The Lithosphere Structure and its Implication for Different Metallogenic Belts beneath the Eastern South China Block

The South China Block(SCB)was formed through the Neoproterozoic amalgamation of the Yangtze Block(YB),the Cathaysia Block(CB),and the accreted components of the Jiangnan orogenic belt(JNO),it is bounded by the Jiangshan–Shaoxing–Pingxiang fault(JSPF)and the Jiujiang–Shitai–Jishou fault(JSJF)(Yao et al.,2019).The SCB has undergone a series of complex geological events,including Paleozoic orogeny,Mesozoic collisions with the North China Craton(NCC)and the Indochina Block,as well as the intracontinental orogeny,leading to extensive lithospheric modifications and magmatic activities(Zhang H J et al.,2023;Fig.1).

Structure of the Upper Mantle and Transition Zone Beneath the South China Block Imaged by Finite Frequency Tomography

We applied the finite frequency tomography method to S wave data recorded by 350 broadband stations beneath the South China Block（SCB） and its surroundings from earthquakes occurring between July 2007 and July 2010,to better understand upper mantle deformation.Differential travel-times in the pair of stations with appropriate weighting for each station are used in the inversion.Our results are consistent with previous tomography that show a high velocity anomaly beneath the Sichuan basin and a high velocity anomaly in the transition zone beneath the Yangtze Craton.However,the resolution of mantle heterogeneity provides new insight into the tectonic framework of subduction of Burmese lithosphere in the west part of the study region and subduction of oceanic lithosphere in the east.In the subduction realm,west of 107°E,a significant fast S-wave anomaly is located on the southeast of Sichuan Basin.East of 107°E,and two narrow and discontinuous fast S-wave anomalies occur at a depth of 400-600 km beneath the middle of the South China block overlain by the pronounced low S-wave anomalies at a depth of 100 and 400 km.If the fast anomalies located in the mantle transition zone represent stagnant slabs,their fragmented nature may suggest that they could be produced by different episodes of subduction beneath western Pacific island and the above slow velocity anomaly may associated with the back-arc regions of ongoing subduction.In addition,tomography also reveals an anomalously high S-wave velocity continental root extends eastward to a depth 400 km beneath the eastern Sichuan Basin.This anomaly may be related to eastern extrusion of Indian lithosphere associated with the collision of India and Eurasia.Moreover,our results also show large slow anomalies beneath the Red River fault region connected to deeper anomalies beneath the South China Fold Belt and South China Sea.AH these observations are consistent with the scenario that the South China block has been built by both of subduction of Paleopacific plate and eastward subduction of Burma microplate.

Depositional Age, Provenance Characteristics and Tectonic Setting of the Ailaoshan Group in the Southwestern South China Block

The depositional and metamorphic ages and provenances of the Ailaoshan(ALS) Group in the Ailaoshan-Red River(ALS-RR) shear zone, southwestern South China Block(SCB), were investigated to constrain the tectonic history of the southwestern SCB. In this study, we use petrology, geochemical analysis, zircon cathodoluminescence imaging and UPb geochronology to analyse samples of quartzite, garnet-bearing two-mica schist and metapelite. The age spectra of detrital zircon grains from these metasediments show two dominant age peaks at 550–424 Ma and 876–730 Ma and two subordinate peaks at 970–955 Ma and ~2450 Ma. The youngest peak, corresponding to the early Palaeozoic, accounts for more than 20% of the total dates and constrains the deposition of the ALS Group to the Palaeozoic rather than the Palaeoproterozoic as traditionally thought. Moreover, two peaks of metamorphic ages corresponding to the Permo-Triassic and Cenozoic were also identified, and these ages document the tectonothermal events associated with the Indosinian collision between the Indochina Block and the SCB and the Himalayan collision between the Indian and Asian plates. Geochemical data suggest that the provenances of the ALS Group were dominated by continental arc and recycled metasedimentary rocks. The comparison of probability density distribution plots of the detrital zircon U-Pb age data indicates that the Neoproterozoic detritus in the ALS Group was probably derived from the arc-related Neoproterozoic intrusive bodies in the northwestern and southwestern SCB. Furthermore, the early Palaeozoic detritus might have been sourced from eroded early Palaeozoic strata and magmatic plutons in Cathaysia and volcanic rocks in the western Indochina Block.

