Provenance of Oligocene–Miocene sediments in the Subei area,eastern Altyn Tagh fault and its geological implications: Evidence from detrital zircons LA-ICP-MS U–Pb chronology

Oligocene–Miocene strata in the Subei and Xiaobiegai basins of the Subei area, located in the eastern Altyn Tagh fault (ATF), northern Tibetan Plateau, record important characteristics of the ATF evolution. Detrital zircons laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U–Pb ages from two samples, together with paleocurrent directions and clastic composition in the Xishuigou section demonstrate that sediments in the Subei basin originated from the Danghenanshan range along its southern margin. Detrital zircons U–Pb ages from three samples in the Xiaobiegai basin, together with paleocurrent directions and clastic composition, indicate that sediments in the Xiaobiegai basin may partly originate from terranes along the northeastern margin of the basin in addition to the Danghenanshan range. Our results, combined with regional evolution, suggest that the Xiaobiegai and the Subei basins was a combined basin in Oligocene–early Miocene. This basin was folded, tilted, and dislocated at ca. 8 Ma by rapid uplift of the northern Tibetan plateau and rapid strike-slip of the ATF. As a result, the Subei basin became a thrust–fold belt of the Danghenanshan range front, and the Xiaobiegai basin grew into an intermontane basin in the northeastern part of the Danghenanshan range. Thus, the Subei area gradually acquired its present morphotectonic patterns.     

阿尔金-祁连山晚新生代隆升-剥露过程——来自岩屑磷灰石裂变径迹热年代学的制约

阿尔金-祁连山位于青藏高原北缘, 其新生代的隆升-剥露过程记录了高原变形和向北扩展的历史, 对探讨高原隆升动力学具有重要意义。本文采用岩屑磷灰石裂变径迹测年分析, 利用岩屑的统计特征限定阿尔金-祁连山新生代的隆升-剥露过程。磷灰石裂变径迹测试结果表明, 阿尔金-祁连山地区存在4个阶段的抬升冷却: 21.1~19.4 Ma、13.5~10.5 Ma、9.0~7.3 Ma、4.3~3.8 Ma。其中, 4.3~3.8 Ma抬升冷却事件仅体现在祁连山地区, 9.0~7.3 Ma抬升冷却事件在区内普遍存在, 且9.0~7.3 Ma隆升-剥露造就了现代阿尔金-祁连山的地貌。区域资料分析表明, 9~7 Ma(或者8~6 Ma)期间, 青藏高原北缘、东缘, 甚至整个中国西部地区发生了大规模、区域性的抬升, 中国现今"西高"的构造地貌形态可能于当时开始形成。阿尔金-祁连山地区4期抬升冷却事件与青藏高原的隆升阶段有很好的对应关系, 应该是对印度-欧亚板块碰撞的响应。     

柴达木路乐河地区新生代碎屑组分变化及其对构造隆升的指示

碎屑组分变化是反映盆地物源演化历程的重要物质表现。路乐河地区作为柴达木盆地的重要组成部分,沉积地层记载着印度-欧亚板块碰撞以来青藏高原北缘造山带的构造隆升过程。高长石组分含量、物源方向及毗邻山脉岩性对比揭示,路乐河物源主要受南祁连和赛什腾山控制,其碎屑组分变化对毗邻造山带构造活动具有很好的耦合性。新生代53.5~2.9Ma期间,路乐河地区存在3次物源转换事件,发生时间依次同印度-欧亚板块碰撞及高原内部构造隆升事件相吻合。其中早期50.1~46.6Ma,南祁连山的快速抬升是对大陆初始碰撞的远程响应;44.5Ma,高原以垂向增生和推覆构造发育为特点,赛北断裂高速剥露,致使路乐河地区物源发生转变;渐新世末期(22.6Ma),青藏高原准同时整体隆升,赛什腾山和南祁连山协同为路乐河地区供给沉积物。所获认识为深入了解高原隆升演化和板块碰撞远程效应提供新的沉积依据。     

