High-resolution crustal structure of the Yinchuan basin revealed by deep seismic reflection profiling:implications for deep processes of basin

The Yinchuan basin, located on the western margin of the Ordos block, has the characteristics of an active continental rift. A NW-striking deep seismic reflection profile across the center of Yinchuan basin precisely revealed the fine structure of the crust. The images showed that the crust in the Yinchuan basin was characterized by vertical stratifications along a detachment located at a two-way travel time（TWT） of 8.0 s.The most outstanding feature of this seismic profile was the almost flat Mohorovicˇic′ discontinuity（Moho） and a high-reflection zone in the lower crust. This sub-horizontal Moho conflicts with the general assumption of an uplifted Moho under sedimentary basins and continental rifts, and may indicate the action of different processes at depth during the evolution of sedimentary basins or rifts.We present a possible interpretation of these deep processes and the sub-horizontal Moho. The high-reflection zone, which consists of sheets of high-density, mantlederived materials, may have compensated for crustal thinning in the Yinchuan basin, leading to the formation of a sub-horizontal Moho. These high-density materials may have been emplaced by underplating with mantlesourced magma.

Frozen subduction in the Yangtze block:insights from the deep seismic profiling and gravity anomaly in east Sichuan fold belt

The Sichuan basin is the main part of the middle-upper Yangtze block, which has been experienced a long-term tectonic evolution since Archean. The Yangtze block was regarded as a stable block until the collision with the Cathaysia block in late Neoproterozoic. A new deep seismic reflection profile conducted in the eastern Sichuan fold belt（ESFB） discovered a serials of south-dipping reflectors shown from lower crust to the mantle imply a frozen subduction zone within the Yangtze block. In order to prove the speculation, we also obtain the middle-lower crustal gravity anomalies by removing the gravity anomalies induced by the sedimentary rocks and the mantle beneath the Moho, which shows the mid-lower crustal structure of the Sichuan basin can be divided into eastern and western parts. Combined with the geochronology and Aeromagnetic anomalies, we speculated the Yangtze block was amalgamated by the West Sichuan and East Sichuan blocks separated by the Huayin-Chongqing line. The frozen subduction zone subsequently shifted to a shear zone accommodated the lower crustal shortening when the decollement at the base of the Nanhua system functioned in the upper plate.

Deep seismic sounding investigation into the deep structure of the magma system in Changbaishan-Tianchi volcanic region

The magma system of Changbaishan-Tianchi Volcanic region is studied with three-dimensional deep seismic sounding (DSS) technique. The results show that the magma system of Changbaishan-Tianchi volcanic region, mainly characterized by low velocity of P wave, can be divided into three parts in terms of depth. At the depth range of 9-15 km, the distribution of the magma system is characterized by extensiveness, large scale and near-SN orientation. This layer is the major place for magma storage. From the depth of 15 km down to the lower crust, it is characterized by small lateral scale, which indicates the 'trace' of magma intrusion from the upper mantle into the crust and also implies that the magma system most probably extends to the upper mantle, or even deeper.(less than 8-9 km deep), the range of magma distribution is even smaller, centering on an SN-oriented area just north of the Tianchi crater. If low velocity of P wave is related to the magma system, it then reflects that the magma here is still in a state of relatively high temperature. In this sense, the magma system of Changbaishan-Tianchi volcanic region is at least not 'remains', in other words, it is in an 'active' state.

Crustal Structure of the Chuan-Dian Block Revealed by Deep Seismic Sounding and its Implications for the Outward Expansion of the East Tibetan Plateau

