Seismic survey and exploration methods for Neotectonic active faults in the area off China continent

Located in the key area of land-ocean plate interaction, offshore China is an area frequently suffered from neotectonic movement-caused disasters, and active faults are one of their main triggers. Marine seismic exploration methods such as sub-bottom profiler, single channel seismic, multi-channel seismic and ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) are the main geophysical tools used to investigate active faults offshore. Each of them has its own technical advantages and detection ranges to play roles in the investigation and study of active faults offshore. Recently, through OBS wide-angle reflection/refraction deep seismic exploration and long spread multi-channel seismic exploration, we have been able to gain the distribution patterns of regional deep-large faults in China offshore area, and the understanding of deep dynamic mechanism of the formation and evolution of deep-large faults is greatly deepened. Upon the basis, we analyzed the control and constraint relationship of active faults in this paper. Newly buried active faults are young in age and shallow in burial depth. According to the features as such, we studied in this paper the distribution pattern, strike and differential rise and fall of active faults in China offshore area with such methods as sub-bottom profiler, single-channel seismic and high-resolution multi-channel seismic. And the main characteristics and functions of marine seismic exploration techniques and methods, as well as their functions and effects in the investigation of active faults in the sea area, are summarized in addition to the main achievements obtained in the researches. It is concluded that for future marine neotectonic seismic prospecting and research, it is necessary to insist on the idea of multi-technology methods and systematic investigation, focus more on improving the accuracy of seismic exploration, and explore the application of new technology such as S-wave seismic exploration and seabed vibrator.