Two-episode Tectono-thermal Events of the Heyuan Fault in Late Cretaceous and Oligocene and their Tectonic Implications, Southernmost South China Block

The Heyuan Fault, is one of the main NE-trending faults in the southernmost South China Block and is close to the northernmost South China Sea to the south. The fault features multi-stage deformation and controlled the formation of late Cretaceous to Cenozoic basins. Based on detailed field investigations and comprehensive geochronological research, including zircon U-Pb, Rb-Sr isochron, zircon U-Th-He dating, two episodic tectono-thermal events are recognized. The first occurred during ~79 Ma to 66 Ma, which is characterized by large-scale quartz-fluid emplacement. The other occurred at ~34 Ma, which features the eruption of a set of basalts. The two events show a changing on material source from siliceous hydrotherm to basalt magma, supporting obvious lithospheric thinning of the southernmost South China Block, which shed light on the geological evolution and the interaction mechanisms between the SCB and the northern South China Sea since the Late Cretaceous.

The Silurian A-Type Granites in Northeastern Guangxi,South China Block:New Evidence of Transition from Compression to Post-orogenic Extension of the Kwangsian Orogen

Objective More and more evidence suggests that the Kwangsian orogen is probably an intraplate orogen, which is one of the few examples of intraplate orogenesis worldwide. However, the initiation time, size and scope of the Kwangsian orogeny have not been determined yet. This study analyzed the Silurian A-type granites in northeastern Guangxi, South China Block, which may provide new evidence for the transition from compression to post- orogenic extension of the Kwangsian orogen.

Triassic magmatism in the eastern part of the South China Block： Geochronological and petrogenetic constraints from Indosinian granites

The granitic dykes in the Badu Group, Zhejiang Province, South China provide important insights on tectonic setting and crustal evolution of the South China Block （SCB） and the Indochina Block during Triassic. Here we report LA-ICP-MS U-Pb data of granitic rocks from the Hucun and Kengkou which show early Triassic ages of 242 ± 2 and 232 ± 3 Ma, respectively, representing their timing of emplacement. The dyke rocks are enriched in K, AI, LREE, Rb, Th, U, and Pb, and are depleted in Nb, Ta, St, and Ti. The rocks are characterized by highly fractionated REE patterns with （La/Yb）N ratios of 28.46 -38.07 with strong negative Eu anomalies （Eu/Eu＊ = 0,65-0.73）. In situ Hf isotopic analyses of zircons from the Hucun granite yielded CHf（t） values of -13.9 to -6.4 and two-stage depleted mantle Hf model ages of 1.68-2.15 Ga, which indicate that the magma was formed by partial melting of the Paleo- proterozoic metasedimentary protoliths in the Cathaysia Block. The zircons from the Kengkou granite have eHf（t） values ranging from -40.7 to 31.5 and yield two-stage depleted mantle Hf model ages of 0.99 -2.49 Ga, indicating magma origin from a mixed source. The Hucun and Kengkou dykes, together with the Triassic A-type granites in SE China were probably generated during magmatism associated with crust-mantle decoupling along the convergent plate boundary between SCB and the Indochina Block.

