Sequence architecture and sedimentary characteristics of a Middle Jurassic incised valley,western Sichuan depression,China

The Middle Jurassic Shaximiao Formation encompasses tens of meters of thick lowstand meandering valley （LMV） strata in the western Sichuan foreland basin. Ancient LMVs newly discovered in this area were further studied based on sequence stratigraphy and seismic sedimentology. The aim of the present study was to investigate the sedimentary characteristics, sequence architecture, and the controls on LMV deposition in this tectonically active basin using field survey data, seismic sections, seismic amplitude imaging, core description, and comprehensive application of drilling data. The results show the following： （1） Three regional sequence boundaries and two flooding surfaces were recognized, and the Shaximiao For- mation was divided into two-third-order sequences and four systems tracts. （2） Three sedimentary facies associations were identified： incised valley-fill, tributary channel, and overbank facies. Incised valleys are 5-17 km wide, 20-60 m deep and traceable for 120 km along their axes. （3） In the downstream segment, the role of tectonism gradually diminishes, and periodic base-level changes control the form and evolution of the incised valleys. Three types of LMVs--AI, A2, and A3--developed with changes in base level （lake level）; of these types, the base level of the A3 LMV was likely the lowest.

Tectonics-palaeogeomorphology in rift basins: controlling effect on the sequence architecture

The relationship between deposition and tectonics of sedimentary basins has been a significant subject in recent years.Using typical rift basins such as the Nanpu Sag as an example,combined with the analysis of the tectonics-palaeogeomorphology of basins,we undertook a detailed study of the differences of the third-order sequences in different basins,the combination of depositional systems within the sequence framework and the distribution of depocenters and subsidence centers.Our results revealed a significant relationship between the tectonics-palaeogeomorphology of rift basins and the filling styles of sedimentary sequences.The basin structure plays a primary role in controlling the development of the third-order sequences and the boundary of these sequences is easily formed in basins with gentle slopes,shallow water and a small area.The characteristics of the tectonics-palaeogeomorphology of rift basins are dominated by half-grabens of extensional faults,which affect the temporal and spatial combination of sedimentary systems within the sequences as well as the distribution of depocenters and subsidence centers.Based on the development rules of the faults dominating the half-grabens of extensional faults,rift basins are classified into two types： the single fault segmented-linkage type and the multi-fault combination type.The main controlling factors of the temporal and spatial combination of sedimentary systems and the distribution of depocenters and subsidence centers in different basins are different.The characteristics of early segmentation and later linkage of the faults play a critical role in controlling the sedimentary system combination within the sequence framework and the temporal and spatial differences of depocenters and subsidence centers of the single fault segmented-linkage rift basins,while the differences in fault activities are the dominating factors of the multi-fault combination rift basins.

Applied Sequence Stratigraphy in Nonmarine Basin of China

This paper presents a preliminary summary of the applied sequence stratigraphy in nonmarine basins in China. The geological and geophysical data show that the nonmarine sequences mainly resulted from both allocyclic and autocyclic processes where the most important factors were isolated tectonics and climate. However, the environmental factor should have been crucial. The depositional base level served as the sea level in the marine environment, while the water table, lake level and fluvial equilibrium were profiled in a terrigenous environment. This accommodation varied periodically with the base level, resulting in the formation of a series of depositional sequences in terms of genesis and space. Basically, the base level of the inner continent was not affected by the changes in the relative sea level. But there would have been some relations between the changes in the relative sea level and that in the continental base level during eustacy flooding. However, a small time lag existed between the changes in the marine basin and the inner continent basin, The lake basin is smaller than the marine basin, but its velocity of sediment supply is greater than that of the marine basin. Therefore, the number of nonmarine sequences is greater than that of marine ones in the same period. It is important to recognize the system tracts for the study of high-precision or high-resolution sequence stratigraphy, especially to analyze the low-stand systems tract with its depositional system. The sequence boundary is genetically characterized by subaerial exposure, stratigraphic truncation and subaqueous erosion. The deposition analysis of Zhanhua depression reveals 5 sequence architectures: alluvial-fluvial/lacustrine architecture, transitional architecture formed between haline (mesohaline) lake and fresh lake, marine duration-deep lacustrine architecture, half deep lacustrine-ramp architecture and fluvial-alluvial plain architecture. During the major development of the nonmarine basin, the step-faulting breaks controlled the depositional system. Usually, the low-stand complex fan, prograding wedge and high-stand turbidity fan were close to the third stepping break. In the low-stand period, the sediments went around the incised valleys which then were filled with sand bar near the second stepping break. At the first stepping break the sediments were bypassed step by step or the alluvial fan was deposited with forced regressions in the low-stand time. The low-stand wedge may serve as favorable subtle or complex traps at the basin floor fan. The economic effectiveness is measured with the borehole in Bohai Bay basin.

