Coupling Effect Between Coalification and Tectonic-thermal Events—Geological Records of Geodynamics of Sedimentary Basin

Coal is an organic sedimentary rock, which is very sensitive to geological factors, such as temperature and pressure. Coalification is actually an open system process in which coal exchanges energy and substance with the surrounding environment. During the long process of geologic evolution, all types of tectonic-thermal activities resulted in the diversification of coal in terms of physics, chemistry, textures, and structures. Affected by various geologic agents, the organic and inorganic components in coal moved, differentiated, and rebuilt, which sequentially influenced the coal seam distribution, coal rank, and coal quality, which can be treated as the geological record of the geodynamics of sedimentary basin to some degree. In this article, research progresses of coupling effects between coalification and tectonic-thermal events at home and abroad are introduced, the main scientific problems are discussed, and some key research projects are proposed.