Characteristics of seismic reflections in central region of the South China Sea and their geological significance

I~IOXThe speCiality in gootectonic position and complicity in origin and evolution of the sleuth China Sea (SCS) has aroused particular attention of the geoscientists at home and abroad. The central region, which consists of continental slope, island slope and a deep-sea basin, is an importantarea for the study of the mechanism of origin and evolution of the SCS. In addition to the surveysof bathemetry, gravity and magnetism, seismic surveys have been carried out by domestic andforeign in…     

Three-stage tectonic subsidence and its implications for the evolution of conjugate margins of the southwest subbasin,South China Sea

To reveal the tectonic characteristics of the continental margins in the southwest subbasin (SWB) of the South China Sea, a long high-resolution seismic profile...     

南海西南次海盆两侧陆缘新生代构造沉降特征及演化过程

构造沉降史分析有助于认识盆地的形成演化过程,是盆地分析的重要基础。为对比分析南海西南次海盆两侧陆缘新生代构造演化特征,本文选取了横穿南海西南次海盆两侧陆缘的多道地震剖面测线,其中NH973-3测线横跨西南次海盆北侧陆缘中-西沙地块,NH973-1+SO27-04联合剖面跨越西南次海盆南侧陆缘南沙地块,在地震地层解释的基础上,采用回剥法和平衡剖面技术分析了西南次海盆两侧陆缘构造沉降特征及伸展过程。分析结果表明：（1）西南次海盆两侧陆缘的构造沉降曲线特征表现为裂陷初始期曲线斜率平缓,裂陷强烈期和末期曲线斜率较陡,断-拗转换期和拗陷期曲线斜率又回归相对平缓的反“S”形多段式特征;（2）两侧陆缘的构造沉降具有一定的延迟滞后性,造成此现象的原因可能与西南次海盆两侧陆缘岩石圈的分层差异伸展及南海西缘断裂的右旋走滑活动有关,且南海西缘断裂的右旋走滑活动造成两侧陆缘的构造沉降中心向南迁移;（3）两侧陆缘盆地主要形成于晚渐新世,北侧陆缘因受晚渐新世南海西缘断裂右旋走滑活动的改造影响而形成伸展-走滑相关的沉积盆地,南侧陆缘在早中新世因受到挤压碰撞的改造影响而形成伸展-挠曲复合型沉积盆地。这些研究成果可为南海西南次海盆两侧陆缘沉积盆地的油气和天然气水合物的勘探开发提供重要的科学背景支持。     

南海西南次海盆被动陆缘构造单元划分及伸展演化过程

南海西南次海盆被动陆缘洋陆转换带位于陆缘强烈伸展区,蕴含着岩石圈临界伸展破裂和洋盆扩张过程的丰富信息。本文利用多道地震剖面和重力异常数据,对西南次海盆被动陆缘构造单元进行划分,研究陆缘南、北部洋陆转换带结构构造特征,探讨陆缘伸展演化过程。多道地震剖面资料显示,北部洋陆转换带发育有裂陷期断陷和向海倾斜的掀斜断块;南部发育有低角度正断层控制的裂陷期断陷、海底火山以及局部隆起;从陆到洋方向,重力异常值变化明显。根据上述结果南海西南次海盆被动陆缘划分为近端带、洋陆转换带和洋盆三个构造单元,分别对应了其伸展演化过程的三个阶段：前裂谷阶段、陆缘裂陷阶段和海底扩张阶段。     

The final rifting evolution in the South China Sea

Seismic reflection data imaging conjugate crustal sections at the South China Sea margins result in a conceptual model for rift-evolution at conjugate magma-poor margins in time and space.The wide Early Cenozoic South China Sea rift preserves the initial rift architecture at the distal margins. Most distinct are regular undulations in the crust–mantle boundary. Individual rift basins are bounded to crustal blocks by listric normal faults on either side. Moho uplifts are distinct beneath major rift basins, while the Moho is downbended beneath crustal blocks, with a wavelength of undulations in the crust–mantle boundary that approximately equals the thickness of the continental crust. Most of the basin-bounding faults sole out within the middle crust. At the distal margins, detachment faults are located at a mid-crustal level where a weak zone decouples crust and mantle lithosphere during rifting. The lower crust in contrast is interpreted as being strong. Only in the region within about 50 km from the Continent–Ocean Transition (COT) we suggest that normal faults reach the mantle, enabling potentially a coupling between the crust and the mantle. Here, at the proximal margins detachment fault dip either seaward or landward. This may indicate the presence of exhumed mantle bordering the continental margins.Post-rift shallow-water platform carbonates indicate a delay in subsidence during rifting in the South China Sea. We propose that this is an inherent process in highly extended continental margins and a common origin may be the influx of warm asthenospheric material into initially cool sub-lithospheric mantle.On a crustal-scale largely symmetric process predominate in the initial rifting stage. At the future COT either of the rift basin-bounding faults subsequently penetrates the entire crust, resulting in asymmetry at this location. However, asymmetric deformation which is controlled by large scale detachment faulting is confined to narrow areas and does not result in a margin-wide simple-shear model. Rather considerable along-margin variations are suggested resulting in alternating “upper and lower plate” margins.     