Evolution and controlling factors of the gravity flow deposits in the Miocene sequence stratigraphic framework,the Lower Congo-Congo Fan Basin,West Africa

To understand the evolution of the Miocene gravity flow deposits in the Lower Congo-Congo Fan Basin,this paper documents the Miocene sequence stratigraphic framework,the depositional characteristics and the controlling factors of the gravity flow system.Based on the establishment of high-resolution sequence stratigraphic framework,lithofacies characteristics and sedimentary units of the gravity flow deposits in the region are identified by using seismic,well logging and core data comprehensively,and the sedimentary evolution process is revealed and the controlling factors are discussed.The Miocene can be divided into four 3 rd-order sequences(SQ1-SQ4).The gravity flow deposits mainly include siliciclastic rock and pelite.The main sedimentary units include slumping deposits,mass transport deposits(MTD),channel fills,levee-overbank deposits,and frontal lobes.In the Early Miocene(SQ1),mainly gull-wing,weakly restricted to unrestricted depositional channel-overbank complexes and lobes were formed.In the early Middle Miocene(SQ2),W-shaped and weakly restricted erosional-depositional channels(multi-phase superposition)were subsequently developed.In the late Middle Miocene(SQ3),primarily U-shaped and restricted erosional channels were developed.In the Late Miocene(SQ4),largely V-shaped and deeply erosional isolated channels were formed in the study area.Climate cooling and continuous fall of the sea level made the study area change from toe of slope-submarine plain to lower continental slope,middle continental slope and finally to upper continental slope,which in turn affected the strength of the gravity flow.The three times of tectonic uplifting and climate cooling in the West African coast provided abundant sediment supply for the development of gravity flow deposits.Multistage activities of salt structures played important roles in redirecting,restricting,blocking and destroying the gravity flow deposits.Clarifying the characteristics,evolution and controlling factors of the Miocene gravity flow deposits in the Lower Congo-Congo Fan Basin can provide reference for deep-water petroleum exploration in this basin.

Sequence Characteristics of Foreland Basin and Its Difference from Those of Other Types of Basin

Based on the case history study of sequence stratigraphic framework,sequence model,and the controlling factors on sequence formation in the southern Junggar foreland basin,a contrasting comparison of the characteristics among the foreland basin,the faulted basin,and the sag basin is made in the aspects of sequence architecture,filling style,the controlling factors on sequence development,the migrations of basin center and depocenter,etc..The current study results show that there are major differences and these are documented as follows.（1） The accommodation space in foreland basin is mainly created by the subsidence caused by thrusting and napping in the foothill belt,resulting in progradational-dominated parasequence sets in the foothill area and retrogradational parasequence sets in the ramp region.（2） The accommodation space in an open-lake system in faulted basin is mainly created by the activities of the basin margin faults;thus,tectonic sequences are formed.However,in the closed-lake system,the subaqueous accommodation is mainly controlled by climatic-influenced lake-level fluctuations,and climatic sequence is formed.（3） In sag basin,a closed-lake system is easily formed due to its generation often within the cratons and isolation from the sea,and its accommodation space creation is mainly controlled by climatic lake-level fluctuations;thus,the sequence architecture in sag basin is similar to that formed on the passive continental margin.

Genetic dissection of maize seedling root system architecture traits using an ultra-high density bin-map and a recombinant inbred line population

Maize（Zea mays） root system architecture（RSA）mediates the key functions of plant anchorage and acquisition of nutrients and water. In this study,a set of 204 recombinant inbred lines（RILs） was derived from the widely adapted Chinese hybrid ZD958（Zheng58 Chang7-2）,genotyped by sequencing（GBS） and evaluated as seedlings for 24 RSA related traits divided into primary,seminal and total root classes. Signi ficant differences between the means of the parental phenotypes were detected for 18 traits,and extensive transgressive segregation in the RIL population was observed for all traits. Moderate to strong relationships among the traits were discovered. A total of 62 quantitative trait loci（QTL） were identi fied that individually explained from1.6% to 11.6%（total root dry weight/total seedling shoot dry weight） of the phenotypic variation. Eighteen,24 and 20 QTL were identi fied for primary,seminal and total root classes of traits,respectively. We found hotspots of 5,3,4 and 12 QTL in maize chromosome bins 2.06,3.02-03,9.02-04,and 9.05-06,respectively,implicating the presence of root gene clusters or pleiotropic effects. These results characterized the phenotypic variation and genetic architecture of seedling RSA in a population derived from a successful maize hybrid.

Lithofacies architecture and palaeogeography of the Late Paleozoic glaciomarine Talchir Formation,Raniganj Basin,India

Talchir Formation （Permo-Carboniferous） of the Gondwana Supergroup records the Late Paleozoic glaciation in Peninsular India. Talchir sedimentary succession of the Raniganj Basin, Damodar Valley Coalfields, Peninsular India, bears ten facies types grouped under three facies associations, viz., the proglacial conglomerate-sandstone facies association （CS）, the foreshore-shoreface conglomerate-sandstone-mudstone facies association （CSM） and the prodelta-shelf sandstone-mudstone facies association （SM）. Overall facies architecture reflects initial ice-covered terrestrial subgiacial sedimentation, which was subsequently reworked and emplaced subaqueously in front of the ice-grounding line, and finally overlapped by storm-laid prodelta-shelf sediments. Repeated glacial advance-retreats with shifts in the position of the ice-grounding line during phases of climatic amelioration led to multiple deglaciation-related fining-up cycles. Decoupled ice sheet and floating icebergs contributed icerafted debris （IRD） to these sediments. Gradual retreat of the ice sheet, however, restricted the supply of IRD towards top of the succession. Overlap of wave-agitated shoreface-shelf sediments on the glaciogenic sediments indicates widespread marine transgression caused by glacier melting during ice-house to green-house climatic transition, and crustal downsagging related to giacioisostasy. Subsequently, complete disappearance of the ice sheet caused basinal exhumation along with crustal uplift due to isostatic rebound, leading to multiple horst-graben bounded basinal systems, which received post-Talchir coal-bearing Gondwana sediments.