Based on the analysis of sea-bottom temperature and geothermal gradient, andby means of the phase boundary curve of gas hydrate and the sea-bottom temperature versus waterdepth curve in the South China Sea, this paper...Based on the analysis of sea-bottom temperature and geothermal gradient, andby means of the phase boundary curve of gas hydrate and the sea-bottom temperature versus waterdepth curve in the South China Sea, this paper studies the temperature and pressure conditions forgas hydrate to keep stable. In a marine environment, methane hydrate keeps stable at water depthsgreater than 550 min the South China Sea. Further, the thickness of the gas hydrate stability zonein the South China Sea was calculated by using the phase boundary curve and temperature-depthequations. The result shows that gas hydrate have a better perspective in the southeast of theDongsha Islands. the northeast of the Xisha Islands and the north of the Nansha Islands for thickerstability zones.展开更多
Magnetic data has been widely applied in the tectonic division.High-resolution magnetic data were used to analyze the geotectonic zoning of the South China Sea.Based on the newly compilated magnetic data,the processin...Magnetic data has been widely applied in the tectonic division.High-resolution magnetic data were used to analyze the geotectonic zoning of the South China Sea.Based on the newly compilated magnetic data,the processing results and the distribution of known faults,we consider that the U-shaped line approximately along the South China Sea national boundary of China shown in the magnetic map is a significant geological and geophysical boundary.We first described the linear characteristics of the magnetic data and then applied pseudo-gravity,Euler deconvolution,tilt derivatives,and the texture segmentation method to process the data.Results show that the dividing line between the South China Sea and the surrounding blocks is approximately along this U-shaped line.The dividing line between the South China domain and the South China Sea domain is along with the Dongsha Islands to Xisha Trough,which is different from the previous geophysical zoning results.Our results are almost consistent with those of the gravity data indicating roughly the tectonic zonation along the U-shaped line.展开更多
Natural gas hydrate is a potential clean energy source and is related to submarine geohazard,climate change,and global carbon cycle.Multidisciplinary investigations have revealed the occurrence of hydrate in the Qiong...Natural gas hydrate is a potential clean energy source and is related to submarine geohazard,climate change,and global carbon cycle.Multidisciplinary investigations have revealed the occurrence of hydrate in the Qiongdongnan Basin,northern South China Sea.However,the spatial distribution,controlling factors,and favorable areas are not well defined.Here we use the available high-resolution seismic lines,well logging,and heat flow data to explore the issues by calculating the thickness of gas hydrate stability zone(GHSZ)and estimating the inventory.Results show that the GHSZ thickness ranges between mostly~200 and 400 m at water depths>500 m.The gas hydrate inventory is~6.5×109-t carbon over an area of~6×104 km2.Three areas including the lower uplift to the south of the Lingshui sub-basin,the Songnan and Baodao sub-basins,and the Changchang sub-basin have a thick GHSZ of~250-310 m,250-330 m,and 350-400 m,respectively,where water depths are~1000-1600 m,1000-2000 m,and2400-3000 m,respectively.In these deep waters,bottom water temperatures vary slightly from~4 to 2℃.However,heat flow increases significantly with water depth and reaches the highest value of~80-100 mW/m2 in the deepest water area of Changchang sub-basin.High heat flow tends to reduce GHSZ thickness,but the thickest GHSZ still occurs in the Changchang sub-basin,highlighting the role of water depth in controlling GHSZ.The lower uplift to the south of the Lingshui sub-basin has high deposition rate(~270-830 m/Ma in 1.8-0 Ma);the thick Cenozoic sediment,rich biogenic and thermogenic gas supplies,and excellent transport systems(faults,diapirs,and gas chimneys)enables it a promising area of hydrate accumulation,from which hydrate-related bottom simulating reflectors,gas chimneys,and active cold seeps were widely revealed.展开更多
Multi-beam bathymetry and seismic sequence surveys in the northern slope of the South China Sea reveal detailed geomorphology and seismic stratigraphy characteristics of canyons, gullies, and mass movements. Modern ca...Multi-beam bathymetry and seismic sequence surveys in the northern slope of the South China Sea reveal detailed geomorphology and seismic stratigraphy characteristics of canyons, gullies, and mass movements. Modern canyons and gullies are roughly elongated NNW–SSW with U-shaped cross sections at water depths of 400–1000 m. Mass movements include slide complexes, slide scars, and debris/turbidity flows. Slide complexes and slide scars are oriented in the NE–SW direction and cover an area of about 1790 and 926 km^2, respectively. The debris/turbidity flows developed along the lower slope. A detailed facies analysis suggests that four seismic facies exist, and the late Cenozoic stratigraphy above the acoustic basement can be roughly subdivided into three sequences separated by regional unconformities in the study area. The occurrence of gas hydrates is marked by seismic velocity anomalies, bottom-simulating reflectors, gas chimneys, and pockmarks in the study area. Seismic observations suggest that modern canyons and mass movements formed around the transition between the last glacial period and the current interglacial period. The possible existence and dissociation of gas hydrates and the regional tectonic setting may trigger instability and mass movements on the seafloor. Canyons may be the final result of gas hydrate dissociation. Our study aims to contribute new information that is applicable to engineering construction required for deep-water petroleum exploration and gas hydrate surveys along any marginal sea.展开更多
