北羌塘沃若山地区火山岩年代学及区域地球化学对比——对晚三叠世火山-沉积事件的启示

藏北羌塘沃若山地区三叠系肖茶卡组之上不整合沉积超覆了一套沉火山碎屑岩夹火山岩地层,该套地层底部的玻屑凝灰岩夹层的SHRIMP锆石U—Pb年龄为（216．1±4．5）Ma,该年龄代表了沃若山地区晚三叠世火山-沉积事件的时代,它与最近获得的羌塘盆地广泛分布的那底岗日、石水河等地区的那底岗日组火山岩的形成时代基本一致,同属晚三叠世．微量元素及同位素地球化学特征表明,沃若山地区火山岩的地球化学特征与其相邻的那底岗日、石水河等地区的那底岗日组火山岩十分相似,表明该时期羌塘地区的火山岩可能具有相同的岩浆源区和相似的构造环境．羌塘盆地晚三叠世大规模火山喷发与火山-沉积事件的正确认识,对于探讨东特提斯域晚三叠世生物绝灭、气候变化与海退事件具有重要的意义,同时,对于了解晚三叠世．侏罗纪北羌塘地区新一轮盆地演化的开启时间、盆地性质及沉积特征也具有重要的意义．     

燕山地区中生代盆地演化及构造体制

燕山地区中生代盆地经历了重要的构造变革, 由前晚三叠世台缘克拉通盆地转变为晚三叠世至晚侏罗世挠曲盆地, 进而再次转变为晚侏罗世晚期至早白垩世裂谷盆地. 晚三叠世和晚侏罗世响应两次板内强变形作用, 分别沿逆冲带边缘沉积了杏石口组和土城子组粗碎屑冲积体系; 早白垩世受转换伸展断层控制, 盆地充填以扇三角洲-湖泊体系为主. 晚三叠世挠曲盆地的沉积碎屑成分反映了源区元古界和太古界地层的剥露过程; 而晚侏罗世挠曲盆地则反映了源区受早期沉积覆盖的火山碎屑岩的剥蚀及其基底岩石的剥露过程. 原型盆地再造结果显示, 早侏罗世至晚侏罗世早期盆地展布具有向近北东东向和近东西向迁移的趋势; 早白垩世盆地呈北北东向横跨于前期盆地之上. 两期盆地分别受控于不同的构造体制.     

贺兰山隆升时限及其演化

贺兰山横亘于鄂尔多斯盆地西北缘,其隆升时限与盆地的构造属性和发展演化密切相关.对其隆起的时间前人有晚三叠世、晚侏罗世等多种认识.对贺兰山现存地层的分布和岩浆及热液活动等资料分析,认为晚三叠世-中侏罗世贺兰山并未隆升,其隆起时间应在中侏罗世之后.通过对与贺兰山相邻的银川地堑沉积地层及沉降速率的研究,指出贺兰山大规模隆升时间为始新世,在上新世以来发生了快速隆升.根据对不同时代样品磷灰石和锆石裂变径迹测试结果的分析,精细刻画了贺兰山的隆升-冷却过程,指出其隆升至少经历了晚侏罗世—早白垩世初、早白垩世中晚期、晚白垩世和始新世以来4个阶段.其中,晚白垩世和始新世以来的隆升最为明显.早白垩世中晚期为区域冷却过程.综合分析和总结各方面研究结果,认为贺兰山隆升的最早时间在晚侏罗世,此时隆升规模较为局限;晚白垩世的隆升与鄂尔多斯盆地整体的抬升相对应;始新世开始发生大规模的隆升,上新世隆升速率进一步加快.     

