Anomalous Cenozoic subsidence along the ‘passive’ continental margin from Ireland to mid-Norway

Two-dimensional flexural backstripping and thermal modelling (assuming uniform stretching and cooling) is applied to four interpreted, depth-converted seismic profiles across the Rockall, Faroe–Shetland and Vøring basins, along 1600 km of the Atlantic continental margin of NW Europe. The results reveal a significant discrepancy between the modelled palaeo-depths for the base of the Cenozoic succession and those proven by geological evidence at control points (subaerial conditions or depositional depth ranges in wells). The discrepancy is of Rm-scale, much larger than the possible range of parameter error determined by sensitivity tests (up to 0.5 km). Assuming a Cretaceous rift episode (100 Ma), the discrepancy is at least 1.7 km in the Rockall Basin, up to 2.1 km in the Faroe–Shetland Basin and at least 1 km in the Vøring Basin (which also contains evidence of kilometre-scale uplift of the inner margin). Assuming (unproven) a second rift in the early Cenozoic (60 Ma), the discrepancy remains of kilometre-scale in the Rockall and Faroe–Shetland basins. The restorations also provide evidence of uplift, both above compressive structures and across the modelled profiles as seaward rotations of palaeo-bathymetric records. The palaeo-bathymetric discrepancy corresponds to an anomaly in subsidence that is the cumulative product of all the tectonic episodes that have affected the NW European margin, and may incorporate both permanent effects of the last episode of lithospheric extension and transient responses to the interaction of the margin with mantle convective flow. Any explanation must accommodate both the large magnitude of anomalous subsidence along the margin and evidence of its episodic character.     

Tectonics, global changes in sea level and their relationship to stratigraphical sequences at the US Atlantic continental margin

The principal factors that control the extent of seas through geological time are vertical movements of the lithosphere and global changes in sea level. The relative height of the sea surface determines the facies and the thickness of sediments that can accumulate in a sedimentary basin. Backstripping studies show that the primary factors affecting the subsidence of rifted sedimentary basins are thermal contraction, following heating and thinning of the lithosphere at the time of rifting, and sedimentary loading. Factors such as compaction, palaeobathymetry, erosion and global sea level changes also contribute, but their combined affects are small compared to those of thermal contraction and sedimentary loading. Simple models have been constructed which combine the effects of sedimentary loading and thermal contraction with those of compaction, sub-aerial erosion and global changes in sea level. In the models it was assumed that the lithosphere was heated and thinned by stretching at the time of rifting, sedimentary loading occurs by flexure of a lithosphere that progressively increases its flexural rigidity with age following rifting and, that sediment compaction and bathymetry change across a basin but do not vary significantly with gwological time. Furthermore, different assumptions were made on the magnitude of curves of global sea level changes and the relationship between denudation rate and regional elevation. The models show that tectonics, in the form of thermal contraction of the lithosphere and flexure and slowly varying global changes in sea level, can explain a number of the stratigraphic features of the US Atlantic continental margin. In this Paper some of the implications of these results are examined for studies of (a) sea level changes through geological time; and (b) the maturation history of continental margin basins.     

南沙海区万安盆地构造演化与成因机制

本文基于地震、钻井和区域地质资料,运用回剥法和平衡剖面技术定量研究了万安盆地的构造沉降和伸展程度,重建盆地的构造演化史并探讨其成因机制。模拟结果表明,万安盆地构造沉降曲线为多段式,其南北部构造沉降差异明显,且沉降中心逐渐向南发展的趋势。晚始新世-渐新世（37.8~23.03 Ma BP）盆地中、北部快速沉降,存在两个沉降中心;早中新世（23.03~16.0 Ma BP）盆地南部也发生快速沉降,整个盆地存在3个沉降中心;中中新世（约16.0~11.63 Ma BP）沉降作用减弱,盆地进入裂后热沉降期。万安盆地的伸展和形成演化呈现北早南晚的特征,与南海海底扩张密切相关,同时受控于万安断裂带交替地右旋-左旋走滑作用,是伸展和走滑双重作用的结果。盆地的构造演化过程可细分为4个阶段:初始裂谷期、主要裂谷期、走滑改造期和裂后加速沉降期。     

