Geomorphic and hydrodynamic responses in salt marsh-tidal creek systems, Jiangsu, China

Salt marsh-tidal creek systems as a coastal geomorphological unit represent an important natural resource. The present study on Jiangsu salt marshes, eastern China, shows that variations in tidal current velocities in salt marsh creeks are controlled by the local tidal wave characteristics and the bed slope and elevation of the salt marshes and creeks. Likewise, the tidal currents modify the geomorphology of the salt marsh-tidal creek systems by transporting sediments and causing erosion/deposition. Storm events, which appear to have cyclical changes in their intensity relating to sunspot activities, can affect the geomorphic evolution of such systems. Further, in response to accelerated sea-level rise, accretional rates on salt marshes may increase. The tidal creeks have the function of transporting water and sediment onto the salt marsh surface; further, the energy of tidal currents and waves are dissipated within the salt marsh-tidal creek system. Hence, this coastal system has a potential value for coastal protection.

Flux and fate of Yangtze river sediment delivered to the East China Sea

Numerous cores and dating show the Yangtze River has accumulated about 1.16 x 10(12) t sediment in its delta plain and proximal subaqueous delta during Holocene. High-resolution seismic profiling and coring in the southern East China Sea during 2003 and 2004 cruises has revealed an elongated (similar to 800 km) distal subaqueous mud wedge extending from the Yangtze River mouth southward off the Zhejiang and Fujian coasts into the Taiwan Strait. Overlying what appears to be a transgressive sand layer, this distal clinoform thins offshore, from similar to 40 in thickness between the 20 and 30 m water depth to < 1-2 in between 60 and 90 m water depth, corresponding to an across shelf distance of less than 100 km. Total volume of this distal mud wedge is about 4.5 x 10(11) m(3), equivalent to similar to 5.4 x 10(11) t of sediment. Most of the sediment in this mud wedge comes from the Yangtze River, with some input presumably coming from local smaller rivers. Thus, the total Yangtze-derived sediments accumulated in its deltaic system and East China Sea inner shelf have amounted to about 1.7 x 10(12) t. Preliminary analyses suggest this longshore and across-shelf transported clinoform mainly formed in the past 7000 yrs after postglacial sea level reached its mid-Holocene highstand, and after re-intensification of the Chinese longshore current system. Sedimentation accumulation apparently increased around 2000 yrs BP, reflecting the evolution of the Yangtze estuary and increased land erosion due to human activities, such as fanning and deforestation. The southward-flowing China Coastal Current, the northward-flowing Taiwan Warm Current, and the Kuroshio Current appear to have played critical roles in transporting and trapping most of Yangtze-derived materials in the inner shelf, and hence preventing the sediment escape into the deep ocean. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of shallow gas hydrate in Okhotsk Sea

Multidisciplinary field investigations were carried out in Okhotsk Sea by R/V Akademik M.A. Lavrentyev (LV) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) in May 2006, supported by funding agencies from Korea, Russia, Japan and China. Geophysical data including echo-sounder, bottom profile, side-scan-sonar, and gravity core sample were obtained aimed to understand the characteristics and formation mechanism of shallow gas hydrates. Based on the geophysical data, we found that the methane flare detected by echo-sounder was the evidence of free gas in the sediment, while the dome structure detected by side-scan sonar and bottom profile was the root of gas venting. Gas hydrate retrieved from core on top of the dome structure which was interbedded as thin lamination or lenses with thickness varying from a few millimeters to 3 cm. Gas hydrate content in hydrate-bearing intervals visually amounted to 5%-30% of the sediment volume. This paper argued that gases in the sediment core were not all from gas hydrate decomposition during the gravity core lifting process, free gases must existed in the gas hydrate stability zone, and tectonic structure like dome structure in this paper was free gas central, gas hydrate formed only when gases over-saturated in this gas central, away from these structures, gas hydrate could not form due to low gas concentration.