中国南方晚二叠世-早三叠世礁区生物群落演替序列与古环境变化——以四川盆地东北部盘龙洞剖面为例

四川盆地东北部宣汉县盘龙洞剖面晚二叠世至早三叠世剖面发育著名长兴期海绵礁.川东北地区由于强烈白云石化作用的破坏,二叠-三叠系地层界线难以确定.本次研究从盘龙洞剖面的上二叠统长兴阶长兴组到下三叠统印度阶飞仙关组依次识别出6个古生物群落:苔藓虫-古始孔藻-钙质海绵礁群落、钙质绿藻-有孔虫-海百合群落、小腹足有孔虫群落、介形虫-小腹足-囊状微生物群落、介形虫-小腕足群落和非钙化蓝细菌群落通过群落演替和古环境分析,将该剖面的二叠系-三叠系界线定在发育囊状微生物群落的钙质微生物岩中部.盘龙洞剖面的晚二叠世到早三叠世群落演替序列与我国南方其他地区同期礁区剖面比较一致,表明华南各地区P-T重大转折时期具有一致的古环境变化.研究表明:(1)中国南方长兴期海绵礁一般在大灭绝发生之前消亡,它们的消亡可能与晚二叠世大海退有关;(2)钙质绿藻-有孔虫-海百合群落替代海绵礁群落并成为大灭绝前的最后一个群落,该群落的灭绝可能与同时发生的一次全球性海平面下降有关;(3)大灭绝之后,首先发育小腹足类、有孔虫为主的生物群落,然后发育以微生物为主的群落,以微生物为主的群落结束后,又一次发育以小腹足类、小腕足等为主的群落,这三种群落之间的替代可能指示大灭绝后环境由贫氧到缺氧,再到贫氧的变化过程;(4)早三叠世正常浅水台地生物丰度极低,以海百合、腹足类和双壳类为主.     

龙门山构造带深部动力学过程与地表地质过程的耦合关系

发生在地球浅层的2008年汶川地震驱动了龙门山及前陆地区的地表同震垂向位移.根据冲断带-前陆盆地弹性挠曲模型理论,在进行弹性挠曲模拟反演的基础上,结合对深部地球物理特征(泊松比、电性结构)的分析,发现龙门山前陆盆地现今岩石圈有效弹性厚度(T_e)具有自东向西逐渐减薄的趋势,自川中地区的30~40 km减至龙门山地区的10~20 km.在对晚三叠世以来前陆盆地各阶段盆地结构进行刻画的基础上,进行弹性挠曲模拟反演,推断龙门山前陆盆地的前渊地区(四川盆地西部)岩石圈的T_e值自晚三叠世以来具有逐渐减薄的趋势.这可能与松潘一甘孜地块下方广泛存在的软流圈热物质对四川盆地西部岩石圈下部的长期加热而导致的熔融有关,反映了地球深部动力学过程与地球表层盆地演化之间的耦合关系.     

南海北缘东沙隆起中生代以来的埋藏史和热史重建——来自LF35-1-1井(U-Th)/He和Ro的证据

沉积盆地埋藏史和热历史重建是了解盆地成因和油气形成条件的重要依据,而目前利用古温标手段研究珠江口盆地内东沙隆起热史和埋藏史的成果寥寥无几.本研究中,我们基于磷灰石与锆石(U-Th)/He年龄的反演结果给出了更多合理的约束条件,在此基础上对同一套镜质体反射率Ro数据进行了古热流法模拟计算,获得了钻井自中生代以来的地层温度史.反演结果显示LF35-1-1井区在早始新世-早渐新世发生了一期强烈的抬升剥蚀,地层剥蚀量为2000 m左右.拟合获得的埋藏史和热流史显示该井区在早始新世(~55Ma)经历了最高井底古热流(100 mW·m~(-2)),之后热流减小,持续至现今64.3 mW·m~(-2).最高古地温与隆升剥蚀在时间上的耦合体现了抬升事件对地温冷却的影响,但不足以排除基底热流下降因素.本次研究首次将(U-Th)/He技术用于南海北缘深水区盆地的热史研究,获得的热史结果更加符合现有的构造沉积大地构造方面的认识,展示了利用多种古温标手段进行盆地精细热史研究的良好效用.     

