A complex Tibetan upper mantle: A fragmented Indian slab and no south-verging subduction of Eurasian lithosphere

Collaborative Research: High-Resolution Seismic Velocity and Attenuation Models of Western China

“…Furthermore, unlike previous surface and body wave measurements (Li et al, 2008), our shear wave observations are broadly consistent with those obtained using body wave tomography (Liang et al, 2012). Moreover, the comparison of the splitting data from León Soto et al (2012) and our azimuthal fast directions for 143 s shows that average differences are ~1 degree and 10 degrees for Qiangtang and Songpan-Ganzi, respectively (Figure 15).…”

Crustal and upper mantle structure beneath the northeastern Tibetan Plateau from joint analysis of receiver functions and Rayleigh wave dispersions

“…• E) still has low velocities, which are also observed by Liang et al (2012) using finite frequency traveltime tomography. Moreover, to the north of the eastern Kunlun fault velocities are clearly lower than to the south of the eastern Kunlun fault (Fig.…”

Mountain Building, Tectonic Evolution, Rheology, and Crustal Flow in the Himalaya, Karakoram, and Tibet

“…Northdipping mantle fabrics suggest mantle subduction along several subparallel diffuse shear zones (Nabelek et al, 2009). Nabelek et al (2009 also inferred southward subduction of Tarim-Qaidam (Eurasian) lithosphere beneath the Kunlun, although this interpretation has recently been challenged by Liang et al (2012). Certainly, the lack of major Cenozoic crustal shortening across the Kunlun, unlike the Himalaya, suggests that southward subduction of Asian lithosphere was very limited.…”