Paleomagnetism of Cretaceous Red beds from Eastern Part of South China Block

We performed on paleomagnetic investigation of the Upper Cretaceous red sandstones collected from Fujiau and Guangdong provinces. Significant characteristic directions were isolated by principal comPonent analysis from 22 of 25 and 9 of 14 sampling sites iu Fujian and Guangdong,respectively. Maximum concentration of global mean directions every province is achieved at 70 %and complete (100 % ) untilting for Fujian and Guangdong, respectively. We regarded these mean directions as the Late Cretaceous paleomagnetic directions and calculated virtual geomagnetic poles (VGPs); Fujian, Lat. /Lon. = 79. 4°N/210. 3°E (α95= 5. 1°) and Guangdong, Lat. /Lon. = 80. 1°N/193. 4°E (α95=8. 0°). These two VGPs are nearly equal to each other and to a mean VGP from Sichuan Province reported previously. This observation suggests no relative movement among three regions, Fujian, Guangdong and Sichuan, since the Late Cretaceous. Two VGPs from this study are significantly different from previously reported VGPs from the same regions. Further systematic paleomagnetic works are needed to clarify this difference of VGP Positions.

The Lithospheric Structure in the South China Block from Receiver Function: Implications for the Source of Mineral System

The South China block(SC),composed of Cathaysia(CA),Jiangnan Orogenic belt(JNB),and Yangtze block(YB),is one of the most important poly-metallic metallogenic provinces in the world(Zhang et al.,2013),containing of four famous major Mesozoic metallogenic belts,involving the Middle-Lower Yangtze Fe-Cu-Au metallogenic belt(MYMB).

The Earlier Spreading of South China Sea Basin due to the Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic Extension of South China Block: Structural Styles and Chronological Evidence from the Dulong-Song Chay Metamorphic Dome, Southwest China

To understand the forming and tectonic evolution of the South China Sea basin, new data of the structural styles and geochronology were obtained from the Dulong-Song Chay dome, southeastern Yunnan and northern Vietnam. The structural styles were acquired through field investigation and geo-chronological dating was carried out using zircon SHRIMP Ⅱ U-P and argon isotopic analyses. The South China Sea basin extension occurred firstly at Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic, and then at Late Oligocene to Middle Miocene （32-17 Ma）. The second stage of extension formed immediately after the first stage, and both extensions have a consistent forming mechanism. New structural analysis and geo-chronological data do not support the models of ＂backarc spreading＂ and ＂strike-slip faults producing the extension＂. Then what mechanism resulted in the extension of South China Sea basin？ The data indicate that at least two episodes of major extensional tectonics, i.e. , the D1 deformation at 237-228 Ma resulted in the rising and exhumation of the dome, and D2 deformation at 86-78 Ma overprinted and redeformed the dome. Of them, the D2 shows a consistent forming time, extensional direction and tectonic regime among Dulong-Song Chay dome, South China block and the northern margin of the South China Sea basin. Regional geology has proved that the northern margin of the South China Sea basin belongs to the South China block, therefore, we interpreted that the Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic extensional tectonics occurred in the northern margin of the South China Sea basin due to the intraplate deformation of the South China block, while the Ailaoshan-Red River sinistral slip strengthened the Cenozoic extension in the South China Sea basin.

Provenance of the Southeastern South China Block in the Late Triassic and Initiation of Paleo-Pacific Subduction:Evidence from Detrital Zircon U-Pb Geochronology

During the Late Paleozoic-Early Mesozoic Era,the sediment transport system and tectonic regime in the southeastern margin of the South China Block(SESCB)all changed,significantly affected by the Paleo-Pacific subduction.However,controversy exists about the Paleo-Pacific subduction's initiation time.This study uses detrital zircon U-Pb ages to discuss the Late Triassic source-tosink system in the SESCB.It provides some references for the Paleo-Pacific subduction process based on crucial age information and zircons'trace elements.The paleogeography and similarity of detrital zircon age distribution indicate that three sinks were found in the SESCB during the Late Triassic:1.the Yangchun-Kaiping-Gaoming area,comprising major age ranges of 260-220,460-400,and 1200-800 Ma,which might be sourced from the Yunkai terrane;2.the Jiexi-Kanshi-Nanjing area,characterized by the significant age component of 2000-1800 Ma,which corresponded to the Wuyi terrane;3.the Xinan area,consisting of significant age groups of 290-250 and 380-320 Ma,which might be sourced from the magmatic rocks formed by the Huinan Movement and Paleo-Pacific subduction.Note that 290-250 Ma zircons were widely distributed in the Upper Triassic strata,and their trace elements suggested the existence of a magmatic arc near the SESCB during the 290-250 Ma.Thus,we propose that the Paleo-Pacific subduction might have begun in the Early Permian.

