Gas Venting Features in the Near Shore of Southwestern Taiwan
Reporter : Chih-wei Lin
Abstract
Off southwest Taiwan is the place where the passive China continental margin meets the Taiwan mountain belt. The Central Geological Survey of Taiwan has initiated geophysical/geological studies off SW Taiwan since 2004 in order to explore gas-hydrate potential. Complex systems of mud diapirs are observed in the Kaoping shelf and slope area. Diapirism may be initiated by sediment buoyancy, and accelerated closer to the surface by the addition of fluids or dissociation of gas hydrates. The fold-and-thrust structures are the dominant features in the accretionary wedge province. Submarine mud volcanoes are created by lateral tectonic compression with gas/fluid upward migration along the faults, and other gas venting features have been identified by variety of sonar and seismic reflection profile data.
References
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Jui-Kun Chiu , Wei-Hao Tseng , Char-Shine Liu (2006) Distribution of Gassy Sediments and Mud Volcanoes Offshore Southwestern Taiwan . Terr Atmos Ocean Sci 17:703-722