Magmatic-tectonic response of the South China Craton to the Paleo-Pacific subduction during the Triassic:a new viewpoint based on Well NK-1

The Nansha Block(NB)is one of the blocks separated from the southern margin of the South China Craton(SCC)by the western Pacific subduction,which contains rich information of geodynamic and tectonic transformation.To reveal the essence of western Paleo-Pacific subduction during the Triassic period,Well NK-1 in this block was selected for petrographic study,and published research data from other cooperative teams were compared.A double-cycle pattern of basic to neutral magmatic volcanism was established,and 36 lithological rhythmic layers and representative cryptoexplosive breccia facies and welded tuff bands were identified.Combined with a reanalysis of published geochronological data,geochemical elements,and isotope geochemistry,we found that the rock assemblages could be divided into an intermediate-acid dacite(DA)series(SiO_(2)>65%)and basaltic(BA)series(Co<40μg/g),which was formed during the early Late Triassic((218.6±3.2)–(217.9±3.5)Ma).BA exhibits obvious calc-alkaline island-arc magmatic properties:(^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)_i ratio ranging 0.70377–0.71118(average:0.70645),^(147)Sm/^(144)Nd ratio ranging 0.119–0.193(average:0.168),and chondrite-normalized rare earth element(REE)curves being flat,while DA exhibits remarkable characteristics of subducted island-arc andesitic magma:(^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)_i ratio(0.70939–0.71129;average:0.71035),εNd(t)value(-6.2–-4.8;average:-5.6)andε_(Hf)(t)value(-2.9–-1.7,average:-2.2)show obvious crust-mantle mixing characteristics.BA and DA reveal typical characteristics of island-arc magma systems and typeⅡenriched mantle(EM-Ⅱ)magma.BA magma was likely resulted from the process whereby the continental crust frontal accretionary wedge was driven by the Paleo-Pacific slab subduction into the deep and began to melt,resulting in a large amount of melt(fluid)joined the asthenosphere on the side of the continental margin.In contrast,DA magma was likely resulted from the process whereby the plate front was forced to bend with increasing subduction distance,which triggered the upwelling of the asthenosphere near the continent and subsequently led to the partial melting of the lithospheric mantle and lower crust due to continuous underplating.The lithospheric thinning environment in the study area at the end of Triassic created suitable conditions for the separation between the NB and SCC,which provided an opportunity for the formation of the early intracontinental rift during the later expansion of the South China Sea(SCS).

Extensional structures of the Nan'an Basin in the rifting tip of the South China Sea: Implication for tectonic evolution of the southwestern continental margin

Nan'an Basin is a giant hydrocarbon basin,but its tectonic division scheme and associated fault systems has not been well understood.Based on newly acquired seismic data from the southwestern margin of the South China Sea,this study analyzed the structural units,tectonic feature and geodynamics of the sedimentary basin.The new data suggests that the Nan0 an Basin is a rift basin oriented in the NE-SW direction,rather than a pull-apart basin induced by strike-slip faults along the western margin.The basin is a continuation of the rifts in the southwest South China Sea since the late Cretaceous.It continued rifting until the middle Miocene,even though oceanic crust occurred in the Southwest Subbasin.However,it had no transfer surface at the end of spreading,where it was characterized by a late middle Miocene unconformity(reflector T3).The Nan'an Basin can be divided into eight structural units by a series of NE-striking faults.This study provides evidences to confirm the relative importance and interplay between regional strike-slips and orthogonal displacement during basin development and deformation.The NE-SW-striking dominant rift basin indicates that the geodynamic drivers of tectonic evolution in the western margin of the South China Sea did not have a large strike-slip mechanism.Therefore,we conclude that a large strike-slip fault system did not exist in the western margin of the South China Sea.

