Abstract
High resolution seismic reflection profiles acquired at western offshore of the Miyako Island in South Ryukyus have revealed the distribution, stratigraphy and structure of the Quaternary marine carbonate deposits beneath the shelf and the shelf slope. Above the Plio-Pleistocene siliciclastic basement, five seismic units, Unit 1 to Unit 5 in descending order, were identified and correlated to the Pleistocene Ryukyu Group and Holocene sediments.
A major tectonic event between ca. 1.7 Ma and 1.2 Ma deformed the Plio-Pleistocene siliciclastic basement (Unit 6). A subsequent lowstand allowed to deposit siliciclastic basal sequence (Unit 5) of the Ryukyu Group. This lowstand phase was followed by faulting which resulted in extensive erosion at the upthrownside of NE trending major normal fault on the northwestern shelf slope.
Subsequent overall transgression with fluctuation of sea level enabled to grow and deposit coral reefs and the associated carbonates (Unit 4). They are correlated to the Riukiu Limestone on land, which was deposited intermittently between ca. 1.2 Ma and 0.4 Ma. After the ample transgression represented by Unit 4, tectonic movement culminated with the progress of upheaval of the Ryukyu Arc, as evidenced with a considerable uplifting as well as faulting of the Riukiu Limestone on Miyako and Irabu Islands.
Later than 0.4 Ma, carbonate sequences younger than the Riukiu Limestone on land were deposited successively as Units 3 and 2 which represent shelf margin systems with reef developments.
Thus, sedimentation and distribution of the depositional sequences in the Pleistocene carbonates here have been largely dependent on relative sea level changes closely related to vigorous neotectonic movements, which were closely related to the evolution of the Ryukyu Arc system. The depositional style of the Quaternary carbonates in the active island arc system (Ryukyus) seems to manifest a considerable difference from that in a passive margin.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Aiba, J., andSekiya, E., 1979, Distribution and characteristics of the Neogene sedimentary basins around the Nansei-Shoto (Ryukyu Islands):Jour. Japanese Assoc. Petrol. Technol., v. 44, p. 329–340. (in Japanese with English Abstract)
Bloom, A. L., Broecker, W. S., Chappell, J. M. A., Matthews, R. K., andMesolella, K. J., 1974, Quaternary sealevel fluctuations on a tectonic coast: New 230Th/234U Dates from the Huon Peninsula, New Guinea:Quat. Res., 4, p. 185–205.
Bubb, J. N., andHatlelid, W. G., 1977, Seismic stratigraphy and global changes of sea level, part 10; seismic recognition of carbonate buildups:Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Mem. 26, p. 185–204.
Choi, D. R., andGinsburg, R. N., 1982, Siliciclastic foundations of Quaternary reefs in the southernmost Belize Lagoon, British Honduras:Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., 93, p. 116–126.
Davies, P. J., Symonds, P. A., Feary, D. A., andPigram, C. J., 1989, The evolution of the carbonate platforms of northeast Australia:Soc. Econ. Paleont. Min. Spec. Publ. No. 44, p. 233–257.
Eberli, G. P., andGinsburg, R. N., 1989, Cenozoic progradation of northwestern Great Bahama Bank, a record of lateral platform growth and sea-level fluctuations:Soc. Econ. Paleont. Min. Spec. Publ. No. 44, p. 339–351.
Furukawa, H., 1983, Development of the Quaternary sedimentary basins in the Ryukyu Islands: geohistory of the Ryukyu Islands:Mem. Geol. Soc. Japan, No. 22, p. 107–130. (in Japanese with English abstract)
Hamamoto, F., Sakurai, M., and Nagano, M., 1979, Submarine geology off the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands:Rep. Hydrographic Res., No. 14. (in Japanese with English abstract)
Hanzawa, S., 1935, Topography and geology of the Riukiu Islands:Sci. Rep. Tohoku Univ., second series (Geology), v. 17, p. 1–61.
Hine, A. C., andNeumann, A. C., 1977, Shallow carbonate bank margin growth and structure, Little Bahama Bank, Bahamas:Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., 61, p. 376–406.
Kimura, M., 1990, Genesis and formation of the Okinawa Trough, Japan:Mem. Geol. Soc. Japan, no. 34, p. 77–88. (in Japanese with English abstract)
Kizaki, K., ed., 1985, Geohistory of the Ryukyu Arc: Okinawa Times, 278 p. (in Japanese)
Konishi, K., Omura, A., andNakamichi, O., 1974, Radiometric ages and sea level records from the Late Quaternary reef complexes of the Ryukyu Islands:Proc. 2nd Intern. Coral Reef Sym., 2, p. 595–613.
Kuramoto, S., andKonishi, K., 1989, The southwest Ryukyu Arc is a migrating microplate (forearc sliver):Tectonophysics, 163, p. 75–91.