The Influence of the Closure of the East Paleo-Tethys Ocean on Southern South China:Evidences from Kinematics and^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar Geochronology of the Rongxian Ductile Shear Zone in Southeastern Guangxi

The Triassic was a crucial period in the tectonic evolution of the South China Block.Research on tectonic deformation during this period provides information on intracontinental orogenic mechanisms in South China.In this study,alongside thermochronological analyses,we examine the macroscopic and microscopic structural features of the Rongxian ductile shear zone,located south of the Darongshan granite in the southeastern part of Guangxi Province,on the southern margin of South China.Sinistral shear is indicated by the characteristics of rotatedσ-type feldspar porphyroclasts,stretching lineations defined by elongated quartz grains and the orientations of quartz c-axes.LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of zircons from two samples of granitic mylonite and one of granite yielded ages of ca.256 Ma.Furthermore,two samples of granitic mylonite yield muscovite^(40)Ar/^(39)Ar plateau ages of 249-246 Ma.These results indicate that the Rongxian ductile shear zone resulted from Early Triassic deformation of the late Permian Darongshan granite.This deformation was likely related to the closure of the eastern Paleo-Tethys Ocean and the subsequent collision of the South China and Indochina blocks,during the early stage of the Indosinian orogeny.

Cretaceous Deepwater Lacustrine Dedimentary Sequences from the Northernmost South China Block, Qingdao, China

A sequence of terrigenous siliciclastic rocks crop out at Baxiandun, Qingdao, near the Mesozoic collisional boundary between North China block （NCB） and South China block （SCB）. These low-grade metamorphosed siliciclastic rocks are dominated by greywacke with shale, man- ganiferous fine-grained sandstone, arkose and conglomerate layers. There are two basic interpreta- tions about the formation of these rocks. One considered that this sequence was formed within NCB, and is part of the Cretaceous Laiyang Group and Qingshan Group fluvial facies and volcanic debris facies, as shown on the Shandong Regional Geological Map. Another opinion suggested that these rocks represent turbidity depositional systems in the slope and the basin facies was mainly deposited in Ordovician. Based on field observation, petrological analysis, and most importantly, geochemical results in this study, the sedimentary strata at Baxiandun Section mainly consist of siltstone, sand- stone and mudstone lithologies. They are dominated by deepwater debris and turbidity deposits in the slope and base of a lake. The U-Pb detrital zircon dating of the rocks at the Baxiandun Section indicates that the source rocks are very complex and their ages are varied from Archean to Early Cretaceous. The youngest age of the terrigenous detritus could represent the age of the sedimentary strata. Therefore, we infer that the sedimentary rocks belong to Early Cretaceous deepwater lacus- trine sedimentary sequences and have multiple sources origined from the erosion of the Sulu UHP orogen and South China block margin.

Crustal thickness and composition in the South China Block:Constraints from earthquake receiver function