根据碎屑白云母40Ar/39Ar年龄追索喜马拉雅造山带的剥落历史——对青藏高原隆升过程的启示

对喜马拉雅前陆盆地和孟加拉海扇中各地层的碎屑白云母40Ar/39Ar资料的系统分析揭示了喜马拉雅造山带自印度-欧亚板块碰撞开始造山以来的整个剥落历史: 剥落速率开始较为稳定,然后开始上升,在22Ma左右达到峰值,为4~5mm/a,随后急剧下降,最终以2mm/a的速率保持平稳。喜马拉雅造山带与青藏高原周缘剥落历史的对比约束了印度-欧亚板块碰撞造成青藏高原东缘和北缘的不同反应方式。即开始时的挤压主要被青藏高原北缘的大规模左旋走滑吸收, 到30Ma左右,喜马拉雅造山带冷却、剥落速率显著增强,北缘左旋走滑造成的柴达木地块的向东运动被华北板块阻挡而停滞,因此在北缘发生了一些重要的冷却和抬升剥落事件。至18Ma左右,喜马拉雅造山带的冷却、剥落速率继续增高并维持在较高水平,而该时间段内无论是北缘还是东缘,均未发生显著的抬升剥落事件,因此青藏高原的整体隆升和地壳增厚可能发生在此期间。中新世末—上新世初开始至今,青藏高原东缘龙门山地区发生了一些显著的抬升剥落事件,导致了大量的山崩和河流侵蚀,即此时来自喜马拉雅的挤压主要被青藏高原向东方向的地壳逃逸所吸收。     

新生代渭河盆地沉积-构造迁移与渭北隆起及东秦岭耦合关系探讨

渭河盆地、渭北隆起及东秦岭造山带地处青藏块体东北缘、华北克拉通和扬子克拉通的交界处,形成了特有的盆山体系,分布有油气、氦气及地热等多种能源矿产资源。新生代是渭河盆地沉积-构造演化及渭北隆起和东秦岭隆升的重要时期,缺乏该时期盆山体系耦合关系的研究,制约了对区域矿产资源分布规律的认识。盆山耦合体现在时间、空间、物质、构造作用及地表形态等多方面。以大量钻孔资料为依托,运用“回剥法”分析了渭河盆地新生代的沉降幅度及沉降速率,并根据主沉降期新近纪以来不同阶段沉积地层厚度展布特征恢复了盆地沉积演化历史。研究表明渭河盆地新生代以来沉降中心具有自西南方向西安凹陷向北东方向固市凹陷迁移的特征。古近纪始新世以来,渭河盆地发生快速构造沉降,中新世早-中期以西安凹陷为主要沉积、沉降中心,晚中新世以来以西安、固市两个凹陷为主要沉积、沉降中心,晚上新世-早更新世沉降中心转移到东北部固市凹陷,晚更新世以来,西安凹陷和固市凹陷均发生快速沉降。裂变径迹的分析测试结果表明渭北隆起约45～32 Ma整体快速抬升,同步于东秦岭太白山和华山约57～40 Ma的快速隆升阶段,与渭河盆地古近纪始新世约40 Ma的基底快速沉降具有耦合关系。晚中新世约7.3 Ma以来,渭河盆地的持续快速沉降,与渭北隆起上新世约5 Ma及东秦岭太白山约10～9.6 Ma、华山约8～5 Ma以来的快速耦合关系明显。太平洋板块的俯冲、欧亚板块与印度板块始新世约55～45 Ma碰撞及青藏高原约10～8 Ma隆升外扩的远程效应对研究区影响较大。     

西藏尼玛盆地北部古近系牛堡组物源及地质意义

班公湖-怒江缝合带内的尼玛盆地在青藏高原形成时记录的地质信息,有助于恢复其构造古地理从而为高原隆升过程提供沉积学证据,且目前对盆地北部坳陷古近系牛堡组的研究尚属薄弱.利用碎屑岩岩石学、锆石年代学、重矿物分析等方法对牛堡组进行了物源分析并对盆地构造演化进行了深入讨论.研究显示,早白垩世-古近纪,随着地壳缩短、逆冲断层及造山带发育,盆地北部演化为受构造活动控制的独立坳陷;北部坳陷牛堡组为南北双向物源,北部物源的母岩成分主要为以早白垩世虾别错花岗岩为代表的酸性岩浆岩,南部物源的母岩成分以沉积岩(硅质岩等) 和基性岩浆岩为主;碎屑锆石存在105~134 Ma、500~550 Ma、700~900 Ma、1 700~2 100 Ma及ca.2 500 Ma年龄峰值,其中105~134 Ma年龄是对班公湖-怒江洋壳俯冲在周边地体引发的岩浆事件的响应,进一步证实牛堡组碎屑岩的物源来自北部坳陷的南北两侧地体.挤压及逆冲变形决定了盆地北部坳陷的古地理特征,沉积过程及物源与区域隆升、侵蚀和岩浆活动联系密切.      