Tectonics in the northwestern West Philippine basin

The West Philippine basin (WPB) is a currently inactive marginal basin belonging to Philippine Sea plate, which has a complex formation history and various crust structures. Based on gravity, magnetic and seismic data, the tectonics in West Philippine basin is characterized by amagma spreading stage and strike slip fractures. NNE trending Okinawa-Luzon fracture zone is a large fracture zone with apparent geomorphology and shows a right-handed movement. The results of joint gravity-magnetic-seismic inversion suggest that the Okinawa-Luzon fracture zone has intensive deformation and is a transform fault. Western existence of the NW trending fractures under Ryukyu Islands Arc is the main cause of the differences between south and north Okinawa Trough. The Urdaneta plateau is not a remained arc, but remnant of mantle plume although its lava chemistry is similar to oceanic island basalt (OIB).

Seismic profiles across the middle Tan-Lu fault zone in Laizhou Bay, Bohai Sea, eastern China

The stratigraphic architecture, structure and Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the Tan-Lu fault zone in Laizhou Bay, eastern China, are analyzed based on interpretations of 31 new 2D seismic lines across Laizhou Bay. Cenozoic strata in the study area are divided into two layers separated by a prominent and widespread unconformity. The upper sedimentary layer is made up of Neogene and Quaternary fluvial and marine sediments, while the lower layer consists of Paleogene lacustrine and fluvial facies. In terms of tectonics, the sediments beneath the unconformity can be divided into four main structural units: the west depression, central uplift, east depression and Ludong uplift. The two branches of the middle Tan-Lu fault zone differ in their geometry and offset: the east branch fault is a steeply dipping S-shaped strike-slip fault that cuts acoustic basement at depths greater than 8 km, whereas the west branch fault is a relatively shallow normal fault. The Tan-Lu fault zone is the key fault in the study area, having controlled its Cenozoic evolution. Based on balanced cross-sections constructed along transverse seismic line 99.8 and longitudinal seismic line 699.0, the Cenozoic evolution of the middle Tan-Lu fault zone is divided into three stages: Paleocene-Eocene transtension, Oligocene-Early Miocene transpression and Middle Miocene to present-day stable subsidence. The reasons for the contrasting tectonic features of the two branch faults and the timing of the change from transtension to transpression are discussed. Crown Copyright (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

River mouth bar formation, riverbed aggradation and channel migration in the modern Huanghe (Yellow) River delta, China

This paper addresses the recent (1970s-1990s) processes of river mouth bar formation, riverbed aggradation and distributary migration in the Huanghe River mouth area, in the light of station-based monitoring, field measurements and remote sensing interpretation. The results show that the morphological changes of the river mouth bar have been closely associated with the largely reduced fluvial discharge and sediment load. Landforrn development such as bar progradation occurred in two phases, i.e. before and after 1989, which correspond to faster and lower bar growth rates, respectively. Fast riverbed aggradation in the mouth channel was strongly related to river mouth bar progradation. During 1976-1996, about 2.8% of the total sediment loads were deposited in the river channel on the upper to middle delta. Therefore, the river water level rose by a few meters from 1984 to 1996. The frequent distributary channel migration, which switched the radial channel pattern into the SE-directed pattern in the mid-1980s, was linked with mouth bar formation. Marine conditions also constrain seaward bar progradation. Furthermore, the history of river mouth bar formation reflects human impacts, such as dredging and dyking in order to stabilize the coastal area. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polygonal faults and their implications for hydrocarbon reservoirs in the southern Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea

The Polygonal faults were identified in Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea, by using the technique of time coherent slice and horizon flattening of high-resolution 3D seismic data. These polygonal faults occur in three tiers of the upper Meishan Formation and the Huangliu Formation. The faults have lengths of 150-1500 m, spacings of 50-3000 m, throws of 10-40 m and dips of 50-90 degrees. Tectonic evolution in the Qiongdongnan Basin can be divided into a rifted stage and a post-rifted stage. Tectonic faults are widely distributed in the rifted sequences, but are not well developed in the post-rifted stage. Few faults in the post-rifted sequences might suggest the absence of a migration pathway for hydrocarbon or other fluids. However, the existence of polygonal faults in the post-rifted sequences can serve as the pathway and promote the hydrocarbon migration and accumulation in the Qiongdongnan Basin during the post-rifted stage. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bottom simulating reflector and gas seepage in Okinawa Trough: Evidence of gas hydrate in an active back-arc basin