By systemic processing, comprehensive analysis, and interpretation of gravity data, we confirmed the existence of the west segment of the coastal fault zone(west of Yangjiang to Beibu Bay) in the coastal region of Sou...By systemic processing, comprehensive analysis, and interpretation of gravity data, we confirmed the existence of the west segment of the coastal fault zone(west of Yangjiang to Beibu Bay) in the coastal region of South China. This showed an apparent high gravity gradient in the NEE direction, and worse linearity and less compactness than that in the Pearl River month. This also revealed a relatively large curvature and a complicated gravity structure. In the finding images processed by the gravity data system, each fault was well reflected and primarily characterized by isolines or thick black stripes with a cutting depth greater than 30 km. Though mutually cut by NW-trending and NE-trending faults, the apparent NEE stripe-shaped structure of the west segment of the coastal fault zone remained unchanged,with good continuity and an activity strength higher than that of NW and NE-trending faults. Moreover,we determined that the west segment of the coastal fault zone is the major seismogenic structure responsible for strong earthquakes in the coastal region in the border area of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan.展开更多
The western fault zone of the South China Sea is a strike-slip fault system and consists of four typical strike-slip faults. It is the western border of the South China Sea. The formation of the system is due to the e...The western fault zone of the South China Sea is a strike-slip fault system and consists of four typical strike-slip faults. It is the western border of the South China Sea. The formation of the system is due to the extrusion of Indo - China Peninsula caused by the collision of India with Tibet and the spreading of the South China Sea in Cenozoic. There are five episodes of tectonic movement along this fault zone, which plays an important role in the Cenozoic evolution of the South China Sea. By the physical modeling experiments, it can be seen the strike-slip fault undergoes the sinistral and dextral movement due to the relative movement velocity change between the South China Sea block and the Indo - China block. The fault zone controls the evolution of the pull basins locating in the west of the South China Sea.展开更多
The exploration of unconventional and/or new energy resources has become the focus of energy research worldwide,given the shortage of fossil fuels.As a potential energy resource,gas hydrate exists only in the environm...The exploration of unconventional and/or new energy resources has become the focus of energy research worldwide,given the shortage of fossil fuels.As a potential energy resource,gas hydrate exists only in the environment of high pressure and low temperature,mainly distributing in the sediments of the seafloor in the continental margins and the permafrost zones in land.The accurate determination of the thickness of gas hydrate stability zone is essential yet challenging in the assessment of the exploitation potential.The majority of previous studies obtain this thickness by detecting the bottom simulating reflectors(BSRs) layer on the seismic profiles.The phase equilibrium between gas hydrate stable state with its temperature and pressure provides an opportunity to derive the thickness with the geothermal method.Based on the latest geothermal dataset,we calculated the thickness of the gas hydrate stability zone(GHSZ) in the north continental margin of the South China Sea.Our results indicate that the thicknesses of gas hydrate stability zone vary greatly in different areas of the northern margin of the South China Sea.The thickness mainly concentrates on 200–300 m and distributes in the southwestern and eastern areas with belt-like shape.We further confirmed a certain relationship between the GHSZ thickness and factors such as heat flow and water depth.The thickness of gas hydrate stability zone is found to be large where the heat flow is relatively low.The GHSZ thickness increases with the increase of the water depth,but it tends to stay steady when the water depth deeper than 3 000 m.The findings would improve the assessment of gas hydrate resource potential in the South China Sea.展开更多
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 s...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.展开更多
Coral reefs in the Xisha Islands(also known as the Paracel Islands in English), South China Sea, have experienced dramatic declines in coral cover. However, the current regional scale hard coral distribution of geomor...Coral reefs in the Xisha Islands(also known as the Paracel Islands in English), South China Sea, have experienced dramatic declines in coral cover. However, the current regional scale hard coral distribution of geomorphic and ecological zones, essential for reefs management in the context of global warming and ocean acidification, is not well documented. We analyzed data from field surveys, Landsat-8 and GF-1 images to map the distribution of hard coral within geomorphic zones and reef flat ecological zones. In situ surveys conducted in June 2014 on nine reefs provided a complete picture of reef status with regard to live coral diversity, evenness of coral cover and reef health(live versus dead cover) for the Xisha Islands. Mean coral cover was 12.5% in 2014 and damaged reefs seemed to show signs of recovery. Coral cover in sheltered habitats such as lagoon patch reefs and biotic dense zones of reef flats was higher, but there were large regional differences and low diversity. In contrast, the more exposed reef slopes had high coral diversity, along with high and more equal distributions of coral cover. Mean hard coral cover of other zones was <10%. The total Xisha reef system was estimated to cover 1 060 km^2, and the emergent reefs covered ~787 km^2. Hard corals of emergent reefs were considered to cover 97 km^2. The biotic dense zone of the reef flat was a very common zone on all simple atolls, especially the broader northern reef flats. The total cover of live and dead coral can reach above 70% in this zone, showing an equilibrium between live and dead coral as opposed to coral and algae. This information regarding the spatial distribution of hard coral can support and inform the management of Xisha reef ecosystems.展开更多
