FEATURES OF GRAVITY AND MAGNETIC ANOMALIES IN CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PARTS OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA AND THEIR GEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION

Abstract

The gravity and magnetic survey lines of about 13,500 km were carried out in the centraland northern parts of the South China Sea from 1977 to 1978. The results obtained showthat the Bouguer gravity and magnetic anomalies have a tendency to increase gradually theirvalues from the northern continental shelf, through the slope, to the central abyssal basin of theSouth China Sea. The change in free-air gravity anomaly values coincides to a certain degreewith the undulation of the sea-bottom topography. The primary factor determining regionalvariation of the Bouguer gravity anomayl values is the Moho depth. The main factor deter-mining the magnetic anomly values is the nature of the basement rock. The high magnetieand Bouguer gravity anomaly values observed in some fault basin areas are inferred to becaused by draping the basic and ultrabasic magma extruding along the faults on the basementof the metamorphic rock,or by intrusion of the same magma into the basement.