珠江口盆地?琼东南盆地深水区新生代构造沉积演化对比分析

南海北部陆缘记录了南海形成演化的历史,但是其新生代构造沉积演化特征在东段和西段的差异及其原因目前还不太清楚。本文分别在珠江口盆地和琼东南盆地的深水区选择了数口构造地理位置相似的井通过精细地层回剥分析,重建了两沉积盆地的沉积速率和沉降速率并结合前人研究成果进行了对比分析。研究结果发现,两沉积盆地在裂陷期的沉积和沉降特征基本相似,但是两者在裂后期的构造沉积演化特征差异明显。珠江口盆地深水区沉积和沉降速率都表现为幕式变化特征,其中沉积速率表现为“两快三慢”的特征而沉降速率表现为“两快一慢”的特征。琼东南盆地深水区的沉积速率表现为“地堑式”变化特征,但是沉降速率表现为“台阶式”上升的变化特征。琼东南盆地“台阶式”上升的沉降速率推测主要是受到海南地幔柱伴随红河断裂的右旋走滑而向西北漂移的影响,这也与南海西北部的岩浆活动以及周围盆地的沉降特征吻合。红河断裂在2.1 Ma BP的右旋走滑控制了琼东南盆地1.8 Ma BP以来的快速沉积和加速沉降分布。     

Mesozoic rift to post-rift tectonostratigraphy of the Sverdrup Basin,Canadian Arctic

Jurassic-Cretaceous rift successions and basin geometries of the Sverdrup Basin are reconstructed from a review and integration of stratigraphy, igneous records, outcrop maps, and subsurface data. The rift onset unconformity is in the Lower Jurassic portion of the Heiberg Group (approximately 200–190 Ma). Facies transgress from early syn-rift sandstones of the King Christian Formation to marine mudstones of the Jameson Bay Formation. The syn-rift succession of marine mudstones in the basin centre, Jameson Bay to Deer Bay formations, ranges from Early Jurassic (Pleinsbachian) to Early Cretaceous (Valanginian). Early post-rift deposits of the lower Isachsen Formation are truncated by the sub-Hauterivian unconformity, which is interpreted as a break up unconformity at approximately 135–130 Ma. Cessation of rift subsidence allowed for late post-rift sandstone deposits of the Isachsen Formation to be distributed across the entire basin. Marine deposition to form mudstone of the Christopher Formation throughout the Canadian Arctic Islands and outside of the rift basin records establishment of a broad marine shelf during post-rift thermal subsidence at the start of a passive margin stage. The onset of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province at approximately 130 Ma appears to coincide with the breakup unconformity, and it is quite typical that magma-poor rifted margins have mainly post-rift igneous rocks. We extend the magma-poor characterization where rifting is driven by lithospheric extension, to speculatively consider that the records from Sverdrup Basin are consistent with tectonic models of retro-arc extension and intra-continental rifting that have previously been proposed for the Amerasia Basin under the Arctic Ocean.     

Anoxic basins of the eastern Mediterranean: geological framework

A brief review of the geological knowledge on the anoxic basins of the eastern Mediterranean is presented. Anoxic basins have been discovered in two different geological settings in the eastern Mediterranean. Bannock Basin belongs to the compressional style of the Mediterranean Ridge, and Tyro and Poseidon Basins belong to the transcurrent tectonic style of the Strabo Trench. The origin of the basins is subsurface salt dissolution triggered by tectonic deformation of the sediments on the Mediterranean Ridge, and tectonic subsidence (pull-apart mechanism) in the Strabo Trench. The onset of a deep-sea brine lake is always related to the outcrop of Messinian salts on the side-walls of the basin. The rate of basin subsidence controls the evolution of the brine lakes, which can also be completely diluted by bottom water circulation.     