Identifying distinct tectonic units is key to understanding the geotectonic framework and distribution law of oil and gas resources.The South China Sea and its adjacent areas have undergone complex tectonic evolution ...Identifying distinct tectonic units is key to understanding the geotectonic framework and distribution law of oil and gas resources.The South China Sea and its adjacent areas have undergone complex tectonic evolution processes,and the division of tectonic units is controversial.Guided by block tectonics theory,this study divide the South China Sea and its adjacent areas into several distinguished tectonic units relying on known boundary markers such as sutures(ophiolite belts),subduction-collision zones,orogenic belts,and deep faults.This work suggests that the study area is occupied by nine stable blocks(West Burma Block,Sibumasu Block,LanpingSimao Block,Indochina Block,Yangtze Block,Cathaysian Block,Qiongnan Block,Nansha Block,and Northwest Sulu Block),two suture zones(Majiang suture zone and Southeast Yangtze suture zone),two accretionary zones(Sarawak-Sulu accretionary zone and East Sulawesi accretionary zone),one subduction-collision zone(RakhineJava-Timor subduction-collision zone),one ramp zone(Philippine islands ramp zone),and six small oceanic marginal sea basins(South China Sea Basin,Sulu Sea Basin,Sulawesi Sea Basin,Banda Sea Basin,Makassar Basin,and Andaman Sea Basin).This division reflects the tectonic activities,crustal structural properties,and evolutionary records of each evaluated tectonic unit.It is of great theoretical and practical importance to understand the tectonic framework to support the exploration of oil and gas resources in the South China Sea and its adjacent areas.展开更多
We studied diatom distribution from 62 samples from the uppermost 1 cm of sediment in the South China Sea (SCS), using grabs or box corers in three cruises between 2001-2007. Fifty six genera, 256 species and their va...We studied diatom distribution from 62 samples from the uppermost 1 cm of sediment in the South China Sea (SCS), using grabs or box corers in three cruises between 2001-2007. Fifty six genera, 256 species and their varieties were identified. Dominating species included Coscinodiscus africanus, Coscinodiscus nodulifer, Cyclotella stylorum, Hemidiscus cuneiformis, Melosira sulcata, Nitzschia marina, Roperia tesselata, Thalassionema nitzschioides, Thalassiosira excentrica, and Thalassiothrix longissima. Most surface sediments in the SCS were rich in diatoms, except for a few coarse samples. Average diatom abundance in the study area was 104 607 valve/g. In terms of the abundance, ecology, and spatial distribution, seven diatom zones (Zones 1-7) were recognized. Zone 1 (northern continental shelf) is affected by warm currents, SCS northern branch of the Kuroshio, and northern coastal currents; Zone 2 (northwestern continental shelf) is affected by intense coastal currents; Zone 3 (Xisha Islands sea area) is a bathyal environment with transitional water masses; Zone 4 (sea basin) is a bathyal-to-deep sea with stable and uniform central water masses in a semi-enclosed marginal sea; Zone 5 (Nansha Islands marine area) is a pelagic environment with relatively high surface temperature; Zone 6 (northern Sunda Shelf) is a tropical shelf environment; and Zone 7 (northern Kalimantan Island shelf area) is affected by warm waters from the Indian Ocean and coastal waters. The data indicate that these diatom zones are closely related to topography, hydrodynamics, temperature, nutrients and especially the salinity. Better understanding of the relationship between diatom distribution and the oceanographic factors would help in the reconstruction of the SCS in the past.展开更多
^(234)Th-^(238)U disequilibria were applied to examine the particle dynamics in the euphotic zone of the central South China Sea during the spring 2002 cruise.The particulate organic carbon (POC),^(234)Th (including b...^(234)Th-^(238)U disequilibria were applied to examine the particle dynamics in the euphotic zone of the central South China Sea during the spring 2002 cruise.The particulate organic carbon (POC),^(234)Th (including both dissolved and particulate) and ^(238)U in the water column at three stations were determined. The profiles of ^(234)Th/^(238)U activity ratio at the three stations all showed consistent ^(234)Th deficit as compared to ^(238)U in the upper 100 m water column.Based on the profiles of the dissolved and particulate ^(234)Th and a steady state box model,the dissolved ^(234)Th scavenging rates,the particulate ^(234)Th removal rates and their resident times were quantified.It was found that the POC downward export fluxes out of the upper 100 m euphotic zone ranged from 9.40 to 14.78 mmol·m^(-2)·d^(-1).The results from this study provide new information for our understanding of carbon biogeochemical cycle in the South China Sea.展开更多
Herein we would like to comment on the paper "Estimation of potential distribution of gas hydrate in the northern South China Sea" by Wang et al. 2010 in Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 28(3): 6...Herein we would like to comment on the paper "Estimation of potential distribution of gas hydrate in the northern South China Sea" by Wang et al. 2010 in Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 28(3): 693-699. The purpose of this comment is to point out that the given probabilities of gas hydrate occurrence in the northern Zhujiang Mouth Basin and the Yinggehai Basin in the figure of Wang et al. (2010) are improper. After introducing our work of estimation of gas hydrate stability distribution in the northern South China Sea, we suggest that Wang et al. (2010) dismissed the basic P-T rule for the existence of gas hydrate. They should consider more the variables of water depth, seabed temperature and geothermal gradient in their gas hydrate distribution model in future studies.展开更多