To look for gas hydrate, 22 multi-channel and 3 single-channel seismic lines on the East China Sea (ECS) shelf slope and at the bottom of the Okinawa Trough were examined. It was found that there was indeed bottom simulating reflector (BSR) occurrence, but it is very rare. Besides several BSRs, a gas seepage was also found. As shown by the data, both the BSR and gas seepage are all related with local geological structures, such as mud diapir, anticline, and fault-controlled graben-like structure. However, similar structural "anomalies" are quite common in the tectonically very active Okinawa Trough region, but very few of them have developed BSR or gas seepage. The article points out that the main reason is probably the low concentration of organic carbon of the sediment in this area. It was speculated that the rare occurrence of gas hydrates in this region is governed by structure-controlled fluid flow. Numerous faults and fractures form a network of high-permeability channels in the sediment and highly fractured igneous basement to allow fluid circulation and ventilation. Fluid flow in this tectonic environment is driven primarily by thermal buoyancy and takes place on a wide range of spatial scales. The fluid flow may play two roles to facilitate hydrate formation: to help gather enough methane into a small area and to modulate the thermal regime.

Geophysical evaluation methods for buried hill reservoirs in the Jiyang superdepression of the Bohai Bay basin, eastern China

The Jiyang superdepression is one of the richest hydrocarbon accumulations in the Bohai Bay basin, eastern China. Comprehensive seismic methods have been used in buried hill exploration in Jiyang to describe these fractured reservoirs better. Accurate seismic stratigraphic demarcation and variable-velocity mapping were applied to reveal the inner structure of the buried hills and determine the nature of the structural traps more precisely. Based on the analysis of rock properties and the characteristics of well-developed buried hill reservoirs, we have successfully linked the geology and seismic response by applying seismic forward technology. Log-constrained inversion, absorption coefficient analysis and tectonic forward-inversion with FMI loggings were applied to analyse and evaluate the buried hill reservoirs and gave satisfying results. The reservoir prediction was successful, which confirmed that the comprehensive utilization of these methods can be helpful in the exploration of buried hill reservoirs.

Rifting process and formation mechanisms of syn-rift stage prolongation in the deepwater basin, northern South China Sea

Based on the latest seismic and geological data, tectonic subsidence of three seismic lines in the deepwater area of Pearl River Mouth Basin (PRMB), the northern South China Sea (SCS), is calculated. The result shows that the rifting process of study area is different from the typical passive continental margin basin. Although the seafloor spreading of SCS initiated at 32 Ma, the tectonic subsidence rate does not decrease but increases instead, and then decreases at about 23 Ma, which indicates that the rifting continued after the onset of seafloor spreading until about 23 Ma. The formation thickness exhibits the same phenomenon, that is the syn-rift stage prolonged and the post-rift thermal subsidence delayed. The formation mechanisms are supposed to be three: (1) the lithospheric rigidity of the northern SCS is weak and its ductility is relatively strong, which delayed the strain relaxation resulting from the seafloor spreading; (2) the differential layered independent extension of the lithosphere may be one reason for the delay of post-rift stage; and (3) the southward transition of SCS spreading ridge during 24 to 21 Ma and the corresponding acceleration of seafloor spreading rate then triggered the initiation of large-scale thermal subsidence in the study area at about 23 Ma.