洛伊地区侏罗纪原型盆地形成与演化

以洛伊地区石油地震、钻井及地化资料为基础,利用镜质体反射率（Ro）进行单井剥蚀厚度恢复,应用平衡剖面恢复的早-中侏罗世古地貌呈"三凹三凸"特征,其中,中条山、熊耳山、嵩山由于隆升无早-中侏罗世沉积,在洛阳-济源、义马-宜阳、伊川形成3个沉降中心。依据盆地充填序列及沉积相带进行分析,认为研究区早-中侏罗世为山间坳陷盆地,其形成与演化受控于印支末期-燕山早期的秦岭-大别造山带陆内造山作用。     

中扬子江汉平原簰洲湾地区中、新生代构造-热演化史

本文综合运用磷灰石-锆石裂变径迹和（U-Th）/He、镜质体反射率及盆地模拟等手段,深入细致地探讨了中扬子江汉平原簰洲湾地区中、新生代构造-热史演化过程.研究结果表明,研究区中-新生代大规模构造抬升剥蚀、地层冷却事件始于早白垩世（140-130 Ma）;大规模抬升冷却过程主要发生在早白垩世中后期至晚白垩世.研究区虽然可能存在一定厚度的晚白垩世-古近纪地层沉积,总体沉积规模相对较小.综合分析认为,区内应该存在较大厚度的中侏罗统或/和上侏罗统乃至早白垩世地层的沉积;而现今残存中生代中、上侏罗统地层相对较薄,主要是由于后期持续构造抬升剥蚀造成的,估计总剥蚀厚度约4300 m左右.区内中生代地层在早白垩世达到最大古地温,而不是在古近纪沉积末期;上三叠统地层最大古地温在170~190℃之间.热史分析结果表明,区内古生代古热流相对稳定,平均热流在53.64 mW·m^-2;早侏罗世末期古热流开始降低,在早白垩世初期古热流约为48.38 mW·m^-2.     

下扬子中生代构造-热事件及其对海相烃源岩生烃的影响

温度是控制烃源岩有机质生烃的主要因素,构造-热事件下的高温作用对烃源岩的增熟和生烃历程具有显著影响.通过地质分析和磷灰石、锆石裂变径迹、磷灰石U-Th/He低温热年代学数据、火山岩年龄数据分析认为,下扬子中生代存在印支期(T_3-J_2),燕山期(J_3-K_1)构造-热事件,沉积盆地达到最高古热流的时间大约为130~110Ma.古温标镜质体反射率热史反演结果揭示句容地区最高地表古热流达到~94mW·m~(-2),泰兴地区为~78mW·m~(-2),热事件的强度由西至东减弱.基于EASY%Ro模型的生烃史正演结果揭示:寒武系烃源岩在常州地区主生气期为早二叠世晚期至晚三叠世末,在句容、泰兴地区主生气期为晚三叠世-早白垩世.由于T_3-J_(1-2)前陆盆地沉积和早白垩世岩浆活动热事件的双重作用,海相烃源岩有机质在早白垩世末达到最高古地温.虽然K_2-E期间在句容、泰兴和常州部分地区具有一定的沉降幅度,甚至使得部分地区海相烃源岩的埋深超过早期的埋深,但由于K_2以来大地热流降低,海相烃源层地层温度却低于早期的地温,有机质未能普遍进一步增熟生烃,即这些地区不存在大面积的二次生烃.     