In this paper, 3-D velocity images of the crust and upper mantle beneath the Nanbei tectonic zone of China are constructed using P-wave travel time residuals of earthquakes, with the data supplied by China's seism...In this paper, 3-D velocity images of the crust and upper mantle beneath the Nanbei tectonic zone of China are constructed using P-wave travel time residuals of earthquakes, with the data supplied by China's seismic networks and the International Seismic Centre.展开更多
Detailed global plate motion models that provide a continuous description of plate boundaries through time are an effective tool for exploring processes both at and below the Earth's surface. A new generation of n...Detailed global plate motion models that provide a continuous description of plate boundaries through time are an effective tool for exploring processes both at and below the Earth's surface. A new generation of numerical models of mantle dynamics pre-and post-Pangea timeframes requires global kinematic descriptions with full plate reconstructions extending into the Paleozoic(410 Ma). Current plate models that cover Paleozoic times are characterised by large plate speeds and trench migration rates because they assume that lowermost mantle structures are rigid and fixed through time. When used as a surface boundary constraint in geodynamic models, these plate reconstructions do not accurately reproduce the present-day structure of the lowermost mantle. Building upon previous work, we present a global plate motion model with continuously closing plate boundaries ranging from the early Devonian at 410 Ma to present day.We analyse the model in terms of surface kinematics and predicted lower mantle structure. The magnitude of global plate speeds has been greatly reduced in our reconstruction by modifying the evolution of the synthetic Panthalassa oceanic plates, implementing a Paleozoic reference frame independent of any geodynamic assumptions, and implementing revised models for the Paleozoic evolution of North and South China and the closure of the Rheic Ocean. Paleozoic(410-250 Ma) RMS plate speeds are on average ~8 cm/yr, which is comparable to Mesozoic-Cenozoic rates of ~6 cm/yr on average.Paleozoic global median values of trench migration trend from higher speeds(~2.5 cm/yr) in the late Devonian to rates closer to 0 cm/yr at the end of the Permian(~250 Ma), and during the Mesozoic-Cenozoic(250-0 Ma) generally cluster tightly around ~1.1 cm/yr. Plate motions are best constrained over the past 130 Myr and calculations of global trench convergence rates over this period indicate median rates range between 3.2 cm/yr and 12.4 cm/yr with a present day median rate estimated at~5 cm/yr. For Paleozoic times(410-251 Ma) our model results in median convergence rates largely~5 cm/yr. Globally,~90% of subduction zones modelled in our reconstruction are determined to be in a convergent regime for the period of 120-0 Ma. Over the full span of the model, from 410 Ma to 0 Ma,~93% of subduction zones are calculated to be convergent, and at least 85% of subduction zones are converging for 97% of modelled times. Our changes improve global plate and trench kinematics since the late Paleozoic and our reconstructions of the lowermost mantle structure challenge the proposed fixity of lower mantle structures, suggesting that the eastern margin of the African LLSVP margin has moved by as much as ~1450 km since late Permian times(260 Ma). The model of the plate-mantle system we present suggests that during the Permian Period, South China was proximal to the eastern margin of the African LLSVP and not the western margin of the Pacific LLSVP as previous thought.展开更多
The El Ni?o Southern Oscillation(ENSO) is a natural phenomenon that relates to the fluctuation of temperatures over the Pacific Ocean. The ENSO significantly affects the ocean dynamics including upwelling event and co...The El Ni?o Southern Oscillation(ENSO) is a natural phenomenon that relates to the fluctuation of temperatures over the Pacific Ocean. The ENSO significantly affects the ocean dynamics including upwelling event and coastal front. A recent study discovered the seasonal upwelling in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia(ECPM), which is significant to the fishery industry in this region. Thus, it is vital to have a better understanding of the influence of ENSO towards the coastal upwelling and thermal front in the ECPM. The sea surface temperature(SST) data achieved from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer(MODIS) aboard Aqua satellite are used in this study to observe the SST changes from 2005 to 2015. However, due to cloud cover issue, a reconstruction of data set is applied to MODIS data using the data interpolating empirical orthogonal function(DINEOF) to fill in the missing gap in the dataset based on spatial and temporal available data. Besides, a wavelet transformation analysis is done to determine the temperature fluctuation throughout the time series. The DINEOF results show the coastal upwelling in the ECPM develops in July and reaches its peak in August with a clear cold water patch off the coast. There is also a significant change of SST distribution during the El Ni?o years which weaken the coastal upwelling event along the ECPM. The wavelet transformation analysis shows the highest temperature fluctuation is in 2009–2010 which indicates the strongest El Ni?o throughout the time period. It is suggested that the El Ni?o is favourable for the stratification in water column thus it is weakening the upwelling and thermal frontal zone formation in ECPM waters.展开更多
文摘Based on the analysis of sea-bottom temperature and geothermal gradient, andby means of the phase boundary curve of gas hydrate and the sea-bottom temperature versus waterdepth curve in the South China Sea, this paper studies the temperature and pressure conditions forgas hydrate to keep stable. In a marine environment, methane hydrate keeps stable at water depthsgreater than 550 min the South China Sea. Further, the thickness of the gas hydrate stability zonein the South China Sea was calculated by using the phase boundary curve and temperature-depthequations. The result shows that gas hydrate have a better perspective in the southeast of theDongsha Islands. the northeast of the Xisha Islands and the north of the Nansha Islands for thickerstability zones.
