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We conducted two-dimensional numerical simulations to investigate the mechanisms underlying the strong spatiotemporal correlation observed between submarine landslides and gas hydrate dissociation due to glacial sea-level drops. Our results suggest that potential plastic deformation or slip could occur at localized and small scales in the shallow-water portion of the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ). This shallow-water portion of the GHSZ typically lies within the area enclosed by three points: the BGHSZ–seafloor intersection, the seafloor at ∼600 m below sea level (mbsl), and the base of the GHSZ (BGHSZ) at ∼1,050 mbsl in low-latitude regions. The deep BGHSZ (>1,050 mbsl) could not slip; therefore, the entire BGHSZ was not a complete slip surface. Glacial hydrate dissociation alone is unlikely to cause large-scale submarine landslides. Observed deep-water (much greater than 600 mbsl) turbidites containing geochemical evidence of glacial hydrate dissociation potentially formed from erosion or detachment in the GHSZ pinch-out zone.

Relying on geological data to construct 3D models can provide a more intuitive and easily comprehensible spatial perspective. This process aids in exploring underground spatial structures and geological evolutionary processes, providing essential data and assistance for the exploration of geological resources, energy development, engineering decision-making, and various other applications. As one of the methods for 3D geological modeling, multipoint statistics can effectively describe and reconstruct the intricate geometric shapes of nonlinear geological bodies. However, existing multipoint statistics algorithms still face challenges in efficiently extracting and reconstructing the global spatial distribution characteristics of geological objects. Moreover, they lack a data-driven modeling framework that integrates diverse sources of heterogeneous data. This research introduces a novel approach that combines multipoint statistics with multimodal deep artificial neural networks and constructs the 3D crustal P-wave velocity structure model of the South China Sea by using 44 OBS forward profiles, gravity anomalies, magnetic anomalies and topographic relief data. The experimental results demonstrate that the new approach surpasses multipoint statistics and Kriging interpolation methods, and can generate a more accurate 3D geological model through the integration of multiple geophysical data. Furthermore, the reliability of the 3D crustal P-wave velocity structure model, established using the novel method, was corroborated through visual and statistical analyses. This model intuitively delineates the spatial distribution characteristics of the crustal velocity structure in the South China Sea, thereby offering a foundational data basis for researchers to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the geological evolution process within this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]