Cenozoic uplift of West Qinling, northeast margin of Tibetan plateau-a detrital apatite fission track record from the Tianshui basin

The Cenozoic sedimentation in the Tianshui basin, which is located at the junction of the liupanshan and West Qinling, northeast margin of the Tibetan plateau, provides a record for the regional tectonism and exhumation history of the surrounding mountains. Thermochronologic study on the detrital apatite grains from sandstones at Yaodian, near Tianshui, has revealed two rapid tectonic uplift-exhumation events of the source area, which happened at 23.7 and 14.1 Ma, respectively. The fast exhumation (0.34 mm/a) at 23.7 Ma, which recorded the tectonic uplift of West Qinling, led to the formation of the Neogene Tianshui basin and initiated the reception of alluvial deposits. This event is most likely in response to the synchronous tectonism of the Tibetan plateau. The source region experienced another rapid exhumation (1.05 mm/a) at 14.1 Ma, when the Tianshui basin began to depress broadly and fluvial-lacustrine sediments dominated the Late Miocene. Translated from Acta Sedimentologica Sinica, 2006, 24(6): 783–789 [译自: 沉积学报]     

Late Mesozoic-Cenozoic Exhumation of the Northern Hexi Corridor: Constrained by Apatite Fission Track Ages of the Longshoushan

The apatite fission track (AFT) ages and thermal modeling of the Longshoushan and deformation along the northern Hexi Corridor on the northern side of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau show that the Longshoushan along the northern corridor had experienced important multi-stage exhumations during the Late Mesozoic and Cenozoic. The AFT ages of 7 samples range from 31.9 Ma to 111.8 Ma. Thermal modeling of the AFT ages of the samples shows that the Longshoushan experienced significant exhumation during the Late Cretaceous to the Early Cenozoic (~130–25 Ma). The Late Cretaceous exhumation of the Longshoushan may have resulted from the continuous compression between the Lhasa and Qiangtang blocks and the flat slab subduction of the Neo-Tethys oceanic plate, which affected wide regions across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. During the Early Cenozoic, the Longshoushan still experienced exhumation, but this process was caused by the Indian-Eurasian collision. Since this time, the Longshoushan was in a stable stage for approximately 20 Ma and experienced erosion. Since ~5 Ma, obvious tectonic deformation occurred along the entire northern Hexi Corridor, which has also been reported from the peripheral regions of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, especially in the Qilianshan and northeastern margin of the plateau. The AFT ages and the Late Cenozoic deformation of the northern Hexi Corridor all indicate that the present northern boundary of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is situated along the northern Hexi Corridor.     

Sedimentary characteristics of Cenozoic strata in central-southern Ningxia,NW China: Implications for the evolution of the NE Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Cenozoic sedimentary deposits in central-southern Ningxia province, NW China are an important record of Tertiary tectonic events along the evolving Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau’s northeast margin. Shortly after the onset of the Indo-Eurasia collision to the south, a thrust belt and adjoining foreland basin began to form during 40–30 Ma. The Eocene Sikouzi Formation developed in a distal setting to this basin, in normal fault-bound basins that may have formed in a forebulge setting. Subsequent deposition of the Oligocene Qingshuiying Formation occurred during a phase of apparently less intense tectonism and the previous underfilled foreland basin became overfilled. During the Early Miocene, contractional deformation was mainly distributed to the west of the Liupan Shan. This resulted in deformation of the Qingshuiying Formation as indicated by an unconformity with the overlying Miocene Hongliugou Formation. The unconformity occurs proximal to the Haiyuan Fault suggesting that the Haiyuan Fault may have begun movement in the Early Miocene. In the Late Miocene, thrusting occurred west of the southern Helan Shan and an unconformity developed between the Hongliugou and Qingshuiying Formations proximal to the the Cha-Gu Fault. Relationships between the Miocene stratigraphy and major faults in the region imply that during the Late Miocene the deformation front of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau had migrated to the Cha-Gu Fault along the western Ordos Margin, and the Xiang Shan was uplifted. Central-southern Ningxia was then incorporated into the northeast propagating thrust wedge. The driving force for NE propagation of the thrust wedge was most likely pronounced uplift of the northeastern plateau at the same time. Analysis of the sedimentary record coupled with consideration of the topographic evolution of the region suggests that the evolving fold-and-thrust belt experienced both forward-breaking fold-and-thrust belt development, and out-of-sequence fault displacements as the thrust wedge evolved and the foreland basin became compartmentalised. The documented sedimentary facies and structural relationship also place constraints on the Miocene-Recent evolution of the Yellow River and its tributaries.     

