Extensional tectonics and sedimentary response of the Early—Middle Cambrian passive continental margin,Tarim Basin,Northwest China

The fact that several half-grabens and normal faults developed in the Lower--Middle Cambrian of Tazhong （central Tarim Basin） and Bachu areas in Tarim Basin, northwest China, indicates that Tarim Basin was under extensional tectonic setting at this time. The half-grabens occur within a linear zone and the normal faults are arranged in en echelon patterns with gradually increasing displacement eastward. Extensional tectonics resulted in the formation of a passive continental margin in the southwest and a cratonic margin depression in the east, and most importantly, influenced the development of a three- pronged rift in the northeast margin of the Tarim Basin. The fault system controlled the development of platform -- slope -- bathyal facies sedimentation of mainly limestone-dolomite-gypsum rock-saline rock-red beds in the half-grabens. The NW-SE trending half-grabens reflect the distribution of buried basement faults.

Sandbox Modeling of the Fault-increment Pattern in Extensional Basins

Three series of sandbox modeling experiments were performed to study the fault-increment pattern in extensional basins. Experimental results showed that the tectonic action mode of boundaries and the shape of major boundary faults control the formation and evolution of faults in extensional basins. In the process of extensional deformation, the increase in the number and length of faults was episodic, and every ＇episode＇ experienced three periods, strain-accumulation period, quick fault-increment period and strain-adjustment period. The more complex the shape of the boundary fault, the higher the strain increment each ＇episode＇ experienced. Different extensional modes resulted in different fault-increment patterns. The horizontal detachment extensional mode has the ＇linear＇ style of fault-increment pattern, while the extensional mode controlled by a listric fault has the ＇stepwise＇ style of fault-increment pattern, and the extensional mode controlled by a ramp-flat boundary fault has the ＇stepwise-linear＇ style of fault-increment pattern. These fault-increment patterns given above could provide a theoretical method of fault interpretation and fracture prediction in extensional basins.

Inversion of two-phase extensional basin systems during subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate in the SW Korean Peninsula:Implication for the Mesozoic “Laramide-style” orogeny along East Asian continental margin

During subduction, continental margins experience shortening along with inversion of extensional sedimentary basins. Here we explore a tectonic scenario for the inversion of two-phase extensional basin systems, where the Early-Middle Jurassic intra-arc volcano-sedimentary Oseosan Volcanic Complex was developed on top of the Late Triassic-Early Jurassic post-collisional sequences, namely the Chungnam Basin. The basin shortening was accommodated mostly by contractional faults and related folds. In the basement, regional high-angle reverse faults as well as low-angle thrusts accommodate the overall shortening, and are compatible with those preserved in the cover. This suggests that their spatial and temporal development is strongly dependent on the initial basin geometry and inherited structures.Changes in transport direction observed along the basement-sedimentary cover interface is a characteristic structural feature, reflecting sequential kinematic evolution during basin inversion. Propagation of basement faults also enhanced shortening of the overlying sedimentary cover sequences. We constrain timing of the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous(ca. 158-110 Ma) inversion from altered K-feldspar 40 Ar/39 Ar ages in stacked thrust sheets and K-Ar illite ages of fault gouges, along with previously reported geochronological data from the area. This "non-magmatic phase" of the Daebo Orogeny is contemporaneous with the timing of magmatic quiescence across the Korean Peninsula. We propose the role of flat/low-angle subduction of the Paleo-Pacific Plate for the development of the "Laramide-style" basement-involved orogenic event along East Asian continental margin.

Evolution of the Extensional Rifted Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi Oceanic Basin During the Late Hercynian to Middle Indosinian Stage

On the basis of exhaustive researches on the facies sequences and depositlonal evolutionary process of various depositional systems, the genetic stratigraphic framework of the extensional rifted oceanic basin, which has undergone strong structural destruction, has been reconstructed by means of dynamic genetic stratigraphic analysis. Five depositional episodes have been distinguished from various isochronous stratigraphic boundaries and stratigraphic sequences with the three-dimensional structure of each depositional episode analysed in detail. The tectonic paleogeographic environment corresponding to different stages of each depositional episode has been reconstructed for individual depositional system tracts. And the evolution history of this rifted basin has been divided into four stages' initial rifting and oceanization of continental crust, stretching and spreading of the basin, subduction and basin differentiation, and convergence and collision. A NNE-trending intracontinental soft collision suture was left after the closing of the basin.