基金Supported by the Geological Survey Project of China(Nos.DD20191001,DD20191004,DD20189410)the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2017YFC0602000)。
文摘Magnetic data has been widely applied in the tectonic division.High-resolution magnetic data were used to analyze the geotectonic zoning of the South China Sea.Based on the newly compilated magnetic data,the processing results and the distribution of known faults,we consider that the U-shaped line approximately along the South China Sea national boundary of China shown in the magnetic map is a significant geological and geophysical boundary.We first described the linear characteristics of the magnetic data and then applied pseudo-gravity,Euler deconvolution,tilt derivatives,and the texture segmentation method to process the data.Results show that the dividing line between the South China Sea and the surrounding blocks is approximately along this U-shaped line.The dividing line between the South China domain and the South China Sea domain is along with the Dongsha Islands to Xisha Trough,which is different from the previous geophysical zoning results.Our results are almost consistent with those of the gravity data indicating roughly the tectonic zonation along the U-shaped line.
基金Supported by the K.C.Wong Education Foundation(No.GJTD-2018-13)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences+7 种基金the Key Special Project for Introduced Talents Team of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory(Guangzhou)(Nos.GML2019ZD0104,GML2019ZD0205)the Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Program(No.201904010285)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42076077)the Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering,Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.ISEE2018PY02)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2021YFC3100604)the Hainan Key Laboratory of Marine Geological Resources and Environment(No.HNHYDZZYHJKF003)the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(No.2021A1515011298)the Guangdong Special Support Talent Team Program(No.2019BT02H594)。
文摘Natural gas hydrate is a potential clean energy source and is related to submarine geohazard,climate change,and global carbon cycle.Multidisciplinary investigations have revealed the occurrence of hydrate in the Qiongdongnan Basin,northern South China Sea.However,the spatial distribution,controlling factors,and favorable areas are not well defined.Here we use the available high-resolution seismic lines,well logging,and heat flow data to explore the issues by calculating the thickness of gas hydrate stability zone(GHSZ)and estimating the inventory.Results show that the GHSZ thickness ranges between mostly~200 and 400 m at water depths>500 m.The gas hydrate inventory is~6.5×109-t carbon over an area of~6×104 km2.Three areas including the lower uplift to the south of the Lingshui sub-basin,the Songnan and Baodao sub-basins,and the Changchang sub-basin have a thick GHSZ of~250-310 m,250-330 m,and 350-400 m,respectively,where water depths are~1000-1600 m,1000-2000 m,and2400-3000 m,respectively.In these deep waters,bottom water temperatures vary slightly from~4 to 2℃.However,heat flow increases significantly with water depth and reaches the highest value of~80-100 mW/m2 in the deepest water area of Changchang sub-basin.High heat flow tends to reduce GHSZ thickness,but the thickest GHSZ still occurs in the Changchang sub-basin,highlighting the role of water depth in controlling GHSZ.The lower uplift to the south of the Lingshui sub-basin has high deposition rate(~270-830 m/Ma in 1.8-0 Ma);the thick Cenozoic sediment,rich biogenic and thermogenic gas supplies,and excellent transport systems(faults,diapirs,and gas chimneys)enables it a promising area of hydrate accumulation,from which hydrate-related bottom simulating reflectors,gas chimneys,and active cold seeps were widely revealed.
基金funded by the China Geological Survey Project (Nos. GZH201500207 1212010611302 DD20160 138)
文摘Multi-beam bathymetry and seismic sequence surveys in the northern slope of the South China Sea reveal detailed geomorphology and seismic stratigraphy characteristics of canyons, gullies, and mass movements. Modern canyons and gullies are roughly elongated NNW–SSW with U-shaped cross sections at water depths of 400–1000 m. Mass movements include slide complexes, slide scars, and debris/turbidity flows. Slide complexes and slide scars are oriented in the NE–SW direction and cover an area of about 1790 and 926 km^2, respectively. The debris/turbidity flows developed along the lower slope. A detailed facies analysis suggests that four seismic facies exist, and the late Cenozoic stratigraphy above the acoustic basement can be roughly subdivided into three sequences separated by regional unconformities in the study area. The occurrence of gas hydrates is marked by seismic velocity anomalies, bottom-simulating reflectors, gas chimneys, and pockmarks in the study area. Seismic observations suggest that modern canyons and mass movements formed around the transition between the last glacial period and the current interglacial period. The possible existence and dissociation of gas hydrates and the regional tectonic setting may trigger instability and mass movements on the seafloor. Canyons may be the final result of gas hydrate dissociation. Our study aims to contribute new information that is applicable to engineering construction required for deep-water petroleum exploration and gas hydrate surveys along any marginal sea.