Plate tectonic control on the formation and tectonic migration of Cenozoic basins in northern margin of the South China Sea

The tectonic evolution history of the South China Sea(SCS) is important for understanding the interaction between the Pacific Tectonic Domain and the Tethyan Tectonic Domain,as well as the regional tectonics and geodynamics during the multi-plate convergence in the Cenozoic.Several Cenozoic basins formed in the northern margin of the SCS,which preserve the sedimentary tectonic records of the opening of the SCS.Due to the spatial non-uniformity among different basins,a systematic study on the various basins in the northern margin of the SCS constituting the Northern Cenozoic Basin Group(NCBG) is essential.Here we present results from a detailed evaluation of the spatial-temporal migration of the boundary faults and primary unconformities to unravel the mechanism of formation of the NCBG.The NCBG is composed of the Beibu Gulf Basin(BBGB),Qiongdongnan Basin(QDNB),Pearl River Mouth Basin(PRMB) and Taixinan Basin(TXNB).Based on seismic profiles and gravity-magnetic anomalies,we confirm that the NE-striking onshore boundary faults propagated into the northern margin of the SCS.Combining the fault slip rate,fault combination and a comparison of the unconformities in different basins,we identify NE-striking rift composed of two-stage rifting events in the NCBG:an early-stage rifting(from the Paleocene to the Early Oligocene) and a late-stage rifting(from the Late Eocene to the beginning of the Miocene).Spatially only the late-stage faults occurs in the western part of the NCBG(the BBGB,the QDNB and the western PRMB),but the early-stage rifting is distributed in the whole NCBG.Temporally,the early-stage rifting can be subdivided into three phases which show an eastward migration,resulting in the same trend of the primary unconformities and peak faulting within the NCBG.The late-stage rifting is subdivided into two phases,which took place simultaneously in different basins.The first and second phase of the early-stage rifting is related to back-arc extension of the Pacific subduction retreat system.The third phase of the earlystage rifting resulted from the joint effect of slab-pull force due to southward subduction of the proto-SCS and the back-arc extension of the Pacific subduction retreat system.In addition,the first phase of the late-stage faulting corresponds with the combined effect of the post-collision extension along the Red River Fault and slab-pull force of the proto-SCS subduction.The second phase of the late-stage faulting fits well with the sinistral faulting of the Red River Fault in response to the Indochina Block escape tectonics and the slab-pull force of the proto-SCS.

Mesozoic-Cenozoic Basin Features and Evolution of Southeast China

The Late Triassic to Paleogene （T3-E） basin occupies an area of 143100 km^2, being the sixth area of the whole of SE China; the total area of synchronous granitoid is about 127300 km^2; it provides a key for understanding the tectonic evolution of South China. From a new 1：1500000 geological map of the Mesozoic-Cenozoic basins of SE China, combined with analysis of geometrical and petrological features, some new insights of basin tectonics are obtained. Advances include petrotectonic assemblages, basin classification of geodynamics, geometric features, relations of basin and range. According to basin-forming geodynamical mechanisms, the Mesozoic-Cenozoic basin of SE China can be divided into three types, namely： 1） para-foreland basin formed from Late Triassic to Early Jurassic （T3-J1） under compressional conditions; 2） rift basins formed during the Middle Jurassic （J2） under a strongly extensional setting; and 3） a faulted depression formed during Early Cretaceous to Paleogene （K1-E） under back-arc extension action. From the rock assemblages of the basin, the faulted depression can be subdivided into a volcanic-sedimentary type formed mainly during the Early Cretaceous （K1） and a red -bed type formed from Late Cretaceous to Paleogene （K2-E）. Statistical data suggest that the area of all para-foreland basins （T3-J1） is 15120 km^2, one of rift basins （J2） occupies 4640 km^2, and all faulted depressions equal to 124330 km^2 including the K2-E red-bed basins of 37850 km^2. The Early Mesozoic （T3-J1） basin and granite were mostly co-generated under a post-collision compression background, while the basins from Middle Jurassic to Paleogene （J2-E） were mainly constrained by regional extensional tectonics. Three geological and geographical zones were surveyed, namely： 1） the Wuyishan separating zone of paleogeography and climate from Middle Jurassic to Tertiary; 2） the Middle Jurassic rift zone; and 3） the Ganjiang separating zone of Late Mesozoic volcanism. Three types of basin-granite relationships have been identified, including compressional （a few）, strike-slip （a few）, and extensional （common）. A three-stage geodynamical evolution of the SE-China basin is mooted： an Early Mesozoic basin-granite framework; a transitional Middle Jurassic tectonic regime; intracontinental extension and red-bed faulted depressions since the Late Cretaceous.