南海南部海域构造地貌

构造地貌是指由新构造运动直接形成的一种动态的、积极活跃的地貌类型。南海南部海域新构造运动强烈,类型众多,它们是控制海底构造地貌形成和发育的主要内动力因素。根据地质地球物理资料,对该区区域构造沉降、海底扩张、断裂作用、褶皱作用和火山活动等新构造运动类型及其形成的构造地貌进行了分析。区域构造沉降形成规模较大的构造台地、深水阶地和陆坡盆地等;海底扩张形成西南海盆、中央海盆及其内部的众多构造地貌类型;断裂作用形成断层崖、断阶、海底谷、断块山、断陷盆地等;褶皱作用形成山地和挤压构造盆地;火山作用形成海山、海丘。     

Layer-block tectonics of Cenozoic basements and formation of intra-plate basins in Nansha micro-plate, southern South China Sea

Layer-block tectonics(LBT)concept,with the core of pluralistic geodynamic outlook and multilayer-sliding tectonic outlook,is one of new keys to study 3-dimensional solid and its 4-dimensional evolution history of global tectonic system controlled by global geodynamics system.The LBT concept is applied to study the lithospheric tectonics of the southern South China Sea(SCS).Based on the analysis of about 30000 km of geophysical and geological data,some layer-blocks in the Nansha micro-plate can be divided as Nansha ultra-crustal layer-block,Zengmu crustal layer-block,Nanwei(Rifleman bank)–Andu(Ardasier bank)and Liyue(Reed bank)–North Palawan crustal layer-blocks,Andu-Bisheng and Liyue–Banyue basemental layer-blocks.The basic characteristics of the basemental layer-blocks have been dicussed,and three intra-plate basin groups are identified.The intra-plate basins within Nansha micro-plate can bedivided into three basin groups of Nanwei–Andu,Feixin–Nanhua,and Liyue–North Palawan based on the different geodynamics.In the light of pluralistic geodynamic concept,the upheaving force induced by the mid-crust plastic layer is proposed as the main dynamical force which causes the formation of the intra-plate basins within the Nansha micro-plate.Finally,models of a face-to-face dip-slip–detachment of basemental layer-block and a unilateral dip-slip–detachment of basemental layer-block are put forward for the forming mechanisms of the Nanwei–Andu and Liyue-North Palawan intra-plate basin groups,respectively.     

Structure and evolution of a passive margin in a compressive environment: Example of the south-western Alps-Ligurian basin junction during the Cenozoic

We focus on the northern Ligurian margin, at the geological junction of the subalpine domain and the Ligurian oceanic basin, in order (1) to identify the location of the southern limit of the Alpine compressive domain during the Cenozoic, and (2) to study the influence of a compressive environment on the tectonic and sedimentary evolution of a passive margin.Based on published onshore and offshore data, we first propose a chronology of the main extensional and compressional regional tectonic events.High-resolution seismic data image the margin structure down to ∼3 km below seafloor. These data support that past rifting processes control the present-day margin structure, and that 2800-4000 m of synrift sediment was deposited on this segment of the margin in two steps. First, sub-parallel reflectors indicate sediment deposition within a subsident basin showing a low amount of extension. Then, a fan-shaped sequence indicates block tilting and a higher amount of extension. We do not show any influence of the Miocene Alpine compression on the present-day margin structure at our scale of investigation, despite the southern subalpine relief formed in the close hinterland at that time. The southern front of the Miocene Alps was thus located upslope from the continental margin.Finally, a comparison with the Gulf of Lions margin suggests that the tectonic influence of the Alpine compression on the rifting processes is restrited to an increase of the subsidence related to flexure ahead of the Alpine front, explaining abnormally high synrift thicknesses in the study area. The Alpine environment, however, has probably controlled the sedimentary evolution of the margin since the rifting. Indeed, sediment supply and distribution would be mainly controlled by the permanent building of relief in the hinterland and by the steep basin morphology, rather than by sea-level fluctuations, even during the Messinian sea-level low-stand.     