基金financially supported by Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Plan Projects(20178030314082)General Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China (41676057)National Science and Technology Support Program (2015BAK18B01)
文摘By systemic processing, comprehensive analysis, and interpretation of gravity data, we confirmed the existence of the west segment of the coastal fault zone(west of Yangjiang to Beibu Bay) in the coastal region of South China. This showed an apparent high gravity gradient in the NEE direction, and worse linearity and less compactness than that in the Pearl River month. This also revealed a relatively large curvature and a complicated gravity structure. In the finding images processed by the gravity data system, each fault was well reflected and primarily characterized by isolines or thick black stripes with a cutting depth greater than 30 km. Though mutually cut by NW-trending and NE-trending faults, the apparent NEE stripe-shaped structure of the west segment of the coastal fault zone remained unchanged,with good continuity and an activity strength higher than that of NW and NE-trending faults. Moreover,we determined that the west segment of the coastal fault zone is the major seismogenic structure responsible for strong earthquakes in the coastal region in the border area of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan.
基金Acknowledgements This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 40476026 and 40406012, the National Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province under contract No. 04001309, and the Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology Foundation of South China Sea Institute of 0ceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences under contract No. MSGL0510. We are grateful to Yan Pin and Liu Hailing for their generous help in providing seismic profiles.
文摘The western fault zone of the South China Sea is a strike-slip fault system and consists of four typical strike-slip faults. It is the western border of the South China Sea. The formation of the system is due to the extrusion of Indo - China Peninsula caused by the collision of India with Tibet and the spreading of the South China Sea in Cenozoic. There are five episodes of tectonic movement along this fault zone, which plays an important role in the Cenozoic evolution of the South China Sea. By the physical modeling experiments, it can be seen the strike-slip fault undergoes the sinistral and dextral movement due to the relative movement velocity change between the South China Sea block and the Indo - China block. The fault zone controls the evolution of the pull basins locating in the west of the South China Sea.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No.41176037the Ministry of Science and Technology Project under contract No.2016ZX05026-002-007+1 种基金the New Century Excellent Talents Program of MOE under contract No.NCET-12-263Jiangsu Province College Student Scientific Training Program under contract No.XZ1210284007
文摘The exploration of unconventional and/or new energy resources has become the focus of energy research worldwide,given the shortage of fossil fuels.As a potential energy resource,gas hydrate exists only in the environment of high pressure and low temperature,mainly distributing in the sediments of the seafloor in the continental margins and the permafrost zones in land.The accurate determination of the thickness of gas hydrate stability zone is essential yet challenging in the assessment of the exploitation potential.The majority of previous studies obtain this thickness by detecting the bottom simulating reflectors(BSRs) layer on the seismic profiles.The phase equilibrium between gas hydrate stable state with its temperature and pressure provides an opportunity to derive the thickness with the geothermal method.Based on the latest geothermal dataset,we calculated the thickness of the gas hydrate stability zone(GHSZ) in the north continental margin of the South China Sea.Our results indicate that the thicknesses of gas hydrate stability zone vary greatly in different areas of the northern margin of the South China Sea.The thickness mainly concentrates on 200–300 m and distributes in the southwestern and eastern areas with belt-like shape.We further confirmed a certain relationship between the GHSZ thickness and factors such as heat flow and water depth.The thickness of gas hydrate stability zone is found to be large where the heat flow is relatively low.The GHSZ thickness increases with the increase of the water depth,but it tends to stay steady when the water depth deeper than 3 000 m.The findings would improve the assessment of gas hydrate resource potential in the South China Sea.
基金jointly supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2018YFC0309802)the 13th Five-Year Plan Program of the China Ocean Mineral Resour-ces Research and Development Association Research (No. DY135-S2-2-08)+2 种基金the Soft Science Project of Shandong Province Key Research and Development Plan (No. 2019 RZA02002)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2017M610403)the Taishan Scholar Project Funding (No. tspd20161007)。
文摘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.
