Geochemical evolution of Oligocene–Middle Miocene sediments in the deep-water area of the Pearl River Mouth Basin,northern South China Sea

The deep-water area of the Pearl River Mouth Basin in the South China Sea has received much scientific attention since the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 184 in 1999 due to its potential economic prospects and distinct tectono-sedimentary evolutionary processes. In this study, we present the composition of major and trace elements from two newly sampled deep-water boreholes (BY6 and LW3) in the Baiyun Sag of the southern Pearl River Mouth Basin. The geochemical evolution in the Oligocene–Middle Miocene, as well as potential controlling factors, are investigated based on a comparative study with previous data from ODP site 1148 and borehole PY33. The Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and A–CN–K plot reveal that the observed weathering trends are not compatible for the four discussed boreholes. Sedimentary sorting is primarily observed in borehole PY33, where data trend away from the A apex to the feldspar join in the A–CN–K plot and show a spread of Al₂O₃/SiO₂ and Nb/Zr ratios. Compared to chemical weathering and hydrodynamic sorting, provenance has a greater impact on sediment composition of the deep-water area. From the north, the Pearl River was the primary sediment supply. However, a positive Eu anomaly and the provenance discrimination diagrams (i.e., La/Th versus Th/Yb and Zr/Co versus Th/Co) reveal the mafic nature of borehole BY6 sediments in the Zhuhai–Lower Zhujiang (32.0–18.5 Ma) and Upper Hanjiang (13.8–10.5 Ma) formations. These compositions are unusual and differ from the well-defined felsic sources in the majority of the Baiyun Sag; these discrepancies are likely related to multistage magmatism. The sediments at site 1148 are characterized by slightly enriched heavy rare earth elements and relatively high Zr/Co ratios, which could possibly be caused by zircon enrichment from local sources.     

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。     

南海北部珠江口盆地深水区荔湾凹陷构造-热演化

The Liwan Sag, with an area of 4 000 km~2, is one of the deepwater sags in the Zhujiang River(Pearl River) Mouth Basin, northern South China Sea. Inspired by the exploration success in oil and gas resources in the deepwater sags worldwide, we conducted the thermal modeling to investigate the tectono-thermal history of the Liwan Sag,which has been widely thought to be important to understand tectonic activities as well as hydrocarbon potential of a basin. Using the multi-stage finite stretching model, the tectonic subsidence history and the thermal history have been obtained for 12 artificial wells, which were constructed on basis of one seismic profile newly acquired in the study area. Two stages of rifting during the time periods of 49–33.9 Ma and 33.9–23 Ma can be recognized from the tectonic subsidence pattern, and there are two phases of heating processes corresponding to the rifting.The reconstructed average basal paleo-heat flow values at the end of the rifting events are ~70.5 and ~94.2 mW/m~2 respectively. Following the heating periods, the study area has undergone a persistent thermal attenuation phase since 23 Ma and the basal heat flow cooled down to ~71.8–82.5 mW/m~2 at present.     

Characteristics and origins of middle Miocene mounds and channels in the northern South China Sea

Numerous elongated mounds and channels were found at the top of the middle Miocene strata using 2D/3D seismic data in the Liwan Sag of Zhujiang River Mouth Basin(ZRMB) and the Beijiao Sag of Qiongdongnan Basin(QDNB). They occur at intervals and are rarely revealed by drilling wells in the deepwater areas. Origins of the mounds and channels are controversial and poorly understood. Based on an integrated analysis of the seismic attribute, palaeotectonics and palaeogeography, and drilling well encountering a mound, research results show that these mounds are dominantly distributed on the depression centres and/or slopes of the Liwan and Beijiao sags and developed in a bathyal sedimentary environment. In the Liwan and Beijiao sags, the mounds between channels(sub) parallel to one another are 1.0–1.5 km and 1.5–2.0 km wide, 150–300 m and 150–200 m high, and extend straightly from west to east for 5–15 km and 8–20 km, respectively. Mounds and channels in the Liwan Sag are parallel with the regional slope. Mounds and channels in the Beijiao Sag, however, are at a small angle to the regional slope. According to internal geometry, texture and external morphology of mounds, the mounds in Beijiao Sag are divided into weak amplitude parallel reflections(mound type I), blank or chaotic reflections(mound type II), and internal mounded reflections(mound type Ⅲ). The mounds in Liwan Sag, however, have the sole type, i.e., mound type I. Mound type I originates from the incision of bottom currents and/or gravity flows. Mound type II results from gravity-driven sediments such as turbidite. Mound type Ⅲ is a result of deposition and incision of bottom currents simultaneously. The channels with high amplitude between mounds in the Beijiao and Liwan sags are a result of gravity-flow sediments and it is suggested they are filled by sandstone.Whereas channels with low-mediate amplitudes are filled by bottom-current sediments only in the Beijiao Sag,where they are dominantly composed of mudstone. This study provides new insights into the origins of the mounds and channels worldwide.     

