Measurement of terrace deformation and crustal shortening of some renascent fold zones within Kalpin nappe structure

The Kalpin nappe structure is a strongest thrust and fold deformation belt in front of the Tianshan Mountains since the Cenozoic time. The tectonic deformation occurred in 5―6 striking Meso-zoic-Cenozoic fold zones, and some renascent folds formed on the recent alluvial-proluvial fans in front of the folded mountains. We used the total station to measure gully terraces along the longitudinal to-pographic profile in the renascent fold zones and collected samples from terrace deposits for age de-termination. Using the obtained formation time and shortening amount of the deformed terraces, we calculated the shortening rate of 4 renascent folds to be 0.1±0.03 mm/a, 0.12±0.04 mm/a, 0.59±0.18 mm/a, and 0.26±0.08 mm/a, respectively. The formation time of the renascent folds is some later than the major tectonic uplift event of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau 0.14 Ma ago. It may be the long-distance effect of this tectonic event on the Tianshan piedmont fold belt.     

Terraces and Tectonic Uplifts at Yandantu and Changcaogou on the Northern Margin Fault of Altun

The formation of strath and strath terrace is closely related to tectonic uplift in the drainage basin. Based on the investigation of straths at Yandantu and Changcaogou on the eastern segment of the northern margin fault of Altun, and in combination with the paleoclimatic data,the tectonic uplift since late Epipleistocene as revealed by stream terraces at the two places is discussed. At Yandantu, three levels of stream terraces( T1, T2 and T3 )have developed since 16ka BP, where T1, T3 and T2 are fill terraces and the buried major straths are exposed. The ages of three treads are dated to be about 16.1ka BP, 12 .Ska BP and 6.2ka BP, respectively. The three terraces reflect three tectonic uplift events, while the ages of the treads represent the occurrence time of these events. The stream is still beveling the bedrock and widening the channel at present, and the modern strath is being generated. The uplift rate is 4.8～4.5mm/a since 16.1 ka BP in this area. From 12.8ka B .P to 6.2ka BP, The uplift rate was 6.4mm/a.The uplift rate is 3. lmm/a since 6.2ka BP.At Changcaogou, four levels Of stream terraces(T1, T2, T3 and T1)have developed since 7ka BP. All of them are fill terraces. There are buried straths under the deposits. The buried major strath is exposed on T3 and T2 and the minor strath on T1‘and T1. The ages of treads of the three terraces (T3, T2 and T1’) are 7 ka BP, 3 ka BP and 2.5 ka BP, respectively. The four terraces reflect two uplift events induced by tectonic activities. One occurred in about 7 ka BP, and the other in 3ka BP. The uplift rate is 5.gmm/a since 7.0 ka BP at Changcaogou.From 7ka BP to 3ka BP, the uplift rate was 7.0mm/a, and since 3ka BP till now, the uplift rate is 4.7 mm/a.     

Crustal electric structure of Haiyuan arcuate tectonic region in the northeastern margin of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, China

Through the analysis and 2-D inversion for the 5 profiles in Haiyuan arcuate tectonic region (105°～107°E,36°～37.5°N) in the northeastern margin of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, we have obtained the electric structure within a range of 160 km in width (east-west) and 60 km in depth in the studied area. The results show that the crustal electric structure can be divided into 6 sections, corresponding respectively to Xiji basin (Ⅰ), Xihuashan-Nanhuashan uplift (Ⅱ), Xingrenbu-Haiyuan basin (Ⅲ), Zhongwei-Qingshuihe basin (Ⅳ), Zhongning-Hongsibu basin (Ⅴ) and west-margin zone of Ordos (Ⅵ) from the southwest to the northeast. The crustal electric structure is characterized by a broom-shaped pattern, which scatters to the northwest and shrinks to the southeast. The structures in the top part of Haiyuan arcuate tectonic region are complete and large, however, they diminish from the arc top to the northwest and southeast ends. In the depth from 0 km to 10 km, the resistivity is high in the sections Ⅱ and Ⅵ, but relatively low in the other four sections, showing a similar pattern of basin depression. The electrical basement in the section Ⅲ is the deepest, displaying a "dustpan" shape that is deep in the southwest and shallow in the northeast. A series of discontinuous zones with high conductivity exist in the middle-lower crust in Haiyuan arcuate tectonic region, which is possibly related to the moderate and strong earthquakes in the region. The resistivity distribution in the focal area of the 1920 Haiyuan earthquake is significantly heterogeneous with an obviously high conductivity zone near the hypocenter regime.     