基金Supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China(863 Program)(No.2012AA12A406)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41271409)the National Science and Technology Major Project(No.00-Y30B15-9001-14/16-5)
文摘Coral reefs in the Xisha Islands(also known as the Paracel Islands in English), South China Sea, have experienced dramatic declines in coral cover. However, the current regional scale hard coral distribution of geomorphic and ecological zones, essential for reefs management in the context of global warming and ocean acidification, is not well documented. We analyzed data from field surveys, Landsat-8 and GF-1 images to map the distribution of hard coral within geomorphic zones and reef flat ecological zones. In situ surveys conducted in June 2014 on nine reefs provided a complete picture of reef status with regard to live coral diversity, evenness of coral cover and reef health(live versus dead cover) for the Xisha Islands. Mean coral cover was 12.5% in 2014 and damaged reefs seemed to show signs of recovery. Coral cover in sheltered habitats such as lagoon patch reefs and biotic dense zones of reef flats was higher, but there were large regional differences and low diversity. In contrast, the more exposed reef slopes had high coral diversity, along with high and more equal distributions of coral cover. Mean hard coral cover of other zones was <10%. The total Xisha reef system was estimated to cover 1 060 km^2, and the emergent reefs covered ~787 km^2. Hard corals of emergent reefs were considered to cover 97 km^2. The biotic dense zone of the reef flat was a very common zone on all simple atolls, especially the broader northern reef flats. The total cover of live and dead coral can reach above 70% in this zone, showing an equilibrium between live and dead coral as opposed to coral and algae. This information regarding the spatial distribution of hard coral can support and inform the management of Xisha reef ecosystems.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 41706055,41776072,41602092,4106035 and41776072the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province under contract Nos 2018A030313168 and 2018B030311030the National Marine Geology Special Project under contract Nos DD20160147 and DD20189643。
文摘Identifying distinct tectonic units is key to understanding the geotectonic framework and distribution law of oil and gas resources.The South China Sea and its adjacent areas have undergone complex tectonic evolution processes,and the division of tectonic units is controversial.Guided by block tectonics theory,this study divide the South China Sea and its adjacent areas into several distinguished tectonic units relying on known boundary markers such as sutures(ophiolite belts),subduction-collision zones,orogenic belts,and deep faults.This work suggests that the study area is occupied by nine stable blocks(West Burma Block,Sibumasu Block,LanpingSimao Block,Indochina Block,Yangtze Block,Cathaysian Block,Qiongnan Block,Nansha Block,and Northwest Sulu Block),two suture zones(Majiang suture zone and Southeast Yangtze suture zone),two accretionary zones(Sarawak-Sulu accretionary zone and East Sulawesi accretionary zone),one subduction-collision zone(RakhineJava-Timor subduction-collision zone),one ramp zone(Philippine islands ramp zone),and six small oceanic marginal sea basins(South China Sea Basin,Sulu Sea Basin,Sulawesi Sea Basin,Banda Sea Basin,Makassar Basin,and Andaman Sea Basin).This division reflects the tectonic activities,crustal structural properties,and evolutionary records of each evaluated tectonic unit.It is of great theoretical and practical importance to understand the tectonic framework to support the exploration of oil and gas resources in the South China Sea and its adjacent areas.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.40676026,41076079,40831160519)the Basic Research Program of China(973Program)(No.2010CB428704)
文摘We studied diatom distribution from 62 samples from the uppermost 1 cm of sediment in the South China Sea (SCS), using grabs or box corers in three cruises between 2001-2007. Fifty six genera, 256 species and their varieties were identified. Dominating species included Coscinodiscus africanus, Coscinodiscus nodulifer, Cyclotella stylorum, Hemidiscus cuneiformis, Melosira sulcata, Nitzschia marina, Roperia tesselata, Thalassionema nitzschioides, Thalassiosira excentrica, and Thalassiothrix longissima. Most surface sediments in the SCS were rich in diatoms, except for a few coarse samples. Average diatom abundance in the study area was 104 607 valve/g. In terms of the abundance, ecology, and spatial distribution, seven diatom zones (Zones 1-7) were recognized. Zone 1 (northern continental shelf) is affected by warm currents, SCS northern branch of the Kuroshio, and northern coastal currents; Zone 2 (northwestern continental shelf) is affected by intense coastal currents; Zone 3 (Xisha Islands sea area) is a bathyal environment with transitional water masses; Zone 4 (sea basin) is a bathyal-to-deep sea with stable and uniform central water masses in a semi-enclosed marginal sea; Zone 5 (Nansha Islands marine area) is a pelagic environment with relatively high surface temperature; Zone 6 (northern Sunda Shelf) is a tropical shelf environment; and Zone 7 (northern Kalimantan Island shelf area) is affected by warm waters from the Indian Ocean and coastal waters. The data indicate that these diatom zones are closely related to topography, hydrodynamics, temperature, nutrients and especially the salinity. Better understanding of the relationship between diatom distribution and the oceanographic factors would help in the reconstruction of the SCS in the past.
基金Supported by the NSFC (key program No.40531007) and general Programs (No.40406014,40276001 and 10705019)the State Social Commonweal Grant (No.2004DIB5178)+1 种基金and the commonweal project sponsored by the Scientific Research Foundation of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No.2007050228)Chinese IPY Campaign found by MOF
文摘^(234)Th-^(238)U disequilibria were applied to examine the particle dynamics in the euphotic zone of the central South China Sea during the spring 2002 cruise.The particulate organic carbon (POC),^(234)Th (including both dissolved and particulate) and ^(238)U in the water column at three stations were determined. The profiles of ^(234)Th/^(238)U activity ratio at the three stations all showed consistent ^(234)Th deficit as compared to ^(238)U in the upper 100 m water column.Based on the profiles of the dissolved and particulate ^(234)Th and a steady state box model,the dissolved ^(234)Th scavenging rates,the particulate ^(234)Th removal rates and their resident times were quantified.It was found that the POC downward export fluxes out of the upper 100 m euphotic zone ranged from 9.40 to 14.78 mmol·m^(-2)·d^(-1).The results from this study provide new information for our understanding of carbon biogeochemical cycle in the South China Sea.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40774033)National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (No. 2009CB219503)the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (863 Program) (No. 2006AA09A203-05)
文摘Herein we would like to comment on the paper "Estimation of potential distribution of gas hydrate in the northern South China Sea" by Wang et al. 2010 in Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 28(3): 693-699. The purpose of this comment is to point out that the given probabilities of gas hydrate occurrence in the northern Zhujiang Mouth Basin and the Yinggehai Basin in the figure of Wang et al. (2010) are improper. After introducing our work of estimation of gas hydrate stability distribution in the northern South China Sea, we suggest that Wang et al. (2010) dismissed the basic P-T rule for the existence of gas hydrate. They should consider more the variables of water depth, seabed temperature and geothermal gradient in their gas hydrate distribution model in future studies.