Crustal thickness and composition are closely related to geology and tectonic evolution of the region.Studying the differences in the crustal thickness and composition of the South China Block(SCB)is important to gain a comprehensive understanding of multi-phase amalgamation,breakup,reworking,and regional geodynamic processes.In this study,teleseismic data from 135 high-density portable broadband stations from Sino Probe were processed using Common Conversion Point(CCP)stacking and H-κstacking methods.The Moho depth and P-wave and S-wave velocity ratio(V_(p)/V_(s))were studied.Our results revealed several insights about the tectonic processes in the SCB.First,the crustal structure and V_(p)/V_(s)ratios of the Cathaysia Block,Jiangnan Orogenic Belt,and Yangtze Block were significantly different.The average depth of the Moho in the Cathaysia Block was approximately 31 km,and the V_(p)/V_(s)ratios increased from the inland area(1.66)to the coastal area(1.78),indicating the oceanward increase of mafic proportion in the lower crust,which is related to the influence of the Paleo-Pacific Plate westward subduction.Second,the crustal thickness of Jiangnan Orogenic Belt deepens from east ca.31 to the west ca.42 km and the V_(p)/V_(s)ratios varied from 1.75 to 1.64,illustrating a relatively felsic crust,which could have been related to the Mesozoic upper crustal thickening under compression followed by the lower crust removal under the extensional background.Third,the average crustal thickness of the Yangtze Block was 42 km,and the V_(p)/V_(s)ratios ranged from 1.64 to 1.84,presenting a positive correlation between the Moho depth and the V_(p)/V_(s)ratio,which is explained by the relatively thick mafic lower crust.Based on the variations in the crustal structure and V_(p)/V_(s)ratios of the profile,we inferred that the central part of the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt was bounded by the Jiangshan-Shaoxing-Hengyang in the east and the Jiujiang-Shitai-Jishou in the west.The small-scale Moho depth undulations at the intersection of the Cathaysia Block and the Jiangnan Orogenic Belt could be related to the Mesozoic compression-extension geodynamic transformation.

Rayleigh wave phase velocities of South China block and its adjacent areas

Using records of continuous seismic waveforms from 609 broadband seismic stations in the South China Block and its adjacent areas in 2010–2012, empirical Green's functions of surface waves were obtained from cross-correlation functions of ambient noise data between these stations. High quality phase velocity dispersion curves of Rayleigh waves were obtained using time-frequency analysis. These interstation dispersion curves were then inverted to build Rayleigh wave phase velocity maps at periods of 6–50 s. The results of phase velocity maps indicate that phase velocities at 6–10 s periods are correlated with the geological features in the upper crust. Major basins and small-scale grabens and basins display slow velocity anomalies; while most of the orogenic belts and the fold belts display high velocity anomalies. With the gravity gradient zone along Taihang Mountain to Wuling Mountain as the boundary for the phase velocity maps at period of 20–30 s, the western area mainly displays low velocity anomalies, while the eastern side shows high velocity anomalies. Phase velocities in the eastern South China Block south to the Qinling-Dabie orogenic belt is higher than that in the eastern North China Block to the north, which is possibly due to the differences of tectonic mechanisms between the North China Craton and the South China Block. The phase velocities at periods of40–50 s are possibly related to the lateral variations of the velocity structure in the lower crust and upper mantle: The low-velocity anomalies in the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau are caused by the thick crust; while the Sichuan Basin and the southern part of the Ordos Basin display distinct high-velocity anomalies, reflecting the stable features of the lithosphere in these blocks. The lateral variation pattern of phase velocities in the southern part of the South China Block is not consistent with the surface trace of the block boundary in the eastern Yunnan Province and its vicinities. The phase velocities in the Sichuan Basin are overall slow at short periods and gradually increase with period from the central part to the edge of the basin, indicating the features of shallower basement in the center and overall stable lithospheric mantle of the basin. The middle and upper crust of the southern Ordos Basin in the North China Block is heterogeneous, while in lower crust and the uppermost mantle the phase velocities mainly exhibit high anomalies. High-velocity anomalies are widespread at the middle of the Qinling-Dabie orogenic belt, as well as the areas in southeastern Guangxi with Caledonian granite explosion, but its detailed mechanism is still unclear.

