Structural deformation and evolution of right-lateral strike-slip tectonics of the Liaohe western depression during the early Cenozoic

The Tan-Lu fault zone (TLFZ) traverses the Liaohe western depression (LHWD), affords an exceptional opportunity to reveal the structural deformation and evolution of a major strike-slip fault of the LHWD using three dimensional seismic data and well data. In this paper, based on structural interpretations of the 3-D seismic data of the LHWD, combined with depth slice and seismic coherency, a variety of structural features in relation to right-lateral strike-slip fault (the western branch of the Tan-Lu fault) have been revealed presence in the depression, such as thrust faults (Xinlongtai, Taian-Dawa, and Chenjia faults), structural wedges, positive flower structures, and en echelon normal faults. Fault cutoffs, growth strata and the Neogene unconformity developed in the LHWD verify that the activity of right-lateral strike-slip from the late Eocene to Neogene (ca. 43–23 Ma). The study indicates that the right-lateral strike-slip played an important role in controlling the structural deformation and evolution of the LHWD in the early Cenozoic. Moreover, the front structural wedge generated the gross morphology of the Xinlongtai anticline and developed the Lengdong faulted anticline during the late Eocene, and the back structural wedge refolded the Lengdong faulted anticline zone in the late Eocene to the early Oligocene. Wrench-related structures (the Chenjia thrust fault and the en echelon normal faults) were developed during the late Oligocene. Uniform subsidence in the Neogene to Quaternary. Furthermore, the driving force of the right-lateral strike-slip deformation was originated from N–S extension stress related to the opening of the Japan Sea and NE–SW compression, as the far-field effect of India–Eurasia convergence.