南海ODP1148站33Ma以来的沉积矿物组成通量及其构造响应

摘 要 矿物是沉积物的主要成分，其陆源组分经过地表径流或风带到海洋，直接或间接地沉积下来。海洋中陆源矿物的多寡反映了物源供给和输送动力的强弱，从长尺度看受构造活动和地貌演化所控制，因此大的构造运动必然在相邻边缘海沉积的陆源组分和通量变化中留下烙印。 新生代南海海盆经历了两次扩张，第二次扩张发生在32～15.5 Ma，这次扩张使东北巴拉望地块向南漂移，形成了南海中央海盆。青藏高原的隆升具有分阶段不均匀性，目前研究认为渐新世以来青藏高原快速隆升的时代有25～17 Ma，13～8 Ma 和3.4 Ma～现今。为了探明青藏高原加速隆升和南海构造扩张在南海沉积中的响应，我们对ODP 184 航次在中国南海1148站取得的沉积物进行了矿物学分析。通过化学提纯分离方法获得陆源矿物，粘土矿物，长石矿物、石英的含量以及它们的通量；通过X射线衍射分析获得粘土矿物的组成并估算了各组分的沉积通量；用激光粒度仪分析了陆源物质的粒度。 利用以上分析的结果和本航次的年代数据获得33 Ma以来的沉积矿物的含量、通量和陆源物质粒度随时间变化曲线。在此基础上讨论了33 Ma来南海陆源矿物含量和通量对南海构造扩张及青藏高原隆升的响应。结果发现南海28.5 Ma之前的沉积矿物组成与沉积通量同南海海底构造扩张的开始和脊跳跃有关；23.5 Ma之后的沉积受青藏高原隆升影响，青藏高原在25～17 Ma，13～8 Ma 和3.4～present的加速隆升南海沉积物中均有反映，尤其是3.4 Ma以来的快速隆升，在沉积矿物中的反映非常明显。从23.5 Ma开始，1148 站陆源矿物的源区从东南变到西北，这是因为随着南海海底扩张，南部物源远离沉积站位从而影响减弱；同时，青藏高原隆升导致地表剃度增加，河流转向与侵蚀加强并开始影响到南海。

渤海湾盆地济阳坳陷东部走滑构造特征及其对油气成藏的影响研究

研究区位于郯庐断裂中段与济阳坳陷的构造结合部，区内走滑构造广泛发育，主要的走滑断裂有7条，分别是郯庐断裂带的东西两支、垦东断层、孤东断层、长堤断层、埕东断层和发育于垦东凸起中部的浅层走滑构造带。走滑构造带与油气富集带有着明显的对应关系。 通过对研究区内二维、三维地震测线和平面构造图的精细解释和分析，分别揭示了各走滑断裂在平面、剖面和三维空间上的构造形态。根据走滑断裂及其伴生构造的平面和剖面上的几何学特征，将研究区内的走滑断裂划分为三种类型：成熟型走滑断裂、隐伏型走滑断裂、不连续型的走滑断裂。 从理论模式研究入手，推导了拉分盆地中盆地的走滑速率与沉降速率之间的关系，证实了走滑速率同盆地的几何形状参数、最大沉降深度和盆地的沉降速率存在着稳定的数值关系。通过对莱州湾地区潍北凹陷基底沉降历史的分析，建立了潍北凹陷沉降速率与郯庐断裂中段走滑速率之间的经验关系式，进而求出郯庐断裂中段新生代右行走滑位移量的大小为40km。 运用2DMove软件，对研究区内四条典型剖面进行构造复原，计算出了各条剖面每个时期的伸展参数，对研究区构造活动强度进行了定量分析，揭示了研究区的构造演化规律。通过运用Ansys软件进行有限元模拟，恢复了晚白垩世晚期-古近纪早期研究区内的构造应力场和应变场，揭示了扭张作用是研究区内走滑断层开始走滑的主要原因。 通过上述分析，结合对究区内近几年勘探开发成功和失败的实例分析，全面探讨了走滑活动对于油气成藏“生”、“储”、“盖”、“圈”、“运”、“保”各因素的影响。

