3D-SCS: Three-dimensional lithospheric-scale structural and density model of the South China Sea

We present a comprehensive 3D lithospheric-scale model of the South China Sea region (SCS), which reveals the structural configuration of the area. This model delineates seven distinct geological units: (1) seawater, (2) sedimentary cover, (3) continental crystalline crust, (4) oceanic crust, (5) upper lithospheric mantle, (6) lower lithospheric mantle, and (7) sub-lithospheric mantle. The model covers an area of 960 km × 1260 km and reach down to a depth of 250 km. It is provided as uniformly spaced grids with 10 km intervals for each unit. The geometries and density distributions within the crust have been compiled and interpolated from a variety of datasets, predominantly seismic data (see section 6). To eliminate boundary effects, the model boundaries have been extended by more than 500 km in all horizontal directions, incorporating additional constraining data from the extended region. Additionally, we provide gridded gravity field data, a density voxel cube for the sub-lithospheric mantle, and relevant tomography data. Notably, the density of the lower lithospheric mantle was derived from 3D gravity inversion modeling.