CHARACTERS OF THE MESOZOIC BASINS AND THE BASIN-RANGE STRUCTURES IN WESTERN LIAONING

The Mesozoic continental basins and basin-range structures are well developed in Western Liaoning Province. The basins were formed in five stages, i.e. Early-Middle Indosinian (T_1,2), Late Indosinian-Early Yanshanian (T₃-J₁), Middle Yanshanian (J₂-J₃), Late Yanshanian (K₁) and the end of Yanshanian (K₂). Generally, the basins express fault-depression in the early stages, while depression in late stages. The major axes of the basins trend NE or NNE, controlled by the tectonic frameworks then. The mountains (old uplifts) and wide basins in between combined the basin-range structures, which characterize the Mesozoic structure in Western Liaoning. The basin-range structures can be classified into Jurassic and Cretaceous types, showing multiple crust movements of fault-depression and extension during Mesozoic.