Research progress on distribution of Quaternary buried paleo-Yangtze River channels in the North Jiangsu-western South Yellow Sea

Based on published literatures, a thorough review is made on the distribution of Quaternary buried paleo-Yangtze River channels in the region of North Jiangsu and western South Yellow Sea (NJ-WSYS). The review suggests that Quaternary paleo-river channels are particularly developed in the region left behind by the paleo-Yangtze River. Owing to its wide distribution and complex paleogeomorphology, in addition to lack of high-quality sediment cores, low sampling density and limited dating data, there still remains many disputes on the migration pattern of the Yangtze River paleochannels. One view believes that subject to the neotectonic movement, the Quaternary Yangtze River channel flowed into the sea following the variable paths to the south of a line that through Yangzhou, Taizhou, Jiangyan, Haian and Jianggang, however, there are many controversies on the exact location of the estuary for a specific river course. Another view, however, suggests that due to the effect of differential tectonic subsidence and topographic barrier, the paleo-Yangtze River, shifting from the North Jiangsu Plain, flowed towards south and through the northern flank of Yangtze River delta. In addition, a series of nearly EW-trending Yangtze River paleochannels have also been found on the adjacent continental shelf of the western South Yellow Sea, which were formed at the end of Late Pleistocene. As a key research area for the paleo-Yangtze River channel migration, therefore, it is still needed to increase the research resolution of sediment cores, to improve the dating accuracy and resolution of the ages to establish reliable chronostratigraphic frameworks, and to reinforce the analysis of sediment provenance in long time scale and correlation of land-sea sedimentary record in the NJ-WSYS. To ascertain the distribution of buried Yangtze River paleochannels in this area will contribute to the further understanding of the evolution processes and mechanisms of the Quaternary Yangtze River sediment source-to-sink system, enrich the knowledge on the evolution of paleogeomorphology and sedimentary environments, and provide the scientific basis for rational exploitation and utilization of resources and engineering constructions.