An Orthogonal Collision Dynamic Mechanism of Wave-Like Uplift Plateaus in Southern Asia

In southern Asia, there are three large-scale wave-like mountains ranging from the Tibetan Plateau westward to the Iranian Plateau and the Armenian Plateau. On the southern side between plateaus, there are the Indian Peninsula and the Arabian Peninsula. What dynamic mechanisms form the directional alignment of the three plateaus with the two peninsulas remains a mystery. In the early stages of the Earth’s geological evolution, the internal structure of the Earth was that the center was a solid core, and the outmost layer was a thin equatorial crust zone separated by two thick pristine continents in polar areas, while the middle part was a deep magma fluid layer. Within the magma fluid layer, thermal and dynamic differences triggered planetary-scale vertical magma cells and led to the core-magma angular momentum exchange. When the core loses angular momentum and the magma layer gains angular momentum, the movement of upper magma fluids to the east and the tropical convergence zone (TCZ) drives the split and drift of two thick pristine continents, eventually forming the current combination of these plateaus and peninsulas and their wave-like arrangement along the east-west direction. Among them, the horizontal orthogonal convergence (collision) of upper magma fluids from the two hemispheres excited the vertical shear stress along the magma TCZ, which is the dynamic mechanism of mountain uplifts on the north side and plate subductions on the south side. To confirm this mechanism, two examples of low-level winds are used to calculate the correspondence between cyclone/anticyclonic systems generated by the orthogonal collision of airflows along the atmospheric TCZ and satellite-observed cloud systems. Such comparison can help us revisit the geological history of continental drift and orogeny.

Geochemical characteristics of Sr isotopes in the LS33 drill core from the Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea, and their response to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau

Making full use of modern analytical and testing techniques to explore and establish new indexes or methods for extracting paleoseawater geochemical information from sediments will help to reconstruct the sedimentary paleoenvironment in different research areas.The connection between the subsidence of the South China Sea basin and the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau has been a scientific concern in recent decades.To explore the information on the sedimentary paleoenvironment,provenance changes and uplift of Tibetan Plateau contained in core sediments(debris),we selected core samples from Well LS33 in the Qiongdongnan Basin,South China Sea,and analyzed the contents of typical elements(Al,Th,and rare earth elements)that can indicate changes in provenance and the Sr isotopic compositions,which can reveal the geochemical characteristics of the paleoseawater depending on the type of material(authigenic carbonate and terrigenous detritus).The results show the following:(1)during the late Miocene,the Red River transported a large amount of detrital sediments from the ancient continental block(South China)to the Qiongdongnan Basin.(2)The authigenic carbonates accurately record changes in the 87Sr/86Sr ratios in the South China Sea since the Oligocene.These ratios reflect the semi-closed marginal sea environment of the South China Sea(relative to the ocean)and the sedimentary paleoenvironment evolution process of the deep-water area of the Qiongdongnan Basin from continental to transitional and then to bathyal.(3)Since the Neogene,the variations in the 87Sr/86Sr ratio in the authigenic carbonates have been consistent with the variations in the uplift rate of the Tibetan Plateau and the sediment accumulation rate in the Qiongdongnan Basin.These consistent changes indicate the complex geological process of the change in the rock weathering intensity and terrigenous Sr flux caused by changes in the uplift rate of the Tibetan Plateau,which influence the Sr isotope composition of seawater.

Cenozoic uplift of the Tibetan Plateau:Evidence from the tectonic-sedimentary evolution of the western Qaidam Basin

