Abstract: The generation and development process of the concept of foreland basin were discussed.It is pointed that the current research objects for modern foreland basin theory are confined to converging basins related to the Alpine orogenic belt instead of the diverging extensional geodynamic environment,associated peripheral basins and old foreland basins in the pre-Alpine period and neglecting most of the substances of foreland basins,which is an inborn defect and a hard barrier to stride over in its application.Both the underthrust A and underthrust C are only a visual expression of geodynamic environments,and the transformation between diverging extension and converging compress exists in the whole evolutionary process of foreland basins.The peripheral foreland basins should have three different models.Like other basins,foreland basins change with its development and evolution.There exists no simple or universal structural model for all of the foreland basins.It is an open question to directly and impracticably apply the four units of the "foreland basin system" proposed by Decelles et al,and artificially increase oil-gas resources in foreland basins with the misuse of the concept of foreland basins.Half of the 14 piedmont belts recently overrun as foreland basins in West China did not belong to the foreland basins.

Key words: foreland basin theory, applied research, basins attribution, differentiation, foredeep, West China

摘要： 追溯了前陆盆地概念的形成与发展过程,研究了这一理论的应用现状.结果表明,现代前陆盆地理论的研究对象仅限于与阿尔卑斯造山带相关的聚敛盆地,而将离散拉张的地球动力学环境和与其伴生的边缘盆地以及前阿尔卑斯期的老前陆盆地等一概排除在外,因而使前陆盆地的内涵存在严重的缺陷,这是其在应用中无法克服的障碍.A俯冲和C俯冲都只是一种地球动力学环境的形象表达方式;离散拉张与聚敛挤压的转换应贯穿于前陆盆地演化的始终;周缘前陆盆地应包括3种类型.前陆盆地也要向前发展、演化而不断改变其属性,前陆盆地没有一个简单统一的结构模式,不切实际地普遍套用Decelles等人的"前陆盆地体系"4大单元和以泛化前陆盆地来人为地提升其油气资源值得商榷.在中国西部近一时期泛化为前陆盆地的14个山前带中,有一半不是前陆盆地.

关键词: 前陆盆地理论;应用研究;盆地属性;鉴别方法;山前坳陷;中国西部