Attenuation of S wave in the crust of Ordos massif

Introduction Located between Qingzang (Qinghai-Xizang) Plateau that highly uplifts due to compression and North China plain that badly subsides due to crustal extension, the Ordos massif has both the basic attributes of stretching tectonic region of North China marginal basin and the features of marginal shear-compression zone of Qingzang Plateau. It has a length of about 600 km in the N-S direction and a width of about 400 km in the W-E direction. Its geological structure is very simple…     

Accordant Summit Levels (ASLs) and Their Tectonic Deformation in the Denudational Areas of the North China Rift Zone

The North China rift zone,including the North China Plain rift zone and the middle Shanxi graben-rift zone,is a continental rift;geomorphologically,its most common and important characteristics are the multiple accordant summit levels (ASLs) in the denudational area.In this study three methods based on geomorphic analysis,that is,(1) unified topographic profiles,(2) cyclic knickpoints along longitudinal river profiles,and (3) depth contours of river downcutting,are used to identify the ASLs and analyze their tectonic deformation.The formation time of the ASLs is determined by geological and geomorphological evidence,the correlation with the sedimentary facies in the Plain rift zone,and K-Ar ages of basalts on the ASLs,indicating the rates of tectonic uplift.The North China rift zone has five ASLs,of which the highest and oldest ASL I is the remnant of a fossil peneplain formed before rifting and the other four lower and younger ones are pediplain-typed formed contemporaneously with rifting.Study of ASLs     

Focal Depth of Earthquakes in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and Its Tectonic Implication

In the previous work of the present study,moment tensors of 11 major earthquakes in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and its surrounding region from 1966 to 1980 are estimated by generalized inversion technique.The seismic source time function and focal depth are immediately determined in the inversion.The results indicated that all earthquakes investigated here are shallow events within the upper crust.The purpose of this paper is to present a summary of the distribution of focal depths of earthquakes in and near the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau from the above result,combining the focal depths of 78 significant earthquakes from 1964 to 1986,which are relocated individually by other authors,as well as to discuss its tectonic implication.     

Southeastern extension of the Red River fault zone (RRFZ) and its tectonic evolution significance in western South China Sea

The tectonic evolution features in the western South China Sea (SCS) are directly related to the Tethys tectonic province. The Red River fault zone (RRFZ) comprises a large part of the Tethys tectonic province and is the boundary between the Europe Block and the India-Asia Block[1]. It serves as the contact between the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the SCSopening. The RRFZ, which is an important dividing line in the geology of the SE Asia, is about 1000 km long in the co…     

Research on Tectonic Features and Dynamics in the Northwestern Yunnan Extensional Region

The paper discusses the features of active tectonics,seismicity and neotectonic environment in the Northwestern Yunnan extensional region.The intensity of both tectonic activity and seismicity is strong near the south and north boundaries in the areas,but weak in the middle.The distribution of the strongest subsided areas,lacustrine terrace and Quaternary fold is characterized by the diagonal symmetry.Formation of extensional tectonics in the Northwestern Yunnan can be explained by passive model,experiencing the action of compressional force in the N-S direction and shear force in the SW-NE direction,and classified as a special pull-apart tectonics.The direction of the composite force is NNE,which is coincided with the results acquired by the methods of water-compressed rupture and physical modelling.     