鄂尔多斯盆地延长组的划分、时代及中-上三叠统界线

广泛发育于鄂尔多斯盆地及周缘地区的延长组是我国最重要的陆相三叠纪地层之一,也是鄂尔多斯盆地的主力含油气层系之一,其时代意见对相关的地质研究和油气勘探均有重要意义.长期以来,延长组的时代被归于晚三叠世,视为中国北方陆相上三叠统的典型代表,尽管在20世纪中后期已有学者提出延长组的下部应为中三叠统.在以往资料的基础上,依据新发现的古生物化石以及新获得的长7中下部凝灰岩锆高精度测年结果,认为延长组的中下部(相当于长7及以下地层)的时代为中三叠世拉丁期,底部不能排除属于安尼期晚期的可能性;主力烃源岩长7油页岩、泥岩的时代为中三叠世拉丁期;延长组的上部,即长6及以上地层的时代属于晚三叠世,在鄂尔多斯盆地的主体部分普遍缺失晚三叠世晚期地层;中/上三叠统的界线位于延长组的内部,大致与长7和长6之间的界线相当;中三叠世拉丁期是鄂尔多斯盆地古环境的重要转折时期,古环境的转变与秦岭的主构造活动期以及四川盆地的重大环境转折期基本等时,说明上述构造活动和环境的重大转变可能是相互关联的,是处于拉丁期同一大地构造背景之下,构造运动作用的结果.     

可可西里岩石圈向北俯冲到柴达木地幔的地震学证据

利用中美德INDEPTH IV合作项目2007—2009年间布置于青藏高原中、北部140个宽频地震台站记录到的天然地震数据,经过接收函数成像处理,获得了3条穿过昆仑—阿尼玛卿缝合带清晰的壳幔结构图像.结果显示柴达木南缘莫霍面位于约50 km深度,羌塘地块、可可西里地块、东昆仑造山带莫霍面位于约65 km深度,昆仑—阿尼玛卿缝合带以北约50 km存在莫霍面深度突变.在可可西里和柴达木岩石圈地幔之间观测到北倾界面,这可能是可可西里岩石圈向北俯冲到柴达木地幔之下的证据.可可西里地块地壳内宽缓的负转换震相带是低速带的反映,其向北挤入到东昆仑山下发生挤压增厚,可能是东昆仑山隆升的原因;由于刚性柴达木岩石圈的阻挡,物质向东改向,则可能是该地区向东旋转的构造应力场产生的原因.本文研究结果不支持亚洲岩石圈地幔在东昆仑—柴达木交界处向南俯冲,据此,我们提出了新的东昆仑造山模式.     

GEOMORPHIC FEATURES AND LATE QUATERNARY SLIP RATE OF THE SOUTHERN ZONGWULONG SHAN FAULT

With the continuous collision of the India and Eurasia plate in Cenozoic, the Qilian Shan began to uplift strongly from 12Ma to 10Ma. Nowadays, Qilian Shan is still uplifting and expanding. In the northern part of Qilian Shan, tectonic activity extends to Hexi Corridor Basin, and has affected Alashan area. In the southern part of Qilian Shan, tectonic activity extends to Qaidam Basin, forming a series of thrust faults in the northern margin of Qaidam Basin and a series of fold deformations in the basin. The southern Zongwulong Shan Fault is located in the northeastern margin of Qaidam Basin, it is the boundary thrust fault between the southern margin of Qilian Shan and Qaidam Basin. GPS studies show that the total crustal shortening rate across the Qilian Shan is 5~8mm/a, which absorbs 20% of the convergence rate of the Indian-Eurasian plate. Concerning how the strain is distributed on individual fault in the Qilian Shan, previous studies mainly focused on the northern margin of the Qilian Shan and the Hexi Corridor Basin, while the study on the southern margin of the Qilian Shan was relatively weak. Therefore, the study of late Quaternary activity of southern Zongwulong Shan Fault in southern margin of Qilian Shan is of great significance to understand the strain distribution pattern in Qilian Shan and the propagation of the fault to the interior of Qaidam Basin. At the same time, because of the strong tectonic activity, the northern margin of Qaidam Basin is also a seismic-prone area. Determining the fault slip rate is also helpful to better understand the movement behaviors of faults and seismic risk assessment.Through remote sensing image interpretation and field geological survey, combined with GPS topographic profiling, cosmogenic nuclides and optically stimulated luminescence dating, we carried out a detailed study at Baijingtu site and Xujixiang site on the southern Zongwulong Shan Fault. The results show that the southern Zongwulong Shan Fault is a Holocene reverse fault, which faulted a series of piedmont alluvial fans and formed a series of fault scarps.The 43ka, 20ka and 11ka ages of the alluvial fan surfaces in this area can be well compared with the ages of terraces and alluvial fan surfaces in the northeastern margin of Tibetan Plateau, and its formation is mainly controlled by climatic factors. Based on the vertical dislocations of the alluvial fans in different periods in Baijingtu and Xujixiang areas, the average vertical slip rate of the southern Zongwulong Shan Fault since late Quaternary is(0.41±0.05)mm/a, and the average horizontal shortening rate is 0.47~0.80mm/a, accounting for about 10% of the crustal shortening in Qilian Shan. These results are helpful to further understand the strain distribution model in Qilian Shan and the tectonic deformation mechanism in the northern margin of Qaidam Basin. The deformation mechanism of the northern Qaidam Basin fault zone, which is composed of the southern Zongwulong Shan Fault, is rather complicated, and it is not a simple piggy-back thrusting style. These faults jointly control the tectonic activity characteristics of the northern Qaidam Basin.     