Different accretion and diagenetic patterns within the fabrics of the Permian–Triassic boundary microbialites on the Leye isolated carbonate platform, South China Block

A comprehensive study on the accretion and diagenesis of the Permian–Triassic boundary microbialites is conducive to a better understanding of the ecological community after the end-Permian mass extinction. Here we studied the special microbialite sequences at the Tianba section of Leye isolated carbonate platform, South China Block. The microbialites are shown as small columnar stromatolites, stromatolitic thrombolites, spotted thrombolites,and domical digitate thrombolites in an ascending order. Thin section analyses, coupled with cathodoluminescence photos and oxygen isotopic data, reveal that all types of microbially-mediated laminae/clots are partly recrystallized.Layers of the Polybessurus-like fossils commonly occur in the recrystallized fabrics of stromatolitic laminae. However,the Polybessurus-like fossils are rare in quantity and generally fragmentary and structureless in stromatolitic clots and spotted clots. Such taphonomic features are likely interpreted as the early decomposition by heterotrophic bacteria in an oxygen-depleted microenvironment caused by rapid accumulations of organic matter in the calm water.More enrichments of ~(13)C in the laminae of stromatolite and in the clots of stromatolitic thrombolite and spotted thrombolite than in adjacent interstitial matrixes signify the photosynthesis-dominated isotopic fractionation during the growth of microbial communities. Rare calcimicrobial structures but many calcite crystal fans were found in the ~(13)C-depleted digitate clots. These phenomena indicate that seawater on the carbonate platform was ~(12)C-enriched and supersaturated, accelerating carbonate precipitations and decompositions of organic matter within the microbial community. Different preservations of the Polybessurus-like fossil revealed the complicated microbiallydominated sedimentation and post-depositional diagenesis in the abnormal seawater after the catastrophe.

Discussion on the Neoproterozoic glaciations in the South China Block and their related paleolatitudes

The Kaigas, Sturtian, Marinoan, and Gaskiers glaciations are widely recognized in Neoproterozoic. However, in the South China Block only the Jiangkou (Sturtian) and Nantuo (Marinoan) are symbolized by sedimentary records. The Kaigas, recorded by isotopic and chemical proxies, exhibited likely the nature of cold paleoclimate with local mountain glaciation. The correlation of the Doushantuo Formation with the Gaskiers is indicated by the carbon isotope excursion and the dated age from the interval, however the South China Block was then under non-glacial weather. With no paleomagnetic data, the position of the South China Block during the Sturtian glaciation cannot be determined. The paleolatitudes of the South China Block during the Kaigas and Nantuo glaciations are intermediate, even though the Nantuo was once rendered erratically deduced equatorial. In fact, the paleolatitudes of the South China Block during the Neoproterozoic glaciations are all likely at about 30°―40°.

Petrogenesis and Geodynamic Implications of Late Jurassic Diorite Porphyry in the Neoproterozoic Ophiolitic Mélange of NE Jiangxi (South China)

Mesozoic magmatism is widespread in the eastern South China Block and has a close genetic relationship with intensive polymetallic mineralization. However, proper tectonic driver remains elusive to reconcile the broad intracontinental magmatic province. This study presents integrated zircon U-Pb dating, Hf isotopes and whole-rock geochemistry of the Xiwan dioritic porphyry in the NE Jiangxi ophiolitic mélange. Zircon U-Pb dating by SIMS and LA-ICP-MS methods yielded an emplacement age of ～160 Ma for the Xiwan diorite, confirming its inclusion into the Mesozoic magmatic province in SE China, instead of a component of the Neoproterozoic ophiolitic mélange genetically. The dioritic rocks have low Si02(58.08 wt%-59.15 wt%), and high NaO(5.00 wt%-5.21 wt%) and MgO(4.60 wt%-5.24 wt%) contents with low TFeO/MgO ratios(1.02-1.09). They show an adakitic geochemical affinity but exhibit relatively low Sr/Y ratios(24.8-31.1) and high Y contents(14.6-18.3 ppm) compared to the Dexing adakitic porphyries. In addition, the Xiwan diorites have moderately evolved zircon Hf isotopic compositions(ε(t)=-6.1--0.1; T=1597-1219 Ma). These elemental and isotopic signatures suggest that the Xiwan diorite formed through partial melting of a remnant arc lower crust(i.e., early Neoproterozoic mafic arc-related rocks) in response to the underplating of coeval mafic magmas. In conjunction with the temporal-spatial distribution and complex geochemical characteristics of the Mesozoic magmatism, our case study attests to the feasibility of a flat-slab subduction model in developing the broad intracontinental magmatic province in SE China. The flat-slab delamination tends to trigger an asthenospheric upwelling and thus results in extensive partial melting of the overlying lithospheric mantle and lower crustal materials in an extensional setting during the Mesozoic.

