷贾断裂, 它继续向东南方向延伸可达文莱-沙巴地区. 指出, 万安盆地和位于南沙地块上的沉积盆地具有不同的构造演化历史, 越东断裂和廷贾断裂的连线应是印支地块与南沙地块的分界线, 它们同属陆缘断裂, 并总体表现出以走滑断裂为主的特征, 而卢帕尔断裂应是印支地块上的板内超壳断裂. 重建了红河断裂和南海扩张的演化历史, 所获得的认识对邻区构造演化的理解及该区油气勘探具有重要的指导意义.     

湘东北湘阴凹陷控盆断裂特征、盆地性质及动力机制研究

对白垩纪-古近纪洞庭盆地东部湘阴凹陷的北部进行了地表地质调查与研究。凹陷呈NE走向,沉积岩层倾向南东,且自南东往北西倾角变陡。凹陷南段宽、北段窄,其南东边界分别为倾向NW的公田断裂和忠防断裂,两断裂之间以走向NW、倾向南西的白羊田断裂和石姑桥断裂相连接。公田断裂为正断裂,白羊田断裂和石姑桥断裂为右旋平移正断裂,忠防断裂为左行平移正断裂;公田断裂和石姑桥断裂均经历了自韧性→脆性的转变过程。凹陷内部发育NE~NNE向小型同成盆正断裂。上述信息表明：①湘阴凹陷为箕状断陷盆地;②公田断裂和忠防断裂的拉张活动控制了凹陷的形成和发展,区域N（N）E向左旋走滑应力场对凹陷北段有一定影响;③白羊田断裂和石姑桥断裂属横向调整断裂;④凹陷发展及其沉积充填,与南东面幕阜山隆起的抬升与剥蚀（包括沉积剥蚀和构造剥蚀）相耦合。结合区域资料,讨论认为湘阴凹陷形成的伸展构造环境受本地区特有的地幔上隆深部构造背景与中国东南部区域张性构造环境的双重制约,并以前者为主;凹陷走向主要受区域NNE向左行走滑应力场的控制。     

南海北部珠江口与琼东南盆地构造-热模拟研究

珠江口盆地和琼东南盆地位于南海北部的大陆边缘,本文在此地区选取了13条典型剖面,进行了构造沉降史和热史的模拟,初步探讨了其新生代以来的构造-热演化历史.其研究结果表明:珠江口盆地存在两次热流升高过程,分别为始新世(56.5～32 Ma)和渐新世(32～23.3 Ma).琼东南盆地存在三期加热和两期冷却过程,始新世盆地热...     

Cenozoic geodynamic evolution of the Andaman–Sumatra subduction margin: Current understanding

The Andaman–Sumatra margin displays a unique set‐up of extensional subduction–accretion complexes, which are the Java Trench, a tectonic (outer arc) prism, a sliver plate, a forearc, oceanic rises, inner‐arc volcanoes, and an extensional back‐arc with active spreading. Existing knowledge is reviewed in this paper, and some new data on the surface and subsurface signatures for operative geotectonics of this margin is analyzed. Subduction‐related deformation along the trench has been operating either continuously or intermittently since the Cretaceous. The oblique subduction has initiated strike–slip motion in the northern Sumatra–Andaman sector, and has formed a sliver plate between the subduction zone and a complex, right‐lateral fault system. The sliver fault, initiated in the Eocene, extended through the outer‐arc ridge offshore from Sumatra, and continued through the Andaman Sea connecting the Sagaing Fault in the north. Dominance of regional plate dynamics over simple subduction‐related accretionary processes led to the development and evolution of sedimentary basins of widely varied tectonic character along this margin. A number of north–south‐trending dismembered ophiolite slices of Cretaceous age, occurring at different structural levels with Eocene trench‐slope sediments, were uplifted and emplaced by a series of east‐dipping thrusts to shape the outer‐arc prism. North–south and east–west strike–slip faults controlled the subsidence, resulting in the development of a forearc basins and record Oligocene to Miocene–Pliocene sedimentation within mixed siliciclastic–carbonate systems. The opening of the Andaman Sea back‐arc occurred in two phases: an early (～11 Ma) stretching and rifting, followed by spreading since 4–5 Ma. The history of inner‐arc volcanic activity in the Andaman region extends to the early Miocene, and since the Miocene arc volcanism has been associated with an evolution from felsic to basaltic composition.     