Zircon SHRIMP U-Pb ages and trace element geochemistry of the Kuhai gabbro and the Dur''''ngoi diorite in the southern east Kunlun tectonic belt, Qinghai, Western China and their geological implications

Timing of the intermediate-basic igneous rocks developed in the area of Kuhai-A'nyêmaqên along the southern east Kunlun tectonic belt is a controversial issue. This paper presents new zircon SHRIMP U-Pb dating data for igneous zircons from the Kuhai gabbro and the Dur'ngoi diorite in the Kuhai-A'nyemaqen tectonic belt, which are 555±9 Ma and 493±6 Ma, respectively. The trace element geochemical features of the Kuhai gabbro and the Dur'ngoi diorite are similar to those of ocean island basalts (OIB) and island arc basalts (IAB), respectively. Thus, the Kuhai gabbro with the age of 555±9 Ma and OIB geochemical features is similar to the Yushigou oceanic ophiolite in the North Qilian orogen, whereas the Dur'ngoi diorite with the age of 493±6 Ma and IAB geochemical features is similar to the island arc volcanic rocks developed in the north Qaidam. The Late Neoproterozoic to Early Ordovician ophiolite complex in the area of Kuhai-A'nyêmaqên suggests that the southern margin of the "Qilian-Qaidam-Kunlun" archipelagic ocean in this period was located in the southern east Kunlun tectonic belt. Therefore, the southern east Kunlun tectonic belt in the early Paleozoic is not comparable to the Mianlüe tectonic belt in the Qinling orogenic belt.     

Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous tectonic switching in Liaodong Peninsula of the North China Craton and the implications for gold mineralisation

Constraining the processes of deformation during tectonic switching from compression to extension is difficult because of the scarcity or absence of associated sedimentary and magmatic rocks and weak metamorphism. The east margin of the eastern North China Craton experienced Early to Middle Jurassic compression and Early Cretaceous extension. However, the period of tectonic quiescence lasting ～13 million years(between 153 and 140 Ma) during which this transition occurred is poorly understood. This paper reports the identification of small-scale N-S-trending thrust and sinistral strike-slip faults(TSS) and NWtrending thrust and dextral strike-slip faults(TDS) in the Tongyuanpu-Aiyang region, which is part of the northern Liaodong Peninsula. Calculation of the tectonic stress field using striations, fault planes and kinematics reveals a NW-SE-oriented maximum principal axis(σ_1), and sub-horizontal σ_2 and σ_3. Assemblages of N-S-trending TSS and NW-trending TDS were arranged with right stepping and resulted in local uplift and erosion at the junctions between fault terminations, which partitioned the Early and Middle Jurassic basins into residual smaller volcanic-sedimentary basins. These basins were unconformably overlain by small Early Cretaceous volcanic-sedimentary basins, such as those at Tongyuanpu and Fangjiaweizi. Magmatic ages and the timing of basin formation constrain the initiation of tectonic switching to 156–153 Ma, and its termination to 140–139 Ma. We suggest that R-R' Riedel shears controlled the formation of the N-S-trending TSS and NW-trending TDS. The R-R'shears were produced by continued sinistral strike-slip and northward growth along the Bohai Bay segment of the Tan-Lu fault zone during the Late Jurassic to early Early Cretaceous, simultaneous with a gradual weakening in the tectonic stress field during a switch in the direction of subduction of the Palaeo-Pacific plate from NW-ward to NNW-ward. This tectonic switching might have promoted the dissolution of gold and migration of gold-bearing fluids.     

