Deciphering non-steady landscape evolution by in-situ cosmogenic nuclide depth profile

In-situ cosmogenic nuclide s are receiving growing attention in surface Earth system science in which the steady-state denudation is an important assumption for estimating the surface denudation of long-lived(103-106 years)surfaces.However,distinguishing steady-state denudation and deciphering a reliable denudation rate from non-steady state denudation region are difficult.Recent depth profile models for investigating the denudation rate,exposure age and inheritance are widely used for sediment and regolith of steady-state denudation region.Here we present in-situ co smogenic nuclides^(10)Be and^(26)Al from two typical granite regolithes from Jixian in Tianjin and Tengchong in Yunnan to model non-steady landscape evolution process by using steady state(Model 1)and non-steady state(Model 2,continuous exposure;Model 3 a,changed denudation rate;Model 3 b,abrupt denudation event)models.The results of steady state model show that both regolithes are in non-steady state.^(10)Be non-steady state models of Jixian regolith reveal that the surface has likely experienced a denudation rate change or an abrupt denudation event during the past several millennia,resulting in a non-steady state.The similar Model 3 a and 3 b denudation rates of 14.6-12.9^(+9.4)and 14.7-14.7^(+9.0)mmkyr^(-1),respectively,might demonstrate the long-term denudation rate rather than the exaggerated rate s of 39.0-2.3^(+2.6)and 39.0-2.4+^(2.5)mm kyr^(-1)calculated by assuming steady-state denudation and ignoring inheritance.The non-steady state model results of Tengchong regolith suggest that the surface has likely experienced a strong denudation about 157 ka(^(10)Be)or 127 ka(^(26)Al)ago.This timing is basically consistent with the termination of the MIS 6(TII:130 ka)and the climate change events in the Tibetan Plateau,suggesting a strong surface landscape denudation during the transition from glacial to interglacial.The compiling of basin-wide denudation rates in the Tibetan Plateau shows a good positive correlation with the regional tectonic activity,indicating that the denudation rate derived from non-steady state region with strong tectonic activity is likely to be overestimated by assuming steady state.We suggest that a combination of steady state and non-steady state depth profile models should be used to quantify denudation rate and exposure age more accurately and effectively in strong tectonic activity or climate change regions.