The Chuan-Dian Block(CDB)is located in the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau,with a complex geological structure and active regional faults.The present tectonic condition with strong crustal deformation is closely related to the ongoing collision of the India and Eurasia plates since 65 Ma.The study of the crustal structure of this area is key to revealing the evolution and deep geodynamics of the lateral collision zone of the Tibetan Plateau.Deep seismic sounding is the most efficient method with which to unravel the velocity structure of the whole crust.Since the 1980s,19 deep seismic sounding profiles have been captured within the CDB area.In this study,we systematically integrate the research results of the 19 profiles in this area,then image the 3D crustal velocity,by sampling with a 5 km spacing and 2D/3D Kriging interpolation.The results show the following.(1)The Moho depth in the study area deepens from 30 km in the south to 66 km in the north,whereas there is no apparent variation from west to east.The Pn wave velocity is higher in stable tectonic units,such as 7.95 km/s in the Lanping-Simao block and 7.94 km/s in the western margin of the Yangtze block,than in active or mobile tectonic units,such as 7.81 km/s in the Baoshan block,7.72 km/s in the Tengchong block and 7.82 km/s in the Zhongdian block.(2)The crustal nature of the Tengchong block,the northern Lanping-Simao block and the Zhongdian block reflects a type of orogenic belt,having relatively strong tectonic activities,whereas the crustal nature of the central Lanping-Simao block and the western margin of the Yangtze block represents a type of platform.The different features of the upper-middle crust velocity,Moho depth and Pn wave velocity to both sides of the Red River fault zone and the Xianshuihe fault zone,reflect that they are clearly ultra-crustal.(3)Based on the distribution of the low velocity zones in the crust,the crustal material of the Tibetan Plateau is flowing in a NW–SE direction to the north of 26°N and to the west of 101°E,then diverting to flowing eastwards to the east of 101°E.

Basic Features of the Crustal Structure in the Lower Yangtze and Its Neighboring Area in the Chinese Mainland： Review of Deep Seismic Sounding Research

The Deep Seismic Sounding( DSS) projects carried out from the 1970 s in the lower Yangtze region and its neighboring area were reviewed in this paper,then the basic wave group features of those wide angle reflection / refraction record sections,and of the crustal structure are summarized. It shows that there were in total five clear wave groups on the record sections,which include the first arrival Pg,the reflection P1 from the bottom interface of the upper crust,the reflection P3 from the bottom interface of the middle crust,the strong reflection Pm from the Moho boundary,and the refraction Pn from uppermost mantle. In general,these phases are easily consistently traced and compared,despite some first arrivals being delayed or arriving earlier than normal due to the shallow sedimentary cover or bedrocks. In particular,in the Dabie Mountain region the seismic events of a few gathered shots always have weak reflection energy,are twisted,or exhibit disorganized waveforms, which could be attributed to the disruption variations of reflection depth,the broken Moho,and the discontinuity of the reflection boundary within crust. The regional crustal structures are composed of the upper,middle and lower crust,of which the middle and lower layers can be divided into two weak reflection ones. The crustal thickness of the North China and Yangtze platform are 30km- 36 km,and the Moho exhibits a flat geometry despite some local uplifts. The average pressure velocity in lower crust beneath this two tectonic area is 6. 7 ± 0. 3km / s. Nevertheless,beneath the Dabieshan area the crustal thickness is 32km- 41 km,the Moho bends down sharply andtakes an abrupt 4km- 7km dislocation in the vertical direction. The average pressure velocity in the lower crust beneath the Dabieshan area is 6. 8 ± 0. 2km / s.

Genetic algorithm in seismic waveform inversion and its application in deep seismic sounding data interpretation

A genetic algorithm of body waveform inversion is presented for better understanding of crustal and upper mantle structures with deep seismic sounding （DSS） waveform data. General reflection and transmission synthetic seismogram algorithm, which is capable of calculating the response of thin alternating high and low velocity layers, is applied as a solution for forward modeling, and the genetic algorithm is used to find the optimal solution of the inverse problem. Numerical tests suggest that the method has the capability of resolving low-velocity layers, thin alternating high and low velocity layers, and noise suppression. Waveform inversion using P-wave records from Zeku, Xiahe and Lintao shots in the seismic wide-angle reflection/refraction survey along northeastern Qinghai-Xizang （Tibeteau） Plateau has revealed fine structures of the bottom of the upper crust and alternating layers in the middle/lower crust and topmost upper mantle.

Using large dynamite shots to image the structure of the Moho from deep seismic reflection experiment between the Sichuan basin and Qinling orogen

