Abstract
The continental margin of the northern South China Sea is a NE-SW trending passive continental margin. Mapping of the continental slope from short offset processed 3D seismic across the offshore Pearl River Mouth Basin shows the margin to be characterised by a canyoned morphology from 600 to 1,500 m water depth. Shallower than these depths the slope is undisturbed while at greater depths there is a return to a smooth base of slope morphology with broad runout channels reflecting mass transport deposition fed from the canyons. The canyons are typically ∼1 km wide and up to 20 km long, steep sided and asymmetric with a higher slope angle along their eastern margins. Comparatively, the western margins show increased evidence of slumping and slope failure. The intercanyon ridges exhibit arcuate slump features. Mapping of the base Pleistocene shows this slumping has resulted in removal of Quaternary sediment along the intercanyon ridges. Mass transport deposits are also identified along the lower slope. The erosion of these canyons is considered to be related to the internal waves generated from the strong Kuroshio Current crossing the shallow bathymetry of the Luzon Strait into the South China Sea resulting in internal waves interacting with the slope below 600 m. Understanding the dynamics of canyon systems such as these is essential for determining risk to deep sea exploration infrastructure.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alpers W, He M, Zeng K, Guo L, Li X (2006) The distribution of internal waves in the China Seas studied by multi-sensor satellite images. In: Proceedings 2005 Dragon symposium “Mid-term Results”, Santorini, ESA SP-611, Jan 2006
Bole JB, Ebbesmeyer CC, Romea RD (1994) Soliton currents in the South China Sea: measurements and theoretical modelling. Paper OTC 7417, presented at the offshore technology conference, Houston, 2–5 May 1994, pp 367–376
Duda TF, Lynch JF, Irish JD, Beardsley RC, Ramp SR, Chiu C, Tang TY, Tang Y (2004) Internal tide and nonlinear internal wave behaviour at the continental slope in the northern South China Sea. IEEE J Ocean Eng 29:1105–1130
Farre JA, McGregor BA, Ryan WBF, Robb JM (1983) Breaching the shelfbreak: passage from youthful to mature phase in submarine canyon evolution. SEPM Spec Publ 33:25–39
Hsu MK, Liu AK (2000) Nonlinear internal waves in the South China Sea. Can J Remote Sens 26:72–81
Hu J, Kawamura H, Hong H, Qi Y (2000) A review of the currents of the South China Sea: seasonal circulation. South China Sea warm currents and Kuroshio intrusion. J Oceanogr 56:607–624
Liu CS, Lundberg N, Reed DL, Huang YL (1993) Morphological and seismic characteristics of the Kaoping Submarine Canyon. Mar Geol 111:93–108
Lüdmann T, Wong HK (1999) Neotectonic regime on the passive continental margin of the northern South China Sea. Tectonophysics 311:113–138
Lüdmann T, Wong HK, Wang P (2001) Plio-Quaternary sedimentation processes and neotectonics of the northern continental margin of the South China Sea. Mar Geol 172:331–358
Mitchell NC (2008) Summary of progress in geomorphologic modelling of continental slope canyons. Geol Soc Lond Spec Publ 296:183–194
Pratson LF, Ryan WBF, Mountain GS, Twichell GS (1994) Submarine canyon initiation by downslope-eroding sediment flows: evidence in late Cenozoic strata on the New Jersey continental slope. GSA Bull 106:395–412
Ru K, Pigott JD (1986) Episodic rifting and subsidence in the South China Sea. AAPG Bull 70:1136–1155
Shepard FP (1981) Submarine canyons: multiple causes and long-term persistence. AAPG Bull 65:1062–1077
Song GS, Ma CP, Yu HS (2000) Fault-controlled genesis of the Chilung Sea Valley (northern Taiwan) revealed by topographic lineaments. Mar Geol 169:305–325
Teng LS, Lin AT (2004) Cenozoic tectonics of the China continental margin: insights from Taiwan. Geol Soc Lond Spec Publ 226:313–332
Wang Y, Ren RM, Zhu D (1986) Sediment supply to the continental shelf by the major rivers of China. J Geol Soc 143:935–944
Wu S, Wong HK, Ludmann T (1999) Gravity-driven sedimentation on the northwestern continental slope in the South China Sea: results from high-resolution seismic data and piston cores. Chin J Oceanol Limnol 17:155–169
Wu S, Liu Z, Wang W, Guo J, Ludmann T, Wong HK (2003) Late Cenozoic tectonic deformation in the Dongsha islands and adjacent sea area. Chin J Oceanol Limnol 21(4):377–388
Xie X, Muller RD, Ren J, Jiang T, Zhang C (2006) Stratigraphic architecture and evolution of the continental slope system in offshore Hainan, northern South China Sea. Mar Geol 247:129–144
Xue H, Chai F, Pettigrew N, Xu D, Shi M, Xu J (2004) Kuroshio intrusion and the circulation in the South China Sea. J Geophys Res 109:C02017. doi:10.1029/2002JC001724
Yu H, Chang J (2002) Penghu submarine canyon off southwestern Taiwan: morphology and origin. TAO 13:547–562
Zhu M, Graham S, Pang X, McHargue T (2010) Characteristics of migrating submarine canyons from the middle Miocene to present: implication for paleoceanographic circulation, northern South China Sea. Mar Petrol Geol 27:307–319
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Husky Energy Ltd for permission to use the dataset. Colleagues within RPS Energy are thanked for many discussions regarding the outcomes of this work. Critical reviews by Dei Huws and Jock Keene and careful editorial work by Jason Chaytor have improved this manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this paper
Cite this paper
Dickinson, J.A., Ware, K., Cosham, S., Murphy, B. (2012). Slope Failure and Canyon Development Along the Northern South China Sea Margin. In: Yamada, Y., et al. Submarine Mass Movements and Their Consequences. Advances in Natural and Technological Hazards Research, vol 31. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2162-3_20
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-2162-3_20
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-2161-6
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-2162-3
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)