文摘In this paper, 3-D velocity images of the crust and upper mantle beneath the Nanbei tectonic zone of China are constructed using P-wave travel time residuals of earthquakes, with the data supplied by China's seismic networks and the International Seismic Centre.
基金supported by the Australian Governmentsupport of the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship+1 种基金supported by Australian Research Council grant DE160101020supported by Australian Research Council grant IH130200012 and DP130101946
文摘Detailed global plate motion models that provide a continuous description of plate boundaries through time are an effective tool for exploring processes both at and below the Earth's surface. A new generation of numerical models of mantle dynamics pre-and post-Pangea timeframes requires global kinematic descriptions with full plate reconstructions extending into the Paleozoic(410 Ma). Current plate models that cover Paleozoic times are characterised by large plate speeds and trench migration rates because they assume that lowermost mantle structures are rigid and fixed through time. When used as a surface boundary constraint in geodynamic models, these plate reconstructions do not accurately reproduce the present-day structure of the lowermost mantle. Building upon previous work, we present a global plate motion model with continuously closing plate boundaries ranging from the early Devonian at 410 Ma to present day.We analyse the model in terms of surface kinematics and predicted lower mantle structure. The magnitude of global plate speeds has been greatly reduced in our reconstruction by modifying the evolution of the synthetic Panthalassa oceanic plates, implementing a Paleozoic reference frame independent of any geodynamic assumptions, and implementing revised models for the Paleozoic evolution of North and South China and the closure of the Rheic Ocean. Paleozoic(410-250 Ma) RMS plate speeds are on average ~8 cm/yr, which is comparable to Mesozoic-Cenozoic rates of ~6 cm/yr on average.Paleozoic global median values of trench migration trend from higher speeds(~2.5 cm/yr) in the late Devonian to rates closer to 0 cm/yr at the end of the Permian(~250 Ma), and during the Mesozoic-Cenozoic(250-0 Ma) generally cluster tightly around ~1.1 cm/yr. Plate motions are best constrained over the past 130 Myr and calculations of global trench convergence rates over this period indicate median rates range between 3.2 cm/yr and 12.4 cm/yr with a present day median rate estimated at~5 cm/yr. For Paleozoic times(410-251 Ma) our model results in median convergence rates largely~5 cm/yr. Globally,~90% of subduction zones modelled in our reconstruction are determined to be in a convergent regime for the period of 120-0 Ma. Over the full span of the model, from 410 Ma to 0 Ma,~93% of subduction zones are calculated to be convergent, and at least 85% of subduction zones are converging for 97% of modelled times. Our changes improve global plate and trench kinematics since the late Paleozoic and our reconstructions of the lowermost mantle structure challenge the proposed fixity of lower mantle structures, suggesting that the eastern margin of the African LLSVP margin has moved by as much as ~1450 km since late Permian times(260 Ma). The model of the plate-mantle system we present suggests that during the Permian Period, South China was proximal to the eastern margin of the African LLSVP and not the western margin of the Pacific LLSVP as previous thought.
文摘The El Ni?o Southern Oscillation(ENSO) is a natural phenomenon that relates to the fluctuation of temperatures over the Pacific Ocean. The ENSO significantly affects the ocean dynamics including upwelling event and coastal front. A recent study discovered the seasonal upwelling in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia(ECPM), which is significant to the fishery industry in this region. Thus, it is vital to have a better understanding of the influence of ENSO towards the coastal upwelling and thermal front in the ECPM. The sea surface temperature(SST) data achieved from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer(MODIS) aboard Aqua satellite are used in this study to observe the SST changes from 2005 to 2015. However, due to cloud cover issue, a reconstruction of data set is applied to MODIS data using the data interpolating empirical orthogonal function(DINEOF) to fill in the missing gap in the dataset based on spatial and temporal available data. Besides, a wavelet transformation analysis is done to determine the temperature fluctuation throughout the time series. The DINEOF results show the coastal upwelling in the ECPM develops in July and reaches its peak in August with a clear cold water patch off the coast. There is also a significant change of SST distribution during the El Ni?o years which weaken the coastal upwelling event along the ECPM. The wavelet transformation analysis shows the highest temperature fluctuation is in 2009–2010 which indicates the strongest El Ni?o throughout the time period. It is suggested that the El Ni?o is favourable for the stratification in water column thus it is weakening the upwelling and thermal frontal zone formation in ECPM waters.