Brittle deformation in the Afikpo Basin (Southeast Nigeria): Evidence for a terminal Cretaceous extensional regime in the Lower Benue Trough, Nigeria

This paper deals with the regional and structural framework of the Cretaceous rocks in the Afikpo Basin located in the southeastern part of the Lower Benue Trough. Results from regional tectonics are presented together with those of the microtectonic analysis of microfaults in the Owutu-Afikpo-Adadama area in the basin. The Owutu-Afikpo-Adadama ridge at the north-central part of the basin marks the boundary between the Late Cenomanian-Turonian-Conianian sediments and the Campanian-Maastrichtian sandstones. This ridge trends N45oE on average and is faulted in three main directions, namely: (1) N-S normal faults; (2) NE-SW strike-slip faults; and (3) NW-SE strike-slip faults. The faulted rocks along these brittle discontinuities are mainly cataclastics with internal fracture cleavage and sigmoidal quartz mosaics that are reminiscent of extensional deformation. The cataclasites often bear slickenside striations. The NE-SW and NW-SE strike-slip faults are the results of the youngest brittle events on the Owutu-Afikpo-Adadama ridge. These faults were reactivated after deposition of the Campanian-Maastrichtain sediments (post-depositional faults) and, therefore, are post-Maastrichtain. Microfault analysis of these fault trends suggests an extensional regime that prevailed in the Lower Benue Trough. These results are of significance because this event is least poorly understood and less documented in contrast to the Cenomanian and Santonian events that affected the older Cretaceous strata in this region.

Extensional Tectonic System of Erlian Fault Basin Groupand Its Deep Background

The Erlian fault basin group, a typical Basin and Range type fault basin group, was formed during Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, in which there are rich coal, oil and gas resources. In the present paper the abundant geological and petroleum information accumulated in process of industry oil and gas exploration and development of the Erlian basin group is comprehensively analyzed, the structures related to formation of basin are systematically studied, and the complete extensional tectonic system of this basin under conditions of wide rift setting and low extensional ratio is revealed by contrasting study with Basin and Range Province of the western America. Based on the above studies and achievements of the former workers, the deep background of the basin development is treated.

Extensional Tectonics, Rifting, Formation of Sedimentary Basins, Cretaceous Volcanism, Emplacement of Dyke Swarms and Development of Hydrocarbon Pools: Case Studies from Peninsular India and Indian Ocean Region

Prolonged extensional regime in peninsular India resulted in formation of rift and grabens,elongated basins and Gondwana sedimentation along them.Downward progression of rift related faults caused decompression

A Quantitative Analysis System for Continental Extensional Basin

Continental extensional basin is one of the most important oil and ga s bearing basin types in the world and is main basin type in east China. The qu antitative analysis for this kind of basins has important significance for oil a nd gas exploration and development in east China. Sedimentary basin is a geodyna mic system including sedimentary basin itself, the crust and the mantle under it . Basin evolution is affected by regional structure stress field geophysical sta tus in the deep of the earth and outer condition, such as climate changes, water supplying etc. Based on the concept of basin dynamic system, the authors develo ped a geological process modeling and analyzing system-Continental Extensional B asin Quantitative Analysis System (CEBQAS). The system consists of basin geodyna mic modeling, structural modeling, sedimentary modeling, geologic analysis, data base and display subsystem. The system can reappear structural and sedimentary e volution history to an extent and provide basin geodynamic information as well a s retrieving parameter for modeling from original data such as logging, core an d seismic data .