台西南盆地的构造演化与油气藏组合分析

本文根据台西南盆地的地质、地球物理资料，对台西南盆地的地壳结构、基底特征、沉积厚度、断裂构造等基本地质构造特征＾［１］作了研究，探讨了台西南盆地的构造发展演化及及油气藏组合。认为该盆地的构造演化为幕式拉张。幕式拉张可分为三大张裂幕，相应的热沉降作用使盆地在不同的张裂幕时期发展为断陷，裂陷，裂拗－拗陷。它们分别与板块作用下的区域构造运动阶段相对应，说明区域构造运动不但控制了盆地的发展演化，同时也制约     

中国东部海区及邻域区域构造图的编制方法及地质构造单元划分

我国东部海区及邻域1:1 000 000地质地球物理系列图将于2008年底出版,区域构造图是其中的主要专业图件之一。讨论了该专业图件的编图方法、地质构造单元的划分方法和主要地质构造单元。首次对黄海东海区进行了全面剥皮编图,剥去了Q+N₂地层。对于沉积盆地用等厚度线表示出了新生界的厚度。地质构造单元划分方法是以板块构造理论为指导并以现今的构造特征为主要划分依据。板块内构造单元的划分是在总结国内外多种构造单元划分方法的基础上进行了修改完善,完成了对我国东部海区及邻域的地质构造单元的划分。区内一级构造单元为板块(太平洋板块、欧亚板块和菲律宾海板块),二级构造单元为构造域(东亚大陆构造域、东亚大陆边缘构造域和西太平洋构造域)。西太平洋构造域主要包括太平洋板块的西部及菲律宾海板块。欧亚板块在该区的部分可分为东亚大陆边缘构造域和东亚大陆构造域。东亚大陆边缘构造域由日本琉球岛弧、冲绳海槽弧后盆地、日本海弧后盆地等次级构造单元构成。东亚大陆构造域在该区内由中朝地块、扬子地块、华南地块等次级构造单元构成。各地块又可划分出盆地、隆褶带、隆起区等多个次一级地质构造单元。最低一级的地质构造单元为凸起和凹陷。     

The Gulf of Suez—northern Red Sea neogene rift: a quantitive basin analysis

Subsidence analysis (backstripping) was carried out on a series of wells from the Gulf of Suez and northern Red Sea region of Egypt in order to examine the interplay between tectonic events, basin subsidence, sedimentation and sea level changes in a young, developing ocean basin and continental margin. Using constraints on chronostratigraphy and paleodepth from various sources combined with stratigraphic and structural information from industry wells and other geophysical sources it has been possible to compile the data necessary to perform geohistory analyses throughout the region.Major subsidence due to crustal thinning began ∼25 Ma with sedimentation initially occurring in isolated sub-basins. These earliest sediments record the transition from continental to marine depositional environments. Subsequently during early and middle Miocene times subsidence was rapid and uniform along and across the entire rift basin. Open marine sedimentation occurred across all structural regimes. The mid-Clysmic tectonic event (16.5 Ma) resulted in structural rearrangement of the rift basin and uplift of the rift shoulders. Rapid subsidence continued as global sea level fell, producing a series of prograding, siliciclastic fan-deltas at the rift margins. At ∼15.5 Ma, opening of the Suez rift was terminated, tectonic subsidence decreased dramatically in the southern rift and ceased entirely in the northern rift. Tensional plate motion probably was transferred from the Gulf of Suez to sinistral strike-slip movement on the Dead Sea transform at this time. The quiescence in subsidence combined with a lowered global sea level resulted in the deposition of a thick (up to 4 km) series of evaporites within the central trough of the rift from the middle to latest Miocene. The accumulation of such a thick sequence of sediments during a phase of decreased tectonic subsidence is interpreted as a ‘filling-in’ of the rift topography which developed during the earlier period of rapid subsidence and rift-shoulder uplift and continued compaction.A rapid global sea level rise concomitant with a subsequent pulse of increased tectonic activity in the latest Miocene—earliest Pliocene returned the rift to dominantly marine conditions.     

