Mesozoic and Cainozoic rocks dredged from the South China Sea (Reed Bank area) and Sulu Sea and their significance for plate-tectonic reconstructions

Kudrass, H. R.; Wiedicke, Michael; Čepek, P.; Kreuzer, H. J.; Müller, Peter

doi:10.1016/0264-8172(86)90053-x

Cited by 179 publications

(136 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…A Paleozoic and/or Mesozoic basement may be inferred based on dredge samples and limited wells. The sampled rocks show a close affinity to those of Southeast Asia, suggesting that the Reed Bank area once was a part of the South China Continent (Hutchison 2004;Kudrass et al 1986;Yan and Liu 2004). After a Cretaceous to Late Paleogene period of rifting, which led to the formation of numerous NE-SW trending half-grabens, the continental fragments were finally separated from the South China continent by seafloor spreading Hayes 1983, Taylor andHayes 1983;Briais et al 1993).…”

Section: Regional Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…1b). Published dredging data (Kudrass et al 1986) and data from limited wells (Sampaguita-1 well in Reed Bank, Nido-1 well and Santiago-1 well offshore Palawan) were Fig. 2 Seismic stratigraphy, lithology, major tectonic events and eustatic sea level curve of the study area.…”

Section: Datasets and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, efforts still need to be made on the southeastern margin of the South China Sea, or the Reed Bank area, where we can find the oldest carbonate platforms here formed as early as the Late Oligocene (Kudrass et al 1986). This region has been also confirmed as the site of important deep water oil and gas reservoirs (Sales et al 1997;Zampetti et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…1 Franke et al (2013). Dredge sites (numbers) are reported from Kudrass et al (1986). Well locations are reported from Taylor and Hayes (1983) and Schlueter et al (1996) 2008; Cullen et al 2010;Hutchison 2010).…”

Section: Regional Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Oligocene–Miocene carbonates in the Reed Bank area, South China Sea, and their tectono-sedimentary evolution

Ding

Dong

et al. 2014

Mar Geophys Res

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We have analyzed two recently acquired multichannel seismic profiles across the Reed Bank area, South China Sea. A detailed seismic interpretation coupled with drilling data has proved the occurrence of a wide carbonate platform, developed between the Late Oligocene and the Early Miocene (32-20 Ma). The top of these carbonates is an important regional unconformity, corresponding to a strong and continuous seismic reflector. An age of about 20 Ma is inferred for this reflector, acting as a regional unconformity marking the cessation of seafloor spreading with an erosional/non-depositional hiatus, spanning 3 or 4 m.y. The time interval during which the carbonate platforms formed is concurrent with the opening of the South China Sea. The reconstruction of the tectonic subsidence in this area has shown a decrease in rate of subsidence during the drifting stage (32-17 Ma), indicating that the whole Reed Bank area was in a tectonically stable and shallow water environment for more than 10 m.y., favoring the development of shallow water carbonates. With a sharply increased subsidence rate after the end of spreading (17 Ma) and a continuously increased sea level, the carbonate platforms were drowned and died, except some structural highs with reef buildups, where the carbonate sedimentation continued to Middle Miocene. We suggest that delayed tectonic subsidence in Reed Bank area might have been related to a secondary mantle convection under the rift lasting more than about 10 m.y.

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Section: Regional Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Datasets and Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Regional Geological Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Oligocene–Miocene carbonates in the Reed Bank area, South China Sea, and their tectono-sedimentary evolution

Ding

Dong

et al. 2014

Mar Geophys Res

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“…Wang et al [50] were among the first to report K-Ar and Ar-Ar ages of three dredged samples from seamounts in the SCS, which are 13.8, 9.9, and 3.5 Ma, respectively. K-Ar dating of the samples dredged from the north slope of East Reed bank yield very young ages of 2.7-0.4 Ma [51]. Yan et al [52] reported K-Ar ages of basalts from the same area which range from 7.91-3.80 Ma.…”