INDEPTH IV深反射地震揭示的东昆仑造山带隆升过程

INDEPTH IV深反射地震数据处理的重点和难点是近地表风化壳静校正和异常振幅噪音衰减,通过初至波剩余折射静校正技术、异常振幅噪声衰减技术和CRS优化叠加技术获得了信噪比较高的地震剖面.由INDEPTH IV深反射地震剖面揭示,东昆仑造山带上地壳地层具有挤压走滑、断展褶皱等动力学特点,岩石圈上、下地壳之间存在不连续的松潘-甘孜古洋壳反射特征,东昆仑山下偏南局部Moho面以上低频异常反射特征指示局部熔融、低速高导体存在.综合INDEPTH IV深反射地震剖面和其他地球物理数据分析认为,东昆仑造山带隆升过程非常复杂,隆升过程至少经过两次主期变形,一期是中生代三叠纪松潘-甘孜洋向北俯冲引发被动大陆边缘造山,另一期是新生代古近纪印度-欧亚板块碰撞致使羌塘地块北移造成的上地壳挤压隆升.利用INDEPTH IV深反射地震单炮、速度和叠加剖面等成果,综合解译数据,最终提出东昆仑造山带隆升过程的另一种模式,以有助于深化对东昆仑造山模式的认识.     

Detrital anisotropic grandite garnet as an indicator of denudation level of Permian volcanic arc in the provenance of the South Kitakami Belt,Northeast Japan

In this study, the chemical and optical features of detrital garnets from the Middle Permian to Upper Triassic sandstones in the South Kitakami Belt, Northeast Japan, were examined to reveal the tectonic movement in the provenance. The sandstones contain a large amount of detrital grandite garnet grains with a wide range of andradite content. Among them, some grandite garnet grains show optically anisotropic features and rarely oscillatory zoning and sector twinning. The proportion of the detrital anisotropic grandite garnet increases from the Permian to the Middle Triassic and decreases in the Late Triassic. Such grandite garnets with various andradite contents occur in skarn deposits. Isotropic grandite garnets in the early stage of skarn evolution are distributed widely around a pluton, which affects the thermal metamorphism of the surrounding strata. However, anisotropic grandite garnets are formed along veinlets and fractures in the middle to late hydrothermal stage as the pluton cools, and their distribution is limited to a narrower area near the pluton compared to the metamorphic aureoles formed in the early stage. Changes in the chemical and optical features of the detrital garnets indicate a progressive denudation of the plutonic body accompanying skarn deposits in the provenance. The proportion of detrital anisotropic grandite garnet grains among all of the detrital grandite garnet is considered to be a sensitive indicator of the denudation level in a deeper part of the volcanic arc in association with skarn deposits, together with traditional sandstone composition datasets. This newly proposed method should be useful for clarifying the paleogeography during the Permian to Triassic in the East Asian continental margin, associated with uplift and denudation of the Permian volcanic arc, which seems to have been induced by the collision of the North China and South China Blocks.     