渐新世/中新世分界的地层学事件

介绍渐新世/中新世分界面(即古近纪/新近纪分界面)附近的浮游有孔虫和钙质超微化石事件及其新年龄。2004年国际地层年代表确定该分界面位于第58长偏心率周期弱振幅处,古地磁事件C6Cn.2n底面,经天文调谐后的年龄为23.03 Ma。发生在该界面附近的生物地层学事件主要是浮游有孔虫Paragloborotalia kugleri的始现面(22.96 Ma)和钙质超微化石Sphenolithus delphix的末现面(23.11 Ma)。在南海北部东沙群岛附近的大洋钻探ODP1148站,渐新世/中新世界面以崩塌沉积物为特征,有明显沉积间断,标志南海当时有较大范围的构造运动。     

珠江口盆地白云凹陷陆坡区10.5 Ma以来的沉积体系

通过对珠江口盆地白云凹陷陆坡区10.5Ma以来的地震相分析,共识别出席状平行亚平行地震相、透镜状前积地震相、深切河谷地震相、帚状地震相和杂乱地震相,不同的地震相分别代表不同的沉积体系类型。综合所识别的地震相类型,分析了陆架边缘下切谷、浊积扇和陆架边缘三角洲3种主要的沉积体系及其配置关系。物源供给是影响陆坡区沉积体系发育的最重要因素,是沉积体系发育的物质基础,海平面变化和构造运动为沉积体系发育提供了可容纳空间,3种影响因素共同影响了陆坡区沉积体系的发育。     

Quaternary turbidite systems on the northern margins of the Balearic Basin (Western Mediterranean): a synthesis

The Balearic Basin is a young basin composed of thick Plio–Quaternary sediments, including active gravity sedimentation. During the Quaternary, gravity processes deposited (1) turbidite systems, either as symmetrical fans (Petit-Rhône and Valencia fans) or asymmetrical ridges (Marseille–Planier, Grand-Rhône and Pyreneo-Languedocian ridges) and (2) several mass-transport deposits, indicating recurrent sedimentary failures of the margin. This paper synthesizes previous works and proposes a chronological sedimentary evolution for the basin. Except for the last 20 ka, the chronostratigraphy remains poorly constrained but should soon be established for the last 500 ka, based on the PROMESS1 drillings on the outer shelf of the Gulf of Lions, and hopefully for the last 30 Ma, based on ultra-deep drilling in the deep basin from aboard the Chikyu research vessel (IODP proposal Pre699).     

A 33 Ma lithostratigraphic record of tectonic and paleoceanographic evolution of the South China Sea