Features and dynamic mechanisms of Cenozoic tectonic migration and its impact on the hydrocarbon accumulation in the northern South China Sea

The northern continental margin of the South China Sea （SCS） is located within the tectonic system of Southeast Asia, an area with a great deal of tectonic migration due to the regional tectonic movements. The available geological and geophysical data of the area are comprehensively analyzed in order to demonstrate the typical migration patterns of the Cenozoic tectonics in the northern SCS caused by the episodes of the Cenozoic tectonic movement. Furthermore, the lateral variation characteristics of the strata and the differ- ent evolution patterns of the main basins＇ features are assessed. It primarily focus on： （1） the Cenozoic epi- sodic rifting from north to south in the continental margin of the northern SCS; （2） the rifting and depression time of the main basins progressively become younger as one goes from north to south, signifying that the migration of both the tectonics and the sediments within the northern SCS travelled from north to south during the Cenozoic; and （3） the lateral tectonic migration on the direction of EW is not regular in total, but in some local areas the trending of the tectonic migration is from west to east. The analysis of the tectonic migration features of the northern SCS, in combination with the regional tectonic evolution background, indicates that the observed remote lagging effect, resulted from the India-Eurasia plate collision, is the main dynamic mechanism involved in the tectonic migration within the northern SCS. The tectonic migration has significant influence on both the organization of petroleum deposits and on the hydrocarbon accumulation within the basins in the northern SCS; comprehensive understanding of this dynamic system is of great reference value in predicting the hydrocarbon accumulation and has the potential to have an enormous impact in discovering new deep reservoirs for the future oil-gas exploration.

Tectonic Evolution of the Wanan Basin,Southwestern South China Sea

Quantitative studies on the extension and subsidence of the Wanan Basin were carried out based on available seismic and borehole data together with regional geological data. Using balanced cross-section and backstripping techniques, we reconstructed the stratigraphic deposition and tectonic evolution histories of the basin. The basin formed from the Eocene and was generally in an extensional/transtensional state except for the Late Miocene local compressoin. The major basin extension ocurred in the Oligocene and Early Miocene （before -16.3 Ma） and thereafter uniform stretch in a smaller rate. The northern and middle basin extended intensely earlier during 38.6-23.3 Ma, while the southern basin was mainly stretched during 23.3-16.3 Ma. The basin formation and development are related to alternating sinistral to dextral strike-slip motions along the Wanan Fault Zone. The dominant dynamics may be caused by the seafloor spreading of the South China Sea and the its peripheral plate interaction. The basin tectonic evolution is divided into five phases： initial rifting, main rifting, rift-drift transition, structural inversion, and thermal subsidence.

Nature and Evolution of Pre-Neoproterozoic Continental Crust in South China: A Review and Tectonic Implications

South China as an amalgamation of the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks is composed of Archean to Mesoproterozoic basement overlain by Neoproterozoic and younger cover.Both the constituent Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks contain well-preserved Neoproterozoic rocks that have been extensively studied in terms of the age and tectonic nature,but less is known about their earlier crustal history due to the incomplete rock record.Recent efforts in investigating the yet survived crustal nature based on isotopic and elemental signatures preserved in igneous and sedimentary rocks have steadily improved our knowledge about the pre-Neoproterozoic continental crustal evolution in South China.In this paper,we summarize the up-to-date pre-Neoproterozoic records,including petrological,geochronological,geochemical and geophysical data,across South China,and discuss its spatiotemporal patterns of the pre-Neoproterozoic crust and the relevant tectonic events.While the xenocrystic/inherited and detrital zircon records suggest widespread Archean(mainly ca.2.5 Ga)crustal components within both the Yangtze and Cathaysia blocks,exposed Archean rocks are only limited to isolated crustal provinces in the Yangtze Block.These Archean rocks are dominated by TTGs(tonalite-trondhjemitegranodiorite)with varied ages(3.3-2.5 Ga)and zircon Hf isotopes,indicating a compositionally heterogeneous nature of the Archean Yangtze Block and,by inference,the development of multiple ancient terranes.The early Paleoproterozoic(2.4-2.2 Ga)tectonomagmatic events characterize the western Yangtze Block and are supportive of an east-west subdivision of the Yangtze basement,whereas the late Paleoproterozoic(2.1-1.7 Ga)orogeneses may have affected a larger area covering both the western and eastern parts of the Yangtze Block,and also the Cathaysia Block.The eastern Yangtze Block with generally northeastward-younging late Paleoproterozoic magmatism and metamorphism likely experienced a prolonged 2.05-1.75 Ga orogenic process welding the various Archean proto-continents,consistent with the documentation of a buried late Paleoproterozoic orogenic belt imaged by deep seismic profiling from its central part and of a slightly older ophiolitic mélange in the northern part.The Cathaysia Block was probably involved in a short-lived 1.9-1.8 Ga orogenic event.The two orogeneses overlapped in time and may have contributed to the cratonization of a possible unified South China,and are referred to be linked with the assembly of the Nuna Supercontinent.The subsequent late Paleoproterozoic to early Mesoproterozoic rift successions and intrusions(1.7-1.5 Ga)in the southwestern Yangtze Block,and the ca.1.43 Ga rifting in Hainan Island of the Cathaysia Block could be responses to the Nuna break-up.Late Mesoproterozoic(1.2-1.0 Ga)magmatism of varied age and nature in different localities of the Yangtze Block is reflective of a complex tectonic process in the context of the assembly of the Rodinia Supercontinent.Similar-aged metamorphism(1.3-1.0 Ga)is recorded in Hainan Island,reflecting the Grenvillian continental collision during the Rodinia assembly,but further studies are necessar y to better constrain the late Mesoproterozoic tectonic framework of South China.

