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Mass transport deposits and processes in the north slope of the Xisha Trough, northern South China Sea

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Abstract

Triple mass-transport deposits (MTDs) with areas of 625, 494 and 902 km2, respectively, have been identified on the north slope of the Xisha Trough, northern South China Sea margin. Based on high-resolution seismic reflection data and multi-beam bathymetric data, the Quaternary MTDs are characterized by typical geometric shapes and internal structures. Results of slope analysis showed that they are developed in a steep slope ranging from 5° to 35°. The head wall scarps of the MTDs arrived to 50 km in length (from headwall to termination). Their inner structures include well developed basal shear surface, growth faults, stepping lateral scarps, erosion grooves, and frontal thrust deformation. From seismic images, the central deepwater channel system of the Xisha Trough has been filled by interbedded channel-levee deposits and thick MTDs. Therefore, we inferred that the MTDs in the deepwater channel system could be dominated by far-travelled slope failure deposits even though there are local collapses of the trough walls. And then, we drew the two-dimensional process model and threedimensional structure model diagram of the MTDs. Combined with the regional geological setting and previous studies, we discussed the trigger mechanisms of the triple MTDs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tianjin Research Institute for Water Transport Engineering, Ministry of Transport, Tianjin, 300456, China

    Zhiliang Qin

  2. Laboratory of Marine Geophysics and Deep Sea Georesource, Sanya Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China

    Shiguo Wu, Dawei Wang & Wei Li

  3. Tianjin Exploration Center of Marine Geology, Tianjin, 300170, China

    Shaojun Gong

  4. Department of Exploration, China National Offshore Oil Corporation, Beijing, 100010, China

    Lijun Mi

  5. School Earth & Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, V8p 5c2, Canada

    George Spence

Authors
  1. Zhiliang Qin
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  2. Shiguo Wu
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  3. Dawei Wang
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  4. Wei Li
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  5. Shaojun Gong
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  6. Lijun Mi
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  7. George Spence
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Correspondence to Shiguo Wu.

Additional information

Foundation item: The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 41306057 and 40906028; the Open Fund of the Key Laboratory of Submarine Geosciences, State Oceanic Administration under contract No. KLSG1406.

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Qin, Z., Wu, S., Wang, D. et al. Mass transport deposits and processes in the north slope of the Xisha Trough, northern South China Sea. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 34, 117–125 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-015-0608-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-015-0608-9

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