Geologists agree that the collision of the Indian and Asian plates caused uplift of the Tibet Plateau. However, controversy still exists regarding the modes and mechanisms of the Tibetan Plateau uplift. Geology has recorded this uplift well in the Qaidam Basin. This paper analyzes the tectonic and sedimentary evolution of the western Qaidam Basin using sub-surface seismic and drill data. The Cenozoic intensity and history of deformation in the Qaidam Basin have been reconstructed based on the tectonic developments, faults growth index, sedimentary facies variations, and the migration of the depositional depressions. The changes in the sedimentary facies show that lakes in the western Qaidam Basin had gone from inflow to still water deposition to withdrawal. Tectonic movements controlled deposition in various depressions, and the depressions gradually shifted southeastward. In addition, the morphology of the surface structures in the western Qaidam Basin shows that the Cenozoic tectonic movements controlled the evolution of the Basin and divided it into （a） the southern fault terrace zone, （b） a central Yingxiongling orogenic belt, and （c） the northern fold-thrust belt; divided by the XI fault （Youshi fault） and Youbei fault, respectively. The field data indicate that the western Qaidam Basin formed in a Cenozoic compressive tectonic environment caused by the India--Asia plate collision. Further, the Basin experienced two phases of intensive tectonic deformation. The first phase occurred during the Middle Eocene--Early Miocene （Xia Ganchaigou Fm. and Shang Ganchaigou Fro., 43.8- 22 Ma）, and peaked in the Early Oligocene （Upper Xia Ganchaigou Fro., 31.5 Ma）. The second phase occurred between the Middle Miocene and the Present （Shang Youshashan Fro. and Qigequan Fro., 14.9-0 Ma）, and was stronger than the first phase. The tectonic--sedimentary evolution and the orienta- tion of surface structures in the western Qaidam Basin resulted from the Tibetan Plateau uplift, and recorded the periodic northward growth of the Plateau. Recognizing this early tectonic--sedimentary evolution supports the previous conclusion that northern Tibet responded to the collision between India and Asia shortly after its initiation. However, the current results reveal that northern Tibet also experi- enced another phase of uplift during the late Neogene. The effects of these two stages of tectonic activity combined to produce the current Tibetan Plateau.

The Combined Effect of Tibetan Plateau Uplift and Glacial-Interglacial Cycles on the Quaternary Evolution of the East Asian Monsoon: Evidence from South China Sea Sediments

The siliciclastic sediments of the uppermost section of 185 mcd （meters composite depth） from ODP Site 1146 on the northern continental slope of the South China Sea （SCS） were partitioned according to their sources using end-member modeling on grain-size data.The goal was to evaluate the evolution of the East Asian monsoon over the past 2 million years.The siliciclastic sediments were described as hybrids of four end-members,EM1,EM2,EM3,and EM4,with modal grain sizes of 8-22 μm,2-8 μm,31-125 μm,and 4-11 μm,respectively.EM1 and EM3 are interpreted as eolian dust and EM2 and EM4 as fluvial mud.The ratio of eolian dust to fluvial mud （（EM1＋EM3）/（EM2＋EM4）） is regarded as an indicator of the East Asian monsoon.The variation in this ratio not only shows periodical oscillations consistent with oxygen isotope stages,but also exhibits a phased increasing trend corresponding with the phased uplifts of the Tibetan Plateau,indicating that the evolution of the East Asian Monsoon was controlled not only by glacial-interglacial cycles,but also by the phased uplifts of the Tibetan Plateau during the Quaternary.

Late Cenozoic Stratigraphy and Paleomagnetic Chronology of the Zanda Basin,Tibet, and Records of the Uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The characteristics of Late Cenozoic tectonic uplift of the southern margin of the Qinghai- Tibet Plateau may be inferred from fluvio-lacustrine strata in the Zanda basin, Ngari, Tibet. Magnetostratigraphic study shows that the very thick fluvio-lacustrine strata in the basin are 5.89- 0.78 Ma old and that their deposition persisted for 5.11 Ma, i.e. starting at the end of the Miocene and ending at the end of the early Pleistocene, with the Quaternary glacial stage starting in the area no later than 1.58 Ma. Analysis of the sedimentary environment indicates that the Zanda basin on the southern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau began uplift at -5.89 Ma, later than the northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Presence of gravel beds in the Guge and Qangze Formations reflects that strong uplift took place at -5.15 and -2.71 Ma, with the uplift peaking at -2.71 Ma.

