Sedimentary Geology, Vol. 128, NOS. 1-2, pp. 155-169, 1999

Depositional style and subsidence history of the Turpan Basin (NW China)

Shao Leia,b, Karl Statteggerb,  Wenhou LIc, and Bernd  J. Hauptb,d

aLaboratory of Marine Geology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China;
bInstitute of Geoscience, University Kiel, Germany;
cDepartment of Geology, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
dEarth System Science Center, Pennsylvania State University, USA

Received 17 February, 1998, accepted 5 May 1999

Abstract

The Turpan Basin has a complex polycyclic sedimentary and tectonic history from Late Permian to Late Tertiary time. Main stratigraphic boundaries are unconformities that bound tectonically induced sedimentary cycles. The depositional style reflects a continental environment exhibiting changes from alluvial fan/fluvial to lacustrine conditions within each cycle. More than 7,000 meters of clastic sediments accumulated during the evolution of the basin. Paleocurrent analysis reveals a complex pattern of sediment dispersal pathways into the basin. On the southern margin of the basin, the transport direction is always directed from south to north indicating sediment sources in the Jueluotage Shan, while in the northern part the Late Jurassic uplift of the Bogda Shan provided an important source area from the Early Cretaceous onwards with transport directions from north to south. After basin formation during the Late Permian, the Turpan Basin underwent first thermal subsidence and then flexural subsidence. The thermal subsidence took place during the Late Permian and Early Triassic following the period of magmatic activities in this region. The flexural subsidence was throughout the Middle Triassic to Early Tertiary induced by collisions and accretions onto the south Asian continental margin of the Qiangtang Block in the Late Triassic/Early Jurassic, the Gangdise Block in latest Jurassic/earliest Cretaceous, and the Indian Subcontinent in the latest Cretaceous/early Cenozoic.

Keywords: basin analysis; NW China; sedimentology; subsidence; turpan Basin

1. Introduction

The Turpan Basin, located in Northwest China (42°-43°30’N; 87°30’-95°30’E), is a relatively large intermontane basin of the Tian Shan (Shan is the Chinese term for mountain). This basin is approximately 500 km long from east to west, 60-100 km wide from south to north, and covers an area of 53,500 square kilometers. The Turpan Basin is connected to the north and northeast with the Bogda Shan and Haerlike Shan and towards the south with the Jueluotage Shan, adjacent to the Tarim Basin (Fig. 1). Most of the basin consists of desert. The Aiding Lake, located in the southwest of the basin, lies at an altitude of 154 m below sea level and is the second lowest continental point in the world.

The Turpan Basin has been intensively studied since the 1980s, after the discovery of oil fields (Wu et al., 1997); nevertheless, published geological studies remain sparse. Differing views exist on the timing and development of the Turpan Basin, its tectonic setting, its basement and its tectonic evolution. Some authors have proposed that the Tian Shan is strictly a manifestation of the Cenozoic Himalayan orogeny (Bally et al., 1986). Others suggest that the Tian Shan area including Junggar, Turpan and Tarim basins, has a long and polycyclic tectonic history (Huang, 1978; Ren et al., 1980; Zhu et al., 1980; Zhu et al., 1988; Zhang et al., 1985; Carroll et al., 1991; Allen et al., 1993; Hendrix et al., 1992; Peng, 1995). Some studies consider that the Turpan Basin is a Late Paleozoic intermontane basin of the Tian Shan orogenic belts (Cao, 1990). However, other studies maintain that the Turpan Basin is a microcontinent, which was connected to the Junggar basin prior to the Late Permian time (Wu, Q., 1986; Wu, Z., 1986; Tang et al., 1991; Lin, 1993; Hu et al., 1996). On the basis of the outcrop of Precambrian crystalline rock in the surrounding orogenic belts of the Junggar and Turpan Basins and geophysical data, Turpan and Junggar Basins are considered as having a Precambrian crystalline basement and belonging to the Eurasia Plate (Wu, Q., 1986; Zhao et al., 1992; Xiao et al., 1992). Another view is that the Turpan Basin and Junggar Basin developed on an oceanic crust based on sedimentary sequence and volcanics (Carroll et al., 1990; 1991). Clearly, the controversy and differing views about this region have arisen from a lack of detailed geological data.