Uplift and evolution of Helan Mountain

The Helan Mountain lies in the northwest margin of Ordos Basin and its uplift periods have close relations with the tectonic feature and evolution of the basin. There are many views on the uplift time of Helan Mountain, which is Late Triassic and Late Jurassic. It is concluded by the present strata, magmatic rock and hot fluid distribution that the Helan Mountain does not uplift in Late Triassic to Middle Jurassic but after Middle Jurassic. Through the research of the sedimentary strata and deposit rate in Yinchuan Graben which is near to the Helan Mountain, it is proved that the Helan Mountain uplifts in Eocene with a huge scale and in Pliocene with a rapid speed. The fission track analysis of apatite and zircon can be used to determine the precise uplift time of Helan Mountain, which shows that four stages of uplifting or cooling Late Jurassic to the early stage of Early Cretaceous, mid-late stage of Early Cretaceous, Late Cretaceous and since Eocene. During the later two stages the uplift is most apparent and the mid-late stage of Early Cretaceous is a regional cooling course. Together with several analysis ways, it is considered that the earliest time of Helan Mountain uplift is Late Jurassic with a limited scale and that Late Cretaceous uplift is corresponding to the whole uplift of Ordos Basin, extensive uplift happened in Eocene and rapid uplift in Pliocene.     

Uplift and evolution of Helan Mountain

The Helan Mountain lies in the northwest margin of Ordos Basin and its uplift periods have close relations with the tectonic feature and evolution of the basin. There are many views on the uplift time of Helan Mountain, which is Late Triassic and Late Jurassic. It is concluded by the present strata, magmatic rock and hot fluid distribution that the Helan Mountain does not uplift in Late Triassic to Middle Jurassic but after Middle Jurassic. Through the research of the sedimentary strata and deposit rate in Yinchuan Graben which is near to the Helan Mountain, it is proved that the Helan Mountain uplifts in Eocene with a huge scale and in Pliocene with a rapid speed. The fission track analysis of apatite and zircon can be used to determine the precise uplift time of Helan Mountain, which shows that four stages of uplifting or cooling: Late Jurassic to the early stage of Early Cretaceous, mid-late stage of Early Cretaceous, Late Cretaceous and since Eocene. During the later two stages the uplift is most apparent and the mid-late stage of Early Cretaceous is a regional cooling course. Together with several analysis ways, it is considered that the earliest time of Helan Mountain uplift is Late Jurassic with a limited scale and that Late Cretaceous uplift is corresponding to the whole uplift of Ordos Basin, extensive uplift happened in Eocene and rapid uplift in Pliocene.     

柴达木盆地北缘中新生代地层的磁组构特征及其沉积——构造学意义

柴达木盆地沉积地层记载着青藏高原东北部的构造演化信息.对该盆地路乐河地区上中生界—新生界地层系统采样,获得千余块定向岩心样品.岩石磁学研究表明样品中的磁性矿物主要为赤铁矿和磁铁矿;磁组构研究表明为初始沉积磁组构特征.磁组构特征指示了自中侏罗统大煤沟组(J2d)至早中新统下油砂山组(N12y)7个地层单位沉积时期,古水流方向共经历了4次阶段性的变化,表明柴达木块体相应地发生了4次旋转.在中—晚侏罗世块体逆时针旋转约22°;至早白垩世,块体又顺时针旋转约65°;在65.5～32 Ma期间块体旋转方向再次改变,逆时针旋转约63°;到32～13Ma阶段块体又发生约50°的顺时针旋转.柴达木块体的旋转及其方向的转换,可能与其南的羌塘块体、拉萨块体和印度板块阶段性北向碰撞挤压紧密相关.拉张环境与挤压环境的多次转换可能与中特提斯的关闭、新特提斯的张开和闭合、高原快速隆升后其边部松弛相联系.     