南海中部地震反射波特征及其地质解释

20世纪70年代以来,在南海中部海区开展了各种地震调查,为研究盖层和基底发育、断裂和岩浆活动、海盆成生演化提供了重要依据。在对南海中部海区4112km48道反射地震资料解释的基础上,识别出了T₁,T₂,T₄,T₆,T_g等五个反射界面;识别出了I～V五套地震反射层组,推测时代分别为上新世-第四纪、中新世晚期、中新世早-中期、渐新世和前渐新世。层组I～Ⅱ全区广布。在陆坡、岛坡区,层组Ⅲ以下层组主要见于断陷中;在深海盆,层组Ⅲ分布仍较广,除了在深海盆北段见到层组Ⅳ外,在西南次海盆剖面两缘也见到该层组。在东部次海盆剖面中还不同程度见到了双程反射时间为8.4～8.7s的莫霍面反射,埋深为10～12km,地壳厚度为6～8km.西南次海盆水深和新生界基底埋深均比深海盆北段除外的东部次海盆深,分别为4000-4300和5200～5500m.根据年龄和基底深度关系经验公式,计算西南次海盆基底年龄为距今51～39Ma.地震反射层组解释和年龄一基底深度关系计算表明,西南次海盆形成并非晚于东部次海盆,而是同时或早于东部次海盆。     

南海大陆边缘动力学研究进展:从陆缘裂解到海底扩张

南海处于印度—澳大利亚、欧亚和太平洋三大板块汇聚中心,地理位置独特,地质作用复杂,是研究大陆裂解—海底扩张过程以及大陆边缘动力学的天然地质实验室。通过总结近年来对南海大陆边缘动力学研究的最新进展认为:①南海北部陆缘为非火山型被动陆缘,其东段虽有岩浆底侵活动,但其为海底扩张结束后的产物,南部陆缘未发现下地壳高速层,也为非火山型陆缘;②南海陆缘上下地壳的拉张因子存在差异,表明陆缘的张裂变形在纵向上并非是均一的,而具有随深度变化的特点;③南海海盆是通过2期扩张形成的,具有由NE向SW渐进式扩张的特点,其东侧表现为成熟的洋盆,而西侧保留了更多陆缘裂谷的特征;④南海海盆形成的动力学模型存在碰撞挤出模型和古南海拖曳模型2种争论,2种模型各有优缺点,需要今后进一步综合研究。     

南海热流分布特征

南海地热异常明显与主要构造断裂带和水热/岩浆活动有关。东部平行于马尼拉海沟的一条SN向低热流异常带起因于南海洋壳对吕宋岛的俯冲。南沙海槽及其南部陆缘的地温场比较复杂。南部的曾母盆地是一个显著的高地热异常区,它起因于年轻的构造拉张,其地幔热流高达中央海盆洋壳的地幔热流值。西南次海盆也是一个高地热异常区,虽然该次海盆形成较早,但与年轻的构造拉张有关。热流资料的分析结果表明,南海中央海盆西缘断裂带、西南次海盆和曾母盆地构成的NE向高热流异常带可能是一个大型的现代构造拉张带。     

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.     

