Postrift rapid subsidence characters in Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea

Abstract

In this article, the backstripping technique was used in studying the subsidence characters of the Qiongdongnan (琼东南) basin (QDNB) in order to understand its dynamic mechanism of formation and evolution. Meanwhile, the geothermal characteristics of this area were summarized, and the stretching factors (β) of the upper crust, the whole crust, and the whole lithosphere were calculated. The QDNB is characterized by high subsidence rate, high geothermal gradient, high geothermal heat flow, and the lithosphere stretching and thinning of this area are depth dependent. An asthenosphere zone must have been confined under the lithosphere of Southeast Asian continent because of the mutual subductions of the Eurasian plate, the Pacific plate, the Indian-Australian plate, and the Philippine Sea plate. These characters indicate that strong mantle convection occurred and the lower crust materials flowed away in the domain, which lead to the rapid flexural isostasy subsidence of the upper crust and the uplift of the asthenosphere.

Keywords

Qiongdongnan basin / tectonic subsidence / geothermal structure / stretching factor / lower-crustal flow

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