The Qinling orogen was formed as a result of the collision between the North and South China blocks. The Qinling orogen represents the location at which the southern and northern parts of the Chinese mainland col- lided, and it＇s also the intersection of the Central China orogen and the north-south tectonic belt. There is evidence of strong deformation in this orogen, and it has had a long and complex geological history. We investigated the structure of the Moho in the southern Qinling orogen using large dynamite shot imaging techniques. By integrating the analysis of the single-shot and the move-out corrections profile, we determined the structure of the Moho beneath the northern Dabashan thrust belt and the southern Qinling orogen, including the mantle suture beneath Fenghuang mountain. The Moho is divided into two parts by the mantle suture zone beneath Fenghuang mountain： （1） from Ziyang to Hanyin, the north-dipping Moho is at about 45-55 km depth and the depth increases rapidly; and （2） from Hanyin to Ningshan, the south-dipping Moho is at about 40-45 km depth and shallows slowly. The mantle suture is located beneath Fenghuang mountain, and the Moho overlaps at this location： the shallower Moho is connected to the northern part of China, and the deeper Moho is connected to the southern part. This may indicate that the lithosphere in the Sichuan basin subducts to the Qinling block and that the subduction frontier reaches at least as far as Fenghuang mountain.

Upper crust structure of eastern A’nyemaqên suture zone: Results of Barkam-Luqu-Gulang deep seismic sounding profile

Barkam-Luqu-Gulang deep seismic sounding profile runs from north of Sichuan Province to south of Gansu Province. It is located at the northeastern edge of Tibetan Plateau and crosses eastern A＇nyemaqên suture zone. The upper crust structures around eastern A＇nyemaqên suture zone and its adjacent area are reconstructed based on the arrival times of refracted Pg and Sg waves by using finite difference method, ray tracing inversion, time-term method and travel-time curve analysis. The results show that the depth variation of basement along profile is very strong as indicated by Pg and Sg waves. The basement rose in Zoigê basin and depressed in eastern A＇nyemaqên suture zone, and it gradually rose again northward and then depressed. The results also indicate that eastern A＇nyemaqên suture zone behaves as inhomogeneous low velocity structures in the upper crust and is inclined to- ward the south. Hoh Sai Hu-Maqên fault, Wudu-Diebu fault and Zhouqu-Liangdang fault are characterized by low velocity distributions with various scales. The distinct variation in basement depth occurred near Hoh Sai Hu-Maqên fault and Zhouqu-Liangdang fault, which are main tectonic boundaries of A＇nyemaqên suture zone. Wudu-Diebu fault, located at the depth variation zone of the basement, possibly has the same deep tectonic background with Zhouqu-Liangdang fault. The strongly depressed basement characterized by low velocity distribution and lateral inhomogeneity in A＇nyemaqên suture zone implies crushed zone features under pinching action.

Multiple phases analysis of deep seismic sounding records in North China Craton

The North China Craton(NCC)is a key region to study the destruction of the ancient craton.Two groups of phases(denoted as"Pw1"and"Pw2"),which are parallel to the PmP phase reflected from the Moho discontinuity and the PLP phase reflected from the Lithosphere and Asthenosphere Boundary(LAB)respectively,are found on the record section of the Rongcheng-XinzhouAlxa long-range deep seismic sounding profile.The nature of the two phases is still unclear,although they are clearly observable and reverberant.In this paper,we use travel time inversion and amplitude forward modelling to fit the reflected and refracted phases in the lithosphere.The results show:(1)the Pw1 is a multiple reflected phase which is successively reflected by the crystalline basement,the surface,the Moho and then finally received on the surface;(2)the Pw2 phase is also a multiple reflected phase successively reflected by the crystalline basement,the surface,the LAB interface and then received on the surface.We conclude that the significant velocity difference between the thick sedimentary cover and the crystalline basement in the North China rifted basin may be the main reason for generating the multiple reflections.Furthermore,the two multiple reflections provide potent constraints on the lithospheric velocity model,and constitute seismological evidence for the lithospheric thinning in the eastern NCC.

Deep Seismic Exploration in the Taiwan Straits: The HX9 Survey Line Experiment and Preliminary Results

By using an offshore large volume air-gun seismic source, onshore seismic stations( including mobile stations and permanent stations) and ocean bottom seismometers,a deep seismic exploration experiment was carried out for the first time in the Taiwan Straits. Results show that seismic stations can receive seismic signals from the air-gun arrays of the "YANPING Ⅱ"scientific investigation ship from as far as 280 km away.Tens of thousands of high quality seismic data items were obtained successfully and different types of P-wave seismic phases were identified. A one-dimensional crustal structure model of the survey profile HX9 shows that the crustal structure,which is reflected by Pc and Pm P reflection waves from two velocity discontinuities and basement refraction wave( Pg) constitutes the basic characteristic of the crustal structure in this region. The depths of Conrad discontinuity and Moho discontinuity are respectively16. 0km- 17. 5km and 28. 0km- 29. 5km.

