The Late Quaternary evolution of the Southern Vietnamese continental shelf [Elektronische Ressource] / vorgelegt von Bui Viet Dung

The Late Quaternary Evolution of the
Southern Vietnamese Continental Shelf















Dissertation
zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades
der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät
der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel



Vorgelegt von

Bui Viet Dung






2011














Referent: Prof. Dr. Karl Stattegger
Koreferent: Prof. Dr. Gert Jan Weltje
Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 13.04.2011
Zum Druck genehmigt: Ja

Der Dekan: Prof. Dr. Lutz Kipp
Contents
Contents......................................................................................................................................i
List of figures ...........................................................................................................................iv
List of tables .............................................................................................................................ix
Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................x
Abstract..............xi
Zusammenfassung..xiii

1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................1
1.1 Objectives and approach........................................................................................... 3
1.2 Structure of the thesis ............................................................................................... 3
1.3 Geological setting of study area ............................................................................... 4
1.4 Climate and oceanographic conditions of study area ............................................... 5
1.5 Late Quaternary sea-level changes in study area...................................................... 6
1.6 Data and general method .......................................................................................... 7
1.6.1 Seismic stratigraphy ........................................................................................ 8
1.6.2 Numerical modeling ......................................................................................11
References .......................................................................................................................12

2. Late Pleistocene-Holocene seismic stratigraphy on the South East Vietnam Shelf
Abstract ..........................................................................................................................15
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................17
2.2 Regional setting ......................................................................................................18
2.3 Methods and available data ....................................................................................20
2.4 Results ....................................................................................................................22
2.4.1 Seismic units and bounding surfaces.............................................................22
2.4.2 Sedimentary characteristics and ages of deposits..........................................24
2.4.3 Continental shelf architecture........................................................................24
2.4.4 Late Pleistocene-Holocene sequence stratigraphic model for the SE Vietnam
Shelf and controlling factors .........................................................................34
2.5 Discussion and conclusions....................................................................................40
References .......................................................................................................................42


i 3. Late Pleistocene-Holocene seismic stratigraphy of the Nha Trang Shelf, Central
Vietnam
Abstract ..........................................................................................................................47
3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................49
3.2 Regional setting ......................................................................................................49
3.3 Methods and available data ....................................................................................52
3.4 Results ....................................................................................................................54
3.4.1 Sequence stratigraphic analysis.....................................................................54
3.4.2 Sedimentary characteristics and ages of deposits..........................................59
3.4.3 Sequence stratigraphic interpretation ............................................................64
3.5 Proposed sequence stratigraphic model for the Nha Trang Shelf .........................69
3.6 Discussion and conclusions74
References .......................................................................................................................76

4. Flux and fate of sediments on the Nha Trang Shelf (central Vietnam) since the Last
Glacial Maximum (LGM): field measurements and process-based modeling
Abstract ..........................................................................................................................81
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................83
4.2 Regional setting ......................................................................................................84
4.3 Numerical modeling ...............................................................................................86
4.3.1 The 3D Simclast model .................................................................................86
4.4 Input data ................................................................................................................90
4.4.1 Sediment and water discharge .......................................................................90
4.4.2 Sediment thickness data from seismic profiles .............................................93
4.4.3 Sea-level data.................................................................................................96
4.4.4 Initial bathymetry from seismic profiles .......................................................97
4.5 Results and discussion ...........................................................................................98
4.5.1 Sensitivity experiments .................................................................................98
4.5.2 Predicted sediment supply to the shelf during HST and TST period ............104
4.5.3 Final simulation of sedimentation on the Nha Trang Shelf...........................105
4.5.3.1 Input data105
4.5.3.2 Sedimentation over 19.6 ky (deglaciation/Holocene) .......................106
4.6 Discussion...............................................................................................................109
4.7 Conclusions ............................................................................................................110
References .......................................................................................................................112
ii 5. General conclusions.......................................................................................................115
References .......................................................................................................................118

iii List of figures

Fig 1.1 Map of the SCS and two studied areas on the southern Vietnam shelf: SE shelf (a)
and Central Shelf off Nha Trang (b)...........................................................................2
Fig 1.2 Shaded elevation map with major tectonic faults (red line) and Cenozoic basins on
the study area. Locations of Cenozoic basins and faults are adapted from Longman
(1993) and Clift et al. (2008)......................................................................................4
Fig 1.3 Monsoon-driven surface current system in the SCS in June (left) and December
(right) (Wyrtki 1961)..................................................................................................6
Fig 1.4 Sea-level curves over the past 130 ky (a) and LGM/deglacial period for SE Asia
(Hanebuth et al., 2004; Shackleton 1987; Chappell et al 1996; Fleming et al 1998;
Stattegger et al., in prep).............................................................................................7
Fig 1.5 Map of the southern Vietnam Shelf and seismic profiles used in this thesis. ............8
Fig 1.6 Classification of seismic facies and related depositional environments adapted from
Badley (1985), Vail (1987) and Veenken (2007). Types of seismic strata
terminations are modified after Catuneanu (2002).....................................................9
Fig 1.7 Sequence stratigraphic systems tracts as defined by the interplay between base level
changes and sedimentation rate (modified from Catuneanu 2002). For