Distribution, migration and derivation of Mesozoic-Cenozoic regional fault systems in the central continental margin of eastern China

Abstract

Deep-large faults in the central continental margin of eastern China are well developed. Based on the regularity of spatial and temporal distribution of the faults, four fault systems were divided: the Yanshan orogenic belt fault system, the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt fault system, the Tanlu fault system and the East China Sea shelf basin-Okinawa trough fault system. The four fault systems exhibit different migration behaviors. The Yanshan orogenic belt fault system deflected from an EW to a NE direction, then to a NNE direction during the Indo-Chinese epoch-Yanshanian epoch. The thrust-nappe strength of the Qinling-Dabie orogenic belt fault system showed the tendency that the strength was greater in the south and east, but weaker in the north and west. This fault system faulted in the east and folded in the west from the Indo-Chinese epoch to the early Yanshanian epoch. At the same time, the faults also had a diachronous migration from east to west from the Indo-Chinese epoch to the early Yanshanian epoch. On the contrary, the thrust-nappe strength was greater in the north and west, weaker in the south and east during the late Yanshanian epoch-early Himalayan epoch. The Tanlu fault system caused the basin to migrate from west to east and south to north. The migration regularity of the East China Sea shelf basin-Okinawa trough fault system shows that the formation age became younger in the west. The four fault systems and their migration regularities were respectively the results of four different geodynamic backgrounds. The Yanshan orogenic belt fault system derived from the intracontinental orogeny. The Qinling-Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt fault system derived from the collision of plates and intracontinental subduction. The Tanlu fault system derived from the strike-slip movement and the East China Sea shelf basin-Okinawa trough fault system derived from plate subduction and retreat of the subduction belt.