Subsidence Analysis

Author(s)
Eun Young Lee, Johannes Novotny, Michael Wagreich
Abstract

This chapter introduces three subsidence analysis models which are total subsidence, tectonic subsidence and post-rift thermal subsidence. The three subsidence models are essential to understand evolution of a sedimentary basin. Due to compaction effect, the present stratigraphic framework of a sedimentary basin fill does not present directly the primary thickness of each sedimentary layer and changing total depth over time. Therefore restoring thicknesses of the compacted layers using appropriate compaction trend (decompaction) is a crucial step to start subsidence analysis, and the total amount of the restored thicknesses through time results in the total subsidence. Tectonic subsidence analysis (backstripping) removes sediment load and paleo-environmental effects from total subsidence depth to reveal the amount of subsidence induced by the tectonic driving force. The tectonic subsidence curves can be an indicator to recognize the basin type, because basins in similar tectonic setting show similar patterns and shapes of tectonic subsidence. Many basins experience the post-rift thermal subsidence caused by relaxation of lithospheric isotherms to their pre-stretching position. The thermal subsidence is evaluated generally by applying appropriate stretching factors (β) to tectonic subsidence curve observed from the post-rift phase.

Organisation(s)
Department of Geology
External organisation(s)
Chonnam National University, Brown University
Pages
9-35
No. of pages
27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76424-5_2
Publication date
2019
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
105124 Tectonics
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Fuel Technology, Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology, Engineering (miscellaneous)
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/287a1cde-a641-4067-98cb-cfad1b161b67