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Based on the interpretations of three seismic profiles and one wide-angle seismic profile across the Northwest Sub-basin,South China Sea.stratigraphic sequences,deformation characteristics and an extension model for this sub-basin have been worked out.Three tectonic-stratigraphic units are determined.Detailed analyses of extension show that the event occurred mainly during the Paleogene and resulted in the formation of half-grabens or grabens distributed symmetrically around the spreading center.Sediments are characterized by chaotic and discontinuous reflectors,indicating clastic sediments. Farther to the southwest,the sub-basin features mainly continental rifting instead of sea-floor spreading. The rifting would have been controlled by the shape of the massif and developed just along the northern edge of the Zhongsha-Xisha Block,rather than joined the Xisha Trough.After 25 Ma.a southward ridge jump triggered the opening of the Southwest Sub-basin.The NW-directed stress caused by the sea-floor spreading of the Northwest Sub-basin may have prevented the continuous opening of the sub-basin.After that the Northwest Sub-basin experienced thermal cooling and exhibited broad subsidence.The deep crustal structure shown by the velocity model from a wide-angle seismic profile is also symmetrical around the spreading center,which indicates that the Northwest Sub-basin might have opened in a pure shear model.
Based on the interpretations of three seismic profiles and one wide-angle seismic profile across the Northwest Sub-basin, South China Sea. Stratigraphic sequences, deformation characteristics and an extension model for this sub-basin have been worked out.Three tectonic-stratigraphic units are determined. Detection of the extension show that the event occurred mainly during the Paleogene and resulted in the formation of half-grabens or grabens distributed symmetrically around the spreading center. Sediments are characterized by chaotic and discontinuous reflectors, indicating clastic sediments. Farther to the southwest, the sub-basin features mainly continental rifting instead of sea-floor spreading. The rifting would have been controlled by the shape of the massif and developed just along the northern edge of the Zhongsha-Xisha Block, rather than joined the Xisha Trough. After 25 Ma.a southward ridge jump triggered the opening of the Southwest Sub-basin. The NW-directed stress caused by the sea-floor spreading of the Northwest Sub-basin may have prevented the continuous opening of the sub-basin. After that the Northwest Sub-basin an existing thermal cooling and show broad subsidence. The deep crustal structure shown by the velocity model from a wide- angle seismic profile is also symmetrical around the spreading center, which indicates that the Northwest Sub-basin might have opened in a pure shear model.