南海北部新生代盆地群构造特征及其成因

南海北部陆缘自西向东分布有北部湾、琼东南、珠江口和台西南等新生代盆地。前人认为这些盆地是华南大陆东南缘裂解直至南海北部被动陆缘形成过程中逐渐形成的,但大量地震剖面揭示,南海北缘主控盆断裂倾向陆地,与典型的被动陆缘的主断裂倾向海盆的特征明显不符。因而,南海北部陆架盆地成因显然不是被动大陆边缘的Mckenzie伸展机制。为此,基于大量陆地调查和海域地震剖面资料的对比,揭示了南海北部陆缘至少在34 Ma之前不是被动大陆边缘,早期陆缘断裂十分发育,主控断层为NE-NNE走向,和陆地同期走滑断层具有连续性。这些NNE-NE向断裂右行右阶走滑控制了拉分盆地内的EW或NEE方向的次级断裂,并控制了盆地内部近EW向的次级构造单元展布。因此,新生代南海北部陆缘的一系列盆地是动力学成因上具有密切联系的右行右阶拉分盆地群。这个拉分成因模式与南海北部陆缘新生代盆地内部沉积沉降中心迁移、构造跃迁、岩浆展布等特征非常一致。而南海北部真正成为典型被动大陆边缘的时间是在15 Ma之后,但此时南海却停止了扩张,而且大约在10~5 Ma由于菲律宾海板块沿吕宋岛弧-台湾造山带逐步楔入欧亚板块导致最后的弥散性NWW向断裂切割南海北部所有构造。从盆地动力学考虑,南海北部陆架盆地的成因主要与太平洋板块的动力学联系较为紧密。     

Reply to the comment of Talwani et al. (2017) on the Sibuet et al. (2016) paper entitled “Thinned continental crust intruded by volcanics beneath the northern Bay of Bengal”

The northern Bay of Bengal velocity-depth profiles do not follow the velocity-depth curve for the North Atlantic volcanic margins, and only partially the Kerguelen plume velocity-depth curves. Compared with the South China Sea northern margin proxy, we still suggest that the Bay of Bengal crust is thinned continental crust intruded by post-rifting volcanics, as also shown by the interpretation of the numerous high-quality deep multichannel seismic profiles we collected there. What was supposed to be underplating might be sills intruded through the lower thinned continental crust.     

Crustal structure and inferred rifting processes in the northeast South China Sea

TAIGER project deep-penetration seismic reflection profiles acquired in the northeastern South China Sea (SCS) provide a detailed view of the crustal structure of a very wide rifted continental margin. These profiles document a failed rift zone proximal to the shelf, a zone of thicker crust 150 km from the shelf, and gradually thinning crust toward the COB, spanning a total distance of 250–300 km. Such an expanse of extended continental crust is not unique but it is uncommon for continental margins. We use the high-quality images from this data set to identify the styles of upper and lower crustal structure and how they have thinned in response to extension and, in turn, what rheological variations are predicted that allow for protracted crustal extension. Upper crustal thinning is greatest at the failed rift (β_uc ≈ 7.5) but is limited farther seaward (β_uc ≈ 1–2). We interpret that the lower crust has discordantly thinned from an original 15–17 km to possibly less than 2–3 km thick beneath the central thick crust zone and more distal areas. This extreme lower crustal thinning indicates that it acted as a weak layer allowing decoupling between the upper crust and the mantle lithosphere. The observed upper crustal thickness variations and implied rheology (lower crustal flow) are consistent with large-scale boudinage of continental crust during protracted extension.     

南海北部陆缘张裂--岩石圈拆沉的地壳响应

南海北部陆缘在中生代晚期曾形成宏伟的华夏陆缘造山带。火成岩岩石学、岩相古地理学和地球物理学证据显示，该造山带不仅具有巨厚(50～60 km)的陆壳，而且还有巨厚(160～180 km)的岩石圈根，在地势上曾出现过高3 500～4 000 m 的华夏山系。陆缘裂陷盆地的形成发育历史、地壳-岩石圈深部结构、火成岩地球化学特征及理论计算均表明，南海北部陆缘从晚白垩世以来发生的张裂作用起始于华夏陆缘造山带的拉伸塌陷，岩石圈拆沉是南海北部陆缘张裂的重要的引发机制。因此，南海北部陆缘张裂既不同于弧后扩张，也不受控于大西洋式的海底扩张，而是该区大陆构造演化和深部壳幔相互作用的结果。     

Deep crustal structure of the conjugate margins of the SW South China Sea from wide-angle refraction seismic data