The 853 m thick sediment sequence recovered at ODP Site 1148 provides an unprecedented record of tectonic and paleoceanographic evolution in the South China Sea over the past 33 Ma. Litho-, bio-, and chemo-stratigraphic studies helped identify six periods of changes marking the major steps of the South China Sea geohistory. Rapid deposition with sedimentation rates of 60 m/Ma or more characterized the early Oligocene rifting. Several unconformities from the slumped unit between 457 and 495 mcd together erased about 3 Ma late Oligocene record, providing solid evidence of tectonic transition from rifting/slow spreading to rapid spreading in the South China Sea. Slow sedimentation of 20–30 m/Ma signifies stable seafloor spreading in the early Miocene. Dissolution may have affected the completeness of Miocene–Pleistocene succession with short-term hiatuses beyond current biostratigraphical resolution. Five major dissolution events, D-1 to D-5, characterize the stepwise development of deep water masses in close association to post-Oligocene South China Sea basin transformation. The concurrence of local and global dissolution events in the Miocene and Pliocene suggests climatic forcing as the main mechanism causing deep water circulation changes concomitantly in world oceans and in marginal seas. A return of high sedimentation rate of 60 m/Ma to the late Pliocene and Pleistocene South China Sea was caused by intensified down-slope transport due to frequent sea level fluctuations and exposure of a large shelf area during sea level low-stands. The six paleoceanographic stages, respectively corresponding to rifting (33–28.5 Ma), changing spreading southward (28.5–23 Ma), stable spreading to end of spreading (23–15 Ma), post-spreading balance (15–9 Ma), further modification and monsoon influence (9–5 Ma), and glacial prevalence (5–0 Ma), had transformed the South China Sea from a series of deep grabens to a rapidly expanding open gulf and finally to a semi-enclosed marginal sea in the past 33 Ma.     

Geophysical investigations of crust-scale structural model of the Qiongdongnan Basin, Northern South China Sea

Rifting of the Qiongdongnan Basin was initiated in the Cenozoic above a pre-Cenozoic basement, which was overprinted by extensional tectonics and soon after the basin became part of the rifted passive continental margin of the South China Sea. We have integrated available grids of sedimentary horizons, wells, seismic reflection data, and the observed gravity field into the first crust-scale structural model of the Qiongdongnan Basin. Many characteristics of this model reflect the tectonostratigraphic history of the basin. The structure and isopach maps of the basin allow us to reconstruct the history of the basin comprising: (a) The sediments of central depression are about 10 km thicker than on the northern and southern sides; (b) The sediments in the western part of the basin are about 6 km thicker than that in the eastern part; (c) a dominant structural trend of gradually shifting depocentres from the Paleogene sequence (45–23.3 Ma) to the Neogene to Quaternary sequence (23.3 Ma–present) towards the west or southwest. The present-day configuration of the basin reveals that the Cenozoic sediments are thinner towards the east. By integrating several reflection seismic profiles, interval velocity and performing gravity modeling, we model the sub-sedimentary basement of the Qiongdongnan Basin. There are about 2–4 km thick high-velocity bodies horizontal extended for a about 40–70 km in the lower crust (v > 7.0 km/s) and most probably these are underplated to the lower stretched continental crust during the final rifting and early spreading phase. The crystalline continental crust spans from the weakly stretched domains (about 25 km thick) near the continental shelf to the extremely thinned domains (<2.8 km) in the central depression, representing the continental margin rifting process in the Qiongdongnan Basin. Our crust-scale structural model shows that the thinnest crystalline crust (<3 km) is found in the Changchang Sag located in the east of the basin, and the relatively thinner crystalline crust (<3.5 km) is in the Ledong Lingshui Sag in the west of the basin. The distribution of crustal extension factor β show that β in central depression is higher (>7.0), while that on northern and southern sides is lower (<3.0). This model can illuminate future numerical simulations, including the reconstruction of the evolutionary processes from the rifted basin to the passive margin and the evolution of the thermal field of the basin.     

The impact of syn- and post-extension prograding sedimentation on the development of salt-related rift basins and their inversion: Clues from analogue modelling