2. Geological background

The Turpan Basin is located in the eastern part of the Tian Shan, which is a distal portion of the Himalayan orogenic belts formed by the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates in the Cenozoic. The Bogda Shan consists of Upper Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic and some Jurassic rocks. The Late Carboniferous is dominated by volcaniclastic and carbonate strata of mainly neritic or continental facies, with some interbedded intermediate and intermediate-felsic volcanic rocks. There is minor diabase and gabbro intrusive rock outcropping in the core of the mountains (Chen et al., 1985a). The Permian is represented by continental clastic-pyroclastic formations and minor limestone. The Triassic, Lower and Mid Jurassic consists of continental clastic formations with coal seams. The Carboniferous and Permian show very low grade or no metamorphism. In comparison, the Haerlike Shan adjacent to the Bogda Shan in the east contains Devonian and Lower Carboniferous clastic-pyroclastic strata of neritic facies and intermediate, intermediate-felsic and felsic volcanic rocks, which were more affected by regional metamorphism and granite plutonism than in the Bogda Shan. The Triassic and Jurassic are absent in the Haerlike Shan. Some studies maintain that the Bogda Shan was together with the Haerlike Shan a continental rift valley based on volcanic geochemical data in the Carboniferous and Early Permian (Lin, 1993; He et al., 1994; Zhou et al., 1996). The Jueluotage Shan, located south of the Turpan Basin, consists of Silurian, Devonian and Carboniferous which are metamorphosed felsic and intermediate-felsic volcanic, pyroclastic formations, and marine sedimentary, ultramafic, mafic and intermediate-felsic plutonic complexes. In Late Carboniferous and Permian time, a great many felsic and intermediate-felsic plutons (mainly of granite, biotite granite and alkali-granite, and minor granodiorite and diorite) intruded this region (Chen et al., 1985b).

The basement of the Turpan Basin was deformed by Paleozoic tectonics (Zhao et al., 1992). Due to the collision between the Indian and Eurasian Plates in the Cenozoic, this basin was redeformed and as a result a north to south (W-E elongated) thrust fault belt formed in the middle of the basin (Flaming Hills, see Fig. 1, Cross-section). The Turpan Basin can be subdivided into three regions (Fig. 1): Turpan Sag, Ledong Uplift and Hami Sag (Zhao et al., 1992). There are only some Lower and Middle Jurassic sedimentary cover sequences in the Ledong Uplift, whereas Late Permian to Cenozoic sedimentary cover sequences in Turpan and Hami Sags.

3. Materials and methods

This paper is based on detailed study of outcrop sections in field and core logs, and backstripping analysis of the stratigraphic data. Twenty-two sections in the western Turpan Sag and the eastern Hami Sag of the Turpan Basin were examined. Fifteen sections and seven core profiles ranging from the Carboniferous to the Tertiary were surveyed. The comprehensive stratigraphic section of the northern part of the basin is shown in Fig. 2 and locations of all surveyed sections are shown in Fig. 3. A total of 930 paleocurrent measurements from the Triassic to the Jurassic strata were made and collected (124 for Triassic and 806 for Jurassic). Potter et al. (1963) and Miall (1990) described directional character of sedimentary rock and its measured method. In this study, Current directions have been measured with compass. Linear structures (sole markings, parting lineation), ripples, trough crossbedding and planar crossbedding were used. Subsidence history derived from the stratigraphic data of the northern part of the Turpan Sag is used to evaluate models for sedimentary basin evolution. We used the backstripping method of van Hinte (1978) and Steckler and Watts (1978). The absolute ages are based on Harland (1990). The purpose of this paper is to interpret the evolutionary history of the Turpan Basin. Results on sandstone petrology and geochemistry are outlined in Shao (1996, 1999).