A DEEP SEISMIC REFLECTION PROFILE ACROSS ALTUN FAULT BELT

Altun fault is regarded as a large\|scale sinistral strike\|slip fault, it is composed of several faults with the different character, and there is a special geological structure in the fault belt, and they constitute the northwestern margin fault belt of the Qinghai\|Tibetan plateau. In order to investigate the deep crust structure in the Altun region, layers which Tarim lithosphere subducted beneath the Qinghai\|Tibetan plateau, the forward structure of the subduction plate and the scale of the plate subduction, a deep seismic reflection profile was designed. Data collection work of the deep seismic reflection profile across Altun fault was completed during 24/8/1999 to 25/9/1999. The profile locates in Qiemo county, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the southern end of the profile stretches into Altun Mountains, the northern end locates in the Tarim desert margin. The profile is nearly SN trending and crosses the main Altun fault. The profile totally is 145km long, time record is 30 seconds, the smallest explosive amount is 72～100kg, the biggest explosive amount reaches 200～300kg, the explosive distance is 800m, and detectors are laid at a 50m distance.

Variation of Moho Depth across Bangong-Nujiang Suture in Central Tibet—Results from Deep Seismic Reflection Data

There is a long-term dispute at Moho depth across the Bangong-Nujiang suture (BNS). Due to the complicated and changeable seismic geological condition, it is not easy to acquire images of the reflective Moho in central Tibet. In the support of the SinoProbe project, a series of deep seismic reflection profiles were conducted to image Moho structure across the BNS and the Qiangtang terrane. These profiles extend from the northern Lhasa terrane to the Qiangtang terrane crossing the BNS. Both shot gathers and migration data show clear Moho images beneath the BNS. The Moho depth varies from 75.1 km (~24 s TWT) beneath the northmost Lhasa terrane to 68.9 km (~22 s TWT) beneath southmost Qiangtang terrane, and rises smoothly to 62.6 km (~20 s TWT ) at ~28 km north of the BNS beneath the Qiangtang terrane. We speculate that the Moho appears a 6.2 km sharp offset across the BNS and becomes ~12.5 km shallower from the northmost Lhasa terrane to the south Qiangtang terrane at ~28 km north of the BNS. The viewpoint of Moho depth across the BNS based on deep seismic reflection data is inconsistent with the previous 20 km offset.

Structural Deformation of Zoigê Basin Along the Deep Seismic Reflection Profile

Being the core of the Songpan-Ganze block,Zoig(?) Basin is a favorable zone of oil and gas exploration. And it not only is the important deposition area of the northern Songpan-Garze in the Middle-Late Triassic, but also impacts on the formation and evolution of the structural belt.To further understand the Zoig(?) Basin, we reprocessed the 0-20.0 s data of the Tangke-Hezuo deep seismic reflection profiles across the majority

Differences in lithospheric structures between two sides of Taihang Mountain obtained from the Zhucheng-Yichuan deep seismic sounding profile

A 2-D model of lithospheric velocity structures in the southern part of the North China Craton was obtained using data from the Zhucheng-Yichuan deep seismic sounding profile.Results show that there are great differences in lithospheric structures between two sides of Taihang Mountain.In the eastern region,the lithosphere is thinner,with a thickness of about 70-80 km,while in the western region,the thickness is 85-120 km.There is a jump of the lithospheric thickness across Taihang Mountain gravity anomaly belt with a magnitude of about 30 km.P wave velocities of the lithospheric mantle and lower crust are lower in the eastern region and higher in the western region.In the eastern region,there are low velocity bodies in the middle and lower crust,while none were found in the western region.These differences indicate that the Taihang Mountain gravity anomaly belt is a belt with a abrupt change of lithospheric thickness and lithological composition.According to the Pm waveform,it can be deduced that the Moho in the eastern region is not a sharp discontinuity,but a complex transitional zone.From a preliminary analysis,it is found that the geothermal mechanical-chemical erosion could be the main mechanism causing the thinning and destruction of the lithosphere beneath the eastern side of Taihang Mountain.In addition,subduction of the Pacific Plate is an important factor which changes the properties of the lithospheric mantle of the North China Craton.