南黄海盆地基底及海相中、古生界地层分布特征

南黄海盆地是大型海相中、古生界和陆相中、新生界两期叠合型盆地,本文根据最新地震资料结合钻井资料及与海陆地质资料的对比研究对盆地内地震层序进行了划分,得到了陆相中、新生界盆地基底即中、古生界海相盆地的顶界埋深、三叠系和上二叠统的残留厚度,推断了陆相层基底地层分布,并根据磁力异常资料推测了海相中、古生界盆地结晶基底埋深,推断了海相中、古生界整体残留情况.下三叠统青龙组和上二叠大隆及龙潭组在南黄海盆地南部坳陷及勿南沙隆起广泛存在,而在北部坳陷的分布则狭窄,中部隆起则由于隆起和剥蚀作用导致这两套地层几乎没有残余.对中-古生界海相盆地和中-新生界陆相盆地的基底特征进行了比较,认为海相中、古生界在南黄海地区区域性存在,海相层厚度分布特征受基底起伏控制,同时受到印支板块运动的影响,中部隆起区是海相中、古生界比较稳定的地区.下古生界可能在南黄海盆地广泛分布,但受资料限制,还难以获知其残余地层的特征.     

Mesozoic basin-fill records in south foot of the Dabie Mountains: Implication for Dabie Orogenic attributes

For the Triassic continental collision, subduction and orogenesis in the Dabie-Sulu belt, a lot of data on petrology, geochemistry and chronology have been published[1]. However, so far no depositional records on the Triassic syn-collisional orogenesis of…     

Cenozoic sedimentary records and geochronological constraints of differential uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Geological mapping data (1:250000) in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its adjacent regions reveal the sediment sequences, distribution and tectonic evolution of the 92 Tertiary remnant basins. Southern Tibet and the Yecheng area in Xinjiang, located at southern and northwestern margins of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, respectively, were parts of the Neo-Tethys remnant sea in the Paleogene. In southern Tibet, both the subabyssal and abyssal sequences occur at the Gyangze, Saga, Guoyala, and Sangmai areas. The deep-water facies successions outcrop in the west, whereas the shallow-water facies sequences in the east, indicating the east to the west retreat of the Neo-Tethys Ocean. The retreat of the Neo-Tethys Ocean in the east was contributed to the earlier tectonic uplift of the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The uplift process of the Plateau from the Late Cretaceous to Pliocene is described as follows: During the Late Cretaceous, tectonic uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau occurred in the northeastern part and the configuration of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was characterized by rise in the northeast and depression in the west. In the Paleocene-Eocene interval, the Tengchong-Baingoin and Kuyake-Golmud areas experienced local tectonic uplifting, the West Kunlun uplift zone broadened easterly, the Qilian uplift zone broadened southerly, and the Songpan-Garzê uplift zone shrank easterly. The Oligocene configuration of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was characterized by mountain chains rising along its margins and sedimentary basins in the central part because of tectonic uplifts of the Gangdisê and the Himalaya blocks. Meanwhile, the Kunlun-Altyn-Qilian uplift zones have also broadened southerly and northerly. In contrast, the great uplift zones of the Gangdisê, the Himalaya, the Karakorum, and the Kunlun blocks characterize the paleogeographic contours of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau during the Miocene-Pliocene. Additionally, the thermochronological data on tectonic uplift events in southern Tibet, West Kunlun Mountains, Altyn Tagh, eastern Tibet, and western Sichuan all suggest that the most intense deformation occurred at 13-8 Ma and since 5 Ma, respectively, corresponding to two great uplift periods in Neogene. As a result, turnover of paleogeographic configuration of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau occurred during the Neogene, experiencing a change from high contours in the east in the pre-Oligocene to high contours in the west at the end-Pliocene. The uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau during the Cenozoic was episodic, and the uplifts of various blocks within the Plateau were spatially and chronologically different.