Extension of the Louzidian Metamorphic Core Complex and Development of Supradetachment Basins in Southern Chifeng,Inner Mongolia,China

The Louzidian metamorphic core complex (LMCC) in southern Chifeng is located on the northern margin of the North China craton. Structural analyses of the LMCC and its extensional detachment system indicate that the LMCC experienced two-stage extension. The ductile regime experienced top-to-northeast shearing extension and the brittle detachment fault underwent top-down-outwards slipping. Between these two stages, a semi-ductile regime recorded the transition from ductile to brittle. The hanging wall of the detachment fault is similar to those classic supradetachment basins in western North America. Analyses of provenance and paleocurrent directions in the basins show that there were two filling stages. In the early stage, materials came from the southwest margin of the basin and the hanging wall of the detachment system and were transported from southwest to northeast; while in the late stage, deposits were derived from the footwall of the detachment fault and transported outwards to the two sides of the core complex. Since the filling period of the basins is from the late Jurassic to the late Cretaceous and it is coeval with the extension, the two filling stages reflect the two-stage history of the detachment fault. The large-scale late Jurassic underplating in the deep crust of the Chifeng area led to thickening and heating of the middle-upper crust and trigged the extension at depths and volcanism on the surface. In the early Cretaceous the upper plate of the detachment fault moved northeastwards and sediments were transported from southwest to northeast, while in the late Cretaceous the core complex was uplifted rapidly, the original basin was separated by the uplifted core, and lower-plate-derived debris was deposited in the adjacent upper-plate basins of the detachment fault. Evidentially, the development of the supradetachment basins were controlled by the extension and in turn the fillings in the basins recorded information of the extension, which has provided new evidence for kinematic interpretation of the Louzidian core complex.

Improved Geometric Model of Extensional Fault–bend Folding

Extensional fault-bend folds, also called rollovers, are one of the most common structures in extensional settings. Numerous studies have shown that oblique simple shear is the most appropriate mechanism for quantitative modeling of geometric relations between normal faults and the strata in their hanging walls. However, the oblique simple shear has a rather serious issue derived from the shear direction, particularly above convex bends. We use geometric and experimental methods to study the deformation of extensional fault-bend folds on convex bends. The results indicate that whether the fault bends are concave or convex, the shear direction of the hanging wall dips toward the main fault. On this basis, we improve the previous geometric model by changing the shear direction above the convex bends. To illustrate basin history, our model highlights the importance of the outer limit of folding instead of the growth axial. Moreover, we propose a new expression for the expansion index that is applicable to the condition of no deposition on the footwall. This model is validated by modeling a natural structure of the East China Sea Basin.

EXTENSION OF SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHIC MODELAND SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHIC ANALYSIS IN LIMNIC DEPOSITIONAL BASIN

The architectural patterns of sedimentary succession are diverse in different depositionalbasins. The sedimentary architecture and geological condition of such basins asepicontinental sea, intraplate limnic basins, etc., differ cIearly from those of continentalmargin basin. Extension, complement and perfection of sequence stratigraphic models are needed in the studies of various depositional basins based on the classical sequence model. This paper, for this reason,expounds the thought, principles of sequence division, methodology and technology of the study of sequence stratigraphy in epicontinental and limnic basins.

Mechanism of crustal extension in the Laxmi Basin,Arabian Sea

Continental rifting and magmatism has been extensively studied worldwide as it is believed that continental rifting, break up of continents and associated magmatism lead to genesis of new oceanic crust. However, various regions of the world show that these processes may lead to genesis of other types of crust than the oceanic crust. Laxmi Basin in the western continental margin of the India is one such region with an enigmatic crust.Due to its extreme strategic significance for the palaeogeographic reconstruction of continents during Cretaceous continental breakup of India, this basin has attracted various workers for more than two decades. However, still the issue of nature of crust in the basin remains controversial. In this contribution, in order to identify nature of crust, mechanism of continental extension in the Laxmi Basin has been studied for the first time through newly acquired seismic data from the basin. Here, we propose a plausible mechanism of crustal extension in the Laxmi Basin which eventually constrains the nature of crust of the Laxmi Basin. We have demonstrated that the crust in the Laxmi Basin can be categorised in two zones of stretched and transitional crust. In the stretched zone several fault bounded horst and graben structures are identified which preserve syn- and post-rift sediments along with different periods of hiatus in sedimentations as unconformities. These faults are identified as listric faults in the upper crust which sole out in the detachment faults.Detachment faults decouples the upper brittle and lower ductile crust. The transitional crust is identified as heavily intruded by sills and basaltic volcanic which were emplaced due to melting of subcontinental mantle（SCM） after hyper-stretching of crust and serpentinisation of the SCM. Panikkar Ridge is proposed to be one such basaltic volcanic body derived from melting of lower part of the SCM.

