About this Research Topic
The South China Sea (SCS), one of the largest marginal seas in the western Pacific, has a distinct setting that superposes complex tectonic environments, such as subduction setting, continental rifting, and seafloor spreading. Even through the SCS is a well-studied marginal sea, there are a number of unsolved questions concerning its formation, evolution, and geodynamic processes. The continental shelf of the SCS is one of the widest and biggest in the world, and its sediments preserve a stratigraphic record of the paleoclimate and paleoenvironment evolution of the region. The marine setting is characterized by active submarine faults and high sediment accumulation rate, and diverse marine geo-hazards with different severity levels are present from the continental shelf to the continental slope and deep basin. The marine geohazards, e.g. submarine earthquakes, landslides and their associated tsunami hazards, are in general understudied in the SCS compared with other regions worldwide. With the expanding of seafloor infrastructure (submarine cables, oil platforms) and increasing coastal population, the SCS region is particularly vulnerable to such geohazards. In this context, it is of great scientific significance to further study the tectonic and sedimentary processes that have taken place in the past, as well as the present, in the South China Sea, and to better characterize the geologic hazard they may pose.
To better assess the geological processes, climate and environmental change, and potential marine geo-hazards of the South China Sea, through interdisciplinary and thematic research, in this Research Topic, we aim to attract a set of high-quality original research and review articles that investigate the tectonics, sedimentology, paleoclimate, paleoenvironment, and hazard assessment in the SCS. We welcome contributions that study the complex interactions between the lithosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere. Review articles and original research contributions that provide an overview of tectonic-sedimentary-environment interaction across time and space will also be welcomed.
We welcome multi-disciplinary and state-of-the-art techniques including but not limited to:
1) The oceanic or continental nature of the crustal structure revealed by new geophysical investigations;
2) Sedimentary studies that show complex interactions for paleoclimate and paleoenvironment dynamics;
3) The relationship between crustal growth, sedimentary deformation and the multiple spreading movements;
4) Neotectonic deformation, active faulting and seismogenic structure studies;
5) Observational, numerical and physical modeling of the tectonic-sedimentary interactions;
6) Earthquake, landslide, and tsunami hazard assessments.
To better assess the geological processes, climate and environmental change, and potential marine geo-hazards of the South China Sea, through interdisciplinary and thematic research, in this Research Topic, we aim to attract a set of high-quality original research and review articles that investigate the tectonics, sedimentology, paleoclimate, paleoenvironment, and hazard assessment in the SCS. We welcome contributions that study the complex interactions between the lithosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere. Review articles and original research contributions that provide an overview of tectonic-sedimentary-environment interaction across time and space will also be welcomed.
We welcome multi-disciplinary and state-of-the-art techniques including but not limited to:
1) The oceanic or continental nature of the crustal structure revealed by new geophysical investigations;
2) Sedimentary studies that show complex interactions for paleoclimate and paleoenvironment dynamics;
3) The relationship between crustal growth, sedimentary deformation and the multiple spreading movements;
4) Neotectonic deformation, active faulting and seismogenic structure studies;
5) Observational, numerical and physical modeling of the tectonic-sedimentary interactions;
6) Earthquake, landslide, and tsunami hazard assessments.
Keywords: South China sea, tectonism, sedimentation, paleoclimate, paleoenvironment, hazard assessment, Greater Bay area
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
