Cenozoic Propagated Rifting in the Dangerous Grounds in Response to the Episodic Seafloor Spreading of the South China Sea

Abstract

The southern continental margin of the South China Sea has documented multiphase continental rifting corresponding to the propagation of seafloor spreading. Here we investigate three multi-channel seismic reflection profiles across different segments of the Dangerous Grounds with a NE-SW direction. Stratigraphic correlation reveals that the Cenozoic tectono-stratigraphic framework in the Dangerous Grounds is featured with diachronous rifting, which records the successive spreading of East Subbasin and Southwest Subbasin, South China Sea. By reconstructing the tectono-sedimentary evolution history in different segments, we combine the quantification of the brittle extension, tectonic subsidence, as well as the crustal thinning. Results provide evidence that the extensional stress migrated from northeast to southwest with the progressive propagation of the seafloor spreading in the oceanic basin. Besides, the impact of the tectonic propagation persists even after the cessation of seafloor spreading, evidenced by a longer stretching duration in the West-Dangerous Grounds than that in the eastern area. Moreover, a temporary syn-rift subsidence delay synchronously to the spreading of the adjacent oceanic basin is observed along the southern margin. This observation proves the secondary mantle convection during the seafloor spreading in the southern continental margin, which is related to the propagating rift.

Keywords

Dangerous Grounds / South China Sea / propagated rifting / tectonic / tectonic subsidence

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