准噶尔盆地南缘新生代沉积物碎屑锆石记录的天山隆升剥蚀过程

通过对准噶尔盆地南缘有精确古地磁年代控制的金沟河剖面新生代沉积物中7个砂岩样品碎屑锆石的U Pb LA ICP MS测年分析,确定安集海河组（28~23.3 Ma）和沙湾组（23.3~17.5 Ma）的砂岩样品碎屑锆石年龄主要集中在261~328 Ma（P-C）,塔西河组（17.5~13.2 Ma）样品的年龄主要集中在234~311 Ma（T-C）和369~403 Ma（D-S）,独山子组（13.2~6.0 Ma）和西域组（6.0~1 Ma）样品的年龄主要集中在264~333 Ma。经与流域内岩石地层的分布相对比,揭示至少在晚渐新世开始中天山已经隆升并剥蚀为盆地提供物源,从约中新世早期开始北天山的南缘开始隆升,加入物源供给区,从约中新世中晚期开始北天山开始明显隆升,并逐步阻碍了中天山的物源供给,成为物源的主要供给区。天山的这种逐步向北的隆升剥蚀过程,反映了印度欧亚板块碰撞的远程效应。     

库车盆地中新生代构造演化: 磷灰石裂变径迹证据

通过对库车河剖面14个样品磷灰石裂变径迹的测试, 研究了库车盆地及其源区的构造演化.根据表观年龄和地层年龄关系, 将结果分成8个退火样品和6个碎屑样品.退火样品年龄从北向南从136~93.7 Ma, 记录了构造发育自造山带向盆地扩展的运动样式.其中09dk-6, 09dk-7, 09dk-8和09dk-11未通过X2检验, 分析认为与后期构造活动有关, 分解得到最年轻的年龄组记录了库如力向斜, 捷斯德里克背斜和阿合断层分别在74.4 Ma、24.2 Ma和50.8 Ma的最新一期活动.碎屑磷灰石得到了250 Ma、160 Ma和100 Ma3个明显的静态峰.结合热模拟研究表明, 研究区存在250 Ma、160 Ma、100 Ma和20 Ma四期构造隆升, 是对亚洲南缘多期地体碰撞增生的响应.      

准噶尔盆地南缘中-新生界碎屑锆石的U-Pb 年代学和沉积学记录及其反映的盆山构造演化

针对准噶尔盆地南缘(天山北麓)中生界及新生界4个砂岩样品的碎屑锆石,本文开展了LA-ICP-MS分析,解析了其U-Pb年代学、沉积物源及其构造属性等信息,探索了天山及其邻近盆地的表壳演化过程及动力学机制。研究显示,准噶尔盆地南缘上三叠统-中侏罗统碎屑锆石年龄构成总体宽泛复杂,在490～160 Ma之间出现多个谱峰:除310～260 Ma主峰外,尚有180～160 Ma、240～210 Ma、370～340 Ma、450～390 Ma和490～460 Ma等5个次峰; 上侏罗统-下白垩统碎屑锆石年龄构成相对简单,但仍然保留400～250 Ma较宽范围内的2～3个谱峰:除310～260 Ma主峰外,尚有340～315 Ma等次峰; 上白垩统-古近统,主物源碎屑锆石年龄构成趋向单一,峰值区间集中于310～260 Ma。研究说明天山与准噶尔盆地之间的构造分异活动可以分为4个阶段:中晚三叠世-中侏罗世平稳或渐弱,向准噶尔盆地输运碎屑物的天山水系较宽,可达南天山北缘; 晚侏罗世-早白垩世欧亚板块与拉萨块体碰撞的远程效应对天山古生代构造格局造成了强烈的叠加改造,天山区域整体抬升剥露加剧,并伴随主分水岭相对北移; 晚白垩世-古近纪北天山继续隆升(尽管相对变弱),并直接构成向准噶尔盆地(南缘)输运碎屑物的主水系,新近纪由于欧亚板块与印度板块碰撞引发的天山陆内强烈隆升并未明显改变这一物源输运系统。     