Various studies have demonstrated the intrinsic interrelationship between tectonics and sedimentation in salt-related rift basins during extension as well as during their inversion by compression. Here, we present seven brittle–ductile analogue models to show that the longitudinal or transverse progradation of sediment filling an elongate extensional basin has a substantial impact on the growth of diapirs and their lateral geometrical variations. We use five extensional models to reveal how these prograding systems triggered diapir growth variations, from proximal to distal areas, relative to the sedimentary source. In the models, continuous passive diapir walls developed, after a short period of reactive–active diapiric activity, during syn-extensional homogeneous deposition. In contrast, non-rectilinear diapir walls grew during longitudinal prograding sedimentation. Both longitudinal and transverse post-extensional progradation triggered well-developed passive diapirs in the proximal domains, whereas incipient reactive–active diapirs, incipient roller-like diapirs, or poorly developed diapirs were generated in the distal domains, depending on the modelled sedimentary pattern. Two models included final phases of 6% and 10% shortening associated with basin inversion by compression, respectively, to discriminate compressional from purely extensional geometries. With the applied shortening, the outward flanks of existing diapir walls steepened their dips from 8°–17° to 30°–50°. Likewise, 6% of shortening narrowed the diapir walls by 32%–72%, with their fully closing (salt welds) with 10% of shortening. We compare our results with the distribution of salt walls and minibasins of the Central High Atlas diapiric basin in Morocco, which was infilled with a longitudinally prograding mixed siliciclastic and carbonatic depositional sequence during the Early–Middle Jurassic with a minimum thicknesses of 2.5–4.0 km.     

Organic carbon content/sedimentation rate relationship and its paleoenvironmental significance for marine sediments

Organic carbon content and sedimentation rate data may give information about the depositional environment of marine sediments. For sediments deposited under oxic deep-water conditions, a positive correlation exists between organic carbon content and sedimentation rate, with very high organic carbon values and high sedimentation rates typical for coastal upwelling areas. Under anoxic deep-water conditions, no such correlation exists. This relationship between (marine) organic carbon and sedimentation rate (the “OCSR diagram”) has been used to characterize the depositional environments of Deep-Sea Drilling Project/Ocean Drilling Program (DSDP/ODP) sediments of Late Cenozoic and Cretaceous age. Furthermore, the results are compared with organic carbon/sulfur data.     

南海北部深水区东西构造差异性及其动力学机制

南海北部深水区位于南海洋陆转换带,构造运动活跃,构造特征复杂。同时,南海北部深水区石油、天然气、天然气水合物等矿产资源丰富。因此,加强南海北部深水盆地构造特征分析,揭示南海北部陆缘构造属性与南海形成演化机制,对于南海深部过程演变研究、油气资源评价与地质灾害防治等具有重要的意义。本论文通过对南海北部深水区陆架-陆坡结构、盆地构造特征与演化规律的分析,指出研究区东西存在明显的构造差异性,并分析了其动力学机制。南海北部深水区东部陆架-陆坡结构为宽洼窄隆型,而西部为窄洼宽隆型。东部珠江口盆地深水凹陷均为半地堑结构,剖面上呈不对称的箕状;西部琼东南盆地除北礁凹陷为南段北超的小型半地堑外,其它凹陷均为地堑结构,为南北双断式沉积体系。在构造演化方面,东部中中新世末结束裂后期进入新构造活动期,白云凹陷构造活动性增强,表现为快速的沉降和显著的晚期断裂作用;而西部晚中新世末才进入新构造活动期,深水区表现为快速沉积作用,断裂活动较弱。     

Depositional characteristics and spatial distribution of deep-water sedimentary systems on the northwestern middle-lower slope of the Northwest Sub-Basin, South China Sea

Based upon 2D seismic data, this study confirms the presence of a complex deep-water sedimentary system within the Pliocene-Quaternary strata on the northwestern lower slope of the Northwest Sub-Basin, South China Sea. It consists of submarine canyons, mass-wasting deposits, contourite channels and sheeted drifts. Alongslope aligned erosive features are observed on the eastern upper gentle slopes (<1.2° above 1,500 m), where a V-shaped downslope canyon presents an apparent ENE migration, indicating a related bottom current within the eastward South China Sea Intermediate Water Circulation. Contourite sheeted drifts are also generated on the eastern gentle slopes (~1.5° in average), below 2,100 m water depth though, referring to a wide unfocused bottom current, which might be related to the South China Sea Deep Water Circulation. Mass wasting deposits (predominantly slides and slumps) and submarine canyons developed on steeper slopes (>2°), where weaker alongslope currents are probably dominated by downslope depositional processes on these unstable slopes. The NNW–SSE oriented slope morphology changes from a three-stepped terraced outline (I–II–III) east of the investigated area, into a two-stepped terraced (I–II) outline in the middle, and into a unitary steep slope (II) in the west, which is consistent with the slope steepening towards the west. Such morphological changes may have possibly led to a westward simplification of composite deep-water sedimentary systems, from a depositional complex of contourite depositional systems, mass-wasting deposits and canyons, on the one hand, to only sliding and canyon deposits on the other hand.     