The South China Sea is the largest marginal basin of SE Asia, yet its mechanism of formation is still debated. A 1000-km long wide-angle refraction seismic profile was recently acquired along the conjugate margins of the SW sub-basin of the South China Sea, over the longest extended continental crust. A joint reflection and refraction seismic travel time inversion is performed to derive a 2-D velocity model of the crustal structure and upper mantle. Based on this new tomographic model, northern and southern margins are genetically linked since they share common structural characteristics. Most of the continental crust deforms in a brittle manner. Two scales of deformation are imaged and correlate well with seismic reflection observations. Small-scale normal faults (grabens, horsts and rotated faults blocks) are often associated with a tilt of the velocity isocontours affecting the upper crust. The mid-crust shows high lateral velocity variation defining low velocity bodies bounded by large-scale normal faults recognized in seismic reflection profiles. Major sedimentary basins are located above low velocity bodies interpreted as hanging-wall blocks. Along the northern margin, spacing between these velocity bodies decreases from 90 to 45 km as the total crust thins toward the Continent–Ocean Transition. The Continent–Ocean Transitions are narrow and slightly asymmetric – 60 km on the northern side and no more than 30 km on the southern side – indicating little space for significant hyper-stretched crust. Although we have no direct indication for mantle exhumation, shallow high velocities are observed at the Continent–Ocean Transition. The Moho interface remains rather flat over the extended domain, and remains undisturbed by the large-scale normal faults. The main décollement is thus within the ductile lower crust.     

Rifting to Spreading Process along the Northern Continental Margin of the South China Sea

Understanding the development from syn-rift to spreading in the South China Sea (SCS) is important in elucidating the western Pacific's tectonic evolution because the SCS is a major tectonic constituent of the many marginal seas in the region. This paper describes research examining the transition from rifting to spreading along the northern margin of the SCS, made possible by the amalgamation of newly acquired and existing geophysical data. The northernmost SCS was surveyed as part of a joint Japan-China cooperative project (JCCP) in two phases in 1993 and 1994. The purpose of the investigation was to reveal seismic and magnetic characteristics of the transitional zone between continental crust and the abyssal basin. Compilation of marine gravity and geomagnetic data of the South China Sea clarify structural characteristics of its rifted continental and convergent margins, both past and present. Total and three component magnetic data clearly indicate the magnetic lineations of the oceanic basin and the magnetic characteristics of its varied margins. The analyses of magnetic, gravity and seismic data and other geophysical and geological information from the SCS led up to the following results: (1) N-S direction seafloor spreading started from early Eocene. There were at least four separate evolutional stages. Directions and rates of the spreading are fluctuating and unstable and spreading continued from 32 to 17 Ma. (2) The apparent difference in the present tectonism of the eastern and western parts of Continent Ocean Boundary (COB) implies that in the east of the continental breakup is governed by a strike slip faulting. (3) The seismic high velocity layer in the lower crust seems to be underplated beneath the stretched continental crust. (4) Magnetic anomaly of the continental margin area seems to be rooted in the uppermost sediment and upper part of lower crust based on the tertiary volcanism. (5) Magnetic quiet zone (MQZ) anomaly in the continental margin area coincides with COB. (6) The non-magnetic or very weakly magnetized layer is probably responsible for MQZ. One of the causes of demagnetization of the layer is due to hydrothermal alteration while high temperature mantle materials being underplated. Another explanation is that horizontal sequences of basalt each with flip-flop magnetization polarity cancel out to the resultant magnetic field on the surface. We are currently developing a synthetic database system containing datasets of seismicity, potential field data, crustal and thermal structures, and other geophysical data to facilitate the study of past, contemporary and future changes in the deep sea environment around Japan; i.e. trench, trough, subduction zones, marginal basins and island arcs. Several special characteristics are an object-oriented approach to the collection and multi-faceted studies of global data from a variety of sources.     

南海及其周缘中新生代火山活动时空特征与南海的形成模式

根据南海海区、华南和中南半岛的地面露头、钻井、拖网及地球物理资料,分析了南海地区火山活动的时空分布特点。在南海陆缘和周边陆区中生代末期花岗岩分布非常广泛。新生代火山岩活动规模较小,主要是海底扩张之后在洋盆扩张脊、北部陆缘的陆洋边界附近、雷琼地区和中南半岛南部的玄武岩。在南海北部陆缘的深部地震调查中发现,在地壳下部存在小规模的高速异常体,结合浅部的晚第三纪一第四纪火山活动,认为该高速体形成于南海扩张之后。这些特征表明,在南海的拉张过程中岩浆供应不丰富,在陆缘未形成大规模的侵入和喷出岩。南海陆缘属于岩浆匮乏型被动大陆边缘。南海海区残留多个刚性断裂陆块,反映了裂谷拉张过程中脆性破裂。根据这些特征,南海形成难以用印藏碰撞引起的软流圈物质上涌导致岩石圈破裂这样的模式来解释。     