Paleogene marine deposition records of rifting and breakup of the South China Sea: An overview

A compilation of available marine deposition data from offshore S-SE China reveals evidence of rifting and breakup of the South China Sea (SCS) during the Paleogene. Marine deposition started earlier in the Paleocene in the East China Sea (ECS)-Taiwan region before expanding southwestward into the SCS region in the middle Eocene. Our data indicate the existence of an elongated Paleogene China Sea in these areas stretching along the northeasterly structural belts, probably as part of the marginal western paleo-Pacific. The southwestward shift of marine influence in the middle Eocene was responding to a period of intensive rifting and subsidence in the SCS region, while the sea in the ECS-Taiwan region started to shrink and shoal after the late Eocene, likely associated with local breakup and initial spreading in the Taiwan-Taixinan Basin area. The accumulation of hemipelagic sediments at ODP 1148 and IODP U1435 from near the continent-ocean boundary and at many other shelf-slope sites was in response to a large-scale breakup 34 to 33 Ma ago, subsequently leading to the birth of the SCS in the Oligocene.     

Subsidence history and forming mechanism of anomalous tectonic subsidence in the Bozhong depression, Bohaiwan basin

The Bozhong depression of the Bohaiwan basin belongs to a family of extensional basins in East China, but is quite different from other parts of the basin. The Cenozoic subsidence of the depression is controlled by a combination of lithospheric thinning and polycyclic strike-slip movements. Three episodic rifts have been identified, i.e. Paleocence-early Eocene, middle-late Eocene and Oligocene age. The depression underwent syn-rift and post-rift stages, but two episodic dextral movement events of the strike-slip faults modify the subsidence of the Bozhong depression since the Oligocene. The early dextral movement of the Tan-Lu fault associated with crustal extension resulted in accelerated subsidence during the time of deposition of the Dongying Formation with a maximum thickness of 4000 m. A late reactivation of dextral movement of the Tan-Lu fault began in late Miocene (about 12 Ma), which resulted in the intense subsidence of Minghuazhen Formation and Quaternary. In addition, dynamic mantle convection-driven topography also accelerated the post-rift anomalous subsidence since the Miocene (24.6 Ma). Our results indicate that the primary control on rapid subsidence both during the rift and post-rift stages in the Bozhong depression originates from a combination of multiple episodic crustal extension and polycyclic dextral movements of strike-slip faults, and dynamic topography.     

阿尔金构造系渐新世-中新世以来断裂左旋位错时空分布规律研究

组成阿尔金构造系的断裂,均具左旋位错特征。发生于渐新世—中新世以来的总位错量４５０～７００ｋｍ。其中,分布于阿尔金断裂带上的位错量达２２５～３７５ｋｍ,分布于其它断裂带上的位错量达１５０～２５０ｋｍ。发生于上新世以来的总位错量为９０～１３０ｋｍ。其中,分布于阿尔金断裂带上的位错量为５０～８０ｋｍ,分布于其它断裂带上的位错量为４０～５０ｋｍ。发生于第四纪的左旋位错量２０～２７ｋｍ。其中,分布在阿尔金断裂带上的位错量为７～１７ｋｍ,分布于其它断裂带上的位错量为１０ｋｍ左右     

伊洛瓦底盆地热-沉降史模拟及构造-热演化特征

本文首先运用EASY% Ro反演法对伊洛瓦底盆地由北向南进行了热史的恢复,北部钦敦凹陷的平均古地温梯度为13.0~15.0 ℃/km,中部沙林凹陷的平均古地温梯度为18.0~22.0 ℃/km,南部三角洲凹陷的平均古地温梯度为33.0~37.0 ℃/km.从模拟结果可以看出,盆地由北向南地温梯度逐渐升高,生烃门限的深度由深变浅.然后模拟了盆地的构造沉降史.模拟结果表明,盆地具有幕式构造沉降特征,这反映了伊洛瓦底盆地可能处于弧间或弧后的构造背景.伊洛瓦底盆地北部和南部具有不同幕次的构造沉降史,北部在早始新世时期（53~51 Ma）经历了一幕拉伸过程,然后进入了热沉降期,并伴随局部的快速隆升;南部则经历了两幕拉张过程,分别是在早始新世时期（53~51 Ma）和中中新世时期（21~13 Ma）.盆地的这种南北构造沉降的差异很可能是造成盆地地温梯度北低南高的原因.     

