Carbonate contourite drifts in the southwest South China Sea: Sedimentary, paleoceanographic and economic implications
Contourite drifts are significant sedimentary features and provide clues for the reconstruction of paleoceanography and paleoenvironment. Although they have been increasingly identified in the world’s ocean, shallow-water contourite drifts (< 300 m depth) remain poorly understood and the exam...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.946231/full |
| _version_ | 1818475412227883008 |
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| author | Shan Liu Shan Liu Zijun Liang Boda Zhang Haixia Su Zhenyu Lei Ming Su Ming Su Ming Su |
| author_facet | Shan Liu Shan Liu Zijun Liang Boda Zhang Haixia Su Zhenyu Lei Ming Su Ming Su Ming Su |
| author_sort | Shan Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Contourite drifts are significant sedimentary features and provide clues for the reconstruction of paleoceanography and paleoenvironment. Although they have been increasingly identified in the world’s ocean, shallow-water contourite drifts (< 300 m depth) remain poorly understood and the examples are rare. This study documents a Middle Miocene shallow-water contourite depositional system in the southwest South China Sea by interpreting seismic reflection data and calibrating results with the previous chronological framework. The depositional system consisted of six mounded drifts and six moats. The contourite features were generated in seismic unit III (16-10.5 Ma) and distributed adjacent to carbonate reefs. They were formed on the proto-continental shelf (50-200 m depth) and shaped by the wind-driven currents. Changes in the sedimentary stacking patterns suggest three evolutionary stages of the contourite features. Stage I represents the growth of the Middle Miocene contourite depositional system between 16 and 10.5 Ma. Stage II marks the termination of carbonate drifts and the burial of the Late Miocene sedimentation during 10.5-5.3 Ma. Stage III started with the development of modern deep-water sedimentary systems since 5.3 Ma. The contourite features are compared with the examples on other South China Sea margins. Significant changes in the paleoceanography occurred at 10.5 Ma and 6.5-5.3 Ma when the dominated bottom currents shifted from the monsoonal wind-driven currents to the North Pacific waters, and then the modern circulation system. The Middle Miocene mounded drifts were likely sourced by the coarse-grained carbonate sands. Fluid flow escaped from the coarse-grained contourite layers and natural gas leakage occurs on the seafloor. Shallow-water carbonate contourite drifts can be served as a good gas reservoir and have great economic potential. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T09:12:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-12d77d30d4d34002b07ca2da4eb29d72 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T09:12:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-12d77d30d4d34002b07ca2da4eb29d722022-12-22T01:54:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452022-07-01910.3389/fmars.2022.946231946231Carbonate contourite drifts in the southwest South China Sea: Sedimentary, paleoceanographic and economic implicationsShan Liu0Shan Liu1Zijun Liang2Boda Zhang3Haixia Su4Zhenyu Lei5Ming Su6Ming Su7Ming Su8School of Marine Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, ChinaSouthern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, ChinaSchool of Marine Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, ChinaSchool of Marine Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, ChinaSchool of Marine Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, ChinaGuangzhou Marine Geology Survey, China Geological Survey, Ministry of Natural Resources, Guangzhou, ChinaSchool of Marine Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, ChinaSouthern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Resources and Coastal Engineering, Guangzhou, ChinaContourite drifts are significant sedimentary features and provide clues for the reconstruction of paleoceanography and paleoenvironment. Although they have been increasingly identified in the world’s ocean, shallow-water contourite drifts (< 300 m depth) remain poorly understood and the examples are rare. This study documents a Middle Miocene shallow-water contourite depositional system in the southwest South China Sea by interpreting seismic reflection data and calibrating results with the previous chronological framework. The depositional system consisted of six mounded drifts and six moats. The contourite features were generated in seismic unit III (16-10.5 Ma) and distributed adjacent to carbonate reefs. They were formed on the proto-continental shelf (50-200 m depth) and shaped by the wind-driven currents. Changes in the sedimentary stacking patterns suggest three evolutionary stages of the contourite features. Stage I represents the growth of the Middle Miocene contourite depositional system between 16 and 10.5 Ma. Stage II marks the termination of carbonate drifts and the burial of the Late Miocene sedimentation during 10.5-5.3 Ma. Stage III started with the development of modern deep-water sedimentary systems since 5.3 Ma. The contourite features are compared with the examples on other South China Sea margins. Significant changes in the paleoceanography occurred at 10.5 Ma and 6.5-5.3 Ma when the dominated bottom currents shifted from the monsoonal wind-driven currents to the North Pacific waters, and then the modern circulation system. The Middle Miocene mounded drifts were likely sourced by the coarse-grained carbonate sands. Fluid flow escaped from the coarse-grained contourite layers and natural gas leakage occurs on the seafloor. Shallow-water carbonate contourite drifts can be served as a good gas reservoir and have great economic potential.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.946231/fullKeywordscontourite depositional systemsedimentary processbottom currentcarbonate reefsouthwest South China Sea |
| spellingShingle | Shan Liu Shan Liu Zijun Liang Boda Zhang Haixia Su Zhenyu Lei Ming Su Ming Su Ming Su Carbonate contourite drifts in the southwest South China Sea: Sedimentary, paleoceanographic and economic implications Frontiers in Marine Science Keywordscontourite depositional system sedimentary process bottom current carbonate reef southwest South China Sea |
| title | Carbonate contourite drifts in the southwest South China Sea: Sedimentary, paleoceanographic and economic implications |
| title_full | Carbonate contourite drifts in the southwest South China Sea: Sedimentary, paleoceanographic and economic implications |
| title_fullStr | Carbonate contourite drifts in the southwest South China Sea: Sedimentary, paleoceanographic and economic implications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carbonate contourite drifts in the southwest South China Sea: Sedimentary, paleoceanographic and economic implications |
| title_short | Carbonate contourite drifts in the southwest South China Sea: Sedimentary, paleoceanographic and economic implications |
| title_sort | carbonate contourite drifts in the southwest south china sea sedimentary paleoceanographic and economic implications |
| topic | Keywordscontourite depositional system sedimentary process bottom current carbonate reef southwest South China Sea |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.946231/full |
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