Lithospheric electrical structure of South China imaged by magnetotelluric data and its tectonic implications

Abstract

The region of South China mainly consists of the Yangtze block in the northwest, the Cathaysia block in the southeast and the Jiangnan orogen in between these two major Precambrian continental blocks. The Yangtze block borders the North China Craton in the north and the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau in the west. The Cathaysia block adjoins the Pacific tectonic domain in the east. The study of tectonics in this region is of great significance given its important role in understanding the formation of the Asia continent. Under the auspices of SinoProbe Project, new magnetotelluric (MT) data were collected along a ∼1200km long profile starting from central Sichuan Basin near Suining, extending southeastward, passing through the Yangtze Block, Jiangnan Orogen, and terminating within the western Cathaysia Block near Ganzhou. Based on data analysis results, 2D inversions were conducted on the dataset. Resulting model shows that the lithospheric electrical structure of South China is generally resistive which is consistent with the basic feature of stable Precambrian tectonic setting. The resistive western Yangtze block represents the stable, Archean aged cratonic region of the Yangtze basement. While the electrically conductive eastern Yangtze block is characterized by lithospheric shearing of the strike-slip fault system and extensional process that is probably caused by slab roll-back of a flatly subducted plate. The Jiangshao fault performs as a northwestward dipping conductive layer, which indicates the lithospheric underthrusting of Cathaysia block beneath Yangtze block with its frontal edge reaching the area of Jishou in the upper mantle. To the west of Jiangshao fault, eastern flank of the Xuefengshan Mountain marks the overthrusting frontier of the Yangtze block, as well as its southeastern boundary. To the east of Jiangshao fault, the northwestern boundary of the Cathaysia block displays the pattern of wedging tectonics, which is characterized by a conductive layer wedging into the Cathaysia lithosphere at the depth range of Moho.