Spatial coupling relationships of gas hydrate formation in the Tibetan Plateau

At present, gas hydrates are known to occur in continental high latitude permafrost regions and deep sea sediments. For middle latitude permafrost regions of the Tibetan Plateau, further research is required to ascertain its potential development of gas hydrates. This paper reviewed pertinent literature on gas hydrates in the Tibetan Plateau. Both geological and ge- ographical data are synthesized to reveal the relationship between gas hydrate formation and petroleum geological evo- lution, Plateau uplift, formation of permafrost, and glacial processes. Previous studies indicate that numerous residual basins in the Plateau have been formed by original sedimentary basins accompanied by rapid uplift of the Plateau. Ex- tensive marine Mesozoic hydrocarbon source rocks in these basins could provide rich sources of materials forming gas hydrates in permafrost. Primary hydrocarbon-generating period in the Plateau is from late Jurassic to early Cretaceous, while secondary hydrocarbon generation, regionally or locally, occurs mainly in the Paleogene. Before rapid uplift of the Plateau, oil-gas reservoirs were continuously destroyed and assembled to form new reservoirs due to structural and thermal dynamics, forcing hydrocarbon migration. Since 3.4 Ma B.P., the Plateau has undergone strong uplift and extensive gla- ciation, periglacier processes prevailed, hydrocarbon gas again migrated, and free gas beneath ice sheets within sedi- mentary materials interacted with water, generating gas hydrates which were finally preserved under a cap formed by frozen layers through rapid cooling in the Plateau. Taken as a whole, it can be safely concluded that there is great temporal and spatial coupling relationships between evolution of the Tibetan Plateau and generation of gas hydrates.

New Petrological and Sedimentary Evidences on the Late Cretaceous Uplift of the Tibetan Plateau

The India-Asia collision and uplift of the Tibetan plateau are the most important geological events in Earth＇s history; it profoundly affects our understanding of global climate change during the Cenozoic. Despite a research history over half a century, the uplifting history remains hotly controversial. The early uplifting model suggested that the Lhasa terrane attained an elevation of 3-4 km at -99 Ma due to the Lhasa-Qiangtang collision. However, the evidences are mainly from deformation of the Lhasa terrane and inconsistency with the palaeontological data.

Uplifting mechanism of the Tibetan Plateau inferred from the characteristics of crustal structures

The Tibetan Plateau has been known for its highest elevation and thickest crust on earth,and become a key region for comprehending the rheology and tectonic evolution of continental plates and associated dynamic processes.Over the past years,numerous geophysical studies have been conducted to explore the deep structure of the Tibetan Plateau,resulting in significant advancements in understanding the formation and growth of the Plateau.This paper aims to provide a comprehensive summary and discussion of the geophysical observations and underlying mechanisms of the plateau uplift.First,major relevant tectonic models are reviewed,and the corresponding features of crustal structures and related deformation are presented.Then,recent observations,including the identification of a high-velocity layer in the lower crust of the Lhasa block,the spatial distribution of crustal channel flow,and the decoupling of shallow and deep crustal deformation,are synthesized to gain insights into the crustal structures,and multidisciplinary data are integrated to discuss the potential mechanisms of the plateau uplift.Lastly,some pertinent suggestions are put forward for future research on the Tibetan Plateau.

Formation of the Tibetan Plateau during the India-Eurasia Convergence:Insight from 3-D Multi-Terrane Thermomechanical Modeling

Various models exist to explain the formation of the Tibetan Plateau,including“tectonic escape”,“pure shear thickening”,“convective removal of the lithospheric mantle”,and“lower crustal flow”model.The first two models are primarily constructed on pure mechanical models but are unable to reasonably explain the tension and shear phenomena inside the plateau.The latter two are rheological dynamic models based on deep geophysical observations.However,the spatial range of the lower crustal flow and its role in the plateau formation/uplift remain controversial.Five multi-terrane viscoplastic thermomechanical models were constructed to simulate the uplift and lithospheric structure change of the Tibetan Plateau during the post-collision stage(since 35 Ma)under the convergence of the Indian Plate.Results show that the plateau's formation begins with crustal thickening,blocked by strong terranes at the northern plateau,and expanded laterally to the east.The lithosphere thickens gradually and experiences delamination at its base,elevating temperature within the crust and forming partial melting layers in the central plateau.As convergence persists on the southern side,the northern plateau's lithosphere bends downward and undergoes delamination,further heating the crust and promoting the northward and eastward flow of partial melting layers,leading to secondary uplift around the plateau.