东海地球物理场及深部地质构造研究

东海及邻域位于东亚大陆边缘，包括宽阔的陆架，相对较窄的陆坡和西太平洋典型的沟－弧－盆体系。这一地区地质结构、区域构造和形成演化的研究不仅对了解欧亚与太平洋二大板块间的相互作用和全球板块构造发展有重要意义；而且对于寻找丰富的油气和天然气水合物资源，维护我国海洋主权和权益，进行地质灾害预测，保护海洋环境，促进国民经济建设均具有重要意义；同时，对于探索印支运动以来亚洲东部大陆的构造演化也非常重要。独特的大地构造位置，丰富的矿产资源使其成为国内外地学研究的热点，也成为中日海洋划界，海洋主权与权益争夺的重要地区。 本文以《我国海域1：100万地质地球物理系列图编制》项目为依托，收集东海及邻域岩石物性资料，利用东海及邻域重力异常数据和磁力异常数据进行地球物理场特征分析，并进行重磁资料数据处理，主要有解析延拓和小波分析，同时反演了深部界面，包括莫霍面深度，地壳厚度，磁性基底深度和居里面深度，通过地质地球物理综合解释，进而研究区域地质特征和构造区划，并对东海的构造演化进行讨论。 利用东海及邻域最新重力数据进行解析延拓处理中，本文提出分区进行不同延拓高度的解析延拓处理，即从浙闽隆起到东海陆架盆地区，进行上延20km处理；从东海陆坡到琉球弧前盆地区，进行上延10km处理；从琉球海沟到菲律宾海区，进行上延5km处理，在此基础上获得了综合上延布格重力异常数据，并分析其变化规律。随着延拓高度的增加，浅部异常压制增大，异常曲线更加圆滑，深部构造特征更明显，东海布格重力异常自西向东的变化规律更清晰。经过计算统计，分区计算处理方法可行，所得结果可信。 小波分析是重磁场位场分解的有效工具，不仅能提取深部异常，还能更好地将区域异常和局部异常分离。利用东海及邻域最新的布格重力异常数据资料，将小波分析与解析延拓方法相结合，分析对比向上延拓20km的布格重力异常结果与小波分析4阶逼近布格重力异常结果，求取东海及邻域莫霍面的深度，并对重力场及莫霍面深度进行初步研究。其中小波4阶逼近结果代表莫霍面形态，小波4阶细节结果代表东海及邻域凹陷形态。 本文计算的东海莫霍面深度在12～34 km之间变化，莫霍面呈现两凹两凸形态，起伏变化很大。东海地壳厚度为6～34km，东海陆架地区地壳厚度变化与大陆地区相比并不明显，显著减薄开始于冲绳海槽地区，琉球岛弧处地壳厚度明显再度增加，认为东海地壳自西而东从陆壳－过渡壳－洋壳逐渐过渡的。 东海磁性基底主要为火山岩、变质岩和火成岩。磁性基底深度起伏变化较大，东海研究区磁性基底深度在4～12 km之间变化，在各个地区磁性基底深度变化不一，编制的磁性基底深度等值线图反映了磁性基底的展布。 东海居里面总体趋势由陆壳向洋壳变浅，整个东海海域居里面深度在14～29 km之间变化，深度等值线呈浑圆状，并且居里面不是单一的递增或递减的变化，而是呈现起伏变化的特征。 东海地区重磁异常最明显特征是沿NE或NNE向展布，是断裂与构造分带的综合反映。根据东海重磁异常图、莫霍面深度图、地壳厚度图、磁性基底深度图及居里面深度图的分析结果认为，东海总的区域构造背景为东西分带，南北分块。东西分带是印支运动以来的主要构造特征，是中生代以来欧亚板块与太平洋板块相互作用在东海地区的反映；南北分块是印支以前的主要构造特征，是早中生代以前中国陆核形成发育，块体多次结合分离，最终形成中国大陆这一过程的反映。自西向东划分为浙闽隆起区、东海陆架盆地、钓鱼岛岩浆岩带（东海陆坡）、冲绳海槽盆地、琉球隆褶区和菲律宾海盆六大构造单元。 本文应用最新的重力、磁力、地震和区域地质资料，在对物性进行了比较全面分析的基础上，利用先进的数据处理技术，首次提出了分区延拓处理方法和混合处理法，并在实际应用中取得非常好的效果；获得了东海及邻域莫霍面、居里面、磁性基底等几个主要深部界面，综合分析了各个界面的特点和相互之间的关系；进一步探讨了这一地区的深部地壳结构，为油气和天然气水合物等矿产资源调查与评价提供了新成果。