2-D P-wave velocity structure of lithosphere in the North China tectonic zone: Constraints from the Yancheng-Baotou deep seismic profile

We obtained the 2-D P-wave velocity structure of the lithosphere in the eastern North China Craton, Shanxi fault subsidence zone, and Yinchuan-Hetao fault subsidence zone by ray tracking technology based on six groups of clearly identified crustal phases and one group of lithospheric interface reflection phases from seismic recording sections of 21 shots along the 1300-km-long Yancheng-Baotou deep seismic wide-angle reflection/refraction profile. The results indicate significant differ- ences between the lithospheric structure east and west of the Taihang Mountains, which is a gravity-gradient zone as well as a zone of abrupt change in lithospheric thickness and a separation zone of different rock components. East of the Taihang Mountains, the Mesozoic and Cenozoic lithospheric structure of the North China Craton has undergone strong reformation and destruction, resulting in the lithosphere thickness decreasing to 70-80 km. The North China Basin has a very thick Cenozoic sedimentary cover and the deepest point of crystalline basement is about 7.0 kin, with the crustal thickness decreasing to about 31.0 kin. The crystalline basement of the Luxi uplift zone is relatively shallow with a depth of 1.0-2.0 km and crustal thickness of 33.0-35.0 km. The Subei Basin has a thicker Cenozoic sedimentary cover and the bottom of its crystalline basement is at about 5.0-6.0 km with a crustal thickness of 31.0-32.0 km. The Tanlu fault is a deep fracture which cuts the lithosphere with a significant velocity structure difference on either side of the fault. The Tanlu fault plays an important role in the lithospheric destruction in the eastern part of the North China Craton. West of the Taihang Mountains, the crustal thickness increases sig- nificantly. The crust thickness beneath the Shanxi fault depression zone is about 46 km, and there is a low-velocity structure with a velocity of less than 6.1 km s-~ in the upper part of the middle crust. Combined with other geophysical study results, our data shows that the lithospheric destruction at the Shaanxi-Shanxi fault depression zone and the Yinchuan-Hetao rift surround- ing the Ordos block is non-uniform. The lithosphere thickness is about 80-90 km in the Datong-Baotou area, 75-137 km at the Dingxiang-Shenmu region, and about 80-120 km in the Anyang-Yichuan area. The non-uniform lithospheric destruction may be related to the ancient tectonic zone surrounding the Ordos block. This zone experienced multi-period tectonic events in the long-term process of its tectonic evolution and was repeatedly transformed and weakened. The weakening level is related to the interactions with the Ordos block. The continental collision between the Cenozoic India and Eurasia plates and N-E thrust- ing by the Qinghai Tibet Plateau block is causing further reformation and reduction of the lithosphere.

Lithospheric structure and faulting characteristics of the Helan Mountains and Yinchuan Basin： Results of deep seismic reflection profiling

The Helan Mountains and Yinchuan Basin （HM-YB） are located at the northern end of the North-South tectonic belt, and form an intraplate tectonic deformation zone in the western margin of the North China Craton （NCC）. The HM-YB has a complicated history of formation and evolution, and is tectonically active at the present day. It has played a dominant role in the complex geological structure and modem earthquake activities of the region. A 135-km-long deep seismic reflection profile across the HM-YB was acquired in early 2014, which provides detailed information of the lithospheric structure and faulting characteristics from near-surface to various depths in the region. The results show that the Moho gradually deepens from east to west in the depth range of 40-48 km along the profile. Significant differences are present in the crustal structure of different tectonic units, including in the distribution of seismic velocities, depths of intra-cmstal discontinuities and undulation pattern of the Moho. The deep seismic reflection profile further reveals distinct structural characteristics on the opposite sides of the Helan Mountains. To the east, The Yellow River fault, the eastern piedmont fault of the Helan Mountains, as well as multiple buried faults within the Yinchuan Basin are all normal faults and still active since the Quaternary. These faults have controlled the Cenozoic sedimentation of the basin, and display a ＂negative-flower＂ structure in the profile. To the west, the Bayanhaote fault and the western piedmont fault of the Helan Mountains are east-dipping thrust faults, which caused folding, thrusting, and structural deformation in the Mesozoic stratum of the Helan Mountains uplift zone. A deep-penetrating fault is identified in the western side of the Yinchuan Basin. It has a steep inclination cutting through the middle-lower crust and the Moho, and may be connected to the two groups of faults in the upper crest. This set of deep and shallow fault system consists of both strike-slip, thrust, and normal faults formed over different eras, and provides the key tectonic conditions for the basin-mountains coupling, crustal deformation and crust-mantle interactions in the region. The other important phenomenon revealed from the results of deep seismic reflection profiling is the presence of a strong upper mantle reflection （UMR） at a depth of 82-92 km beneath the HM-YB, indicating the existence of a rapid velocity variation or a velocity discontinuity in that depth range. This is possibly a sign of vertical structural inhomogeneity in the upper mantle of the region. The seismic results presented here provide new clues and observational bases for further study of the deep structure, structural differences among various blocks and the tectonic relationship between deep and shallow processes in the western NCC.

