Structure, distribution, and evolution history of the Early Holocene erosional mud ridge system on the inner East China Sea shelf near the Yangtze River estuary

Utilizing the collected high-resolution seismic dataset and accompanying borehole and bathymetric data, we systematically evaluated the morphology, architecture, sedimentology, and evolution of erosional mud ridges within the inner East China Sea (ECS) shelf. We identified 20 mud ridges, i.e., seismic reflection profile crossings of exposed or buried mud ridges, which are 3.0-30.1 km in width and 2.5-17.3 m in height The mud ridges are composed predominantly of gray clayey silt, and on seismic profiles contain parallel to subparallel reflectors. They formed around similar to 10-12 ka BP within an estuarine environment. Scouring features of some mud ridges on the eastern part of the study area can be recognized. Consideration of the relative positions of mud ridges, together with the topographical features, enables us to map four linear mud ridges (LMRs). The SE-NW oriented LMRs are >50 km in length, 3.0-9.5 km in width and running parallel to each other. They also display asymmetric shapes, with steeper slopes to the SW. The eastern segments of some LMRs are exposed on the present seafloor whereas other segments are mainly overlain by the mid- and late Holocene strata. Since the LMRs share similarities with the modern tidal sand ridges in shape and orientation, we hypothesize that they are formed under a uniform tidal current. Seismic data highlight that the internal reflectors of sand ridges consist of dipping clinoforms and are significantly different from LMRs, a feature which is largely due to the difference in grain size composition of sediments between the inner and mid-outer ECS shelf. The mid- to outer ECS shelf is capped by coarser-grained sediments (i.e., medium to fine-grained), which were reworked and deposited at locations near the erosional areas under a polycyclic tidal current, thus forming multiphase sand ridges. However, fine-grained sediments (i.e., silty clay and clayey silt) overlain on the inner ECS shelf with light mass were carried far away from the erosional areas by the tidal currents, and the relict mud ridges were built. Evidence shows that the LMRs were formed by the early Holocene strata being scoured by a persistent southeasterly flowing current during similar to 8-10 ka BP. The evolution of the LMRs occurred in three stages: (a) formation of the transgressional strata at similar to 10-12 ka BP, (b) strong trough erosion at similar to 8-10 ka BP, and (c) local adjustment (i.e., local erosion slightly and preservation) after similar to 8 ka BP. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.