青藏高原上新世构造岩相古地理

在前人研究成果的基础上,划分出青藏高原及邻区上新世残留盆地共95个,探讨了青藏高原及邻区上新世构造岩相古地理演化。青藏高原上新世总体构造地貌格局主要受控于印度板块与欧亚板块沿雅鲁藏布江缝合带的碰撞及持续挤压,影响着青藏高原广大范围内的构造抬升。东北部昆仑山、祁连山地区是两大构造隆起蚀源区,两大山系夹持的柴达木盆地是高原东北部最大的陆内盆地,祁连山以北和以东地区则以盆山相间的格局接受周围山系的剥蚀物质,直到晚上新世(青藏运动"A"幕)高原东北部进一步强烈隆升,山间盆地抬升成为剥蚀区。新疆塔里木和青藏高原东部羌塘、可可西里地区主体表现为大面积的构造压陷湖盆-冲泛平原沉积区。高原东南部为一系列走滑拉分断裂运动形成的拉分盆地,上新世早期堆积洪冲积相砾岩,中期为湖泊、三角洲沉积,晚期随着山体的进一步抬升,盆地又接受冲洪积扇相砾岩堆积,并被河流侵蚀剥露。高原南部上新世多分布一些近南北向盆地,是响应高原隆升到一定程度垮塌而成的断陷盆地,同东南部拉分盆地类似,上新世沉积相也由早至晚分为3个阶段。恒河地区上新世由于喜马拉雅山的快速抬升,沉积以粗碎屑为主,形成狭长的西瓦利克群堆积。上新世青藏高原总体地势继承了中新世西高东低、南高北低的地貌特征,但地势高差明显较中新世增大。     

根据碎屑白云母~（40）Ar/~（39）Ar年龄追索喜马拉雅造山带的剥落历史——对青藏高原隆升过程的启示

对喜马拉雅前陆盆地和孟加拉海扇中各地层的碎屑白云母40Ar/39Ar资料的系统分析揭示了喜马拉雅造山带自印度-欧亚板块碰撞开始造山以来的整个剥落历史：剥落速率开始较为稳定,然后开始上升,在22Ma左右达到峰值,为4～5mm/a,随后急剧下降,最终以2mm/a的速率保持平稳。喜马拉雅造山带与青藏高原周缘剥落历史的对比约束了印度-欧亚板块碰撞造成青藏高原东缘和北缘的不同反应方式。即开始时的挤压主要被青藏高原北缘的大规模左旋走滑吸收,到30Ma左右,喜马拉雅造山带冷却、剥落速率显著增强,北缘左旋走滑造成的柴达木地块的向东运动被华北板块阻挡而停滞,因此在北缘发生了一些重要的冷却和抬升剥落事件。至18Ma左右,喜马拉雅造山带的冷却、剥落速率继续增高并维持在较高水平,而该时间段内无论是北缘还是东缘,均未发生显著的抬升剥落事件,因此青藏高原的整体隆升和地壳增厚可能发生在此期间。中新世末—上新世初开始至今,青藏高原东缘龙门山地区发生了一些显著的抬升剥落事件,导致了大量的山崩和河流侵蚀,即此时来自喜马拉雅的挤压主要被青藏高原向东方向的地壳逃逸所吸收。     

