Deep Structure and Dynamics of Passive Continental Margin from Shelf to Ocean of the Northern South China Sea

To study the deep dynamic mechanism leading to the difference in rifting pattern and basin structure from shelf to oceanic basin in passive continental margin,we constructed long geological sections across the shelf,slope and oceanic basin using new seismic data.Integrated gravity-magnetic inversion and interpretation of these sections were made with the advanced dissection method.Results show that the basement composition changes from intermediate-acid intrusive rocks in the sheff to intermediate-basic rocks in the slope.The Moho surface shoals gradually from 31 km in the sheff to 22.5 km in the uplift and then 19 km in the slope and finally to 13 km in the oceanic basin.The crust thickness also decreases gradually from 30 km in the northern fault belt to 9 km in the oceanic basin.The crustal stretching factor increases from the shelf toward the oceanic basin,with the strongest extension under the sags and the oceanic basin.The intensity of mantle upwelling controlled the style of basin structures from sheff to oceanic basin.In the Zhu 1 depression on the shelf,the crust is nearly normal,the brittle and cold upper crust mainly controlled the fault development;so the combinative grabens with single symmetric graben are characteristic.In the slope,the crust thinned with a large stretching factor,affected by the mantle upwelling.The ductile deformation controlled the faults,so there developed an asymmetric complex graben in the Baiyun (白云) sag.     

南海岩石圈破裂方式与扩张过程的三维物理模拟

南海的形成演化一直是国内外关注的热点之一.为了揭示南海的构造演化过程, 分析对比了3组物理模拟实验.实验结果表明, 断裂样式和裂谷带的走向与岩石圈的初始热流变结构密切相关.对比模拟结果与陆缘的断层样式, 推测在张裂初期, 陆坡区比陆架区具有相对热减薄的岩石圈, 从而导致不同构造位置上发育不同的裂陷特征.受下地壳和软流圈韧性流动的影响, 断层越是靠近扩张区, 倾角变得越平缓.实验揭示, 破裂首先以点状出现, 这些点不断扩大并互相连接形成连续的扩张区.共轭边缘常具有对称的形状, 向海盆方向对凹或者对凸.当离散边界附近有刚性块体时, 扩张区域的边界会明显受到地块边缘形态的影响.通过模拟实验, 推测破裂过程可能以较粘性的方式进行.西北次海盆的发育可能是沿着中-西沙地块北缘深裂陷槽破裂的结果.      

南海北部陆缘的构造属性问题

以1号断裂为界,南海北部陆缘可分为东,西两段：东段包括北部湾盆地,琼东南盆地,珠江口盆地和台西盆地等,西段包拓莺歌海盆地。两者构造形变特征存在一定的差异性：东段盆地边界断层主要为NE－EW向,为分支断层通过不同类型转换坡连接而成的多支正断层系,因断层位移沿走向有规律变化,在其上盘发育相关褶皱,如横向褶皱;西段盆地边界断层也是由多条分支断层连接的多支断层系,但方向为NW向,以走滑作用为主,上盘没有发育断层相关褶皱。结合新生代岩浆作用,沉降和充填作用及地壳结构等特征分析,南海北部陆缘东段在构造活动上可以分成三个相对活跃时期,即50－40,30－28和10－5Ma左右。每一期拥有各自的特点,并具有不同的动力学来源,前两期与南海的扩张关系密切,3则与南海扩张无成因联系。南海北部陆缘虽然有一定的岩浆活动,但不是张烈的同期产物,因而它在形成机制上属于非火山型被动大陆边缘,其活动性因素是受周边板块相互作用的叠加所致。西段从成因机制上来讲并不属于南海北部陆缘,可能与印－藏碰撞关系更为密切。     

南海南北共轭边缘伸展模型探讨

通过对南海南北边缘地震剖面的对比,结合周边构造分析,提出南海大陆边缘的裂离经历了两期伸展作用,即早期的简单剪切和晚期的纯剪切伸展作用。简单剪切发生在晚白垩世-早始新世,其动力与太平洋板块俯冲带的后撤、太平洋板块与欧亚板块之间汇聚速率的降低、以及先存北倾缝合带等密切相关。纯剪切发生在中始新世－渐新世－早中新世,剪切作用的转变与古南海的南向俯冲板块拖曳有关。     