白云南洼恩平组海相烃源岩空间展布规律及发育模式

通过借助层序地层学理论、构造古地貌分析、古生物资料、沉积速率与可容纳空间关系对比,以及典型地震相识别、地震相与沉积相剖面及平面分析等,结合区域地质资料及前人的研究成果,对白云南洼恩平组烃源岩的叠置关系、影响因素、空间展布规律及发育模式进行了研究,得到如下认识:白云南洼恩平组对应一个完整的二级层序,可细分为3个三级层序,自下至上为SQ1、SQ2、SQ3,海平面总体为上升特征,SQ3的最大海泛面对应了整个恩平组二级层序的最大海泛面;白云南洼恩平组为局限浅海环境,具备发育较好海相烃源岩的条件,稳定半封闭的古构造背景,有利于烃源岩有机质的富集保存;沉积速率小,且小于可容空间增长速率,沉积物向陆退积,沉积水体深度变大,利于海相烃源岩的发育;恩平组烃源岩为大陆边缘半闭塞—欠补偿—湿润海湾模式,优质烃源岩主要发育在受隆起及断层遮挡形成的海湾区。     

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。     

Slope-confined submarine canyons in the Baiyun deep-water area,northern South China Sea: variation in their modern morphology

On the basis of newly collected multibeam bathymetric data, chirp profiles and existing seismic data, we presented a detailed morphological interpretation of a series of slope-confined canyons in water depths of 300–2000 m in the Baiyun deep-water area, northern margin of the South China Sea. Although these canyons are commonly characterized by regular spacing and a straight-line shape, they vary in their lengths, starting and ending water depths, canyon relief, slope gradients, wall slope gradients and depth profiles along the axis. The eastern canyons (C1–C8) have complex surface features, low values in their slope gradient, canyon relief and wall slope gradient and high values in their length and starting and ending depth contrasting to the western ones (C9–C17). From the bathymetric data and chirp profiles, we interpret two main processes that have controlled the morphology and evolution of the canyons: axial incision and landsliding. The western part of the shelf margin where there were at least four stages of submerged reefs differs from the eastern part of the shelf margin where sedimentary undulations occurred at a water depth of ~650 m. We consider that the variation in morphology of submarine canyons in the study area is the result of multiple causes, with the leading cause being the difference in stability of the upper slope which is related to the submerged reefs and sedimentary undulations.     

High-resolution sediment echosounding off Peru: Late Quaternary depositional sequences and sedimentary structures of a current-dominated shelf

About 6000 km of both bathymetric and high-resolution acoustic profiles were acquired on the shelf and upper slope offshore Peru between 9° S and 14° S. Two new sediment echosounder systems – SEL-96 and SES-2000DS – provided details of the sedimentary structures of the Quaternary sequences within the Sechura-Salaverry, Huacho and Pisco Basins. To a great extent, the poleward undercurrent determines the distribution of sediments. The undercurrent has generated numerous erosional unconformities, it has winnowed hardgrounds and has created mudwaves common between 250 m and 400 m water depth. Distinct subbottom reflectors within sedimentary units represent hiatuses due to periods of intensified winnowing or non-deposition. Erosional unconformities usually marked by pronounced reflectors suggest shifts of the undercurrent system related to climatic changes and eustatic variations of sea level. On a larger scale, the stacked prograding depositional sequences reflect the sea-level cycles of the Middle Pleistocene to the Holocene. Based on the stratigraphy of our piston cores and that of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 680, the depositional sequences limited by extended unconformities were assigned to oxygen isotope stages 1 to 7. Other sedimentary structures are small straight channels that were conduits for downslope sediment transport. Deformed sediments associated with synsedimentary normal faults result from creep movements indicating beginning slope failure.     

