Cenozoic Evolution of Hinterland Basins in the Andes and Tibet

Abstract

Sedimentary basins have been generated in hinterland regions of the Andean and Himalayan-Tibetan orogens during Cenozoic plate convergence. These hinterland basins record nonmarine sediment accumulation (commonly in high-elevation, lowrelief, internally drained, arid/semiarid settings) during protracted deformation and surface uplift of continental crust. In South America, Andean hinterland basins are produced between the western magmatic arc and craton-directed fold-thrust belt to the east. In the India-Asia collision zone, hinterland basins develop as elements of the growing Tibetan plateau between the Himalayan thrust belt and Asian plate interior to the north. Hinterland sedimentary basins in the Andes and Tibet are distinguished from foreland basins adjacent to their respective fold-thrust belts by structural position, elevation, and stratigraphic evolution. Sediment accommodation in these hinterland basins is created by flexure, fault-induced subsidence, and topographic ponding, with common examples of remnant foreland basins succeeded by younger hinterland basins.

The emerging field of geogenomics: Constraining geological problems with genetic data

“…Construction of both the Western and Eastern Cordilleras has long been considered the product of Cenozoic shortening, crustal thickening, and isostatic uplift related to subduction of the oceanic Nazca plate beneath South America. Modern elevation correlates relatively well with documented shortening and crustal thickness (Isacks, 1988;Kley and Monaldi, 1998;McQuarrie, 2002), and records of faulting, exhumation, and associated basin evolution indicate shortening and flexural loading since Paleocene-Eocene time (Lamb and Hoke, 1997;Oncken et al, 2006;Horton, 2012;Parra et al, 2012). This conceptual framework, however, has been recently challenged on the basis of new stable isotopic and paleobotanic datasets ( fig.…”

Tectonic Regimes of the Central and Southern Andes: Responses to Variations in Plate Coupling During Subduction

“…Estimates of total crustal shortening, although hindered by magmatic overprinting and volcanic/sedimentary cover rocks in the arc and hinterland, attain a maximum of 300–350 km in the central Andes (at 15–25°S), 20–50 km at the transition from the central to southern Andes (33–35°S), and <20 km in the southern Andes of northern Patagonia (35–45°S) (Allmendinger, ; Allmendinger et al, ; Anderson et al, ; Eichelberger et al, ; Kley et al, ; Kley & Monaldi, ; McQuarrie, ; McQuarrie et al, ; Oncken et al, ; Perez et al, ; Roeder, ; Roeder & Chamberlain, ; Sánchez et al, ; Sheffels, ; Turienzo et al, ; von Gosen, ; Zapata & Allmendinger, ). Synorogenic sedimentary basins are preserved on both orogenic flanks, including forearc basins controlled by diverse structures and retroarc hinterland and foreland basins mostly associated with shortening‐induced topographic loading and lithospheric flexure (Horton, , , ; Horton & DeCelles, ; Jordan, ; Jordan et al, ; Watts et al, ). Structural, stratigraphic, and thermochronologic results show that the locus of Late Cretaceous‐Cenozoic shortening has advanced eastward toward the South American craton (Carrapa et al, ; Carrapa & DeCelles, ; DeCelles & Horton, ; Gubbels et al, ; Elger et al, ; Ege et al, ; Horton et al, ; McQuarrie et al, , ; Strecker et al, ).…”

Late Cretaceous evolution of the Coqen Basin (Lhasa terrane) and implications for early topographic growth on the Tibetan Plateau

“…This basin accumulated ~3 km of upper Oligocene conglomerate beds, which were mostly sourced from the thrust belt to the east (Horton et al, 2002;Leier et al, 2010). These depositional and tectonic setting characteristics of the late Oligocene Altiplano Basin have been referred to as a "hinterland basin" (Horton et al, 2002;Horton, 2012;Leier et al, 2010).…”