Tectonic evolution of the Cape and Karoo basins of South Africa

The Cape and Karoo basins formed within the continental interior of Gondwana. Subsidence resulted from the vertical motion of rigid basement blocks and intervening crustal faults. Each basin episode records a three-stage evolution consisting of crustal uplift, fault-controlled subsidence, and long periods of regional subsidence largely unaccompanied by faulting or erosional truncation. The large-scale episodes of subsidence were probably the result of lithospheric deflection due to subduction-driven mantle flow. The early Paleozoic Cape basin records the combined effects of a north-dipping intra-crustal décollement (a late Neoproterozoic suture) and a right-stepping offset between thick Rio de la Plata craton and Namaqua basement. Following the Saldanian orogeny, a suite of small rift basins and their post-rift drape formed at this releasing stepover. Great thicknesses of quartz sandstone (Ordovician–Silurian) and mudstone (Devonian) accumulation are attributed to subsidence by rheological weakening and mantle flow. In contrast, the Karoo basin is a cratonic cover that mimics the underlying basement blocks. The Permian Ecca and lower Beaufort groups were deposited in a southward-deepening ramp syncline by extensional decoupling on the intra-crustal décollement. Reflection seismic and deep-burial diagenetic studies indicate that the Cape orogeny started in the Early Triassic. Deformation was partitioned into basement-involved strike-slip faults and thin-skinned thrusting. Uplift of the Namaqua basement resulted in erosion of the Beaufort cover. East of the Cape fold belt, contemporaneous subsidence and tilting of the Natal basement created a late Karoo transtensional foreland basin, the Stormberg depocentre. Early Jurassic tectonic resetting and continental flood basalts terminated the Karoo basin.     

渤海及周边地区中新生代构造演化与火山活动

渤海湾盆地作为典型的中新生代叠合盆地,构造演化历史十分复杂,经历了多期构造演化,盆地的构造演化与东亚大陆大地构造环境密切相关。本文从板块相互作用的角度出发,综合大量文献资料,划分渤海湾盆地中、新生代构造演化为3个阶段,中生代盆地发育演化阶段、早第三纪裂陷盆地发育阶段和晚第三纪坳陷盆地发育阶段。通过对渤海地区代表性火山岩样品的岩石化学分析、微量元素及稀土元素中子活化分析结果进行岩石化学和地球化学分析,综合前人研究成果,探讨了渤海及周边地区地质构造演化特征与火山活动之间的耦合关系。     

沙捞越盆地的盆地类型分析

针对沙捞越盆地盆地类型的不同观点,通过盆地区域构造背景、构造演化阶段、构造沉降曲线的分析以及构造地质事件的恢复,得到以下认识:①盆地的构造演化可划分为晚白垩世—晚始新世,拉让洋壳向婆罗洲基底俯冲,并在婆罗洲中部形成火山岛弧的俯冲增生期;渐新世—早中新世,拉让洋壳俯冲消减完毕,路科尼亚地块与婆罗洲碰撞,并俯冲于婆罗洲基底之下,形成周缘前陆盆地的前陆盆地期;中中新世至今,南中国海开启、婆罗洲碰撞抬升引起盆地稳定沉降的被动边缘期3个阶段。②盆地所选井的构造沉降曲线具有早期缓慢沉降、晚期快速沉降这一前陆盆地的典型特征。③盆地构造地质事件复原图表明,盆地晚期处于被动大陆边缘构造背景。由此,认为沙捞越盆地为复合型盆地,即早期为前陆盆地,晚期则转化为大陆边缘型盆地。     

莺歌海盆地反转构造变形特征及其动力学演化

莺歌海盆地位于印支半岛与南海北部大陆边缘交接区,复杂的地质构造背景使其形成演化的动力学机制成为国内外研究的焦点。综合新的区域资料,对影响莺歌海盆地发育的区域构造演化特征进行了系统分析,认为新生代以来印度板块与欧亚板块的碰撞造成印支板块的逃逸构造,以及印支板块的顺时针旋转,红河断裂带新生代的变形机制,直接或间接地控制了莺歌海盆地的形成与演化。在此背景条件下,莺歌海盆地新生代以来的构造演化经历了3个阶段,即左旋走滑-伸展裂陷阶段、地壳韧性伸展-热沉降阶段和加速沉降阶段。     

Interaction between diapirism and sediment loading at the shelf-slope boundary,northwest Gulf of Mexico

During the last low stand of sea level, rivers and streams drained across the present northwestern Gulf of Mexico continental shelf depositing sediments in several shallow-water deltas near the present shelf-slope boundary. The weight of these wedges of prograded sediments triggered or augmented both subsidence of local depositional basins and upward movement of diapiric material around the basin edges. A depositional basin off the southwestern Louisiana coast records migration of the basinal axis during late Pleistocene and Holocene time indicating relative growth of diapirs along the basin margin throughout the most recent geological record.     

