Quantitative reconstruction and implications of the Cretaceous Aeolian bedform architecture in Chayong Basin,the hinterland of South China
HUANG Leqing1,2,3, HU Nengyong4, WEN Chunhua1, MENG Fanxing5, CHEN Xu1, XIANG Ke1, ZENG Guangqian1, JIAO Peng1, WANG Lingjue1
1 Geological Survey Institute of Hunan Province,Changsha 410116,China; 2 Institute of Geological Survey,China University of Geosciences,Wuhan 430074,China; 3 Hubei Key Laboratory of Paleontology and Geological Environment Evolution,Wuhan 430205,China; 4 Hunan Center of Natural Resources Affairs,Changsha 410004,China; 5 Nuclear Geological Survey Institute of Hunan Province,Changsha 410007,China
Abstract：The Cretaceous strata in the Chayong Basin,located in the hinterland of South China,are characterized by ancient desert sediments with diverse dune morphology. These features reflect a complex interplay of tectonic activity,hydrological conditions,and palaeoclimatic changes. Despite their significance,research on this topic remains limited,hindering our understanding of the evolution of the paleodesert environment. This study employs the innovative End-Member Modeling by Grain Size Analysis(EMMA)with traditional dune morphology analysis to investigate paleoaeolian morphologies and quantitatively reconstruct bedform configurations. The results indicate that the Cretaceous dunes in the Chayong Basin are exceptionally large,with morphological parameters surpassing global averages for typical fault basins. This suggests an initial arid or desert basin state comparable to the Cretaceous dunes of the Ordos Basin's or the modern dunes of the Taklamagan Desert. EMMA identified four end-members that are indicative of aeolian dunes,sand sheets,and moist interdune areas. The reconstructed paleowind direction was predominantly north-northeast,influenced by the westerlies of the Northern Hemisphere. The sedimentary configurations exhibit a variety of forms,including compound crescentic and complex transverse dunes. The southern part of the basin is characterized by a dry-moist interdune system,presenting internal arid-moist interdunes and small-medium crescentic dunes. In contrast,the northern part develops a dry interdune aeolian system dominated by giant compound dunes. Tectonic uplift and fluvial development surrounding the basin have provided abundant sediment sources,resulting in secondary erosion,migration,and deposition driven by wind action. The subsidence of the fault-basin basement and fluctuations in the groundwater table,has created accommodation space for the accumulation and preservation of aeolian sediments. This study,based on aeolian sedimentary geological records,offers a new perspective on the large-scale dynamics of the Chayong Basin during the Cretaceous period,enhancing our comprehension of the coupled processes of aeolian/fluvial sedimentation,basin tectonics,and paleoclimatic evolution in the hinterland of South China.
HUANG Leqing,HU Nengyong,WEN Chunhua et al. Quantitative reconstruction and implications of the Cretaceous Aeolian bedform architecture in Chayong Basin,the hinterland of South China[J]. JOPC, 2024, 26(6): 1372-1395.
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