Cenozoic Adakite-type Volcanic Rocks in Qiangtang,Tibet and Its Significance

Volcanic rocks in the study area, including dacite, trachyandesite and mugearite, belong to the intermediate-acid, high-K calc-alkaline series, and possess the characteristics of adakite. The geochemistry of the rocks shows that the rocks are characterized by SiO2>59%, enrichment in A12O3(15.09-15.64%) and Na2O (>3.6%), high Sr (649-885 μg/g) and Sc, low Y contents (<17 μg/g), depletion in HREE (Yb<1.22 μg/g), (La/Yb)N>25, Sr/Y>40, MgO<3% (Mg<0.35), weak Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu=0.84-0.94), and lack of the high field strength elements (HFSE) (Nb, Ta, Ti, etc.). The Nd and Sr isotope data (87Sr/86Sr=0.7062-0.7079, 143Nd/144Nd=0.51166-0.51253, εNd= -18.61-0.02), show that the magma resulted from partial melting (10%-40%) of newly underplated basaltic lower crust under high pressure (1-4 GPa), and the petrogenesis is obviously affected by the crust's assimilation and fractional crystallization (AFC). This research will give an insight into the uplift mechanism of the Tibetan plateau.

The Sedimentary Record in Northern Qaidam Basin and its Response to the Uplift of the South Qilian Mountain at around 30 Ma

The thick, Eocene to Pliocene, sedimentary sequence in Qaidam Basin at the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau records the surface uplift history of the northeastern Tibetan plateau. In this study, we present detailed geochemistry, heavy mineral, and clay mineralogy data of the well preserved sedimentary record in the Dahongou section in the northeast of the Qaidam Basin. The results suggest that the sedimentary sequence recorded a 30 Ma young uplift/unroofing event in the northern edge of the Qaidam Basin, which is characterized by high ZTR index value and chlorite content, and low CIW＇. The results are consistent with previous sedimentological studies of the Qaidam Basin, which indicated rapid increase of the accumulation rates around 30 Ma. Based on past thermochronological data from the mountains around the Qaidam Basin and the accumulation rates of the Cenozoic basins in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, we infer a regional uplift and denudation event along the northeastern Tibetan Plateau during early Oligocene （-30 Ma）, indicating that the Tibetan Plateau had expanded north-eastward of the study area at that time.

Impact of Topography and Land-Sea Distribution on East Asian Paleoenvironmental Patterns

Much geological research has illustrated the transition of paleoenvironmental patterns during the Cenozoic from a planetary-wind-dominant type to a monsoon-dominant type, indicating the initiation of the East Asian monsoon and inland-type aridity. However, there is a dispute about the causes and mechanisms of the transition, especially about the impact of the Himalayan/Tibetan Plateau uplift and the Paratethys Sea retreat, Thirty numerical sensitivity experiments under different land-sea distributions and Himalayan/Tibetan Plateau topography conditions are performed here to simulate the evolution of climate belts with emphasis on changes in the rain band, and these are compared with the changes in the paleoenvironmental patterns during the Cenozoic recovered by geological records. The consistency between simulations and the geological evidence indicates that both the Tibetan Plateau uplift and the Paratethys Sea retreat play important roles in the formation of the monsoon-dominant environmental pattern. Furthermore, the simulations show the monsoon-dominant environmental pattern comes into being when the Himalayan/Tibetan Plateau reaches 1000-2000 m high and the Paratethys Sea retreats to the Turan Plate.