珠江口盆地白云凹陷裂后异常沉降研究及成因分析

南海北部大陆边缘的许多盆地都发现了裂后沉降异常,位于深水陆坡区的白云凹陷是其中的典型代表。本文采用盆模软件Temis Suite 2007对穿过白云凹陷的3条地震剖面进行回剥分析,观测其不同时间基底的垂向运动特征,并将其与MCKENZIE经典拉张模型计算的理论裂后沉降值进行对比,发现白云主凹中心的裂后异常沉降量最大超过2.6 km,白云南凹最大异常沉降量接近2 km,高于白云凹陷北部边缘的异常沉降。凹陷东部的裂后沉降作用强于凹陷西部。对沉降曲线的研究发现,白云凹陷在中中新世(16.5～10.5 Ma)期间有一段沉降明显加速的过程,白云南凹尤为明显,可能与南海扩张停止事件有关。白云凹陷发育了巨厚的沉积,并且呈韧性伸展状态,本文认为下地壳流可能是导致白云凹陷裂后异常沉降最主要的因素。     

南海区域岩石圈的壳-幔耦合关系和纵向演化

南海区域岩石圈由地壳层和上地幔固结层两部分组成。具典型大洋型地壳结构的南海海盆区莫霍面深度为９～１３ｋｍ,并向四周经陆坡、陆架至陆区逐渐加深;陆缘区莫霍面一般为１５～２８ｋｍ,局部区段深达３０～３２ｋｍ,总体呈与水深变化反相关的梯度带;东南沿海莫霍面深约２８～３０ｋｍ,往西北方向逐渐增厚,最大逾３６ｋｍ。南海区域上地幔天然地震面波速度结构明显存在横向分块和纵向分层特征。岩石圈底界深度变化与地幔速度变化正相关;地幔岩石圈厚度与地壳厚度呈互补性变化,莫霍面和岩石圈底界呈立交桥式结构,具有陆区厚壳薄幔—洋区薄壳厚幔的岩石圈壳－幔耦合模式。南海区域白垩纪末以来的岩石圈演化主要表现为陆缘裂离—海底扩张—区域沉降的过程,现存的壳－幔耦合模式显然为岩石圈纵向演化产物,其过程大致可分为白垩纪末至中始新世的陆缘裂离、中始新世晚期至中新世早期的海底扩张和中新世晚期以来的区域沉降等三个阶段。     

4D analogue modelling of transtensional pull-apart basins

Scaled sandbox models were used to investigate the 4D evolution of pull-apart basins formed above underlapping releasing stepovers in both pure strike-slip and transtensional basement fault systems. Serial sectioning and 3D volume reconstruction permitted analysis of the full 3D fault geometries. Results show that very different pull-apart basins are developed in transtension compared to pure strike-slip. Both types of models produced elongate, sigmoidal to rhomboidal pull-apart systems, but the transtensional pull-apart basins were significantly wider and uniquely developed a basin margin of en-echelon oblique-extensional faults. Dual, opposing depocentres formed in the transtensional model whereas a single, central depocentre formed in pure strike-slip. In transtension, a distinct narrow graben system formed above the principal displacement zones (PDZs). Cross-basin fault systems that linked the offset PDZs formed earlier in the transtensional models.Sequential model runs to higher PDZ displacements allowed the progressive evolution of the fault systems to be evaluated. In cross-section, transtensional pull-aparts initiated as asymmetric grabens bounded by planar oblique-extensional faults. With increasing displacement on the PDZs, basin subsidence caused these faults to become concave-upwards and lower in dip angle due to fault block collapse towards the interior of the basin. In addition, strain partitioning caused fault slip to become either predominantly extensional or strike-slip. The models compare closely with the geometries of natural pull-apart basins including the southern Dead Sea fault system and the Vienna Basin, Austria.