Sequence stratigraphy of the subaqueous Changjiang (Yangtze River) delta since the Last Glacial Maximum

• Sedimentary facies in relation to postglacial sea level change were revealed.
• A facies mode of the tidally dominated paleo-Changjiang estuary was proposed.
• A sixth order sequence had been recognized in the subaqueous Changjiang delta.

This study focuses on sedimentary research at the subaqueous Changjiang (Yangtze River) delta, based on five high-resolution seismic profiles and seven borehole cores with accurate AMS 14C datings. Three distinct seismic units were identified from the seismic profiles according to seismic reflection characteristics, and five sedimentary facies were recognized from borehole cores. These facies constituted a fining upward sedimentary sequence in relation to postglacial sea-level transgression. Three sequence surfaces (sequence boundary (SB), transgressive surface (TS), and maximum flooding surface (MFS)) demarcate the boundaries between early transgressive system tract (E-TST), late transgressive system tract (L-TST), early highstand system tract (E-HST) and late highstand system tract (L-HST), which constitute the sixth order sequence. These system tracts were developed coevally with postglacial sea-level rise. E-TST (~ 19–12 ka BP) corresponds to an incised-valley infilling in the early stages of postglacial transgression whereas L-TST (~ 12–7.5 ka BP) was formed during the last stage of postglacial transgression. The progradational structure of L-TST reflected in seismic profiles is possibly related to the intensification of the East Asian summer monsoon. E-HST (~ 7.5–2 ka BP) was deposited in response to the highstand after maximum postglacial transgression was reached, while L-HST (~ 2 ka BP–present) was initiated by accelerated progradation of the Changjiang delta.