4. Stratigraphy

Although some of the stratigraphic relationships in the basin had been studied in the fifties and sixties (Bureau of geology and mineral resources of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 1966) and certain some petrological investigations were carried out on various rock collections, no rigorous stratigraphic scheme was established before the eighties. Since 1980, increased field activity by the Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the Bureau of Oil and Gas Management of Yumen has yielded new geological information. A system of nomenclature and a stratigraphic scheme has been established for the whole basin (Zhang, X., 1981; Zhang, L., 1983; Chen et al., 1985b). This stratigraphic scheme, based both on biostratigraphic and petrographic data, is widely used. The thickness of sedimentary strata in the basin is variable. Fig. 2 shows the Stratigraphy and thickness of sedimentary formations in the north part of the Turpan Sag, where strata are thickest. Fig. 3 and 4 show the two most extensive outcrop-sections (Taoshuyuan and Lianmuqin sections).

The sediment fill of the Turpan Basin contains more than 7,000 m of continental sediments of Late Permian to Late Tertiary age. Upper Carboniferous and Lower Permian volcanics, clastics and platform carbonates are known from neighboring areas and extend into the margins of the Turpan Basin. The sedimentary environments of Upper Carboniferous and Lower Permian was studied (Jin et al., 1989a; Jin et al., 1989b; Song, 1989; Bureau of geology and mineral resources of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 1991; Wu et al., 1997). During the Permian the sedimentary environment shifted from marine to fluvial and lacustrine conditions and the Turpan Basin became an individual depocenter from the Late Permian onwards (Zhu et al., 1988; Wu et al., 1997). These terrestrial conditions prevailed also during Mesozoic and Cenozoic times.

5. Depositional style of basin fill

The Turpan Basin has a complex polycyclic sedimentary and tectonic history. The main stratigraphic boundaries follow in general tectonically induced sedimentary cycles, which are bounded by unconformities. The depositional style reflects a continental environment exhibiting changes from alluvial fan/fluvial to lacustrine conditions within each cycle.

Upper Permian strata in the Turpan Basin are mostly nonmarine. The middle of the basin received lacustrine deposits. At the northern and western margins of the basin, the basal part of the strata consists of rapid alluvial and fluvial conglomerates, which are directly derived from the underlying strata. Most part of the Bogda Shan was at that time a sedimentary basin. The transport direction of the sediments in the northern Turpan Basin and at Taoshuyuan was from southwest to northeast (Carroll et al., 1991). In the eastern part of the basin, the transport direction was from northwest to southeast (Lin, 1993). In the southern part of the basin no sediments were received.

The boundary between the Permian and Triassic west of the Taoshuyuan-Tuokexun line is an angular unconformable. Generally, the Triassic strata consist of red conglomerate, coarse sandstone and sandstone in the lower part and dark, fine clastic sediments with coal and coal streaks in the upper part, deposited in alluvial and lacustrine-fluvial environments and a process of climate change from arid to humid during the Triassic. The distracting are shown on Fig. 5. Middle and Late Triassic strata have more variable sediment transport directions than Lower Triassic strata. On the margin of the basin (e.g. Aiweiergou and Taoshuyuan), there are alluvial and braided-fluvial depositions. At Aiweiergou, the transport direction of the sediments is from southwest to northeast. The average of the paleocurrent directions in the Middle Triassic was 271° at Taoshuyuan, but 112° at Kekeya (Fig. 5A), suggesting that there was an uplifted region between them.

The Lower and Middle Jurassic strata consist of gray and green clasts and coal deposited in a lacustrine-swamp environments. The Upper Jurassic consists of variegated coarse clastic rocks, deposited in a piedmont-fluvial environment with an arid climate (Li, 1997a; Li, 1997b). In the Early Jurassic, transport directions in the Hami Sag were from northwest to southeast (Fig. 5B). In the Turpan Sag, the paleocurrent directions show that the Bogda Shan was a sedimentary depocenter, and contains Lower and Middle Jurassic fluvial to lacustrine strata with coal. North of Aiweiergou was an uplifted area, which provided the neighboring areas with rock fragments.

