Late Quaternary stratigraphic evolution on the outer shelf of the East China Sea

•We examined late Quaternary stratigraphy on the outer shelf of the East China Sea.•Sea level controlled the stratigraphic framework and sedimentary facies.•The paleo-fluvial deposits were recognized on the outer shelf.•Strong tidal processes characterized the sedimentary facies since the last glaciation.

The East China Sea is a typical marginal sea and is characterized by strong land–sea interaction and paleoenvironmental changes during the late Quaternary with sea-level fluctuations. In this study, late Quaternary sedimentary stratigraphy and facies on the outer shelf of the East China Sea were reconstructed by using high-resolution seismic reflections and combining evidences from lithology, microfossil assemblages, element geochemistry and geochronology of borehole SFK-1. Sedimentary sequence consists of nearshore facies of forced regression formed during the late marine isotopic stage 3, tide-influenced fluvial and estuarine facies during the last glacial maximum, incised-valley fill and estuarine-tidal flat facies during the deglacial transgression, buried and quasi-active tidal sand ridge facies during the postglacial and Holocene periods.The sea-level fluctuation and paleo-river and sea interaction primarily controlled the stratigraphic framework and sedimentary facies on the outer shelf during the late Quaternary. This study confirms the occurrence of paleo-river channels and relating deposits on the outer shelf. Paleo-fluvial deposits accumulated during the last glacial maximum albeit with strong tidal reworking, and tide-dominated estuarine facies are recognized during the early deglacial transgression. The previously-recognized delta facies might not have formed on the outer shelf because of the low sediment supply and/or strong tidal reworking.