Authigenic carbonate mineral formation in the Pagassitikos palaeolake during the latest Pleistocene, central Greece

The Pagassitikos Gulf in Greece is a semi-enclosed bay with a maximum depth of 102 m. According to the present-day bathymetric configuration and the sea level during the latest Pleistocene, the gulf would have been isolated from the open sea, forming a palaeolake since ~32 cal. ka b.p. Sediment core B-4 was recovered from the deepest sector of the gulf and revealed evidence of a totally different depositional environment in the lowest part of the core: this contained light grey-coloured sediments, contrasting strongly with overlying olive grey muds. Multi-proxy analyses showed the predominance of carbonate minerals (aragonite, dolomite and calcite) and gypsum in the lowest part of the core. Carbonate mineral deposition can be attributed to autochthonous precipitation that took place in a saline palaeolake with high evaporation rates during the last glacial–early deglacial period; the lowest core sample to be AMS ¹⁴C dated provided an age of 19.53 cal. ka b.p. The palaeolake was presumably reconnected to the open sea at ~13.2 cal. ka b.p. during the last sea-level rise, marking the commencement of marine sedimentation characterised by the predominance of terrigenous aluminosilicates and fairly constant depositional conditions lasting up to the present day.     

低勘探程度盆地模拟研究——以南黄海盆地北部坳陷为例

盆地模拟已成为当前沉积盆地研究的重要工具。南黄海盆地北部坳陷自裂陷期演化以来沉积了巨厚的中-新生代碎屑沉积,近年来的地质调查获取的数据为其盆地模拟研究提供了条件,本次研究在收集相关基础数据的基础上,首先对盆地构造热演化史进行了模拟,重建了盆地热史,模拟结果显示其古热流在中-晚侏罗世平均值约为61mW/m²,在约145-74Ma间不断上升至约80 mW/m²,随后缓慢下降至65 mW/m²,并持续到渐新世末期,据此将盆地演化阶段划分为裂前期、裂陷期及裂后期。盆地模拟结果显示北部坳陷在白垩纪逐步进入强裂陷演化阶段并经历快速沉积过程,至晚白垩纪裂陷发育程度中等,在此基础上,对研究区进行了三维盆地模拟,结果显示北部坳陷生烃门限深度大致位于古近系阜宁组顶部,下伏的侏罗系及白垩系烃源岩基本完成生排烃过程,其中侏罗系烃源岩生排烃主要发生在盆地发育的裂陷期及裂后期,而白垩系及古近系烃源岩生排烃主要发生在裂后期。尽管研究区尚处在低勘探程度阶段,但盆地模拟结果已能为研究区下一步的勘探提供重要的信息,此外,本次研究对模拟过程中的主要不确定性也进行了分析。     

Structural differences between the western and eastern Qiongdongnan Basin: evidence of Indochina block extrusion and South China Sea seafloor spreading

Located at the intersection between a NW-trending slip system and NE-trending rift system in the northern South China Sea, the Qiongdongnan Basin provides key clues for us to understand the proposed extrusion of the Indochina Block along with Red River Fault Zone and extensional margins. In this paper we for the first time systematically reveal the striking structural differences between the western and eastern sector of the Qiongdongnan Basin. Influenced by the NW-trending slip faults, the western Qiongdongnan Basin developed E–W-trending faults, and was subsequently inverted at 30–21 Ma. The eastern sector was dominated by faults with NE orientation before 30 Ma, and thereafter with various orientations from NE, to EW and NW during the period 30–21 Ma; rifting display composite symmetric graben instead of the composite half graben or asymmetric graben in the west. The deep and thermal structures in turn are invoked to account for such deformation differences. The lithosphere of the eastern Qiongdongnan Basin is very hot and thinned because of mantle upwelling and heating, composite symmetric grabens formed and the faults varied with the basal plate boundary. However, the Southern and Northern Uplift area and middle of the central depression is located on normal lithosphere and formed half grabens or simple grabens. The lithosphere in the western sector is transitional from very hot to normal. Eventually, the Paleogene tectonic development of the Qiongdongnan Basin may be summarized into three stages with dominating influences, the retreat of the West Pacific subduction zone (44–36 Ma), slow Indochina block extrusion together with slab-pull of the Proto-South China Sea (36–30 Ma), rapid Indochina block extrusion together with the South China Sea seafloor spreading (30–21 Ma).