A New Species of Amsassia from the Ordovician of Korea and South China:Paleobiological and Paleogeographical Significance

A new species of the probable calcareous alga Amsassia, A. koreanensis, is recognized from the Duwibong Formation （Middle Ordovician, Darriwilian） of the Taebaeksan Basin in mid-eastern Korea. This is the first report of the genus from the Korean Peninsula, expanding its geographical range to the eastern Sino-Korean Block. The new species also occurs in the Xiazhen Formation （Upper Ordovician, Katian） at Zhuzhai in the South China Block. Amsassia koreanensis is the smallest species of this modular genus, having a maximum module diameter of 0.28 ram. Module increase is by bipartite, tripartite and quadripartite types of longitudinal axial fission, but unlike other species of the genus, quadripartite fission is common. The types of fission are comparable to those in some Tetradiida （now Prismostylales, florideophycean rhodophyte algae）, although the processes of fission are different. The distribution of A. koreanensis further strengthens the biogeographical connection between the Sino-Korean and South China blocks, suggesting that these two paleocontinents were located closer together during the Middle to Late Ordovician than previously speculated.

Characteristics and Tectonic Significance of the Gravity Field in South China

Based on gravity data processed with the matched filter, depth continuation and horizontal gradient we obtained the spatial distribution of the gravity field and made analyses of the tectonic framework of South China. Then, inversion was conducted for the depth to study the depth variation of the boundary between the crust and upper mantle, namely the Mohorovicic discontinuity (Moho). The results demonstrate that the Moho depth in South China ranges from 30 to 40 km, and the crust thins from west to east, 27-29 km under the continent margin and shallow sea. We think it possible that the Tanlu fault crosses the Yangtze River and extends southwards along the Ganjiang and Wuchuan-Sihui faults to the South China Sea, and that there is an E-W hidden structural belt along 24.5°-26°.

3D Velocity Structure and Its Tectonic Implications in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea

3D structure of the crust and upper mantle in the studied area has been analyzed from surface wave tomography. The velocity distribution in the uppermost crust is symmetrical on two sides of the central line of the sea, and coincides with the structure of crystalline basement. The essential difference in tectonics between the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea mainly lies in that the velocity structures of their lower crust and upper mantle are identical to those of South China and North China respectively. In the upper mantle there exists a high-velocity zone with a nearly EW strike from the Hangzhou Bay, China, to the Tokara Channel, Japan, along about the latitude of 30°N. It is found that between the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea there are systematical differences in geomorphology, geology, seismicity, heat flow, quality factor and gravity and aeromagnetic anomalies, which is related to both left-lateral shear dislocation and right-lateral tear of the Benioff zone from the Hangzhou Bay to the Tokara Channel.It is inferred that the East China Sea was formed by Cenozoic back-arc extension. The boundary between the North China and South China crustal blocks stretches along the southern piedmont of Mts. Daba-Dabie-Hangzhou Bay-Tokara Channel, and the subduction zone at the Okinawa trench is the eastern boundary of the South China crustal block. The movements of the Pacific plate, Indian plate and upper mantle rather than the Philippine plate subduction have played a dominant role for the modern tectonic movements in East Asia.