THE MECHANISMS OF ARCUATE STRUCTURES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ALTYN TAGH FAULT AND THEIR TECTONIC IMPLICATIONS

The giant sinistral Altyn Tagh Fault(ATF)is the northern boundary of the Tibetan Plateau. It has been playing important role in adjusting the India-Eurasia collision and the tectonic evolution of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Knowledge of the evolution of the ATF can provide comprehensive understanding of the processes and mechanisms of the deformation of the Tibetan Plateau. However, its timing of commencement, amount of displacement and strike-slip rate, as well as the tectonic evolution of the region are still under debate. South of the ATF, there exist a series of oroclinal-like arcuate structures. Knowledge of whether these curved geometries represent original curvatures or the bending of originally straight/aligned geological units has significant tectonic implications for the evolution of the ATF. The Yingxiongling arcuate belt in the western Qaidam Basin and the northern Qaidam marginal thrust belt(NQMTB)north of the Qaidam Basin are the two typical arcuate thrust belts, where the former has a "7-types" structure, and the latter has a reverse "S-type" structure. Successive Cenozoic sediments are well exposed and magnetostratigraphically dated in both belts. Paleomagnetic declination has great advantage to reveal vertical-axis rotations of geological bodies since they become magnetized. Recently conducted paleomagnetic rotation studies in different parts of these two thrust belts revealed detailed Cenozoic rotation patterns and magnitudes of the region. By integrating these paleomagnetic rotation results with regional geometric features and lines of geological evidence, we propose that these two arcuate thrust belts were most likely caused by different rotations in different parts of these curvatures, due to the sinistral strike-slip faulting along the ATF, rather than originally curved ones. The Yingxiongling arcuate belt was shaped by the significant counterclockwise(CCW)rotations of its northwestern half(the Akatengnengshan anticline)near the ATF during~16~11Ma BP, while its southeastern half(the Youshashan anticline)had no significant rotations since at least~20Ma BP. The geometry of the NQMTB was developed firstly by remarkable clockwise rotations of its middle part during~33~14Ma BP, and later possibly CCW rotations of its northwestern part during the Middle to Late Miocene, similar to that of the northwestern part of the Yingxiongling arcuate belt. The characteristics of two-stage strike-slip evolution of the ATF since the Early Oligocene were enriched:1)During the Early Oligocene to mid-Miocene, fast strike-slip faulting along the ATF was proposed to accommodate the eastward extrusion of the northern Tibetan Plateau with its sinistral shear confined to the fault itself. While in the NQMTB and farther east area in the Qilian Shan, its sinistral shear was transferred to the interior of the plateau and was accommodated by deformation of differential crustal shortenings and block rotations in these regions. Thus, the displacement along the ATF west of the NQMTB is larger than that east of the NQMTB. 2)Since the mid-late Miocene, sinistral shear of the ATF was widespread distributed within the northern Tibetan Plateau, instead of concentrated to the fault itself. Its sinistral offsets were partially absorbed by the shortening deformation within the Qaidam Basin and the Qilian Shan, leading the offsets along the ATF decreasing to the east. With the sinistral frictional drag of blocks(the Tarim Basin and the Altyn Tagh Range)on the other side during the second stage evolution of the ATF, a transitional zone south of the ATF was likely developed by remarkable CCW rotations during the Middle to Late Miocene, which is probably confined to east of the Tula syncline. Combining the sinistral offsets along the ATF derived from the paleomagnetic rotations during the Early Oligocene to mid-late Miocene and that by piercing points since the Late Miocene, the post Oligocene strike-slip offsets were constrained as at least~350~430km for the reference in the western Qaidam Basin and~380~460km for the reference in the NQMTB, with an average slip rate of at least~10.6~13.9mm/a. The post Early Oligocene offsets are consistent with the widely accepted offsets of~300~500km obtained by piercing point analyses.     

Active tectonics around the junction of Southwest Japan and Ryukyu arcs: Control by subducting plate geometry and pre‐Quaternary geologic structure

