Evolution of lacustrine basin in relation to variation in palaeowater depth and delta development: Neogene Bohai Bay Basin, Huanghekou area, northern China

This paper presents revision of the Neogene chronostratigraphic framework of the Huanghekou area in the Bohai Bay Basin, northern China, on the basis of integration of palaeomagnetic data and Neogene seismic stratigraphy. The modern Lake Dongting was selected for analyses of bottom sediments, water depth and elemental composition. Four elements, namely Al, V, Ni and Ga with R 2 value larger than 0.7, were chosen to establish a quantitative relationship (F P) between elemental composition and water depth of bottom sediments. A water depth of ~2.4 m was identified as an accumulation depth of Candoniella albicans, which is used to derive environmental variable (Φ) of formula F P. Candoniella albicans is also found within the Neogene well W10 in the Huanghekou area. Considering 2.4 m as D value in formula F p and measured element values at different depths of W10, Φ values were obtained at different depths. The quantitative palaeowater depths of each drilling well were estimated for the first time in this area by considering elemental composition of chip samples of four drilling wells in the Huanghekou area, which are directly iterated to the F F. Palaeowater depth reconstruction of the Neogene in the Huanghekou area indicates an initial deepening trend and a later shallowing trend during the evolution, with average and deepest bathymetry at ~2.3 and ~4.8 m, respectively. Frequent fluctuations of palaeowater depth control the sand dispersal pattern in a shallow delta during the lower part of the Lower Member of Minghuazhen Formation.