In the Middle Jurassic, the eastern part of Junggar Basin, called as Qitai Paleouplift (Zai et al., 1993), was jointed with the eastern part of the Bogda Shan and denuded (Lin, 1993; Liu et al., 1997), while the western part of the Bogda Shan received sediments and coal. In the Xishanyao Formation, the paleocurrent directions in most measured sections were from north to south in a range from 188° at Shanshan to 193° at Aiweiergou (Fig. 5C). The Sanjianfang and Qiketai Formations are exposed in the middle (Flaming Hills) and at the northern and western margins of the basin. In the middle of the basin, the clast size fines upward from south to north. The paleocurrent analysis shows that the sedimentary transport directions were mostly from south to north (Fig. 5C). In the northeast part of the Turpan Sag, there are some fan-delta in Qiketai Formation, and the sediments came from nearby source area (Liu et al., 1998).

In the Late Jurassic, the sedimentary rocks are mostly red and purple-red, indicating the paleoclimate changed from humid to arid. At Lianmuqin, the gray-green silty mudstone was deposited in a lacustrine environment, and the paleocurrent directions were from south to north (Fig. 5C). In the Latest Jurassic, the Kalaza Formation is less exposed. From north to south, the thickness of the Kalaza Formation decreases and the clast size fines upward. On the northern margin of the basin are numerous alluvial conglomerate deposits. Therefore, the transport direction should be from north to south for the Kalaza Formation.

The boundary between Jurassic and Cretaceous is angular unconformable or non-angular unconformable, and the area of Cretaceous deposition was more limited than in the Jurassic. Cretaceous strata are mostly exposed in the northern and middle part of the basin. The sedimentary environment belongs to a lacustrine system. The thickness decreases from north to south and the clast size fines, suggesting that the sedimentary transport directions were from north to south.

The Tertiary strata are distributed across the entire basin. The coarse clastic sediments, dominant in the lower part of the strata, were deposited in braided fluvial/alluvial environments, while the fine clasts, dominant in the upper part of the strata, are lacustrine deposits. The depositional environment was locally a salt-water lake at an arid paleoclimate. The basin locally received evaporates. The dominant sedimentary transport directions were also from north to south.

6. Subsidence history and basin evolution

The important data of the subsidence analysis are listed in Table 1 and the graphic results are shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6 includes curves of total subsidence, tectonic subsidence and paleo-elevation. The total subsidence is more than ten thousand meters from the Early Permian to Miocene in the Turpan Basin. The subsidence diagrams show that the highest rates of subsidence in the Turpan Basin were present throughout the Late Permian and Early Triassic periods, active tectonic subsidence throughout the Middle Triassic and Jurassic, relatively reduced activity during the Cretaceous, and increased activity in the early Tertiary. In addition, periods of accelerated basin subsidence occurred during the Late Permian and Early Triassic, Late Triassic/Early Jurassic, latest Jurassic/earliest Cretaceous, and latest Cretaceous/early Cenozoic. Acceleration of subsidence rates in the Late Permian and Early Triassic was remarkably high. In general, high rates of subsidence coincide with peaks in coarse clastic deposition and there are commonly unconformities before these periodic high rates of subsidence (Fig. 6). The subsidence rate in the Jurassic is also obviously high; however, sedimentation of the Lianmuqin Section contains only a small amount of coarse clastic deposition. In this period, the strata formed at the southern margin of the basin contain more coarse clastic deposition. For instance, the Upper Jurassic at the Aiweiergou Section consists almost entirely of conglomerate, while there is only fine sedimentation in the Lianmuqin Section. The coarse clastic deposition did not prograde far enough basinward to the middle part of the basin in the Jurassic.

