Determination of Cenozoic Sedimentary Structures Using Integrated Geophysical Surveys: A Case Study in the Hebei Plain, China.

Abstract

The strong multi-stage tectonic movement caused the northwest of the North China Plain to rise and the southeast to fall. The covering layer in the plain area was several kilometers thick. In addition to expensive drilling, it is difficult to obtain deep geological information through traditional geological exploration. In this study, gravity, magnetotelluric (MT) sounding and shallow seismic methods are used to explore the basement relief and stratigraphic structure of the alluvial proluvial area in front of Taihang Mount in the North China Plain so as to understand the geological structure and sedimentary evolution of the area. The gravity anomaly map reveals the basement uplift, depression shape and faults distribution on the horizontal plane in the whole area. The MT profile reflects the geoelectric characteristics of the three-layer distribution in the Cenozoic. The seismic profile deployed on the Daxing Uplift depicts the structural style of the uplift area. The well-to-seismic calibration establishes the relationship between the lithostratigraphic and the wave impedance interface so that we can accurately obtain the shape and depth of the bedrock surface and further subdivide Cenozoic strata. Finally, we have improved the accuracy of interface inversion by using a variable density model based on density logging parameter statistics to constrain the depth of geological interfaces determined through drilling and multi-geophysical methods. Through the combination of geology and comprehensive geophysics, we have obtained the undulating patterns of Paleogene and Quaternary bottom interfaces, the structural styles of the basement and the distribution of faults in the survey area, which provide strong support for the study of neotectonic movement and sedimentary environment evolution since the Cenozoic. The successful application of this pattern proves that geophysical surveys based on prior geological information are an important supplementary tool for geological research in thick coverage areas.