3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
[S26-P-02] Heat flow and tectono-thermal histories in cratons of China
There are altogether 1230 heat flow data in the continental area of China, and most of them concentrate in the three cratons: the North China Craton, the Tarim Craton, and the Yangtze Craton. Heat flow in these cratons displays much different characteristic., which is 42.5 mW/m2 in the Tarim Basin, 61 mW/m2 in the western NCC, ~64 mW/m2 in the eastern NCC, 71.2 mW/m2 in Subei Basin of the Lower Yangtze Craton, and 53.2 mW/m2 in the Sichuan Basin of the upper Yangtze Craton. In general the high heat flow locates at the active continental block (e.g. eastern NCC) and the low heat flow at the stable craton block (e.g. Tarim). Each of the cratons has experienced complicated evolution histories since their formation, presents distinct thermal regime, and displays different stability. The Tarim Craton keeps its stability till now. The eastern North China Craton has been destructed in the Mesozoic, but the western North China Craton still stable. The stability of the Yangtze craton is a controversial issue, and the newest study believed it experienced similar tectono-thermal events as the North China Craton and has also been destructed in the Mesozoic. Several sedimentary basins developed in these cratons, and most of them are rich of oil-gas resources. These basins have different formation mechanism and experienced distinct tectono-thermal evolution, which resulted in individual thermal histories. The sedimentary basins have recorded distinct thermal evolution of these craton. Heat flow data, together with basins' tectono-thermal histories in these cratons may help to provide ideas for geodynamical mechanism on the craton stability/destruction, as well as implications for hydrocarbon generation.