The Earlier Spreading of South China Sea Basin due to the Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic Extension of South China Block: Structural Styles and Chronological Evidence from the Dulong-Song Chay Metamorphic Dome, Southwest China

To understand the forming and tectonic evolution of the South China Sea basin, new data of the structural styles and geochronology were obtained from the Dulong-Song Chay dome, southeastern Yunnan and northern Vietnam. The structural styles were acquired through field investigation and geo-chronological dating was carried out using zircon SHRIMP Ⅱ U-P and argon isotopic analyses. The South China Sea basin extension occurred firstly at Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic, and then at Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene （32-17 Ma）. The second stage of extension formed immediately after the first stage, and both extensions have a consistent forming mechanism. New structural analysis and geo-chronological data do not support the models of ＂backarc spreading＂ and ＂strike-slip faults producing the extension＂. Then what mechanism resulted in the extension of South China Sea basin？ The data indicate that at least two episodes of major extensional tectonics, i.e. , the D1 deformation at 237-228 Ma resulted in the rising and exhumation of the dome, and D2 deformation at 86-78 Ma overprinted and redeformed the dome. Of them, the D2 shows a consistent forming time, extensional direction and tectonic regime among Dulong-Song Chay dome, South China block and the northern margin of the South China Sea basin. Regional geology has proved that the northern margin of the South China Sea basin belongs to the South China block, therefore, we interpreted that the Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic extensional tectonics occurred in the northern margin of the South China Sea basin due to the intraplate deformation of the South China block, while the Ailaoshan-Red River sinistral slip strengthened the Cenozoic extension in the South China Sea basin.

中国含油气盆地不同构造样式及其油气地质意义

多类型构造样式的控油气作用是油气勘探面临的重要科学问题。基于前人研究认识成果、勘探经验的总结,对中国含油气盆地内不同构造样式的演化及成因模式进行了系统梳理,解析了不同构造样式对油气成藏的控制作用。研究认为:①中国含油气盆地主要发育伸展构造、收缩构造、走滑构造和叠加构造4种构造样式。伸展构造主要控制盆地建造过程,收缩构造、走滑构造主要控制盆地改造过程。②不同构造类型的控油气作用差异明显,伸展构造主要控制盆地烃源岩、有利储集体和盖层等油气聚集成藏要素的发育,收缩构造、走滑构造和叠加构造主要控制油气运移与圈闭条件的演化。③在构造与其他要素复合作用下,断裂自身也可以作为一类储集体,成为油气聚集的空间,这一类断裂油气藏是当前油气勘探的新领域。

北康盆地基底构造特征及其对南海南部构造演化的启示

南海南部是研究东南亚地区构造演化的关键场所,以构造相对简单的北康盆地为基础探讨其构造演化过程。为了确定研究区的构造特征,进行了地震综合解释、主控断层的定性、定量分析和盆地之下的岩石圈伸展因子分析。通过构造分析,发现北康盆地15.5 Ma界面(MMU)之下发育了多条大规模、低角度的拆离断层,界面之下的原型盆地为裂陷盆地,并且局部可表现为拆离盆地,符合被动大陆边缘细颈化带内的构造特征。对北康盆地构造演化过程进行分析并将其与曾母盆地进行对比,发现2个盆地的构造演化特征迥然不同,据此重新将南海南部挤出-逃逸构造区和古南海俯冲-拖曳构造区之间的分界线确定为西巴拉姆线。结合南海南、北部的陆缘盆地基底卷入构造的发育特征发现,南海陆缘岩石圈在发生破裂后,应变的集中主要体现在靠近洋壳的细颈化带和远端带部位,远离洋壳地区的应变受海底扩张的影响较小,这一特征可能与被动陆缘岩石圈的近端和远端在拉伸过程中的解耦相关。