Volcanic and intrusive activities were quite extensively developed in the Turpan Basin region during the Carboniferous and Early Permian, but ceased following Late Permian time. The curves of basin subsidence from the Late Permian to Early Triassic are strongly concave-down, forming the highest subsidence rate of the basin. Mckenzie (1978) suggested that the greatest subsidence of theoretical models of thermal subsidence occurs within about 50Ma after the onset of extension. This situation was present also in the Turpan Basin. These segments of the curves are interpreted to reflect thermal subsidence following the period of magmatic activities in this region, and mark the beginning of the evolution of the basin. In this period, the Turpan Basin was extended (Tao, 1994), rapidly subsided and received large amount of coarse clastic sedimentation. The typical thermal subsidence curve should be strongly concave-down at first and then further smooth downward (Angevine et al., 1990), and the curve is general continuous. However, there is an acceleration on the curve in the Late Permian or Early Triassic. At this time, the Tarim Block was transported towards the north and collided with the Eurasia Plate (Zhang et al., 1985; Lin, 1985; Cheng et al., 1986; Zhou et al., 1996). This tectonic event disturbed the thermal subsidence curve of the basin.

During the Middle Triassic and early Tertiary, the total subsidence rate of the basin was generally high (ca. 29 m/Ma), although the tectonic subsidence rate is considerably less than before. There were several periods of accelerated subsided typical of flexural loading subsidence during these times. Accelerated subsidence occurred during the Late Triassic/Early Jurassic, latest Jurassic/earliest Cretaceous, and latest Cretaceous/early Cenozoic, induced by several advancing thrust sheets during crustal shortening and orogenic movements. During these times, the Qiangtang Block, the Gangdise Block and the Indian Subcontinent collided and converged with the Eurasian plate (Liu et al., 1990). Moreover, Liu (1990) pointed out that the Gangdise Block collided with the Eurasian in the Late Jurassic, but separated from it shortly there after. In the latest Jurassic/earliest Cretaceous they collided again. The subsidence rates of the basin are general high from the Middle Triassic to Jurassic, indicating an important period of subsidence for the basin. It is remarkable that both total and tectonic subsidence rates are clearly reduced during the Cretaceous. The convergence of the Gangdise Block may have decreased the subsidence rates for the entire basin and produced the unconformity between Jurassic and Cretaceous strata. Due to the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates in the Cenozoic, the Bogda Shan was strongly folded and uplifted, providing considerable detritus to the basin, and leading to renewed subsidence. Therefore, these accelerated subsidence periods reflect clearly a complex and polycyclic tectonic history in the evolution of the basin and surrounding areas (Fig. 7).

Hendrix et al., (1992) displayed a subsidence history diagram of the Turpan Basin. Their subsidence diagrams show that the higher rates of subsidence occurred shortly after coarse clastic deposition. However, this situation did not appear in our study. According to the diagram (Fig. 6) and detailed field observations, the higher rates of basin subsidence occurred with coarse clastic deposition at the same time, reflecting a coincidence of the rapid tectonic subsidence and the strong erosion in the nearby source regions.

7. Concluding remarks

Late Paleozoic through Cenozoic sedimentary environments in the Turpan Basin changed with time. In the Permian, the sedimentary environment shifted from marine to continental facies. In the Mesozoic and Cenozoic, the Turpan Basin was entirely nonmarine. The sedimentary environments included alluvial, fluvial and lacustrine strata. The paleoclimate changed from arid to humid during Triassic, and from humid to arid from Jurassic to Cretaceous. In Tertiary times, the Turpan Basin locally received evaporates.

Along with the tectonic variation, the paleocurrent indicator directions of the basin varied also with time. From Permian to Jurassic, the Jueluotage Shan was the dominant source rock region for the Turpan Basin. The locally uplifted areas of the Bogda Shan (e.g. at Taoshuyuan) were only minor providers of source rocks. The paleocurrent directions were from south to north. The Qitai paleouplift was an important provenance area for the northern region of the basin. Since the latest Jurassic, the Bogda Shan was gradually folded and uplifted, building another source rock region for the basin. The paleocurrent directions were from north to south. In the Cretaceous and Tertiary, the Bogda Shan was an important source rock region. This region was continually strongly uplifted in the Cenozoic time and the dominant source rock region for the basin. In the Hami Sag, the Haerlike Shan was a continuously eroding region and always an important source area. The paleocurrent directions were always from north to south.