南海北部陆缘深水区构造演化及其资源效应

南海北部陆缘深水区（水深>300m）蕴藏着丰富的资源，我国对深水区的地质研究刚刚起步，但相关领域已成为科研热点。深水油气盆地的构造演化是油气勘探中最重要的基础性研究之一，因此针对我国南海北部陆缘深水区开展构造演化及其资源效应的研究具有重要的理论意义和实际意义。 本文利用钻井和地震资料并结合区域地质资料，重点研究了珠江口盆地深水区的结构和构造演化，取得如下创新性成果：1）首次利用半地堑分析方法系统解剖了研究区的结构、各构造单元发育特征，在此基础上指出五个有利油气运聚带；2）采用回剥法并利用最新资料进行校正，得到了研究区更为可靠的构造沉降曲线，重新划分了裂陷期和裂后期的分界，认为32Ma南海海底扩张之后裂陷作用仍在持续，直到23Ma左右才开始大规模裂后热沉降，并进一步解释了裂陷期延迟的形成机制；3）应用非连续拉张模型计算拉张系数的方程计算了研究区的壳幔拉张系数，指出了深水区地幔相对于地壳的优势伸展作用；首次运用平衡剖面技术重建了研究区的构造发育史，计算了各构造期的拉张率和沉积速率，指出研究区新生代整体呈现持续拉张，拉张系数在1.1-1.24之间；4）精细刻画了水合物钻采区的地质构造特征，建立了该区天然气水合物成藏的概念模式；建立了一套根据地震叠加速度计算流体势的方法，为水合物成藏规律的研究提供了新的思路。

Genetic diversity and historical population structure of Schizopygopsis pylzovi (Teleostei : Cyprinidae) in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

1. Complete sequences of 1140 base pair of the cytochrome b gene from 133 specimens were obtained from nine localities including the inflow drainage system, isolated lakes and outflow drainage system in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau to assess genetic diversity and to infer population histories of the freshwater fish Schizopygopsis pylzovi.2. Nucleotide diversities (pi) were moderate (0.0024-0.0045) in populations from the outflow drainage system and Tuosuo Lake, but low (0.0018-0.0021) in populations from Qiadam Basin. It is probable that the low intra-population variability is related with the paleoenvironmental fluctuation in Qiadam Basin, suggesting that the populations from Qiadam Basin have experienced severe bottleneck events in history.3. Phylogenetic tree topologies indicate that the individuals from different populations did not form reciprocal monophyly, but the populations from the adjacent drainages cluster geographically. Most population pairwise F-ST tests were significant, with non-significant pairwise tests between Tuosu Lake and Tuosuo Lake in the north-west of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicates that the significant genetic variation was explained at the levels of catchments within and among, not among specific boundaries or inflow and outflow drainage systems.4. The nested clade phylogeographical analysis indicates that historical processes are very important in the observed geographical structuring of S. pylzovi, and the contemporary population structure and differentiation of S. pylzovi may be consistent with the historical tectonic events occurred in the course of uplifts of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Fluctuations of the ecogeographical environment and major hydrographic formation might have promoted contiguous range expansion of freshwater fish populations, whereas the geological barriers among drainages have resulted in the fragmentation of population and restricted the gene flow among populations.5. The significantly large negative F-s-value (-24.91, P < 0.01) of Fu's F-s-test and the unimodal mismatch distribution indicate that the species S. pylzovi underwent a sudden population expansion after the historical tectonic event of the Gonghe Movement.6. The results of this study indicate that each population from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau should be managed and conserved separately and that efforts should be directed towards preserving the genetic integrity of each group.