Changes of Late Mesozoic Tectonic Regimes around the Ordos Basin(North China)and their Geodynamic Implications

A synthesis is given in this paper on late Mesozoic deformation pattern in the zones around the Ordos Basin based on lithostratigraphic and structural analyses. A relative chronology of the late Mesozoic tectonic stress evolution was established from the field analyses of fault kinematics and constrained by stratigraphic contact relationships. The results show alternation of tectonic compressional and extensional regimes. The Ordos Basin and its surroundings were in weak N-S to NNE-SSW extension during the Early to Middle Jurassic, which reactivated E-W-trending basement fractures. The tectonic regime changed to a multi-directional compressional one during the Late Jurassic, which resulted in crustal shortening deformation along the marginal zones of the Ordos Basin. Then it changed to an extensional one during the Early Cretaceous, which rifted the western, northwestern and southeastern margins of the Ordos Basin. A NW-SE compression occurred during the Late Cretaceous and caused the termination of sedimentation and uplift of the Ordos Basin. This phased evolution of the late Mesozoic tectonic stress regimes and associated deformation pattern around the Ordos Basin best records the changes in regional geodynamic settings in East Asia, from the Early to Middle Jurassic post-orogenic extension following the Triassic collision between the North and South China Blocks, to the Late Jurassic multi-directional compressions produced by synchronous convergence of the three plates （the Siberian Plate to the north, Paleo-Pacific Plate to the east and Lhasa Block to the west） towards the East Asian continent. Early Cretaceous extension might be the response to collapse and lithospheric thinning of the North China Craton.

Earthquake-related Tectonic Deformation of Soft-sediments and Its Constraints on Basin Tectonic Evolution

The authors introduced two kinds of newly found soft-sediment deformation-synsedimentary extension structure and syn-sedimentary compression structure, and discuss their origins and constraints on basin tectonic evolution. One representative of the syn-sedimentary extension structure is syn-sedimentary boudinage structure, while the typical example of the syn-sedimentary compression structure is compression sand pillows or compression wrinkles. The former shows NW-SE-trendlng contemporaneous extension events related to earthquakes in the rift basin near a famous Fe-Nb-REE deposit in northern China during the Early Paleozoic （or Mesoproterozoic as proposed by some researches）, while the latter indicates NE-SW-trending contemporaneous compression activities related to earthquakes in the Middle Triassic in the Nanpanjiang remnant basin covering south Guizhou, northwestern Guangxi and eastern Yunnan in southwestern China. The syn-sedimentary boudinage structure was found in an earthquake slump block in the lower part of the Early Paleozoic Sailinhudong Group, 20 km to the southeast of Bayan Obo, Inner Mongolia, north of China. The slump block is composed of two kinds of very thin layers-pale-gray micrite （microcrystalline limestone） of 1-2 cm thick interbedded with gray muddy micrite layers with the similar thickness. Almost every thin muddy micrite layer was cut into imbricate blocks or boudins by abundant tiny contemporaneous faults, while the interbedded micrite remain in continuity. Boudins form as a response to layer-parallel extension （and/or layer-perpendicular flattening） of stiff layers enveloped top and bottom by mechanically soft layers. In this case, the imbricate blocks cut by the tiny contemporaneous faults are the result of abrupt horizontal extension of the crust in the SE-NW direction accompanied with earthquakes. Thus, the rock block is, in fact, a kind of seismites. The syn-sedimentary boudins indicate that there was at least a strong earthquake belt on the southeast side of the basin during the early stage of the Sailinhudong Group. This may be a good constraint on the tectonic evolution of the Bayan Obo area during the Early Paleozoic time. The syn-sedimentary compression structure was found in the Middle Triassic flysch in the Nanpanjiang Basin. The typical structures are compression sand pillows and compression wrinkles. Both of them were found on the bottoms of sand units and the top surface of the underlying mud units. In other words, the structures were found only in the interfaces between the graded sand layer and the underlying mud layer of the flysch. A deformation experiment with dough was conducted, showing that the tectonic deformation must have been instantaneous one accompanied by earthquakes. The compression sand pillows or wrinkles showed uniform directions along the bottoms of the sand layer in the flysch, revealing contemporaneous horizontal compression during the time between deposition and diagenesis of the related beds. The Nanpanjiang Basin was affected, in general, with SSW-NNE compression during the Middle Triassic, according to the syn-sedimentary compression structure. The two kinds of syn-sedimentary tectonic deformation also indicate that the related basins belong to a rift basin and a remnant basin, respectively, in the model of Wilson Cycle.