Lithospheric Thermal Isostasy of North Continental Margin of the South China Sea

Accompanied with rifting and detaching of the north continental margin of the South China Sea,the ernst and the lithosphere become thinner away from the continental margin resulting from the tectonic activities,such as tensile deformation,thermal uplift,and cooling subsidence,etc..Integrated with thermal,gravimetric,and isostatic analysis techniques,based on the seismic interpretation of the deep penetration seismic soundings across the northern margin of the South China Sea,we reconstructed the lithospheric thermal structure and derived the variation of the crust boundary in the east and west parts of the seismic profde by using gravity anomaly data.We mainly studied the thermal isostasy problems using the bathymetry of the profiles and calculated the crust thinning effect due to the thermal variety in the rifting process.The results Indicate that the thermal isostasy may reach 2.5 kin,and the compositional variations in the ilthospheric density and thickness may produce a variation of 4.0 kin.Therefore,the compositional isostatic correction is very important to recover the relationship between surface heat flow and topography.Moreover,because of the high heat flow characteristic of the continental margin,building the model of lithospheric geotherm in this region is of great importan for studying the Cenozoic tectonic thermal evolution of the north passive continental margin of the South China Sea.     

Structural Variability and Rifting Process of the Segmented Cenozoic Pearl River Mouth Basin, Northern Continental Margin of the South China Sea

The Pearl River Mouth Basin (PRMB) is an important area for studying the evolution of continental marginal basins in the northern South China Sea (SCS), but the structural variability and spatiotemporal rifting process remains poorly understood. This study investigates the differential structural features of the eastern, middle and western PRMB, as well as the extensional deformation laws in operation during the rifting stage, according to an integrated analysis of geometric characteristics and kinematic parameters, i.e., horizontal displacement and stretching factors of basin and crust. The PRMB underwent at least three phases of intense extension, which varied in time and space. (1) During the middle Eocene, most sags in the PRMB were intensely stretched and high-angle planar to listric boundary faults controlled the wedge-shaped stratigraphic geometry. (2) During the late Eocene-to-early Oligocene, the stratigraphic geometry of the sags was slightly wedge-shaped and continuously controlled by boundary faults, however, the extensional strength decreased relatively in the Northern depression zone, but increased in the Southern depression zone. (3) During the late Oligocene, the extension was extremely weak in the northeast PRMB, but relatively strong in the southwest PRMB, leading to tabular stratigraphic geometry in the northeast PRMB, but localized slightly wedge-shaped stratigraphic geometry in the southwest. The southwest PRMB still underwent relatively strong extension during the early Miocene. The southwest PRMB that was induced by a small-scale localized mantle convection system constantly rifted during the late Oligocene, controlled by the weak lithosphere, westward (southwestward) diachronous opening and southward jump of the ocean ridge. The applied quantitative parameters and spatiotemporal rifting process may be used as a reference with which to study the segmented continental margin rifts.     

南海的右行陆缘裂解成因

南海成果是西太平洋边缘海动力学研究的重要部分,也关系到特提期,环太平洋两大超级会聚带的相互作用,是国内外地学界长期研究的热点问题。西太平洋边缘海内带,尤其是日本海和南海在形成时代,海盆形态和海底地貌,海底扩张的多轴,多阶段,由东向西扩展特征,岩石圈地幔的地球化学异常等方面具有共同特征,可能在成因上也相似,南海的海盆的楔形的楔形形状,海底扩张及陆架盆地的断陷的由北向南发展和自东向西推进的特征,地壳伸展减薄和海底扩张程度的由东向西减弱都可用尖端向西的“剪刀模型”来描述,即南海的张开是近南北向右行剪切力作用下东亚陆缘发生裂解的结果。南海张开的同时在海盆内及其西缘印支半岛上发育大量近南北向右行走滑断裂,表明当时存在区域性的近南北向右行剪切应力,而在其东缘现在看不到大型近南北向右行走滑断裂,可能是在中中新世以后受从赤道附近近滑移北上并沿马尼拉海沟仰冲的菲律宾群岛所破坏的结果。晚中生代以来,在西太平洋构造域,特提斯构造域西段（印度）及东段（澳大利亚）先后发生了朝欧亚大陆的,不同方向和速度的会聚。在这三大作用的复合和竞争的动力学背景下,东亚陆缘发生了有地幔参加传动的“超级剪切”,其应力场经历了左行压扭体制和右行张扭体制交替的阶段性变化,正是在特提斯构造域西段的会聚起主导作用的阶段,东亚陆缘在右行张扭应力场作用下发生裂解,形成了南海和其他内带边缘海。     

南海北部神狐陆坡区灾害地质因素特征

南海北部神狐陆坡区富含海洋油气资源和天然气水合物, 其海底地质环境对于各项资源开采活动和工程建设尤为重要, 但目前专项研究较少.在大量二维地震资料解译的基础上, 结合浅地层剖面和多波束测深资料, 对该区海底地质环境进行整体研究, 识别出20种灾害地质因素.按照动力来源, 将该海域地质灾害归纳为构造应力、重力、水动力、气动力和土动力5大类灾害地质类型, 每种类型包含多种灾害地质因素.依据各灾害因素总体平面分布特征, 划分出埋藏三角洲密集区、海底滑坡密集区、火山密集区、软弱层密集区、浅断裂密集区和浅埋基岩面密集区6个灾害大区.还对主要灾害因素的地震反射特征和灾害性进行了研究, 为该区未来工程建设的顺利开展提供科学的参考.      

