The mapping methods and division of tectonic units of the regional tectonic map in the Huanghai Sea and the East China Sea and adjacent regions

The geological-geophysical map(1:1 000 000) series of the Huanghai Sea and the East China Sea and adjacent regions will be published in the late half year of 2008.The regional tectonic map is one of the main professional maps.The mapping methods, the division method of geological tectonic units and the main geological tectonic units are mainly discussed.The strata from Pliocene to Holocene are peeled off so as to display the Pre-Pliocene structures.In basins, isopaches are drawn for the Cenozoic deposits.The plate tectonic theory and present tectonic pattern are adopted as the priorities in tectonic division.As to the division of intraplate tectonic units, it is a revision, complement and improvement of previous dividing systems, and the nomenclature for each tectonic unit follows the current system in China.The first-order tectonic unit is plate (Pacific Plate, Eurasian Plate and Philippine Sea Plate).The second-order tectonic unit is tectonic domain(East Asian continental tectonic domain, East Asian continental margin tectonic domain and West Pacific tectonic domain).The Philippine Sea Plate and the west part of the Pacific Plate are called the West Pacific tectonic domain.The part of the Eurasian Plate involved in this study area can be further divided into East Asian continental tectonic domain and East Asian continental margin tectonic domain.The Asian continental marg in domain is composed of the Ryūkyū island arc, the Okinaw a Trough back-arc basin and the back-arc basin of Sea of Japan.The Asian continental tectonic domain in this study area is composed of the Sino-Korea Massif, Yangtze Massif and South China Massif.In turn, these massifs consist of basins, folded belts or uplift zones.The basins, the folded belts or the uplift zones are further divided into uplifts and depressions made up of sags and swells.