Progressive tectonic evolution from crustal shortening to mid-lower crustal expansion in the southeast Tibetan Plateau: A synthesis of structural and thermochronological insights

Zhang, Guihong; Tian, Yuntao; Li, Rui; Shen, Xiaoming; Zhang, Zengjie; Sun, Xilin; Chen, Dongxu

doi:10.1016/j.earscirev.2022.103951

Cited by 35 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 75 publications

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“…Whereas, apart from the Kulun fault, the major strike‐slip faults that initiated in the middle Miocene crosscut NS‐ or NNW‐trending compressive structures reactivated in the early middle Cenozoic (Leloup et al., 1995; Replumaz et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2008; Zhang et al., 2017; This study). This crosscutting relationship suggests a significant kinematic transition in eastern Tibet since the middle Miocene as recognized in previous studies as well (Chevalier et al., 2017; Todrani et al., 2022; Zhang et al., 2022), but its regional tectonic configuration and geodynamics have not been well elucidated yet. Since the middle Miocene, the preceding tectonic regime of mega‐block extrusion and rotation has been progressively disrupted by a new deformation style predominated by micro‐block motion, such that the large‐scale extruded blocks at an earlier stage have been sliced into several micro blocks by additional strike‐slip faults (Figures 12b and 12c).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

“…However, neither models of extrusion of rigid mega‐blocks nor the flow of weakened lower crust can perfectly explain such a transition to diffuse upper‐crustal deformation of block interiors in eastern Tibet. We propose that this tectonic transition could simply correspond to temporal change in lithospheric rheology from more rigid to viscous underneath block interiors due to the thermal weakening of the lower crust after 30–20 Ma crustal thickening (Beaumont et al., 2004; Zhang et al., 2022). This is mechanically consistent with lower crustal flow developing in the late‐stage of an orogenic plateau (Clark & Royden, 2000; Royden et al., 1997).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…(2019, 2022) and Zhang et al. (2022). The crustal structure is inferred from magnetotelluric data in Bai et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Middle Miocene Onset of the Litang Fault System Records Kinematic Change in Eastern Tibet

Cao,

Zhang,

Shen

et al. 2023

Tectonics

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The ∼400‐km‐long Litang fault system (LTFS) is a major intracontinental strike‐slip fault inside the Chuandian block, eastern Tibet, but its evolution and role in accommodating the India‐Asia convergence remain poorly known. Structural analysis shows that the LTFS splits into 5 strands as a left‐lateral, right‐stepping en‐echelon pattern formed under NW‐directed compression, subsequently reactivated by transtensive faults under NNE‐directed extension. Displaced geological and morphological markers yield a cumulative left‐lateral offset of 28.9–42.8 km. Inverse thermal‐history modeling of thermochronological data of the faulted rocks reveal accelerated cooling at 38–35 Ma, 16–13 Ma, and 7–5 Ma. The late Eocene rapid cooling is ascribed to the reactivation of the Garze‐Litang suture. Rapid cooling events at 16–13 Ma and 7–5 Ma record the onset of transpression and transtension of the LTFS, respectively, yielding a geologic slip rate of 2.6 ± 0.7 mm/yr. Both bifurcated geometry and slow slip rate of the LTFS since 16–13 Ma indicate diffuse deformation inside the Chuandian block, contrasting with strain localized on fast‐slip strike‐slip faults on the block margins. This implies a significant kinematic transition in the middle Miocene, such that the extrusion of the segmented mega‐blocks has been accommodated by both localized and distributed deformation in eastern Tibet. This tectonic transition could be explained by a change in lithospheric rheology from an earlier rigid state to a viscous state underneath the Chuandian block due to thermal weakening of the lower crust. We thus reconcile the end‐member geodynamic models of block extrusion and lower crustal flow in late Cenozoic times.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Middle Miocene Onset of the Litang Fault System Records Kinematic Change in Eastern Tibet

Cao,

Zhang,

Shen

et al. 2023

Tectonics

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“…The lateral crustal extrusion in eastern Tibet is mainly accommodated by the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt to the east, the Xianshuihe fault to the south, and the Kunlun and Min Shan faults to the north (Figure 1). Since the Late Eocene, three regional rapid rock exhumation episodes have been determined from thermochronology, geology, and geophysics around the eastern Tibetan Plateau ( [31,36], and references therein).…”

Section: Cenozoic Crustal Deformation Of the Eastern Tibetmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three-Dimensional Fault-Fold Growth Deciphered from Combined Seismic and Geological Data: A Case Study from the Xiongpo Anticline, Longmen Shan Piedmont

Zheng

Dai

et al. 2022

Minerals

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The Xiongpo fault-fold belt shows prominent NE, ENE- and ~N–S-trending relief, which resulted from multi-stage upper crustal shortening in the Longmen Shan piedmont during the eastward growth of the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Previous studies have determined its 2D structural configurations from seismic profiles and field-based geological cross-sections. Here, we extend this analysis into the entire belt to explore the 3D structural evolution of this complex fault-fold belt and have built a 3D regional fault model. The results reveal along-strike variation of subsurface structural architecture of the Xiongpo fault-fold belt, which is characterized by transformation from a complex superimposition of a deep fault-bend fold beneath a shallow structural wedge in the center segment to a simple shallow fault-bend fold on both ends of the structure, and then to a trishear fault propagation fold on the plunging edges. This structural transformation determines the contrast between the NE-striking relief of the central segment, and the ENE- and ~N-S-striking relief in the two plunging zones. We combine our results with published low-temperature thermochronology and growth strata results to propose a three-stage evolution for the Xiongpo fault-fold belt that closely relates with regional stress field changes, including a NE-striking fault under the NW–SE compression between 40–25 Ma and 15–10 Ma, lateral propagation of the NE-striking fault and initiation of ENE-striking fault by WNW–ESE compression from ~5–2 Ma, ~N–S fault under ~E–W compression until the present. This work enhances our understanding of the stress field changes of eastern Tibet since the Late Eocene. It also can serve as a typical case study deciphering 3D fault-fold growth using seismic and geological imaging, which is helpful to understand 3D structural and landscape evolutions of other complex fault-fold belts worldwide.

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“…Thermochronometric data suggest a late Miocene (at ~10Ma) increase of river incision, which has been interpreted as evidence of coeval rock and surface uplift (Clark et al, 2005;Ouimet et al, 2010;Tian et al, 2018). Recent thermochronological studies suggest the occurrence of early Miocene (Tian et al, 2014), middle Miocene (Nie et al, 2018), Oligocene and earlier phases of rock exhumation (Wang et al, 2012;Shen et al, 2016;Zhang et al, 2022), indicating a spatially and temporally heterogeneous rock uplift pattern (Tian et al, 2014;Zhang et al, 2022;. Duvall et al (2012) inferred broad surface uplift as the main driver of the widespread late Cenozoic increase in erosion rates across the interior of eastern Tibet.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drivers of landscape evolution in eastern Tibet

Yan

Attal²,

Mudd³

et al. 2022

Geomorphology

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Progressive tectonic evolution from crustal shortening to mid-lower crustal expansion in the southeast Tibetan Plateau: A synthesis of structural and thermochronological insights

Cited by 35 publications

References 75 publications

Middle Miocene Onset of the Litang Fault System Records Kinematic Change in Eastern Tibet

Middle Miocene Onset of the Litang Fault System Records Kinematic Change in Eastern Tibet

Three-Dimensional Fault-Fold Growth Deciphered from Combined Seismic and Geological Data: A Case Study from the Xiongpo Anticline, Longmen Shan Piedmont

Drivers of landscape evolution in eastern Tibet

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