Fission Track Thermochronology Evidence for the Cretaceous and Paleogene Tectonic Event of Nyainrong Microcontinent, Tibet

Fission track dating was applied to analyze the 20 samples from Nyainrong microcontinent, and we obtained 20 apatite and 15 zircon fission track ages. The results show single population grain ages with a single mean age and associated central ages mainly ranging from 108±7Ma to 35±4Ma.Their mean track lengths are 12.2–13.9 μm with a single peak. Zircon fission track age range from 78±3 Ma to 117±4 Ma. The results represented the two tectonic uplift events in the study area, namely the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods. According to thermal history modeling results, uplifting rates of two tectonic events is 0.31–0.1 mm/a and 0.07–0.04 mm/a respectively. Combined with field condition and study results, it is suggested that the Cretaceous tectonic uplift event was related to the closure ocean basin caused by Qaingtang–Lhasa collision, and the Paleogene tectonic uplift event was related to the south to thrust system caused by Indo–Asian collision.