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.     

近4400年来南海北部陆架沉积地球化学记录及其地质意义

对位于海南岛南部陆架的S20孔沉积物进行了沉积学、AMS14C年代、粒度和常微量元素分析,初步探讨了该区物质来源及蕴含的亚洲季风演化信息。近4 400 a以来,S20孔岩性较均一,其沉积作用受相对单一而稳定的水动力条件控制。S20孔沉积物源区物质硅酸盐矿物经历了明显的风化,A—CN—K图示和较低的CIA值（小于66）指示了源区较低的化学风化程度。海南岛东部河流和珠江物质是最为可能影响S20孔区域的两个来源,由于对海南岛河流物质的研究相当匮乏,本研究尚无法定量估算该两个可能物质来源的各自贡献。S20孔沉积物CIA、Al2O3/Na2O、CaO*/TiO2、Na2O/TiO2等变化主要反映的是源区物质风化程度变化,该孔沉积物源区化学风化程度自4 400~1 600 a BP逐渐减弱以及1 600 a BP以来的逐渐增强,与中国南部Dongge洞石笋氧同位素曲线记录的亚洲夏季风变化趋势对应良好,说明该区沉积物中蕴含了丰富的亚洲季风变化信息。S20孔沉积物揭示出的化学风化程度强弱可能主要受控于轨道时间尺度上北半球夏季太阳辐射量变化。南海陆架区沉积物中物源与季风演化等信息的提取,亟待更多更高精度研究工作的展开。     

南海西北陆缘多金属结核地球化学特征及成因

对取自南海西北陆缘海域的大型多金属结核进行了电子探针、X射线粉晶衍射(XRD)、等离子质谱仪(ICP-MS) 和等离子光谱仪(ICP-AES) 等方面的分析.结核核心部位的主要矿物组成为石英、伊利石、钠长石和绿泥石, 壳层的主要矿物为δMnO₂等.铁、锰组分呈现Fe含量高、Mn含量低和Mn/Fe低的特征.Si含量高, Cu、Co、Ni含量低; 稀土元素(REE) 含量高, 平均为1472.30×10-6, 轻稀土与重稀土的比值(LREE/HREE) 达19.54, 并且存在较强的Ce正异常.元素含量的变化显示: 从结核内壳层到外壳层, Fe、Mn、Cu、Co等元素含量呈不规律变化, 具有典型的边缘海特征, 该特征反映结核在形成过程中受到边缘海沉积环境波动变化的影响, 陆源物质供应量的增加对Fe、REE、Si等元素的富集起到了促进作用, 而对Mn、Ca等元素的富集则产生明显的稀释作用.多金属结核Mn/Fe比及Mn-Fe- (Cu+Ni) ×10三组分图解显示, 南海北部陆缘多金属结核为水成成因, 该成因与结核所赋存的边缘海环境密切相关, 反映了结核成长发育的过程中, 南海典型的边缘海沉积条件和多变的古海洋环境因素对其产生了重要影响.      

南海北部陆缘早侏罗世海平面变化的古盐度记录

早侏罗世南海北部陆缘粤东地区发生大规模海侵。古盐度的变化记录了海平面的变化。反映古盐度变化的Sr/Ba和B/Ga比值与海平面升降有关,前者为正相关,后者为负相关。本区m曲线（m= MgO/ Al2O3×100）与B/Ga曲线相似,但在幅度方面有差异。结合沉积充填序列、沉积环境、沉积相演变,确定了本区海平面变化经历了两次海侵和一次海退。早侏罗世南海北部陆缘构造背景相对活动,前陆再旋回造山带或前陆隆起成为物源区,海丰地区具有周缘前陆盆地的性质。古盐度记录揭示的海平面变化可能受古特堤斯闭合的影响。     

Links among Slope Morphology, Canyon Types and Tectonics on Passive and Active Margins in the Northernmost South China Sea

We examine slope profile types and variations in slope gradient and slope relief with depth for both passive and active margins in the northern most South China Sea.The passive South China margin is characterized by an exponential slope profile,mainly assodated with clustered slope-confined canyons.The active Taiwan margin shows a linear-like shape with great variations along the lower slope.Fewer eanyom occur on the Taiwau margin,and hence the influence of canyon incision on slope morphology is relatively less significant.Quantitative analyses of slope curvature,slope gradleut and square root of relief variance are useful statistical parameters to explain characteristics and variability of morphology of the slope of the South China margin,but not for the Kaoping slope on the Talwan side.On the active Taiwan margin,tectonic activities are dominant over sediment deposition and surface erosion,producing a slope profile quite different from those of passive margins of the Middle Atlantic,KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa where failure on slope and accompanying canyon incision are the dominant processes shaping the slope morphology.     