Differences in the Tectonic Evolution of Basins in the CentralSouthern South China Sea and their Hydrocarbon Accumulation Conditions

To reveal the causes of differences in the hydrocarbon accumulation in continental marginal basins in the centralsouthern South China Sea,we used gravity-magnetic,seismic,drilling,and outcrop data to investigate the tectonic histories of the basins and explore how these tectonic events controlled the hydrocarbon accumulation conditions in these basins.During the subduction of the Cenozoic proto-South China Sea and the expansion of the new South China Sea,the continental margin basins in the central-southern South China Sea could be classified as one of three types of epicontinental basins:southern extensional-foreland basins,western extensional-strike slip basins,and central extensional-drift basins.Because these basins have different tectonic and sedimentary histories,they also differ in their accumulated hydrocarbon resources.During the Cenozoic,the basin groups in the southern South China Sea generally progressed through three stages:faulting and subsidence from the late Eocene to the early Miocene,inversion and uplift in the middle Miocene,and subsidence since the late Miocene.Hydrocarbon source rocks with marine-continental transitional facies dominated byⅡ-Ⅲkerogen largely developed in extremely thick Miocene sedimentary series with the filling characteristics being mainly deep-water deposits in the early stage and shallow water deposits in the late stage.With well-developed sandstone and carbonate reservoirs,this stratum has a strong hydrocarbon generation potential.During the Cenozoic,the basin groups in the western South China Sea also progressed through the three developmental stages discussed previously.Hydrocarbon source rocks with lacustrine facies,marine-continental transitional facies,and terrigenous marine facies dominated byⅡ2-Ⅲkerogen largely developed in the relatively thick stratum with the filling characteristics being mainly lacustrine deposits in the early stage and marine deposits in the late stage.As a reservoir comprised of self-generated and self-stored sandstone,this unit also has a high hydrocarbon generation potential.Throughout those same three developmental stages,the basin groups in the central South China Sea generated hydrocarbon source rocks with terrigenous marine facies dominated byⅢkerogen that have developed in a stratum with medium thicknesses with the filling characteristics being mainly sandstone in the early stage and carbonate in the late stage.This reservoir,which is dominated by lower-generation and upper-storage carbonate rocks,also has a high hydrocarbon generation potential.

Tectonic evolution of the Huangling dome and its control effect on shale gas preservation in the north margin of the Yangtze Block, South China

Significant breakthroughs of shale gas exploration have been made in Lower Cambrian and Sinian shale in the north margin of the Yangtze Block,South China.The drill wells with industrial gas flow located in the southern margin of the Huangling dome.Base on the geological survey,2D seismic,geochronological and drill wells data,the tectonic evolution history of Huangling dome was studied,and its control effect on the preservation condition of shale gas was discussed.The result shows that the Huangling dome might undergo four tectonic stages:(1)About 800 Ma,granite intrusion in the Huangling dome basement,primarily of granites replaced metamorphism rocks;(2)800-200 Ma,no significant tectonic movement with slowly buried history;(3)From 200 Ma,multi-phase uplift and the sedimentary rocks was eroded in the core of the Huangling dome.Shale gas in the Cambrian and Sinian strata was well preserved in the margin of the Huangling dome as the following reasons:(1)The Sinian shale was buried about 7.8 km indepth during Middle Jurassic,source rocks have a suitable thermal maturity for shale gas;(2)The rigid basement of the Huangling dome was mainly composed by homogeneity granite,without intensive deformation.As the main challenges of the widely distributed Lower Cambrian and Sinian shale are highmaturity and intensive deformation,a geological unit with a dome probably is a favorable zone for the old age shale gas.Therefore,it indicates that the adjacent zone of the Xuefengshan,Shennongjia and Hannan are the geological units with a dome and probably have potentials for the exploration of shale in the Lower Cambrian and Sinian.