The Turpan Basin formed during the Late Permian and underwent first thermal subsidence and then flexural subsidence. The evolution of the basin can be divided into four periods: the rapidly subsiding period (from the Late Permian to Early Triassic); the actively subsiding period (from the Middle Triassic to Jurassic), reduced subsiding period (Cretaceous) and increased subsiding period (early Tertiary). The thermal subsidence took place during the Late Permian and Early Triassic following the period of plate collision and magmatic activities in this region. Convergence between the Tarim Block and the Eurasia Plate during the Late Permian/Early Triassic appears to be reflected by a temporary increase in subsidence. Due to the thermal subsidence and tensile situation, it should be a back-arc basin in the Late Paleozoic. Flexural subsidence throughout the Middle Triassic to Early Tertiary was induced by several collisions which produced periods of high subsidence rates during the Late Triassic/Early Jurassic, latest Jurassic/earliest Cretaceous, and latest Cretaceous/early Cenozoic. We interpret these periods of accelerated subsidence to reflect accretion onto the south Asian continental margin of the Qiangtang Block in the Late Triassic/Early Jurassic, the Gangdise Block in latest Jurassic/earliest Cretaceous, and the Indian Subcontinent in the latest Cretaceous/early Cenozoic.
 

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Prof. Zhou Lifa and Dr. Lin Jinyan, Northwest University, Xi'an who supported our field of work. the authors also wish to acknowledge financial assistance partly from Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China and the Bureau of Personnel of Shanghei Government.
 

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  • Wu, T., Zhang, S.H. and Wang, W.H., 1996. The structural characteristics and hydrocarbon accumulation in Turpan-Hami coal-bearing basin: Acta Petrolei Sinica. 17: 12~18 (in Chinese with English abstract).
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  • Zhang, X., 1981. Regional stratigraphic chart of northwestern China, Branch of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region: Beijing, China, Geological Publishing House, 496 pp. (in Chinese).
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    • Tables


    Table 1. Data list for the subsidence analysis of the Turpan Basin

    table 1

    Figures


     

    figure 1

    Fig. 1. Geologic map of Northwest China (After Chen et al. 1985) and two cross sections. This map shows only the distribution of pre-Mesozoic rocks. TS = Turpan Sag; LU = Ledong Uplift; HS = Hami Sag.

     

    figure 2

    Fig. 2. The comprehensive composite stratigraphic section of the Turpan Basin.


     

    figure 3

    Fig. 3. Stratigraphic plots of Taoshuyuan Section, including two more detailed corresponding profiles, Northern Turpan Basin. On top showing also the locations of the fifteen surveyed outcrop-sections and seven core-profiles.


     

    figure 4

    Fig. 4. Stratigraphic plots of Lianmuqin Section, including four more detailed corresponding profiles, middle of Turpan Basin. For legend see Fig. 2 and 3.


     

    figure 5

    Fig. 5. Plots of paleocurrent directions of the Turpan Basin
    A. Triassic (T1j-Jiocaiyuan Formation; T1s-Shaofanggou Formation; T3h-Haojiagou Formation). B. Lower Jurassic (J1b-Badaowan Formation; J1s-Sangonghe Formation). C. Middle and Upper Jurassic (J2x-Xishanyao Formation; J2q-Qiketai Formation; J3q-Qigu Formation).


     

    figure 6

    Fig. 6. Subsidence history diagrams for the Turpan Basin, displaying that the Turpan Basin underwent first thermal subsidence and then flexure subsidence. The thermal subsidence took place during the Upper Permian and Early Triassic. The flexure subsidence was throughout the Middle Triassic to Early Tertiary. There are several accelerated subsidence periods associated with the alluvial coarse clastic sediments commonly overlying major unconformities.


     

    figure 7

    Fig. 7. Cross sections showing the tectonic evolution of the Turpan Basin and neighbor areas.

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    Bernd J. Haupt (bjhaupt@psu.edu)