Crustal velocity structure of the Shaowu-Nanping-Pingtan transect through Fujian from deep seismic sounding-tectonic implications

The Shaowu-Nanping-Pingtan deep seismic sounding profile is located in northern Fujian Province. High-quality seismic sounding data were acquired by five large explosive blasts received by 133 digital seismic instruments along the profile. Based on seismic facies analysis and travel-time picking on shot record sections, a model of the velocity structure of upper crust was developed by finite-difference tomography of the first breaks; the 2-D P-wave velocity structure and tectonic characteristics of the crust were interpreted further by fitting of waveforms and seismic travel times. The results show that the top of the crystal- line basement is buried at depths of 2.0-4.0 kin, with the deepest buried up to 4.0 km within the Fuzhou Basin. The Moho in- terface was found to be deeper in the west and shallower in the east （i.e., 30.0 km near the coast, increasing to 33.0 km north- westward）. The lower crust on the east side of the Zhenghe-Haifeng Fault Zone has a smoothly varying gradient structure, whereas on the west side it has two distinct layers with a boundary between those layers at a depth of 23 km. Seismic velocities on the west side are generally lower than on the east side; a low velocity layer is observed with a lowest speed of 6.25 km/s at a depth of 22 km on the west side, which may consist of partially molten material. The Zhenghe-Haifeng Fault is a deep crustal fault, and should be a channel for deep material upwelling; it has a direct relationship with multiple stages of continental tectonic movements in Southern China and with multiple magmatic events that started in the Proterozoic and ended in the of late Tertiary in Fujian.

Deep process of the collision and deformation on the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau:Revelation from investigation of the deep seismic profiles

The seismic investigation achievements from three kinds of methods have revealed the lithospheric structure and the deep process of deformation caused by collision. It is found that convergent collision and deep subduction of the continental lithosphere are in progress along the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. The deep process of due collision and deformation is different from that of oblique collision. It is revealed in the study that the deep process of the collision and deformation on the northern margin is different from that on the southern margin of the Tibetan Plateau.

Deep seismic reflection profiling revealing the complex crustal structure of the Tongling ore district

The deep seismic profiling across the Tongling ore district reveals a complex crustal structure. Strong contrasting dipping layered reflections (4—11 s, TWT),which dominate the lower crust of the northern part of the profile, are interpreted as the underplating of the basalt related to extensional tectonism. In the south of the profile, the Yangtze craton is characterized by strong reflections in the middle crust, showing a distinct two-layer crustal structure. Over the region of the Tongling uplift, there appear the complex arc shape reflections, suggesting folded, faulted and intruded structures, and the transparent zone below them reveals the existence of batholith. The south dipping strong reflections between the upper crust and lower crust (4—7 s, TWT) suggest a detachment between them. The detachment provided space for the magma intrusion, and caused the formation of the batholith. The Yangtze craton has a clear Moho re-flection, while the Tongling uplift has a weak Moho, whereas below the reflective lower crust in the northern part of the profile, there are sub-Moho reflections. The abrupt variation of the Moho characteristics within a short distance indicates the complexity of magmatic activity.

Deep seismic reflection profile across the juncture zone between the Tarim Basin and the West Kunlun Mountains

Fine structures of the crust and upper mantle of the basin-and-range juncture on the northwestern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau are first delineated by the deep seismic reflection profile across the juncture zone between the Tarim Basin and the West Kunlun Mountains. Evidence is found for the northward subduction of the northwest marginal lithosphere of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and its collision with Tarim lithosphere beneath the West Kunlun Mountains. The lithosphere image of the face-to-face subduction and collision determines the coupling relationship between the Tarim Basin and the West Kunlun Mountains at the lithosphere scale and reflects the process of continent- continent collision.