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 was studied using empty basin subsidence.We find that tectonic subsidence features on both margins are uniformly divided into three stages:(1)slow subsidence from Tg to 18.5 Ma(synrift stage);(2)extremely slow subsidence/uplift from18.5 to 16 Ma(spreading stage);and(3)accelerated subsidence from 16 to 0 Ma(post-spreading stage).This feature differs from the classic tectonic subsidence pattern of rifted basins,which exhibits fast subsidence during synrift stage and slow subsidence during the post-rift stage.The tectonic uplift occurred during the spreading stage and the magnitude increased from the continent to the ocean,which is likely related to mantle flow during seafloor spreading.We propose that lower crustal flow played a significant role in the tectonic evolution of the continental margins of the SWB.The lower crust of the SWB margins was warmer and therefore weaker,and more prone to flow beneath the faulting center,which compensated for the upper crustal thinning caused by brittle faulting during the synrift period and thus reduced the tectonic subsidence rate.During the spreading stage,faulting attenuated rapidly,and a necking zone appeared at the continentocean transition formed by lithospheric extension.With upwelling asthenosphere,small-scale secondary mantle convection occurred under the necking zone,which raised the continental margin isotherms and increased the buoyancy.Simultaneously,secondary mantle convection lifted the overriding crust,thus the overall subsidence rate decreased sharply or even reversed to uplift.After seafloor spreading,the effect of mantle convection faded away,and sediment loading drove the lower crust to flow landward.Thermal relaxation,lower crust flow,and vanish of secondary mantle convection together led to rapid subsidence in this stage.

The evolution of the coral reefs in the middle and north parts of the South China Sea and its relation with tectonic and eustatic movements

In this paper, the morphogenesis, stratigraphic sequences and dates of the coral reefs in the middle and north parts of the South China Sea are discussed, the position of the distributary regions of Cenozoic coral reefs in plate tectonics, the relationships of coral-reef evolutionary characteristics and dates with sea-basin spreading. Neogene sea-water transgression and Quaternary global climate-eustatic fluctuation are expounded and proved, and the latitudinal variation of the distribution of coral reefs in various geologic times are summed up.

Late Mesozoic basin and range tectonics and related magmatism in Southeast China

During the Late Mesozoic Middle Jurassic--Late Cretaceous, basin and range tectonics and associated magmatism representative of an extensional tectonic setting was widespread in southeastern China as a result of Pacific Plate subduction. Basin tectonics consists of post-orogenic （Type I） and intra-continental extensional basins （Type II）. Type I basins developed in the piedmont and intraland during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic, in which coarse-grained terrestrial clastic sediments were deposited. Type II basins formed during intra-continental crustal thinning and were characterized by the development of grabens and half-grabens. Graben basins were mainly generated during the Middle Jurassic and were associated with bimodal volcanism. Sediments in half-grabens are intercalated with rhyolitic tufts and lavas and are Early Cretaceous in age with a dominance of Late Cretaceous-Paleogene red beds. Ranges are composed of granitoids and bimodal volcanic rocks, A-type granites and dome-type metamorphic core complexes. The authors analyzed lithological, geochemical and geochronological features of the Late Mesozoic igneous rock assemblages and proposed some geodynamical constraints on forming the basin and range tectonics of South China. A comparison of the similarities and differences of basin and range tectonics between the eastern and western shores of the Pacific is made, and the geo- dynamical evolution model of the Southeast China Block during Late Mesozoic is discussed. Studied results suggest that the basin and range terrane within South China developed on a pre-Mesozoic folded belt was derived from a polyphase tectonic evolution mainly constrained by subduction of the western Pacific Plate since the Late Mesozoic, leading to formation of various magmatism in a back-arc exten- sional setting. Its geodynamic mechanism can compare with that of basin and range tectonics in the eastern shore of the Pacific. Differences of basin and range tectonics between both shores of the Pacific, such as mantle plume formation, scales of extensional and igneous rock assemblages and the age of basin and range tectonics, were caused mainly by the Yellowstone mantle plume in the eastern shore of the Pacific.

