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The mechanics of continental extension in Qiongdongnan Basin, northern South China Sea

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Abstract

Located in the intersection of NE-trended rifted margin of South China Sea (SCS) and NW-oriented Ailao Shan–Red River Shear Zone (RRSZ), Qiongdongnan Basin shows significant differences in geological features from west to east, indicating different mechanics of continental extension. Based on the dense and updated multichannel seismic profiles, we disclose the characteristics of the remnant crystalline crust. Besides, we analyze the basin structures, calculate the stretching factors of upper and whole crust, and compute the syn-rift and post-rift unloaded tectonic subsidence along three selected transects in the west, middle and east of Qiongdongnan Basin. The crust thickness is 22 km on the northern and southern parts of Qiongdongnan Basin and thins gradually towards the central depression with two extremely thinned domains (<4 km), of which one is in Ledong Sag in the west and another is in Baodao and Changchang Sags in the east. Correspondingly, the stretching factors of crust are 1.5–2 on both sides and increase remarkably towards the central depression (β > 2) with two extremely stretched domains (β > 9), of which one is in Ledong Sag in the west and another is in Baodao and Changchang Sags in the east. However, the mechanics of continental extension vary significantly from west to east. The simple shear dominates in the west, the pure shear dominates in the east, and it is intermediate between the two end members of simple shear and pure shear in the middle of Qiongdongnan Basin. The simple shear in the west of Qiongdongnan Basin is probably controlled by the left-lateral movement of RRSZ. The pure shear in the east is probably related to the Cenozoic rifting along the northern continental margin of SCS. The transitional zone in the middle of Qiongdongnan Basin is possibly the combined results of the left-lateral movement of RRSZ and the Cenozoic rifting along the northern continental margin of SCS.

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Acknowledgments

We appreciate the valuable comments by Professor Chun-Feng Li and other two anonymous reviewers that have improved our manuscript greatly. This research was supported by the National Key Basic Research and Development Program (973 Program) (No. 2009CB219401), the Major National Science and Technology Programs (No. 2011ZX05025-002-01), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41306049) and CAS key Lab of Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (No. MSGL13-06).

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  1. CAS Key Lab of Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510301, China

    Zhongxian Zhao & Zhen Sun

  2. Zhanjiang Branch of CNOOC Limited, Zhanjiang, 524057, China

    Zhenfeng Wang & Zhipeng Sun

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  1. Zhongxian Zhao
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  2. Zhen Sun
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Correspondence to Zhen Sun.

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Zhao, Z., Sun, Z., Wang, Z. et al. The mechanics of continental extension in Qiongdongnan Basin, northern South China Sea. Mar Geophys Res 36, 197–210 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-014-9238-4

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