滇西地区怒江河流阶地、 夷平面变形反映的第四纪构造运动

滇西地区自第四纪以来经过了复杂的构造抬升, 其上新世准平原面被差异抬升为不同高度的夷平面。 在抬升过程中, 怒江的侵蚀作用形成了深切的高山峡谷地貌, 并形成了能反映构造抬升过程的多级河流阶地。 这种高山峡谷地貌的形成不仅与构造活动有关, 还与气候变化有关, 但构造活动是主因。 通过河流阶地和夷平面的研究能够得到河流阶地特征和差异隆升特征, 并能够进一步反演该区的构造活动特征。     

利用DEM技术自动提取龙门山南段青衣江阶地面的研究

河流阶地面是一种时间性、连续性非常高的层状地貌面,利用跨断层地区的河流阶地变形可以定量地判别一个地区的断层活动性。青衣江横跨龙门山断裂带南段是一条区域性大河,由于龙门山南段构造活动强烈且河流阶地被侵蚀程度严重,为了在室内更好、更快地解译青衣江河流阶地,使野外调查工作更具有针对性,本文在龙门山南段青衣江流域小关子至飞仙村一段,采用航测遥感技术制作的2m分辨率DEM和1/5万数字高程模型,基于Arc GIS和MATLAB平台进行了阶地面提取和聚类分析,以模拟野外测量阶地的流程,试图通过计算机提取,快速获取该地区更多的残余地貌面,建立起较为完整的河流阶地纵剖面。研究结果表明:野外测量数据与计算机自动提取结果相似度较高,具有较好的一致性;在完整的阶地剖面中发现了芦山盆地内部阶地具有疑似拱曲现象;在大川-双石断裂附近阶地有翘起现象,推测芦山盆地西缘阶地拱曲是由大川-双石断裂东侧的一条未知断层引起的,大川-双石断裂附近阶地的翘起现象可能是在断层逆冲推覆过程中形成的,同时结合区域年代历史数据,推测该地区(芦山盆地至大川-双石断裂)至少在晚更新世曾发生过构造活动。     

Fluvial terraces and their implications for Weihe River valley evolution in the Sanyangchuan Basin

Fluvial terraces are important geomorphic markers for modern valley development.When coupled with numeric ages,terraces can provide abundant information about tectonic,climatic,paleohydrological and the paleoenvironmental changes.On the basis of the paleomagnetic,electron spin resonance(ESR) and optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) dating,in addition to an investigation of local loess-paleosol sequences,we confirmed that 13 fluvial terraces were formed,and then preserved,along the course of the Upper Weihe River in the Sanyangchuan Basin over the past 1.2 Ma.Analyses of the characteristics and genesis of these terraces indicate that they resulted from the response of this particular river system to climate change over an orbital scale.These changes can further be placed within the context of local and regional tectonic uplift,and represent an alternation between lateral migration and vertical incision,dependent upon the predominance of climatic and tectonic controls during different periods.Most of the terraces are strikingly similar in that they have several meters of paleosols which have developed directly on top of fluvial deposits located on the terrace treads,suggesting that the abandonment of terraces due to river incision occurred during the transitions from glacial to interglacial climates.The temporal and spatial differences in the distribution patterns of terraces located on either side of the river valley indicate that a tectonic inversion occurred in Sanyangchuan Basin at-0.62 Ma,and that this was characterized by a transition from overall uplift to depression induced by fault activity.Synthesized studies of the Basin's terraces indicate that formation of the modern valley of the Upper Weihe River may have begun in the late Early Pleistocene between1.4-1.2 Ma.     

Tectonic-climatic events in eastern Qilian Mountains over the past 0.83 Ma

The eastern part of Qilian Mountains experienced strong tectonic uplift during the late Quaternary, and climate record there was influenced by Tibetan Plateau to some extent. Based on studies on the fluvial terrace series and eolian loess deposition, we find that the tectonic uplifts of the Tibetan Plateau had coupled with climatic changes in our studied region and others since the mid-Pleistocene. The uplift that occurred at 0.83 Ma corresponded to significant desert expansion in L6 and periodic variation since MIS16, while the 0.14Ma one to the further drying in northwest China. Those coupled events may indicate that tectonic uplift drove climatic changes, and the Tibetan Plateau has important impacts on East Asian Monsoon system.     