On tectonic movement in the South China Sea during the Cenozoic

The tectonic movement taking place at the end of Cretaceous and the beginning of Cenozoic had opened the Cenozoic phase of polycyclic tectonic movements,then the whole crust of the South China Sea had been mainly subjected to the regional stress field of tectonic tension,which was characterized by rifting depression.Seven times of regional tectonic movement and sedimentation had been assembled into a geological development history of polycyclic oscillation.Especially,the tectonic movements were strongly intensified at the end of Cretacious and the beginning of Paleagene,between Late Eocene and Mid-Oligocene,during Mid-and Late Miocene.These three times of tectonic movement had built the most important regional tectonic interfaces in the South China Sea.Crust movements of the South China Sea were the result and epitome of interaction of the Eurasia,Pacific and Indo-Australia plates,that is,they were introduced by polycyclic changes of directions,rates and strengths of lithospheric movements and asthenospheric flows across the Pacific and Indo-Australia plates.

The tectonic differences between the east and the west in the deep-water area of the northern South China Sea

The deep-water area of the northern South China Sea, which has active and complicated tectonics, is rich in natural gas and gas hydrate. While the tectonic characteristics is different obviously between the east and the west because of the special tectonic position and tectonic evolution process. In terms of submarine geomorphology, the eastern shelf-slope structure in Pearl River Mouth Basin is characterized by having wide sub-basins and narrow intervening highs, whereas the western （Qiongdongnan Basin） structure is characterized by narrow sub- basins and wide uplift. As to the structural features, the deep-water sags in the east are all structurally half- grabens, controlled by a series of south-dipping normal faults. While the west sags are mainly characterised by graben structures with faulting in both the south and north. With regards to the tectonic evolution, the east began neotectonic activity when the post-rifting stage had completed at the end of the Middle Miocene. In the Baiyun Sag, tectonic activity became strong and was characterised by rapid subsidence and obvious faulting. Whereas in the west, neotectonic activity began at the end of the Late Miocene with rapid deposition and weak fault activity.

Tectonic and Hydrocarbon Accumulation Elements Characteristics of the Tethyan Realm in South China

The evolution of the global Tethys Sea can be classified into three stages, Proto-Tethys, Paleo-Tethys and Neo-Tethys. The Tethyan realm has distinctive features of zonations and segmentations along north-south and east-west, respectively, and has variable richness in oil and gas. The petroleum geological conditions of Tethys are complicated, partly represented by multi-layer of source and seal rocks, and reservoirs. The hydrocarbon accumulation elements and periods of the Tethyan realm show gradually younger from west to east and north to south. South China is located in the north belt and Yangtze segment of the Tethyan realm, and its polycyclic tectonic movements were governed by the Tethyan and Pacific realms. The blocks in South China rotated clockwise and counter-clockwise during their drift northward from Gondwana. The belts and segmentations of Tethys in South China are also clear, with six tectonic belts including： Chuxiong-Sichuan; middle Guizhou-Hunan-Hubei; lower Yangtze; Xuefeng-Jiangnan; Guangxi-Hunan-Jiangxi; and Cathaysia. Numerous faults, including compressional, compressional-shear, extensional, extensional-shear and shear are well developed in South China. The fault strikes are mainly NE, NW and NS, in which the NE is the dominant direction. Lower, middle and upper hydrocarbon assemblages, respectively corresponding to Proto-, Paleo- and Neo-Tethys, formed in the Tethyan realm of South China with the lower and middle having excellent hydrocarbon accumulation conditions. An integrated analysis of tectonic evolution, superimposed deformation and later hydrocarbon preservation shows that during the Neo-Tethyan stage in South China, continental sediments were deposited and experienced intense tectonic deformation, which had resulted in different hydrocarbon pool-forming features from those of the Neo-Tethyan realm.