青藏高原北部新生代构造演化在柴达木盆地中的沉积记录

青藏高原形成和演化过程中经历的构造活动,在高原的盆地中均有相应的沉积记录。柴达木盆地位于青藏高原北部,盆地新生界地层详细地记录了这些构造-沉积响应。对野外剖面和钻井岩心的新生界沉积物进行了多方面研究,其结果显示,柴达木盆地保存了青藏高原北部三个阶段的构造活动信息:①E₁₊₂的红色粗碎屑沉积物指示了始新世早期的强烈活动构造背景,沉积记录具有低ZTR指数和低重矿物稳定指数的特征,记录了全盆地范围内的造山活动和构造隆升事件,是印度-欧亚板块碰撞所致的远程响应。在这次广泛的大面积的造山活动后,区内迅速遭受剥蚀、夷平,自中-晚始新世时期起,接受沉积。因而此时柴达木盆地与可可西里盆地、乃至塔里木盆地为连通的湖盆体系。②阿尔金山前N₁和N₂1的粗碎屑沉积物记录了渐新世-早中新世阿尔金山的构造隆升事件,而柴北缘和柴西南的大范围三角洲-湖泊细粒沉积物,具有较高的重矿物稳定指数,反映了平静的构造背景,与阿尔金断裂快速走滑以及盆地总体稳定向北推移的时间相对应。大量的侧向走滑活动消减了来自印度板块的挤压应力,使得柴北缘和柴西南的沉积源区（即祁连山和东昆仑造山带）处于构造平静期。③中中新世以来全盆地向上变粗的粗碎屑沉积物,具有较低的重矿物稳定指数,记录了青藏高原北部整体强烈的地壳缩短、加厚和快速构造隆升事件。此外,综合物源分析显示,柴达木盆地新生代沉积源区性质随时间并没有发生明显的改变。     

黄河上游物质在新近纪未流入晋陕峡谷*

河流的出现是其流域内构造活动和气候变化综合作用的结果。晋陕峡谷位于黄河上游和中游的衔接部位,对于研究上游黄河何时进入晋陕峡谷具有无可替代的地理位置优势。目前对于黄河何时进入晋陕峡谷一直存有较大争议,存在中新世、上新世和更新世几种主要观点。基于此,作者对晋陕峡谷北段新近纪地层开展碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄分析和沉积相观察。首次报道了磨扇沟、大烟墩、高家窨子3个剖面270颗碎屑锆石 U-Pb 年龄结果。通过和区域内潜在源区进行对比,以及古流向都是自东向西的现象,判定磨扇沟和大烟墩2个剖面的物质来自近源的吕梁山北段; 高家窨子剖面底部的砂岩流向为自南向北,其物源区来自鄂尔多斯地块北部中生代地层。结合这些地层已经报道的古地磁年龄,认为晋陕峡谷北段在6.2~3.7 Ma期间以近源堆积为主,是对青藏高原隆升远程效应和东亚夏季风增强的沉积响应,而和黄河上游物质不存在物源联系。     

New paleomagnetic constraints on rift basin evolution in the northern Himalaya mountains

The late Cenozoic sediments in the rift basins in the northern Himalaya Mountains document important information about the uplift and deformation of the most active tectonic region in the Tibetan Plateau. However, these sediments have not been precisely dated, hindering our ability to address the basin development and termination associated with a series of uplifts in the southern Tibetan Plateau. Here, we report a detailed magnetostratigraphic study on the fluvio - lacustrine sedimentary sequence of the Dati Formation bearing abundant Hipparion forstenae fossils in the Dati Basin in the northern frontal region of the Himalaya Mountains. The 195 m – thick section yielded six normal and seven reversed polarity zones that correlate well with Chrons C3An.1r to C4r.2r of the geomagnetic polarity time scale, constraining the section age to ~8.6 – ~6.2 Ma. Together with the magnetostratigraphic results from other rift basins in the region, these results indicate that the horizons bearing the Hipparion fossils were deposited during the age interval of 7.1–6.5 Ma in the northern Himalaya Mountains. The regional tectonic activity and comprehensive magnetostratigraphic and sedimentologic comparisons suggest that the evolution of the rift basins in the northern Himalaya Mountains has involved three major stages since the late Cenozoic, i.e., (1) ~10.0–8.0 Ma, onset of the basins with fan delta facies; (2) ~8.0–3.0 Ma, expansion of the basins with mainly lacustrine facies; (3) ~3.0–1.7 Ma, shrinking and termination of the basins with alluvial fans. The basin evolutionary history indicates an accelerated tectonic uplift of the Himalaya Mountains at ~10.0 Ma, and two deformational events at ~3.0 Ma and at ~1.7 Ma.     