Maritime Safety Agency of Japan, Hydrographic Department, 1986, Maritime basic map (1:50,000 scale)—Report of submarine geographical and geological surveys, Miyako Island. (in Japanese)
Mesolella, K. J., Matthews, R. K., Broecker, W. S., andThurber, D. L., 1969, The astronomical theory of climatic change: Barbados data:J. Geol., 77, p. 250–274.
Mitchum, Jr.,R. M., Vail, P. R., andThompson, III,S., 1977, Seismic stratigraphy and global changes of sea level, part 2; the depositional sequence as a basic unit for stratigraphic analysis:Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Mem. 26, p. 53–62.
Mullins, H. T., andNeumann, A. C., 1979, Deep carbonate bank margin structure and sedimentation in the northern Bahamas:Soc. Econ. Paleontol. Min. Spec. Publ. No. 27, p. 165–192.
Mullins, H. T., Neumann, A. C., Wilber, R. J., Hine, A. C., andChinburg, S. J., 1980, Carbonate sediment drifts in northern straits of Florida:Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., 64, p. 1701–1717.
Nakagawa, H., 1967, Geology of Tokunoshima, Okierabujima, Yoronto, and Kikaijima, Amami Gunto, part 1:Tohoku Univ. Inst. Geol. Pal. Contr., No. 63, p. 1–39. (in Japanese with English abstract)
Nakamori, T., 1982, Geology of Miyako Gunto, Ryukyu Islands, Japan:Tohoku Univ. Inst. Geol. Pal. Contr., No. 84, p. 23–39. (in Japanese with English abstract)
Ota, Y., and Nakata, T., 1980, Miyakojima,in The Research Group of Active Faults, ed., Active Faults in Japan: Univ. Tokyo Press, 363 p. (in Japanese)
Sado, K., Kameo, K., Konishi, K., Yuki, T., andTsuji, Y. 1992, A new age assignment of Riukiu Limestone (Pleistocene) by calcareous nannofossils, from the borehole cores at Irabu Island, south Ryukyus, Japan:Jour. Geography, v. 101, p. 127–132. (in Japanese with English abstract)
Sangree, J. B., andWidmier, J. M. 1977, Seismic stratigraphy and global changes of sea level, part 9; seismic interpretation of clastic depositional facies:Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Mem., 26, p. 165–184.
Schackleton, N. J., andOpdyke, N. D. 1973, Oxygen isotope and paleomagnetic stratigraphy of equatorial Pacific core V 28–238: oxygen isotope temperatures and ice volumes on a 105 year scale:Quaternary Res., 3, p. 39–55.
Symonds, P. A., Davies, P. J., andParisi, A., 1983, Structure and stratigraphy of the Central Great Barrier Reef:BMR Jour., Austral. Geol. Geophys., 8, p. 277–291.
Tsuji, Y., Sunouchi, H., Yamamura, T., Kodato, T., Yuki, T., andIwamoto, H., 1989, Recent carbonate sediments and their sedimentary environment western offshore Miyako Island in the Ryukyu Islands:Chikyu Monthly, 11, p. 612–617. (in Japanese)
Ujiie, H., 1980, Significance of “500 m deep island shelf” surrounding the southern Ryukyu Island Arc for its Quaternary geological history:The Quaternary Research (Daiyonkikenkyu), vol. 18, no. 4, p. 209–219. (in Japanese with English abstract)
Ujiie, H. 1989, Geohistory of the Ryukyu Arc by re-examining the surface geology:Chikyu Monthly, 11, p. 631–641. (in Japanese)
Ujiie, H., andOki, K., 1974, Uppermost Miocene-Lower Pleistocene planktonic Foraminifera from the Shimajiri Group of the Miyako-jima, Ryukyu Islands:Mem. Nat. Sci. Mus. Tokyo, 7, p. 31–52.
Williams, D. F., Thunell, R. C., Tappa, E., Rio, D., andRaffi, I., 1988, Chronology of the Pleistocene oxygen isotope record: 0-1.88 m.y.B.P.:Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclim. Palaeoecol., 64, p. 221–240.
Yazaki, K., 1978, About the Shimajiri Group of Miyako-jima, Ryukyu Islands,in K. Kizaki, ed., Geological Studies of the Ryukyu Islands, vol. 3, p. 81–88. (in Japanese)
Yazaki, K., and Oyama, K., 1979, Geology of the Miyakojimahokubu district. Geological Survey of Japan Quadrangle Series, Miyako-jima (19) no. 3, 46 p. (in Japanese with English abstract)
Yuki, T., Iwamoto, H., Tsuji, Y., Kodato, T., Sunouchi, H., Yamamura, T., and Obata, M., 1988, Cyclic sedimentary sequences and their lateral variation in the Ryukyu Limestone (Pleistocene), Irabu Island, Okinawa, Japan:Soc. Econ. Paleont. Min., Annu. Midyear Meet. Abst., p. 59.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Obata, M., Tsuji, Y. Quaternary geohistory inferred by seismic stratigraphy of a carbonate province in an active margin, off Miyako Island, south Ryukyus, Japan. Carbonates Evaporites 7, 150–165 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03175629
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03175629