FEATURES OF GRAVITY AND MAGNETIC ANOMALIES IN CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PARTS OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND THEIR GEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION

The gravity and magnetic survey lines of about 13,500 km were carried out in the centraland northern parts of the South China Sea from 1977 to 1978. The results obtained showthat the Bouguer gravity and magnetic anomalies have a tendency to increase gradually theirvalues from the northern continental shelf, through the slope, to the central abyssal basin of theSouth China Sea. The change in free-air gravity anomaly values coincides to a certain degreewith the undulation of the sea-bottom topography. The primary factor determining regionalvariation of the Bouguer gravity anomayl values is the Moho depth. The main factor deter-mining the magnetic anomly values is the nature of the basement rock. The high magnetieand Bouguer gravity anomaly values observed in some fault basin areas are inferred to becaused by draping the basic and ultrabasic magma extruding along the faults on the basementof the metamorphic rock,or by intrusion of the same magma into the basement.

Structural characteristics of the KPR-CBR triple-junction inferred from gravity and magnetic interpretations,Philippine Sea Plate

The intersection of the Kyushu-Palau Ridge(KPR)and the Central Basin Rift(CBR)of the West Philippine Basin(WPB)is a relic of a trench-trench-rift(TTR)type triple-junction,which preserves some pivotal information on the cessation of the seafloor spreading of the WPB,the emplacement and disintegration of the proto-Izu-Bonin-Mariana(IBM)Arc,and the transition from initial rifting to steady-state spreading of the Parece Vela Basin(PVB).However,the structural characteristics of this triple-junction have not been thoroughly understood.In this paper,using the newly acquired multi-beam bathymetric,gravity,and magnetic data obtained by the Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology,China Geological Survey,the authors depict the topographic,gravity,and magnetic characteristics of the triple-junction and adjacent region.Calculations including the upward continuations and total horizontal derivatives of gravity anomaly are also performed to highlight the major structural features and discontinuities.Based on these works,the morphological and structural features and their formation mechanisms are analyzed.The results show that the last episode amagmatic extension along the CBR led to the formation of a deep rift valley,which extends eastward and incised the KPR.The morphological and structural fabrics of the KPR near and to the south of the triple-junction are consistent with those of the western PVB,manifesting as a series of NNE-SSW-and N-S-trending ridges and troughs,which were produced by the extensional faults associated with the initial rifting of the PVB.The superposition of the above two reasons induced the prominent discontinuity of the KPR in deep and shallow crustal structures between 15°N‒15°30′N and 13°30′N‒14°N.Combined with previous authors’results,we propose that the stress produced by the early spreading of the PVB transmitted westward and promoted the final stage amagmatic extension of the CBR.The eastward propagation of the CBR destroyed the KPR,of which the magmatism had decayed or ceased at that time.The destruction mechanism of the KPR associated with the rifting of the PVB varies along strike the KPR.Adjacent to the triple-junction,the KPR was destroyed mainly due to the oblique intersection of the PVB rifting center.Whereas south of the triple-junction,the KPR was destroyed by the E-W-directional extensional faulting on its whole width.

Study on the distribution characteristics of faults and their control over petroliferous basins in the China seas and its adjacent areas

As one of the main controlling factors of oil and gas accumulation,faults are closely related to the distribution of oil and gas reservoirs.Studying how faults control petroliferous basins is particularly important.In this work,we investigated the plane positions of major faults in the China seas and its adjacent areas using the normalized vertical derivative of the total horizontal derivative(NVDR-THDR)of the Bouguer gravity anomaly,the fusion results of gravity and magnetic anomalies,and the residual Bouguer gravity anomaly.The apparent depths of major faults in the China seas and its adjacent areas were inverted using the Tilt-Euler method based on the Bouguer gravity anomaly.The results show that the strikes of the faults in the China seas and its adjacent areas are mainly NE and NW,followed by EW,and near-SN.Among them,the lengths of most ultra-crustal faults are in the range of 1000–3000 km,and their apparent depths lie between 10 km and 40 km.The lengths of crustal faults lie between 300 km and 1000 km,and their apparent depths are between 0 km and 20 km.According to the plane positions and apparent depths of the faults,we put forward the concept of fault influence factor for the first time.Based on this factor,the key areas for oil and gas exploration were found as follows:the east of South North China Basin in the intracontinental rift basins;the southeast region of East China Sea Shelf Basin,the Taixinan and Qiongdongnan basins in the continental margin rift basins;Zhongjiannan Basin in the strike-slip pull-apart basins;the Liyue,Beikang,and the Nanweixi basins in the rifted continental basins.This work provides valuable insights into oil and gas exploration,mineral resource exploration,and deep geological structure research in the China seas and its adjacent areas.

Interpretations of gravity and Songliao Basin with Wavelet magnetic anomalies in the Multi-scale Decomposition

In this paper, we introduce the method of Wavelet Multi-scale Decomposition （WMD） combined with Power Spectrum Analysis （PSA） for the separation of regional gravity and magnetic anomalies. The Songliao Basin is situated between the Siberian Plate and the North China Plate, and its main structural trend of gravity and magnetic anomaly fields is NNE. The study area shows a significant feature of deep collage-type construction. According to the feature of gravity field, the region was divided into five sub-regions. The gravity and magnetic fields of the Songliao Basin were separated using WMD with a 4th order separation. The apparent depth of anomalies in each order was determined by Logarithmic PSA. Then, the shallow high-frequency anomalies were removed and the 2nd-4th order wavelet detail anomalies were used to study the basin＇s major faults. Twenty-six faults within the basement were recognized. The 4th order wavelet approximate anomalies were used for the inversion of the Moho discontinuity and the Curie isothermal surface.

A Synthesis of Geophysical Data in Southeastern North China Craton:Implications for the Formation of the Arcuate Xuhuai Thrust Belt

The Xuhuai fold thrust belt(XHTB)is a curved structure in the southeastern margin of the North China Craton(NCC)that has attracted great attentions due to its tectonic and petrological characteristics.However,few geophysical studies have focused on the deep structure of this belt.In this study,we carry out a systematic demonstration of the main geophysical features that characterize the XHTB and surrounding areas.The results reveal small negative gravity and magnetic anomalies,thin crust and lithosphere,lower shear velocity and shallower earthquake epicenters relative to other areas of the NCC,collectively indicating a lithospheric-scale rheological anomaly at this belt.The magnetic alignments show a trend similar to that of geological units in southeastern NCC and adjacent areas,although they differ from the SKS-splitting fast polarization directions,except in the Qinling-Dabie orogen where a vertical coherent deformation of the crust and mantle may be involved there.Based on the geophysical data,we propose a detachment-controlled model,which was caused by the different detachment depth/strength,for the formation of XHTB to explain its arcuate shape as well as the magnetic alignments,thus providing new insight into the deep processes of southeastern NCC.