Types, Evolution and Pool-Controlling Significance of Pool Fluid Sources in Superimposed Basins:A Case Study from Paleozoic and Mesozoic in South China

Having multiple tectonic evolution stages, South China belongs to a superimposed basin in nature. Most marine gas pools became secondary pools. The pool fluid sources serve as the principal pool-controlling factors. On the basis of eight typical petroleum pools, the type, evolution in time-space, and the controlling of petroleum distribution of pool fluid sources are comprehensively analyzed. The main types of pool fluid sources include hydrocarbon, generated primarily and secondly from source rocks, gas cracked from crude oil, gas dissolved in water, inorganic gas, and mixed gases. In terms of evolution, the primary hydrocarbon was predominant prior to Indosinian; during Indosinian to Yenshanian the secondary gas includes gas cracked from crude oil, gas generated secondarily, gas dissolved in water, and inorganic gas dominated; during Yenshanian to Himalayan the most fluid sources were mixed gases. Controlled by pool fluid sources, the pools with mixed gas sources distributed mainly in Upper Yangtze block, especially Sichuan （四川） basin; the pools with primary hydrocarbon sources distributed in paleo-uplifts such as Jiangnan （江南）, but most of these pools became fossil pools; the pools with secondary hydrocarbon source distributed in the areas covered by Cretaceous and Eogene in Middle-Lower Yangtze blocks, and Chuxiong （楚雄）, Shiwandashan （十万大山）, and Nanpanjiang （南盘江） basins; the pools with inorganic gas source mainly formed and distributed in tensional structure areas.

Geochemistry and Petrogenesis of Volcanic Rocks from the Continent-Ocean Transition Zone in Northern South China Sea and Their Tectonic Implications

Miocene–Pliocene(22–5 Myr) volcanism and associated seamounts are abundant in the continent-ocean transition(COT) zone in the margin of the north South China Sea(SCS). The petrogenesis of volcanic rocks from these seamounts and regional tectonic evolution of COT zone are poorly known. In this paper, we obtained whole-rock major and trace element compositions and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic data for these volcanic rocks from the Puyuan and Beipo seamounts within COT zone, in northeastern SCS. Based on the geochemical analyses, the volcanic rocks are classified as alkaline ocean island basalts(OIB) and enriched mid-ocean ridge basalts(E-MORB). The OIBs from the Puyuan seamount are alkaline trachybasalts and tephrites that show enrichment of the light rare earth elements(LREE) relative to heavy rare earth elements(HREE) and more radiogenic Sr-Nd isotopic compositions, and have significant ‘Dupal isotopic anomaly'. In contrast, the E-MORBs from the Beipo seamount are tholeiitic basalts that have less enrichment in LREE and less radiogenic Sr-Nd isotopic compositions than the counterparts from the Puyuan seamount. Petrological and geochemical differences between the OIBs and MORBs from these two seamounts can be explained by different mantle sources and tectonic evolution stages of the COT zone. Syn-spreading OIB type basalts from the Puyuan seamount were derived from an isotopically ‘enriched', and garnet facies-dominated pyroxenitic mantle transferred by the Hainan mantle plume. In contrast, post-spreading E-MORB type basalts from the Beipo seamount are considered to be derived from the melting of isotopically ‘depleted' pyroxenite mantle triggered by lithosphere bending and subsequent post-rifting at the lower continental slope of the northern margin.

Tectonic Environments of Cenozoic Volcanic Rocks in China and Characteristics of the Source Regions in the Mantle

Extensive volcanism is one of the important features of Cenozoic geology in China.Based on temporal-spatial distribution,the volcanism was associated with three major different geological settings:1)the continental rift basalts in Northeast and North China;2)the tension-fault basalts on the continental margins of Southeast China; and 3) the collision-zone high-K volcanics in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and its vicinities.The characteristics of 'depletion in the south and enrichment in the north'of the China continental mantle are strongly supported by isotopic evidence.The Cenozoic continental cal characters,into the following geochemical provinces:1)the depleted mantle in South China;2)the primary mantle in Northeast and NorthChina; 3)the hybrid and transi-tional mantle in the region of Shandong ,Anhui,Jiangsu and northern Zhejiang;4)the depleted mantle around the Bohai Bay and the Lower Liaohe River;5)the K-metasomatic enriched mantle in the northern part of Northeast China;and 6)the re-cycled enriched mantle in the ancient subduction zone in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and its surround-ings.These geochemical characteristics on a regional scale must be a reflection of the nature of lithosphere evolution.