The origin of active faults in the Inner zone of the western part of Southwest Japan was explained by a decrease of the minimum principal stress and reactivation of ancient geologic structures. Although the E–W maximum principal stress in Southwest Japan due to the collision of the Southwest and Northeast Japan arcs along the Itoigawa–Shizuoka Tectonic Line is assumed to decrease westward, the density of active strike‐slip faults increases in the western margin of the Southwest Japan Arc (western Chugoku and northern Kyushu) where the subducting Philippine Sea Plate dips steeply. The E–W maximum compressional stress is predominant throughout Southwest Japan, while the N–S minimum principal stress that is presumably caused by coupling between Southwest Japan arc and Philippine Sea Plate decreases due to the weak plate coupling as the plate inclination increases under the western margin of Southwest Japan. The increase of the fault density in the western margin of the arc is attributed to a decrease of the minimum principal stress and consequent increase of shear stress. Low slip rates of the active faults in this region support the view that the westward increase of fault density is not a response to increasing maximum stress. These faults of onshore and offshore lie in three distinct domains defined on the basis of fault strike. They are defined domains I, II, and III which are composed of active faults striking ENE–WSW, NW–SE, and NE–SW, respectively. Faulting in domains I, II, and III is related to Miocene rift basins, Eocene normal faults, and Mesozoic strike‐slip faults, respectively. Although these active faults are strike‐slip faults due to E–W maximum stress, it is unclear whether their fault planes are the same as those of pre‐Quaternary dip‐slip faults.     

Origin of the early Cenozoic belt boundary thrust and Izanagi–Pacific ridge subduction in the western Pacific margin

The belt boundary thrust within the Cretaceous–Neogene accretionary complex of the Shimanto Belt, southwestern Japan, extends for more than ~ 1 000 km along the Japanese islands. A common understanding of the origin of the thrust is that it is an out of sequence thrust as a result of continuous accretion since the late Cretaceous and there is a kinematic reason for its maintaining a critically tapered wedge. The timing of the accretion gap and thrusting, however, coincides with the collision of the Paleocene–early Eocene Izanagi–Pacific spreading ridges with the trench along the western Pacific margin, which has been recently re‐hypothesized as younger than the previous assumption with respect to the Kula‐Pacific ridge subduction during the late Cretaceous. The ridge subduction hypothesis provides a consistent explanation for the cessation of magmatic activity along the continental margin and the presence of an unconformity in the forearc basin. This is not only the case in southwestern Japan, but also along the more northern Asian margin in Hokkaido, Sakhalin, and Sikhote‐Alin. This Paleocene–early Eocene ridge subduction hypothesis is also consistent with recently acquired tomographic images beneath the Asian continent. The timing of the Izanagi–Pacific ridge subduction along the western Pacific margin allows for a revision of the classic hypothesis of a great reorganization of the Pacific Plate motion between ~ 47 Ma and 42 Ma, illustrated by the bend in the Hawaii–Emperor chain, because of the change in subduction torque balance and the Oligocene–Miocene back arc spreading after the ridge subduction in the western Pacific margin.     

Two-phase opening of Andaman Sea: a new seismotectonic insight

High-resolution reconstruction of Benioff zone depth–dip angle trajectory for Burma–Java subduction margin between 2° and 17°N Lat. reveals two major episodes of plate geometry change expressed as abrupt deviation in subduction angle. Estimation of effective rate of subduction in different time slices (and then length of subducted slab) allowed drawing of isochrones in Ma interval through these trajectories for the time period 5–12 Ma. With these isochrones, the deformation events on the subducting Indian plate are constrained in time as of 4–5 and 11 Ma old. This well-constrained time connotation offered scope for the correlation of slab deformation events with the well-established two-phase opening history of the Andaman Sea. While the 11 Ma event recorded from southern part of the study area is correlated with early stretching and rifting phase, the 4–5 Ma event is interpreted as major forcing behind the spreading phase of the Andaman Sea. Systematic spatio-temporal evaluation of Indian plate obliquity on the Andaman Sea evolution shows its definite control on the early rifting phase, initiated towards south near northwest Sumatra. The much young spreading phase recorded towards north of 7° Lat. is possibly the result of late Miocene–Pliocene trench retreat and follow-up transcurrent movement (along Sagaing and Sumatran fault system) with NW–SE pull-apart extension.Nonconformity between plate shape and subduction margin geometry is interpreted as the causative force behind Mid-Miocene intraplate extension and tearing. Enhanced stretching in the overriding plate consequently caused active forearc subsidence, recorded all along this plate margin. Initial phase of the Andaman Sea opening presumably remains concealed in this early–middle Miocene forearc subsidence history. The late Miocene–Pliocene pull-apart opening and spreading was possibly initiated near the western part of the Mergui–Sumatra region and propagated northward in subsequent period. A temporary halt in rifting at this pull-apart stage and northeastward veering of the Andaman Sea Ridge (ASR) are related with uplifting of oceanic crust in post-middle Miocene time in form of Alcock and Sewell seamounts, lying symmetrically north and south of this spreading ridge.