CHARACTERISTICS AND FORMATIONAL MECHANISM OF THE SEDIMENT GRAVITY FLOW OF THE TANGWANG LING FORMATION OF SHAANXI

The sediment gravity flow of the Tangwang Ling Formation can be divided into four types according to both their lithology and sedimentary characteristics, i.e., debris, clastic, grain and turbidity. This paper makes a statement on their characteristics, formational mechanism and development. The author suggests that the formation, development and distribution of the gravity flow of the Tangwang Ling Formation were under the effect of the second episode of the Caledonian and the control of differentiational uplift and subsidence faulting. Paleo-geographically it is referred as a residual ocean basin of foremountain faultdown type trending NEE. Sediments settled down by the gravity flow in this area are of the type of multiple-source faultdown-basin; the sediments were principally resulted from gravity flow in shallow water, rather than the so-called "glacial sediments".