Marine strata morphology of the South Yellow Sea based on high-resolution aeromagnetic and airborne gravity data

The paper focuses on the nature and the distribution of Paleozoic and Mesozoic marine strata of South Yellow Sea. The depths to the magnetic basement (bottom of the marine strata) and the Indosinian suture (top of the marine strata), and hence the gross thickness of marine sediments, are calculated and interpreted for the first time using the latest high-resolution aeromagnetic and airborne gravity data in South Yellow Sea. The residual thickness of marine strata is suspected to be greatly influenced by the uplift and denudation induced by Indosinian orogeny. The preliminary subdivision of Paleozoic and Mesozoic tectonic units is conducted. The Middle Depression and Southern Depression have the high preservation of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic marine sedimentation. A NW-trending fault belt is found to exist in the western onshore-offshore transition zone, and possibly control the Cenozoic and Mesozoic sedimentation. This study contributes to the oil-gas exploration of Paleozoic and Mesozoic marine strata in South Yellow Sea.