Submarine Landslides and their Distribution in the Gas Hydrate Area on the North Slope of the South China Sea

Xuemin Wu, Qianyong Liang, Yun Ma, Yaohong Shi, Zhen Xia, Lihua Liu and Matthias Haeckel
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Xuemin Wu: Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, Guangzhou 510070, China
Qianyong Liang: Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, Guangzhou 510070, China
Yun Ma: School of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Yangtze Normal University, Chongqing 408100, China
Yaohong Shi: Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, Guangzhou 510070, China
Zhen Xia: Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, China Geological Survey, Guangzhou 510070, China
Lihua Liu: Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
Matthias Haeckel: Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences (IFM-GEOMAR), 24103 Kiel, Germany

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-18

Abstract: Integrated investigations have revealed abundant resources of gas hydrates on the northern slope of the South China Sea (SCS). Regarding the gas hydrate research of northern SCS, the gas hydrate related environment problem such as seabed landslides were also concentrated on in those areas. Based on 2D seismic data and sub-bottom profiles of the gas hydrate areas, submarine landslides in the areas of Qiongdongnan, Xisha, Shenhu, and Dongsha have been identified, characterized, and interpreted, and the geophysical characteristics of the northern SCS region investigated comprehensively. The results show 6 major landslides in the gas hydrate zone of the northern SCS and 24 landslides in the Shenhu and Dongsha slope areas of the northern SCS. The landslide zones are located mainly at water depths of 200–3000 m, and they occur on the sides of valleys on the slope, on the flanks of volcanoes, and on the uplifted steep slopes above magmatic intrusions. All landslides extend laterally towards the NE or NEE and show a close relationship to the ancient coastline and the steep terrain of the seabed. We speculate that the distribution and development of submarine landslides in this area has a close relationship with the tectonic setting and sedimentary filling characteristics of the slopes where they are located. Seismic activity is the important factor controlling the submarine landslide in Dongsha area, but the important factor controlling the submarine landslides in Shenhu area is the decomposition of natural gas hydrates.

Keywords: submarine landslides; landslide types; distribution characteristics; gas hydrate; South China Sea (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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