Section: Previous Studies On Volcanic Rocks In the South China Sea Anmentioning

confidence: 99%

Opening and evolution of the South China Sea constrained by studies on volcanic rocks: Preliminary results and a research design

et al. 2011

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The South China Sea (SCS) is characterized by abundant seamounts, which provide important information about the evolution of the SCS and related deep processes. Cenozoic volcanism in the SCS and its surroundings comprises three stages relative to the spreading of the SCS: pre-spreading (>32 Ma), syn-spreading (32-16 Ma), and post-spreading (<16 Ma). The pre-spreading magmatism predominantly occurs on the northern margin of the SCS and in South China coastal areas and shows a bi-modal affinity. The syn-spreading magmatic activity was very limited on the periphery of the SCS, but may be concentrated in the SCS. However, seafloor samples of this stage are not available yet because of overlying thick sedimentary deposits. Post-spreading magmatism is widespread in the central and southwest sub-basins of the SCS, Hainan Island, Leizhou Peninsula, Thailand, and Vietnam. These are mainly alkali basalts with subordinate tholeiites, and display OIB-type geochemical characteristics. The Dupal isotope anomaly and presence of high-magnesian olivine phenocrysts suggests their possible derivation from the Hainan mantle plume. The temporal and spatial distribution of Cenozoic volcanism in the SCS and its surroundings may be accounted for either by plate stress re-organization before and after SCS spreading, or by ridge suction of plume flow during opening of the SCS. If the latter is the case, the volcanic rocks within the SCS basin may not be typical mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB). It remains puzzling, however, that the transition between the South China continental margin and the SCS basin does not have features typical of a volcanic rifted margin. Clearly, the relationship between mantle plume and SCS opening needs further evaluation. A better understanding of the link between deep processes and opening of the SCS not only requires enhanced studies on igneous petrogenesis, but also is heavily dependent on systematic sampling of seafloor rocks.

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Seismic stratigraphy of the central South China Sea basin and implications for neotectonics

et al. 2015

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Coring/logging data and physical property measurements from International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 349 are integrated with, and correlated to, reflection seismic data to map seismic sequence boundaries and facies of the central basin and neighboring regions of the South China Sea. First-order sequence boundaries are interpreted, which are Oligocene/Miocene, middle Miocene/late Miocene, Miocene/Pliocene, and Pliocene/Pleistocene boundaries. A characteristic early Pleistocene strong reflector is also identified, which marks the top of extensive carbonate-rich deposition in the southern East and Southwest Subbasins. The fossil spreading ridge and the boundary between the East and Southwest Subbasins acted as major sedimentary barriers, across which seismic facies changes sharply and cannot be easily correlated. The sharp seismic facies change along the Miocene-Pliocene boundary indicates that a dramatic regional tectonostratigraphic event occurred at about 5 Ma, coeval with the onsets of uplift of Taiwan and accelerated subsidence and transgression in the northern margin. The depocenter or the area of the highest sedimentation rate switched from the northern East Subbasin during the Miocene to the Southwest Subbasin and the area close to the fossil ridge in the southern East Subbasin in the Pleistocene. The most active faulting and vertical uplifting now occur in the southern East Subbasin, caused most likely by the active and fastest subduction/obduction in the southern segment of the Manila Trench and the collision between the northeast Palawan and the Luzon arc. Timing of magmatic intrusions and seamounts constrained by seismic stratigraphy in the central basin varies and does not show temporal pulsing in their activities.LI ET AL.

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Mesozoic and Cainozoic rocks dredged from the South China Sea (Reed Bank area) and Sulu Sea and their significance for plate-tectonic reconstructions

Cited by 179 publications

References 15 publications

Oligocene–Miocene carbonates in the Reed Bank area, South China Sea, and their tectono-sedimentary evolution

Oligocene–Miocene carbonates in the Reed Bank area, South China Sea, and their tectono-sedimentary evolution

Opening and evolution of the South China Sea constrained by studies on volcanic rocks: Preliminary results and a research design

Seismic stratigraphy of the central South China Sea basin and implications for neotectonics

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