Detrital zircon UPb geochronology of the Wuyu (Oiyug) Basin,southern Tibetan Plateau,and its geological implications

Cenozoic strata in the Wuyu Basin record the tectonic evolution of the southern Tibetan Plateau. Here, we use detrital zircon isotope data and paleocurrents based on petrographic and sedimentary facies analyses to constrain the provenance of sediments in the Wuyu Basin. On this basis, we recognize multiple phases of tectonic activity in the southern Tibetan Plateau since the Miocene. Tectonic activity at ca. 15 Ma ended the lacustrine sedimentary facies of the Mangxiang Fm. and caused volcanic eruptions; the Wuyu Basin received deposits of the Laiqing Fm. dominated by volcanic and pyroclastic rocks. Tectonic activity at ca. 8 Ma resulted in the volcanic and pyroclastic rocks of the Laiqing Fm. becoming one of the main provenances for the overlying Wuyu Fm. The lacustrine environment in the Wuyu Basin ended again and shifted to braided river sedimentation, the paleocurrent directions changed from northward to southward, and the central Lhasa subterrane became one of the main provenances at ca. 2.5 Ma. By comparing the detrital zircon ages of our samples in the Wuyu Basin and sands from the Lhasa River, we infer that a long river comparable to the modern Lhasa River existed in the Wuyu Basin area at ca. 2.5 Ma. During the Quaternary, due to the consistent convergence between the Indian and Eurasian plates, the eastern Gangdese Mountains uplifted, which resulted in the blocking of this river and the development of the current geomorphic features in the Wuyu Basin area.     

Exhumation History of the Xining Basin Since the Mesozoic and Its Tectonic Significance

The Xining Basin is located in the northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, and its continuous Cenozoic strata record the entire uplift and outgrowth history of the Tibetan Plateau during the Cenozoic. The newly obtained apatite fission track data presented here shows that the Xining Basin and two marginal mountain ranges have experienced multiphase rapid cooling since the Jurassic, as follows. In the Middle–Late Jurassic, the rapid exhumation of the former Xining Basin resulted from collision between the Qiangtang Block and the Tarim Block. During the Early–Late Cretaceous, the former Xining Basin underwent a tectonic event due to marginal compression, causing the angular unconformity between the Upper and Lower Cretaceous. In the Late Cretaceous to the Early Cenozoic, collision between the Qiangtang Block and the Lhasa Block may have resulted in the rapid exhumation of the Xining Basin and the Lajishan to the south. In the Early Cenozoic(ca. 50–30 Ma), collision between the Indian and Eurasia plates affected the region that corresponds to the present northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. During this period, the central Qilian Block rotated clockwise by approximately 24° to form a wedge-shaped basin(i.e., the Xining Basin) opening to the west. During ca. 17–8 Ma, the entire northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau underwent dramatic deformation, and the Lajishan uplifted rapidly owing to the northward compression of the Guide Basin from the south. A marked change in subsidence occurred in the Xining Basin during this period, when the basin was tectonically inverted.     

Cenozoic tectonics and landform evolution in the Qilian Mountains and adjacent areas

ABSTRACT

The formation of the Qilian mountains and the evolution of adjacent basins were controlled by the uplift and northeastward growth of the Tibetan Plateau. In a field survey conducted on the main Cenozoic basin sediments in the Qilian Mountains and adjacent areas, fission track age data of apatite obtained previously were analyzed. Cenozoic tectonics and landform evolution in the area where the Qilian Mountains now stand and its response to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau were studied. In the Oligocene Epoch, the Tibetan Plateau was initially uplifted and extended northeastward, forming the Guide-Xining-Lanzhou-Linxia foreland basin on the northern margin of the western Qinling Mountains, and the foreland basin in the area where the Qilian Mountains now stand received widespread sediments. In the Miocene, influenced by the enhanced uplift and northeastward thrust of the Tibetan Plateau, a stage of intracontinental squeezing orogeny and foreland basin splitting began in the area where the Qilian Mountains now stand. In the Pliocene Epoch, the Qilian Mountains were continuously uplifted, the basins shrank, large lake basins disappeared gradually, and large-area red-clay-type aeolian sediments appeared. During the Quaternary Period, the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau accelerated, causing a rapid rise in the altitude of the Qilian Mountains. Global climate change occurred and mountain glaciers began to develop. Quaternary moraine deposits appeared for the first time in the area, and very thick loess sediments appeared in the Longzhong area, east of the area where the Qilian Mountains now stand, forming the famous Loess Plateau.