Luminescence chronology of the Sankosh river terraces in the Assam- Bhutan foothills of the Himalayas: Implications to climate and tectonics

Himalaya is an active fold and thrust belt formed due to continent-continent collision between the Eurasian and Indian plates. It comprises a 3000 km long chain of mountains that span ∼1000 km across, with major boundary thrusts viz., Main Central Thrust (MCT), Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) and the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT). MFT is marked as mountain front and is the most active thrust; however, evidence of tectonic activity along MCT and MBT also exists.Tectonic activity along MFT created uplifted terraces which now serve as geomorphic archives of past tectonic events. The present study focussed on a glacial-fed river Sankosh that originates in northern Bhutan, and crosses MCT, MBT and MFT before joining the Brahmaputra River in Assam. Due to tectonic uplift, the river shows a deflection at MFT, incising and thus forming four levels of strath terraces. Luminescence chronology, geomorphic studies and analysis of satellite images suggest four levels of terraces T4 (highest level, 195 m asl), T3, T2 and T1 (lowest level, 120 m asl).The quartz was found insensitive for luminescence dating, and thus fading corrected Infra-Red Stimulated Luminescence (IRSL) ages on feldspar minerals were measured that provided ages of 143-77 ka (T4), 65-36 ka (T2) and 35-14 ka (T1), respectively. The T3 terrace was present only on the right bank of the river and could not be accessed. These ages accord with other studies at the Chalsa and Malbazar, North Bengal (west of the study area) and this regional disposition of similar ages suggest that these formed during glacial-interglacial periods. The strath terraces indicate a time-averaged tectonic uplift with a 0.5 mm/year rate over the past 150 ka.     

Asymmetrical river valleys in response to tectonic tilting and strike‐slip faulting,northeast margin of Tibetan Plateau

The northeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau, a particularly important area to understand the mechanism of plateau formation, is characterized by large transpressional arcuate faults. There is debate on the amount of Quaternary sinistral displacement on the major Haiyuan Fault. Previously unrecognized systemic asymmetrical valleys have developed between the Haiyuan and Xiangshan faults. Southeast tilting and sinistral displacement on the northeast side of the Haiyuan Fault resulted in southeast migration of large rivers and asymmetrical widening of their valleys, leaving a systematic distribution of tilted strath terraces along their northwest sides. Where asymmetrical widening created by tilting kept pace with sinistral displacement, rivers have not been deflected, and the increase in valley width downstream from the fault should equate to total lateral displacement since river formation (e.g. Yuan River, a 7 km asymmetrical valley with a c. 2.2 Ma paleomagnetic age). Where river deflection and asymmetrical valley growth are coeval, valley width is less than total horizontal displacement (e.g. Hebao River, a c. 2.1 km asymmetrical valley with c. 2 km deflection). All rivers north of the Haiyuan Fault converge to cut across the Xiangshan Mountains as a gorge. Northeast thrusting of the upthrown side of the Xiangshan Fault has resulted in degradation and related strath terrace formation as the valleys asymmetrically widened. A probable earthquake‐induced landslide caused by movement on the Xiangshan Fault in latest Pleistocene blocked the gorge causing aggradation along all rivers and their tributaries. Deposition terraces were formed after the landslide dam was breached. Together with previous research on the Xiangshan Fault, it is concluded that there has been c. 7 km of Quaternary sinistral displacement on the Haiyuan and Xiangshan faults along the northeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau since the formation of rivers that intersect them. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New chronological constraints on the Plio-Pleistocene uplift of the Guizhou Plateau,SE margin of the Tibetan Plateau