Quartz grain surface microtextural evidence for provenance of the Quaternary aggradation red earth deposit, southern China

The Quaternary aggradation red earth(QARE)deposit in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River(MRYR)in southern China provides important evidence for understanding the paleoenvironment.However,its provenance remains controversial.In this study,the surface microtextures of grains from the QARE were observed,and compared with those of grains from the loess deposit on the Loess Plateau in northern China.The results show that the surface microtextures and morphologies of the quartz grains in the QARE are distinctly different from those in the northern loess,indicating that the deposits in the two regions have different provenances.The Gobi and deserts in inland northwestern China are not considered as the primary provenance for the QARE in southern China.It is suggested that the large areas of dry and bare river and lake beds and floodplains in the MRYR,which became exposed during glacial periods,provided the dominant source for materials in the QARE.We suggest that against the background of the middle-Pleistocene climate transition(MPT),regional aridification and a strengthened east Asian winter monsoon(driven by global cooling and the rapid uplift of the Tibetan Plateau)were primary drivers for the initiation of the QARE deposit in the MRYR region in southern China.The development of large areas of aeolian red earth deposit is direct evidence of environmental deterioration in the MRYR,indicating a cold and dry environment with frequent aeolian activity,in an area that now experiences a warm and humid subtropical monsoon climate.The results are also evidence of a regional response in the mid-subtropics of southern China to the MPT global cooling event around 1.2 Ma.

Quaternary Sporopollen Records and Environmental Evolution in the Dalangtan of Qaidam Basin

Since the Quaternary,very thick lacustrine sediments have been deposited in Dalangtan of Qaidam Basin.Based on a study of high-resolution sporopollen analysis on the Dalangtan ZK06 drilling,and paleomagnetic dating

IMPACT OF UPLIFT OF TIBETAN PLATEAU AND CHANGE OF LAND-OCEAN DISTRIBUTION ON CLIMATE OVER ASIA

Using an improved CCM1/NCAR climate dynamic model and a combination distribution of land-ocean-vegetation during 40-50 MaBP,a series of numerical experiments representing different stages of the Tibetan Plateau uplifting and different land-ocean distributions are designed to discuss the influence of the Plateau uplifting and land-ocean distribution variation on Asian climate change.It is shown that Tibetan Plateau uplifting can firstly increase the precipitation in China during the period from initial uplift to half height of modern Tibetan Plateau and then decrease the rainfall during the time from the half height to the present plateau.At the same time. the uplifting can reduce surface air temperature over China.Besides.the effects of the uplift and land-ocean distribution change on the variation of winter and summer Asian monsoon circulation are also discussed.

SENSITIVITY EXPERIMENTS ON INFLUENCES OF UPLIFT OF QINGHAI-XIZANG PLATEAU ON CIRCULATION IN SUMMER

A coupled general circulation model in a zonal belt is used to simulate the variation of circulation features in the process of uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.The results reveal that the heating rates of the Plateau increase with the rising of the Plateau topography,and the latent heating compo- nent in the heating field tends to be the most important heating factor.The uplift of the Plateau en- hances the upward motion,intensifies the pressure systems in the high and low level atmosphere,re- inforces Southeast Asia monsoon strength,increases precipitation and severely decreases the surface temperature over the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. However.the basic structures of the general circulation do not vary much due to the uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.and it is the land-sea distribution that is the decisive factor to form the pre- sent circulation pattern and monsoon.Therefore,to simulate the paleoclimate during the geological period people should consider more factors,especially the land-sea distribution.

Enhanced weathering input from South Asia to the Indian Ocean since the late Eocene

nhanced silicate weathering induced by the uplift of the Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau(HTP)has been considered as the major cause of pCO_(2) decline and Cenozoic cooling.However,this hypothesis remains to be validated,largely due to the lack of a reliable reconstruction of the HTP weathering flux.Here,we present a 37-million-year record of the difference in the seawater radiogenic neodymium isotopic composition(△ε_(Nd))of Ocean Drilling Program(ODP)sites and Fe-Mn crusts between the northern and central Indian Ocean,which indicates the contribution of regional weathering input from the South Asian continent to the Indian Ocean.The results show a long-term increase in △ε_(Nd) and thus provide the first critical evidence of enhanced South Asian weathering input since the late Eocene.The evolution coincided well with major pulses of surface uplift in the HTP and global climatic transitions.Our foraminiferal eNd record suggests that tectonic uplift and silicate weathering in South Asia,especially in the Himalayas,might have played a significant role in the late Cenozoic cooling.