青藏高原新生代古高度研究：现状与展望

青藏高原新生代古高度研究是地球系统科学研究中的一个热点、难点和重点,它是解决地球深部动力学、地貌地形演化和气候变化等各部分相互关系的一个关键突破口。目前以古生物和氧同位素为代表的各种古高度计被用来重建青藏高原新生代的古高度历史,但是不同的研究方法所得到的结果并不一致,关于青藏高原何时隆升到现在的海拔高度存在晚上新世、晚中新世和始新世等不同认识。因为古高度结果的差异,所以对于青藏高原新生代的构造隆升过程和动力机制也存在大的争议。本文首先详细的阐述了部分古高度计的应用原理及其各自的优缺点,收集总结了78条青藏高原古高度研究的成果,梳理了目前青藏高原新生代古高度研究的历史和现状。然后在此基础上讨论了目前高原古高度研究的特点和存在的问题,即地层年代学、氧同位素和古生物古高度计结果的协调、“以点带面”、区域研究程度差异较大、替代性指标的多解性、古纬度影响、地质时期温度递减率的不确定性、全球气候变化的影响等特点和问题。最后就存在的特点和问题指出在恢复青藏高原新生代古高度时所需要完善和注意的方面,其中最重要的是注重地层年代学的可靠性。     

Carbon and oxygen isotopic constraints on paleoclimate and paleoelevation of the southwestern Qaidam basin,northern Tibetan Plateau

We investigate the growth of the northern Tibetan Plateau and associated climate change by applying oxygen and carbon isotopic compositions in Cenozoic strata in the southwestern Qaidam basin. The X-ray diffraction and isotopic studies reveal that the carbonate minerals are mainly authigenic and they do not preserve any evidence for detrital carbonate and diagenesis. The isotope data show large fluctuations in the δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values in the middle–late Eocene, indicating relatively warm and seasonal dry climate. The positive correlation of the δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values in the Oligocene and the positive shift of the δ¹³C values from the Eocene to Oligocene suggest that the climate changed to arid in the Oligocene. However, the δ¹⁸O values show negative shift, which is closely related to the global cooling event. During the Miocene, the δ¹³C values vary between –2‰ and –4‰, whereas the δ¹⁸O values show continuous negative shift. The mean δ¹⁸O values decrease from –8.5‰ in the early Miocene to –10.0‰ in the late Miocene. The stable isotope-based paleoaltimetry results suggest that the elevation of the southwestern Qaidam basin was approximately 1500 m in the middle–late Eocene and Oligocene. Subsequently, during Miocene the crustal uplift process started and the elevation reached approximately 2000 m in the early Miocene and 2500 m in the late Miocene, which suggests large-scale growth of the northern Tibet Plateau during the Miocene.     

利用三维CT扫描技术定量计算熔岩流气泡体积的研究与实现

气泡体积算法及其计算机实现是火山熔岩流气泡古高度计应用研究中的难点之一,直接制约着古高度计算结果的精确度。本文提出了一种新的基于计算机断层成像技术的熔岩流气泡众数统计方法,即通过计算机断层成像技术对气孔状玄武岩样品进行三维重构,利用不同物质对射线吸收衰减系数的不一致性,标记重构数据中的岩石、气泡与无效部分,进而提取气泡连通区域的骨架,确定独立气泡之间的分割面,最终统计出气泡的数量与体积。考虑到玄武岩中气泡截面轮廓不规则的特点,采用逐点法有效地计算了截面面积,排除了连通区域轮廓对面积计算结果的影响。采用基于区域划分的阈值计算方法统计玄武岩样品的气泡数量与体积,解决了传统的单一阈值计算方法导致的小连通区域过度分割的问题。在上述新方法的基础上,本文设计并构建了新的气泡数量与体积的统计软件,计算程序的初步运算结果证实了研究方法的有效性与可行性。该方法有望提高熔岩流气泡数量、体积以及火山熔岩流气泡古高度计的计算精度,成为重建高原隆升历史的快速分析工具。     

青藏高原古高程定量恢复研究进展

目前在青藏高原使用的古高程定量恢复的方法有:氧同位素古高程计(包含热动力学模型和经验模型)、△47古温度—古高程计、氢同位素古高程计、古植物古高程计(包含共存分析法、叶相分析法)和古环境分析。详细分析了各古高程计的原理、应用条件、影响因素和优缺点,进一步总结了各种研究方法取得的成果和存在的问题,探讨了各研究方法在青藏高原定量古高程研究方向的应用潜力和发展前景,并对完善现有的古高程计和今后开发新的古高程计提出相关建议。     

How does the elevation changing response to crustal thickening process in the central Tibetan Plateau since 120 Ma?

When and how the Tibetan Plateau formed and maintained its thick crust and high elevation on Earth is continuing debated. Specifically, the coupling relationship between crustal thickening and corresponding paleoelevation changing has not been well studied. The dominant factors in crustal thickness changing are crustal shortening, magmatic input and surface erosion rates. Crustal thickness change and corresponding paleoelevation variation with time were further linked by an isostatic equation in this study. Since 120 Ma crustal shortening, magmatic input and surface erosion rates data from the central Tibetan Plateau are took as input parameters. By using a one-dimensional isostasy model, the authors captured the first-order relationship between crustal thickening and historical elevation responses over the central Tibetan Plateau, including the Qiangtang and Lhasa terranes. Based on the modeling results, the authors primarily concluded that the Qiangtang terrane crust gradually thickened to ca. 63 km at ca. 40 Ma, mainly due to tectonic shortening and minor magmatic input combined with a slow erosion rate. However, the Lhasa terrane crust thickened by a combination of tectonic shortening, extensive magmatic input and probably Indian plate underthrusting, which thickened the Lhasa crust over 75 km since 25 Ma. Moreover, a long-standing elevation >4000 m was strongly coupled with a thickened crust since about 35 Ma in the central Tibetan Plateau.©2021 China Geology Editorial Office.