Geochronological, Sedimentary, Structural, and Metallogenic Characteristics of Southeast China during the Mesozoic: A General Review

The tectonic evolution of Southeast China during Late Mesozoic is a prominent topic. Numerous tectonic models on Late Mesozoic evolution ofSoutheast Chinahave been?published in the past 50 years. We synthesized many up-to-date and precise zircon U-Pb ages, sedimentary strata, and regional structures and discussed the oxygen fugacity of magmas and related ore deposits. We also analyzed the most current tectonic models published by some scholars. A multistage tectonic stress evolution history during Late Mesozoic was constructed, which included the following stages: 1) Early-Middle Jurassic (196 - 175 Ma) extension, in which many bimodal volcanics formed;2) Middle-Late Jurassic (165 - 140 Ma) compression, which generated largescale gneissic granites, garnet-bearing granites, stratigraphic hiatus, and nappe structures;3) Early Cretaceous (140 ± 5 - 120 Ma) extension, which formed weakly deformed or undeformed granites, alkali granites, metamorphic core complexes, graben basins, and basic dike swarms;4) Early Cretaceous (120 - 110 Ma) compression, which generated nappe structures, volcanic hiatuses, and garnet-bearing granites;and 5) Early-Late Cretaceous (110 - 80 Ma) extension, which generated largescale bimodal volcanics, basic dike swarms, alkali granites, and graben basins. The Late Mesozoic tectonic evolution ofSoutheast Chinamay be attributed to the drifting history of the Paleo-Pacific plate. The drifting direction of the Paleo-Pacific plate has changed several times since 140 Ma, which led to major changes in the tectonicphenomena from Jurassic to Cretaceous and to the formation of Late Mesozoic mineral deposits.

Basement of the South China Sea Area:Tracing the Tethyan Realm

The basement of the South China Sea（SCS）and adjacent areas can be divided into six divisions（regions）-Paleozoic Erathem graben-faulted basement division in Beibu Gulf,Paleozoic Erathem strike-slip pull-apart in Yinggehai waters,Paleozoic Erathem faulted-depression in eastern Hainan,Paleozoic Erathem rifted in northern Xisha（Paracel）,Paleozoic Erathem strike-slip extending in southern Xisha,and Paleozoic-Mesozoic Erathem extending in Nansha Islands（Spratly）waters.The Pre-Cenozoic basement in the SCS and Yunkai continental area are coeval within the Tethyan tectonic domain in the Pre-Cenozoic Period.They are formed on the background of the Paleo-Tethyan tectonic domain,and are important components of the Eastern Tethyan multi-island-ocean system.Three branches of the Eastern Paleo-Tethys tectonic domain,North Yunkai,North Hainan,and South Hainan sea basins,have evolved into the North Yunkai,North Hainan,and South Hainan suture zones, respectively.This shows a distinctive feature of localization for the Pre-Cenozoic basement.The Qiongnan（i.e.South Hainan）Suture Zone on the northern margin of the South China Sea can be considered the vestige of the principal ocean basin of Paleo-Tethys,and connected with the suture zone of the Longmucuo-Shuanghu belt-Bitu belt-Changning-Menglian-Bentong-Raub belt,the south extension of Bitu-Changning-Menglian-Ching Mai belt-Chanthaburi-Raub-Bentong belt on the west of South China Sea,and with the Lianhua-Taidong suture zone（a fault along the east side of Longitudinal Valley in Taiwan）-Hida LP/HT（low pressure-high temperature）metamorphic belt-Hida -marginal HP/LT metamorphic belt in southwestern Honshu of Japan,on the east of the South China Sea.The Qiongbei（North Hainan）suture zone may eastwards extended along the Wangwu-Wenjiao fault zone,and connects with the Lufeng-Dapu-Zhenghe-Shangyu（Lianhuashan）deep fault zone through the Pearl River Mouth Basin.The Meso-Tethys developed on the south of the South China Sea.The Nansha Trough may be considered the vestige of the northern shelf of the Meso-Tethys. The oceanic crust of the Meso-Tethys has southwards subducted along the subduction-collision-thrust southern margin of the Nansha Trough with a subduction-pole opposite to those of the Yarlung Zangbo-Mytkyina-Bago zone on the west of the South China Sea,and the Meso-Tethyan（e.g.Northern Chichibu Ocean of the Meso-Tethys）suture zone＂Butsozo tectonic line＂in the outer belt of the Jurassic-Early Cretaceous terrene group in southwest Japan,on the east of the South China Sea.