A preliminary analysis on lithospheric thickness and crustal ages in central basin of South China Sea

The models about lithospheric thickness and thermal conduction inside the lithosphere and the top layer ofthe asthenosphere have been proposed in this study for four type regions:the midoceanic ridge,the extinct spreading ridge,the lithospheric fault fissure and the mouth of the extinct submarine volcanoes which are in deep sea bottom.The solutions of the models are found to be the same.The formulas of temperature distribution inside the lithosphere and the top layer of the asthenosphere,the lithospheric thicknesses to the heat flow and the crustal ages to the heat flow are obtained.The crustal ages and the lithospheric thicknesses of the central basin are calculated.And they are used to draw the lithospheric thicknesses and crustal ages maps of the central basin (in this paper both the central basin and the basin are the central basin of the South China Sea).According to their characteristics,the central basin is divided into three regions.The lithospheric thicknesses,crustal ages and heat flow distribution characteristics are discussed respectively.The formation and evolution of the South China Sea are analysed and it is thought that the South China Sea has undergone three episode-seafloor spreadings.