Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2025, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (5): 125-139.doi: 10.11978/2025005CSTR: 32234.14.2025005

• Marine Geology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Erosion characteristics of the Paleogene top strata in the Nanxiong Basin, southern margin of the South China Block and its tectonic significance

ZHAO Peng1,2(), SHI Xiaobin1(), LIU Lu3, SHEN Yongqiang1, REN Ziqiang1   

  1. 1. Laboratory of Ocean and Marginal Sea Geology (South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Guangzhou 511458, China
    2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    3. College of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China
  • Received:2025-01-05 Revised:2025-02-13 Online:2025-09-10 Published:2025-10-14
  • Contact: SHI Xiaobin
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(42276074); National Natural Science Foundation of China(41776078); National Natural Science Foundation of China(42076075)

Abstract:

The onshore Cenozoic basins of the southern margin of the South China Block (SCB) commonly exhibit an unconformity between the Paleogene and Quaternary systems. Restoration of the erosion at this unconformity provides critical constraints for reconstructing the complete Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the southern margin of the SCB. This study focuses on the Nanxiong Basin, employing vitrinite reflectance as a paleothermal indicator to restore the erosion thickness of the unconformity between the Guchengcun Formation (top age ~56 Ma) and overlying Quaternary strata. The onset time of erosion was constrained by integrating low-temperature thermochronology data from the basin periphery. Results show that the erosion thickness of Paleogene top strata is approximately (2700 ± 300) m in the Nanxiong Basin, with the erosion starting from the Early Oligocene and lasting until the Early Quaternary. This strong erosion caused the highly mature source rocks to be denudated to shallow burial depths. Analysis reveals that the basin faulting development did not end after the depositional period of Guchengcun Formation in Nanxiong Basin but continued until the early Oligocene. Subsequently, the tectonic environment changed from extension to compression, leading to basin uplift and erosion until the early Quaternary. This intense erosion removed the sedimentary record of the late Paleocene − early Oligocene. The erosion process of the southern margin of the SCB since the late Paleogene was affected by combined effects of southeast extrusion from the Indo-Eurasian plate collision and subduction of the Pacific plate underneath the Eurasia plate. The uplift amplitude tended to decrease gradually from inland to coastal areas, resulting in differential evolution between onshore uplift and offshore subsidence.

Key words: vitrinite reflectance, erosion restoration, southern margin of the South China Block, Nanxiong Basin

CLC Number: 

  • P736.121