The Cretaceous Songliao Basin: Volcanogenic Succession, Sedimentary Sequence and Tectonic Evolution, NE China

The Songliao basin (SB) is a superposed basin with two different kinds of basin fills. The lower one is characterized by a fault-bounded volcanogenic succession comprising of intercalated volcanic, pyroclastic and epiclastic rocks. The volcanic rocks, dating from 110 Ma to 130 Ma, are of geochemically active continental margin type. Fast northward migration of the SB block occurred during the major episodes of the volcanism inferred from their paleomagnetic information. The upper one of the basin fill is dominated by non-marine sag-style sedimentary sequence of siliciclastics and minor carbonates. The basin center shifted westwards from the early to late Cretaceous revealed by the GGT seismic velocity structure suggesting dynamic change in the basin evolution. Thus, a superposed basin model is proposed. Evolution of the SB involves three periods including (1) Alptian and pre-Aptian: a retroarc basin and range system of Andes type related to Mongolia-Okhotsk collisional belt (MOCB); (2) Albian to Companian: a sag-like strike-slip basin under transtension related to oblique subduction of the Pacific plate along the eastern margin of the Eurasian plate; (3) since Maastrichtian: a tectonic inverse basin under compression related to normal subduction of the Pacific plate under the Eurasian plate, characterized by overthrust, westward migration of the depocenter and eastward uplifting of the basin margin.