Geological evolution of the West Luzon Basin (South China Sea, Philippines)

Interpretation of deep 2-D multi-channel seismic data sheds insights into the geological evolution of the West Luzon Basin, Philippines. This basin is a sediment-filled trough that is located between the island of Luzon and the outer arc high of the west Luzon subduction zone. High-amplitude, low-frequency reflection bands mark the acoustic basement. The basement, at about 6 s (TWT), is dissected by normal faults with some of them being inverted in a later phase of deformation. The sedimentary successions, overlying the basement are stratified with partly chaotic structures and discontinuous reflectors. Five regional unconformities separate major stratigraphic units. Grid calculations of our seismic data reveal variations in the sedimentation pattern of the basin with a shift of the deposition centre from east to west and backwards during formation. A distinct bottom-simulating reflector is commonly observed. Because the northern boundary of the continental fragments to the South of the West Luzon Basin is unclear we speculate that the basin may be (partly) underlain by continental crust. The continental crust was affected by rifting prior to and during the opening of the South China Sea and the basin was overprinted at a later stage by a forearc structural setting when subduction was initiated.