Seismogenic Capability of the Northeastern Segment of the Longmenshan Thrust Zone and its Tectonic Role at the Eastern Tibetan Plateau

Objective The occurrence of the devastating Wenchuan earthquake not only caused huge economic loss and deaths but also raised a question whether or not it would trigger any destructive earthquakes on its neighboring segments in the Longmenshan Thrust Zone （LTZ） in the future.

Crustal Uplift in the Longmen Shan Mountains Revealed by Isostatic Gravity Anomalies along the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau

This study examines the relationship between high positive isostatic gravity anomalies （IGA）, steep topography and lower crustal extrusion at the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. IGA data has revealed uplift and extrusion of lower crustal flow in the Longmen Shan Mountains （the LMS）. Firstly, The high positive IGA zone corresponds to the LMS orogenic belt. It is shown that abrupt changes in IGA correspond to zones of abrupt change of topography, crustal thickness and rock density along the LMS. Secondly, on the basis of the Airy isostasy theory, simulations and inversions of the positive IGA were conducted using three-dimensional bodies. The results indicated that the LMS lacks a mountain root, and that the top surface of the lower crust has been elevated by 11 km, leading to positive IGA, tectonic load and density load. Thirdly, according to Watts＇s flexural isostasy model, elastic deflection occurs, suggesting that the limited （i.e. narrow） tectonic and density load driven by lower crustal flow in the LMS have led to asymmetric flexural subsidence in the foreland basin and lifting of the forebulge. Finally, based on the correspondence between zones of extremely high positive IGA and the presence of the Precambrian Pengguan-Baoxing complexes in the LMS, the first appearance of erosion gravels from the complexes in the Dayi Conglomerate layer of the Chengdu Basin suggest that positive IGA and lower crustal flow in the LMS took place at 3.6 Ma or slightly earlier.

Magnetostratigraphy of a Loess-Paleosol Sequence from Higher Terrace of the Daduhe River in the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau and Its Geological Significance

The eolian deposits distributed in the river valleys in the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau （TP） are very useful in neotectonic and paleoclimatic studies. Firstly, the climate in the eastern margin of the TP is mainly controlled by the Indian summer monsoon, and detailed studies on the loess-paleosol sequences in this region can provide valuable terrestrial evidence of past changes in the Indian summer monsoon. Secondly, the river terraces in the eastern margin of the TP are considered to be a sensitive recorder of neotectonism to reflect the timing and amplitude of the TP uplift.

Application of the Material Balance Method in Paleoelevation Recovery: A Case Study of the Longmen Mountains Foreland Basin on the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau

We applied the material balance principle of the denudation volume and sedimentary flux to study the denudation-accumulation system between the Longmen Mountains （Mts.） and the foreland basin. The amount of sediment in each sedimentation stage of the basin was estimated to obtain the denudation volume, erosion thickness and deposit thickness since the Late Triassic Epoch, to enable us to recover the paleoelevation of the provenance and the sedimentary area. The results show the following： （1） Since the Late Triassic Epoch, the elevation of the surface of the Longmen Mts. has uplifted from 0 m to 2751 m, and the crust of the Longmen Mts. has uplifted by 9.8 km. Approximately 72% of the materials introduced have been denuded from the mountains. （2） It is difficult to recover the paleoelevation of each stage of the Longmen Mts. foreland basin quantitatively by the present-day techniques and data. （3） The formation of the Longmen Mts. foreland basin consisted of three stages of thrust belt tectonic load and three stages of thrust belt erosional unload. During tectonic loading stages （Late Triassic Epoch, Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous, Late Cretaceous-Miocene）, the average elevation of Longmen Mts. was lower （approximately 700-1700 m）. During erosional unloading stages （Early and Middle Jurassic, Middle Cretaceous and Jiaguan, Late Cenozoic）, the average elevation of Longmen Mts. was high at approximately 2000-2800m.