Lithosphere Breakup Process and Stratigraphie Architecture Patterns in the Passive Marginal Basin

doi:10.19657/j.geoscience.1000-8527.2025.034

Abstract

Abstract:

The coupling relationship between the deep structure of the lithosphere and passive continental margin sedimentary filling is a key scie.pngic issue in basin dynamics research. Taking the Pearl River Mouth Basin in the South China Sea and the passive margins of the North Atlantic as examples,this study reveals the characteristics and formation patterns of sedimentary infill in magma-poor and magma-rich continental margins through integrated analysis of the coupling between deep crustal deformation and basin infill in passive margins, based on the non-transient lithospheric breakup process.The results show that the lithospheric rupture process undergoes four stages: stretching, thinning, exhumation, and rupture. Spatially, from land to ocean, the tectonic units can be divided from land to ocean into the proximal zone, necking zone, distal zone, and oceanic-continental transition zone.In the early stretching stage, it is characterized by high-angle normal faults and isolated faulted depressions. During the necking and exhumation stages, lithospheric extensional deformation gradually migrates seaward, with low-angle detachment faults as the main feature. In the later stage, the main extension is concentrated in the mid-ocean ridge area, while the passive margin region undergoes regional thermal subsidence.Therefore, the stratigraphic framework patterns of passive marginsbased on the non-transient lithospheric rupture processare of great significance for oil and gas exploration in passive margin basins.

Key words: passive margin, stratigraphic framework pattern, lithospheric rupture process, breakup unconformity, magma-poor and magma-rich type continental margin

CLC Number:

P541

TIAN Naxin, XIE Xinong, LI Jun, YU Xiaohang, YANG Guangqing. Lithosphere Breakup Process and Stratigraphie Architecture Patterns in the Passive Marginal Basin[J]. Geoscience, 2025, 39(04): 857-870.

Figures/Tables 7

Fig.1 Evolution stages of lithospheric breakup in the Liberia/Newfoundland continental margins (modified from Peron-Pinvidic and Manatschal[1])

Fig.2 Infill sequences and division of second-order sequence units in the Pearl River Mouth Basin

Fig.3 Infill sequences and division of second-order sequence units in the easterm Canadian continental margins ((a) Magma-rich continentalmargin-Scotia Basin; (b) Magma-poor continental margin-Jeanne d' Arc Basin; modified from IHS with slight revisions)

Fig.4 Crustal structural characteristics and stratigraphic patterns from continent to ocean in the Pearl River Mouth Basin(a), typical seismic profile of the proximal zone(b), typical seismic profile of the necking and distal zones(c), stratigraphic pattern of the proximal zone(d),and stratigraphic pattern of the necking and distal zones(e)

Fig.5 Crustal structural characteristics and stratigraphic patterns from continent to ocean in the Newfoundland Margin(a), typical seismic profile and stratigraphic pattern of the proximal zone(b), and typical seismic profile and stratigraphic pattern of the necking and distal zones(c)(original profiles after Welsink et al.[38])

Fig.6 Crustal structural characteristics and stratigraphic patterns from continent to ocean in the Scotia Margin(a),typical seismic profile and stratigraphic pattern of the proximal zone(b), and typical seismic profile and stratigraphic pattern of the necking and distal zones(c)(from IHS)

Fig.7 Differences in stratigraphic patterns between magma-poor and magma-rich continental margins

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