The Guizhou Plateau represents a geomorphic transition between the Tibetan Plateau and the Yangtze River Plain. It likely formed in response to the propagation of surface uplift in southeastern Tibet during India-Eurasia continental collision. However, the uplift history of the region is unclear largely due to a lack of datable material. The bedrock geology is dominated by carbonate rocks, which contains numerous multi-level caves in the main river valleys that are linked to the river incision history. Cosmogenic ²⁶Al and ¹⁰Be burial dating of sediments in caves and river terraces from the northwestern and southern plateau reveals the fluvial chronology and provides the first direct determination of long-term river incision rates. The caves and terraces on the Liuchong River in NW Guizhou yield burial ages of between 0.41 ± 0.12 Ma and 2.85 ± 0.21 Ma, indicating an average incision rate of 57 ± 3 m/Ma. Four level caves at Libo in southern Guizhou yield burial ages of between 0.56 ± 0.16 Ma and 3.54 (+0.25/-0.22) Ma, indicating slightly slower incision rate (47 ± 5 m/Ma). These new results imply that the high elevation of the Guizhou Plateau had developed before the Late Pliocene, and that surface uplift during the Late Cenozoic was largely uniform across the region.     

Luminescence dating of the Huliu River terraces in the Nihewan Basin,North China

As one of the most important regions for early human occupation in East Asia, Nihewan Basin in North China is well-known for an abundance of archaeological sites with ages spanning the last 2 Ma. In recent 10 years, more than 27 new archaeological localities have been discovered from the Yuxian (sub-basin of Nihewan), and all of them are with no age control. The lack of reliable ages for these localities affects our understanding for the evolution of the stone-tool technology in the Nihewan Basin. As many localities were founded in the river terrace, the fluvial terrace sequence of the Huliu River (main river of the Yuxian) was investigated. Based on single-grain post-infrared infrared stimulated luminescence (pIRIR) procedure on potassium (K-) feldspar, our results reveal that the formation ages of three Huliu River terraces are 139.6–115.7, 19.7–5.5, and <0.9 ka, respectively. On the basis of these pIRIR ages, the formation of the fluvial terrace sequence may provide informative constraints on the human occupation in the Huliu River terrace in the Nihewan Basin, if a clear stratigraphic correlation is established between the archaeological sites and the dated terrace deposits.     

Geomorphologic evidence of phased uplift of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau since 14 million years ago

~~Geomorphologic evidence of phased uplift of the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau since 14 million years ago~~     

Late Quaternary terrace formation from knickpoint propagation in the headwaters of the Yellow River,NE Tibetan Plateau

Upstream knickpoint propagation is an essential mechanism for channel erosion, carrying changes in base level, tectonics and climate across the landscape. Generally, the terraces on cross-sections at steady-state conditions have been widely reported. However, many landscapes in the field appear to be in a transient state. Here, we explore the mechanism of knickpoint initiation and fluvial evolution in a transient setting in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Analysis of channel profiles and terrace correlation indicates that the Yellow River is adjusted to match the increase in differentiated fault activity and climate change in a regional setting of continuous uplift. Consequently, a series of terraces were formed, and the number of terrace steps increased downstream, in the headwaters of the Yellow River. All terraces were dated using the optically stimulated luminescence method. The top terrace, distributed continuously in the whole basin with a gradient, was deposited during a cold period and abandoned at the climatic transition from cold to warm state, at approximately 14.6–9.5 ka. After that, one terrace formed at around 4.2 ka in the upper reach. In correlation with the continuous topographic gradient surface of this terrace, three terrace steps were formed in the down reach during the period from 9.5 ka to 4.2 ka. This phenomenon might indicate multiple phases of continuous headward migration of fluvial knickpoint waves and terrace formation during the downcutting. It was caused by fault activity and tectonic uplift of the gorge at the outlet of the basin, under influence of the gradual integration of the Yellow River from downstream. This phenomenon shows that the fluvial incision in a transient state along the high relief margin of the orogenic plateau can be caused by fault activity, in addition to widespread surface uplift, climatically driven lake spillover and the establishment of external drainage.