南海北部陆缘磁静区及与全球大洋磁静区对比的研究评述

磁静区与磁异常条带不同,具有宽缓的低幅值磁异常特征,但可能同样包含了从陆壳张裂到海底扩张早期的构造活动和演化信息.为了加深认识南海北部陆缘磁静区,归纳了全球深海和边缘两大类型磁静区的物理、化学及构造三大成因,主要包括大西洋和西太平洋侏罗纪磁静区,以及北太平洋、印度洋和南大洋白垩纪磁静区,强调磁静区与不同程度地幔柱活动、斜交扩张初始产生的小型错断磁源体及隐含弱磁条带关系的重要性.总结了南海北部陆缘磁静区的研究现状,并从区域综合地球物理和地幔热活动作用两方面探讨了南海北部陆缘磁静区的可能成因机制,最后阐述了需要关注的研究重点及其研究意义.     

华南和南海北部陆缘岩石圈速度结构特征与沉积盆地成因

新近地震层析资料表明, 华南和南海北部陆缘岩石圈及下伏的软流层中存在规模宏大的低速异常带, 它们在研究区新生代演化历史中曾发挥重要的控制作用.其中, 岩石圈底面及内部的巨型NW向异常低速带表明中生代末至新生代早期的神狐运动不仅在华南与南海北部陆缘产生NE向张裂构造体系并催生出内陆-陆架-陆坡沉积盆地, 还导致南海海盆的早期扩张.软流层NNW向的异常低速带则反映岩石圈SSE向的蠕动直接导致南海中央海盆的海底扩张及陆缘地区的持续裂解.研究区深部速度结构特征是历史动力过程所残留的痕迹, 华南陆缘和南海北部新生代沉积盆地的形成和发展, 与岩石圈及软流层的结构和运动方式密切相关.      

Thermal Backstripping from Vitrinite Reflectance Profiles in Comparison with an Extensional Model for Passive Continental Margin Basins on Northern Continental Shelf of South China Sea

INTRODUCTIONVitrinitereflectance(R.)canprovideagreatdealinfor-mationonthermalhistoryofabasin.Itisafunctionofmaximumpaleotemperatureandeffectiveheatingtime,inotherwords,afunctionofdepositionalrateandgeothermalgradientwithirreversiblecharacteristics.Butitalsohasacumulativeeffectthroughoutgeothermalevents.Paleotemperaturesaremainlycontro1ledbythebasalheatflowandheatgenerationfromradioactivesourceswithinthecrust.Themodelforde-terminingpaleoheatflowoflinearchangewithtimefr0mvitri-nitereflecta…     

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.     

Late Mesozoic Convergent Continental Margin with Magmatic Arc from East to South China Seas: A Review

The Late Mesozoic is an important tectonic period for subduction of Paleo-Pacific slab beneath East Asia continent. It intensely led to Jurassic to Cretaceous magmatism associated with intracontinental deformation in South China. Subduction-related accretionary complexes remained regionally from SW Japan, E Taiwan to the W Philippines and Borneo. Studies on geology in South China, especially in magmatism, have been performed with good data, results, and sufficient understandings; whereas those arc-related intermediate igneous rocks have been less found. The areas from East to South China Seas which are located at the junction between sea and land will be the preferred areas for the study of the Late Mesozoic magmatic arc and the forearc basin. The relevant arc-related magmatic rocks and forearc sedimentary records have been increasingly discovered. Studies of magmatic arc and forearc basin combined with subdction complex will be essential to the reconstruction of the convergent continental margin in South China. Analyses of magmatic arc identification from South to East China Seas, arc to forearc relationship, and assembly between arc and regional faults will become necessary to improve the knowledge of the model of East Asia convergent continental margin, and as well help to develop the understanding of Late Mesozoic forearc basin and resource potentials in the southeast sea areas.     

南海北部陆缘地壳结构特征及其构造过程

根据“北部湾大陆缘地壳结构ＰＳ转换波测深”等地球物理测量结果,本文研究了南海北部陆缘的地壳结构特征,讨论了其白垩纪以来的构造过程。地球物理测量表明,由陆向海,南海北部陆缘地壳由陆壳、过渡壳变为洋壳,厚度由３４ｋｍ减薄至８ｋｍ左右。垂向上地壳为３层结构模式。陆壳、过渡壳和洋壳的下地壳Ｐ波速度普遍较高。地壳伸展系数的计算表明南海北部陆缘伸展主要发育于陆坡地区。结合区域地质研究,本文认为：南海北部陆缘及