Features of Geophysical Fields and Geodynamics of the China Sea

During 1960—1990, an extensive geological-geophysical investigation was carried out in the marine areas of China. According to the materials obtained, the 'Geological—Geophysical Serial Maps of the China Seas and the Adjacent Areas (1:2,000,000)' was compiled. In fact, it is a systematic summary of the geological and geophysical work of the China Seas in the past 30 years.In this paper, the author explains the guiding thought and methodology of the compilation of the serial maps, and then briefly discusses the characteristics of geophysical fields and geodynamics, stratigraphy, tectonics and magmatism.

Geophysical and Geological Features of the Meso-Cenozoic Lower Yangtze Rift Zone

It is clarified in this paper that the Lower Yangtze depression is a Meso-Cenozoic rift zone formed on thebasement of the Hercynian-Indosinian foreland basins. The rift zone is divided into eastern and western sectorsand is different in northern and southern parts. The rift zone in plane combination comprises parallel.trifurcate or splitting rifts. The North Jiangsu-South Yellow Sea region represents a 'drift-type' rift basinwhose deposition center migrates gradually castward. The formation mechanism and dynamic evolution of therift basin are discussed from a viewpoint of the crustal fine-structure, with evidence in geology and geophysicsand analysis results of dynamic forces given.

Magnetotelluric study of the Xuefeng mountain area,Hu'nan Province,China

A magnetotelluric study was carried out in the Xuefeng mountain uplift belt and its western margins. A detailed investigation was made of the resistivity of the formations, and reliable data were obtained. The sedimentary cover and basement structure of the Xuefeng mountain area and the deep geological structure were analyzed in detail using magnetotelluric data from the twodimensional inversion of the resistivity profile data in combination with regional gravity and magnetic data. It was concluded that the tectonic movements were characterized by basement detachment, and north-south ramp.The study area can be divided into a southern uplift zone, a southern thrust-faulted zone, a central uplift zone, and a northern depression zone. This work has provided geophysical evidence that can be used in future studies of the tectonics and petroleum geology of this region.

Identification methods of coal-bearing source rocks for Yacheng Formation in the western deepwater area of South China Sea

Owing to the fact that the coal-beds are with the characteristics of multi-beds, thin single-bed, rapid lateral changes and deep burial, coal-bearing source rocks are difficult to be identified and predicted, especially in the lower exploration deepwater area. In this paper, a new integrative process utilizing geology and geophysics is proposed for better predicting the distribution of coal-bearing source rocks. Coal-beds were identified by the logging responses of“three higher, three lower, and one expand”and carbargilite were recognized by the characteristics of“four higher and one lower”. Based on the above logical decision, coal-beds and carbargilite can be distinguished automatically by cluster analysis of logging curves in verticality. Within the constraints of well-seismic calibration, the coal-beds group also can be detected in horizontality by the integrated representation of“negative phase, higher Q, lower impedance and lower frequency”within the seismic data. However, the distribution of coal-bearing source rocks utilizing geophysical methodology may do not conform to the geological rules of coal accumulation. And then the main geological controlling factors of coal accumulation are comprehensively analyzed as follows：（1） Paleotopography and tectonic subsidence determine the planar range of terrestrial-marine transitional facies markedly;（2） The relative sea level changes affect the accommodation space and shoreline migration, and limit the vertical range of coal-beds. More specifically, the relationship between the accommodation creation rate and the peat accumulation rate is a fundamental control on coal accumulation. The thickest and most widespread coals form where those two factors reached a state of balance;（3） The supply of autochthonous clasts and the distance between deposition places and paleovegetation accumulated area are the critical factor to form abundant coal, which means that if deposition area is close to paleouplift, there would be sufficient organic matters to form abundant source rocks. The results show that the integrated methods can significantly improve prediction accuracy of coal-bearing source rocks, which is suitable for early exploration of western deepwater area of South China Sea.

2015–2020 Geological Survey Program of China Geological Survey Bureau

On 1–5 September 2014,the China Geological Survey Bureau held a 2015–2020 Geology and Mineral Resources Investigation and Assessment Special Planning and Deployment Meeting to plan the next six years in order to invest nearly ten billion US dollars to implement 9 programs and 50 projects with the aim of developing geological survey work,and to play a leading role in ensuring sustained and stable development.

New Books

The Geology and Landform of Hoh Xil and Its Evolution This book is edited by Li Jianghai,Wencheng,and Liu Chiheng,and narrates the geology and landform of Hoh Xil.With a large number of photos,this book provides readers with detailed information about topographical features including highland glaciers,lakes,rivers,and plains.Experts apply remote sensing technology,geophysics,and on-site investigations to study Hoh Xil’s structural makeup,model its fractured terrain,and perform a myriad of other analyses.

Geological and Geophysical Conditions for Potential Natural Gas Hydrate Resources in Southern South China Sea Waters

The water depth in Nansha（南沙） waters,which is located in the southern South China Sea,varies from 200 to 2 500 m,with a deep-water（500 m） area of 500 000 km2.In this region,there are many depositional basins with various structural features,prone to the accumulation of organic material.The temperature and pressure conditions in the deep-water environment are suitable for the preservation of gas hydrate.At several sites,we have recognized bottom-simulating reflectors（BSRs） from seismic data.Regional geology analyses show that the Nansha waters may have abundant gas hy-drate prospects,especially in localities such as the Nansha trough and other deep-water basins of the central Nansha waters.

New Framework Based on Fusion Information from Multiple Landslide Data Sources and 3D Visualization

Recent monitoring techniques employ multiple sources of information for the characterization of the phenomenon to be studied, being the coupling and adjustment of multi-source data one of the first challenges to consider and solve. The authors propose a new framework of the multi-source and multi-temporal data-oriented fusion for the characterization of landslide events. The main objective is to generate 3D virtual models(in the form of dense point clouds) and feed them back with the characteristic of soil and subsoil information. The scheme consists of three main steps. The first one is on-site data collection(geological characterization, geophysical measurements, GPS measurements, and UAV/drone mapping). The second step is generation of a high-resolution 3D virtual model(~1-inch spatial resolution) from the frames acquired through the UAV using the structure of motion(SfM) processing;the developed virtual model is optimized with GPS measurements to minimize geolocation error and eliminate distortions. The last step is assembling of the acquired data in the field and densified point cloud considering the different nature of the data, re-escalating procedure and the information stacking layer.