西南次海盆及邻区CFT测线重磁震联合反演及其应用

对跨南海西南次海盆及两侧陆缘的1条长达1 093 km,包括海底地震仪(OBS)、长排列多道地震和测深、重力、磁力调查在内的综合地球物理探测剖面(CFT),进行了重磁震联合反演。基于重磁震联合反演结果,在分段解译的基础上,证实本区多处发育前新生界残余沉积层并发生多期次岩浆活动,南海海域地壳结构颇为复杂,具有陆壳、减薄型陆壳、陆洋过渡壳和洋壳等地壳类型,壳下高速层分布较广。根据以上分析,重磁震数据联合反演是研究海区构造特征和深部地壳结构的重要技术手段。     

Tectonic subsidence history and thermal evolution of the Orange Basin

The Orange Basin offshore southwest Africa appears to represent a classical example of continental rifting and break up associated with large-scale, transient volcanism. The presence of lower crustal bodies of high seismic velocities indicates that large volumes of igneous crust formed as a consequence of lithospheric extension.     

The continent-ocean transition at the southeastern margin of the South China Sea

The South China Sea formed by magma-poor, or intermediate volcanic rifting in the Paleogene. We investigate the structure of the continent-ocean transition (COT) at its southern margin, off NW Palawan between the continental blocks of Reed Bank and the islands of Palawan and Calamian. Several surveys, recorded by the BGR from 1979 to 2008, established a comprehensive database of regional seismic lines, accompanied with magnetic and gravity profiles.We interpret two major rifted basins, extending in the NE direction across the shelf and slope, separated by a structural high of non volcanic origin.The continent-ocean transition is interpreted at the seaward limit of the continental crust, when magnetic spreading anomalies terminate some 80-100 km farther north. The area in between displays extensive volcanism - as manifest by extrusions that occasionally reach and cut the seafloor, by dykes, and by presumed basaltic lava flows - occurring after break-up.The COT is highly variable along the NW Palawan slope: One type shows a distinct outer ridge at the COT with a steep modern seafloor relief. The other type is characterised by rotated fault blocks, bounded by listric normal faults ramping down to a common detachment surface. Half-grabens developed above a strongly eroded pre-rift basement. The seafloor relief is smooth across this other type of COT.We suggest the pre-rift lithospheric configuration had major influence on the formation of the COT, besides transfer zones. Volcanic domains, confined to the north of competent crustal blocks correlate with the style of the COT.Gravity modelling revealed an extremely thinned crust across the shelf. We propose a depth-dependent extension model with crust being decoupled from mantle lithosphere, explaining the discrepancy of subsidence observed across the South China Sea region.     

Refining the model of South China Sea’s tectonic evolution: evidence from Yinggehai-Song Hong and Qiongdongnan Basins

The Cenozoic Yinggehai-Song Hong and Qiongdongnan Basins together form one of the largest Cenozoic sedimentary basins in SE Asia. Detail studying on the newly released regional seismic data, we observed their basin structure and stratigraphy are clearly different. The structure of the NW–SE elongation of the Yinggehai-Song Hong Basin is strongly controlled by the strike–slip faulting of steep Red River Fault. And the basement is covered by heavy sediments from the Red River. However, structures closely related with rifting are imagined on the seismic data from the Qiongdongnan Basin. This rifting and thinning on the northern continental margin of the South China Sea is necessary to be explained by the subduction of a Proto-South China Sea oceanic crust toward the NW Borneo block during the Eocene–Early Miocene. To test how the strike–slip faulting in the Yinggehai-Song Hong Basin and rifting in the Qiongdongnan Basin develop together in the northwest corner of the South China Sea, we reconstructed the tectonics of the northwest corner of the South China Sea and test the model with software of MSC MARC. The numerical model results indicate the South China Sea and its surrounding area can be divided into a collision-extrusion tectonic province and a Proto-South China Sea slab pull tectonic province as suggested in previous works. We suggested that offshore Red River Fault in the Yinggehai-Song Hong Basin is confirmed as a very important tectonic boundary between these two tectonic provinces.