Evolution, Migration, Controlling Factors and Forming Setting of Mesozoic Basins in Western Shandong

The distinctive topography in western Shandong province consists of several NW-WNW-trending mountain ranges and intervening basins. Basins, in which late-stage sediments to the south have progressively overlapped the earlier sediments and ＂basement＂ rocks of the hanging-wall block, are bounded by S-SW-dipping normal faults to the north. Basin analysis reveals the Jurassic-Cretaceous sedimentary rocks accumulated both within the area of crustal extension and during extensional deformation; they contain a record of a sequence of tectonic events during stretching and can be divided into four tectonic-sequence episodes. These basins were initially developed as early as ca. 200 Ma in the northern part of the study area, extending dominantly N-S from the Early Jurassic until the Late Cretaceous. Although with a brief hiatus due to changes in stress field, to keep uniform N-S extensional polarity in such a long time as 130 Ma requires a relatively stable tectonic controlling factor responsible for the NW- and E-W-extensional basins. The formation of the extensional basins is partly concurrent with regional magmatism, but preceded magmatism by 40 Ma. This precludes a genetic link between local magmatism and extension during the Mesozoic. Based on integrated studies of basins and deformation, we consider that the gravitational collapse of the early overthickened continental crust may be the main tectonic driver for the Mesozoic extensional basins. From the Early Jurassic, dramatic reduction in north-south horizontal compressive stress made the western Shandong deformation belt switch from a state of failure under shortening to one dominated by extension and the belt gravitationally collapsed and horizontally spread to the south until equilibrium was established; synchronously, the normal faults and basins were developed based on the model of simple-shear extensional deformation. This may be relative to the gravitational collapse of the Mesozoic plateau in eastern China.

Subsidence History of the Eastern Depression in the North Yellow Sea Basin

Using a back-stripping method, our paper simulated the subsidence history of the eastern depression in the North Yellow Sea Basin. The subsidence history curve pattern and the subsidence chorisogram during every subsiding period were exposed. Combining with the regional geologic background and the distribution features of the subsiding centers in every period, a contrasting study of the pattern and the classical subsidence history curves shows the subsi- dence history is made up of Mesozoic (J3-K1) and Cenozoic (E2-Q) subsiding cycles. The two subsiding cycles are separated by the late Cretaceous and Paleocene (K2-E1) uplift denudation. Both subsiding cycles have the characteristics of an extension basin. The rapid subsidence during the late Jurassic and Eocene is equivalent to the initial subsiding phases in both cycles.. The slow subsidence of both, the early Cretaceous and Neogene, can be regarded as thermal sub-sidence phases .

Complexity and Geodynamics of Ore-accumulating Basins in the Qinling Orogenic Belt,China

Researches were made of different continental-margin and intraplate basin systems in the Qinling microplate in terms of hydrothermal deposition, geodynamics of basin formation, hydrothermal sedimentary rock facies, syntectonics in the basins, and the styles of ore accumulation in the basins.