Seismically constrained thermo-rheological structure of the eastern Tibetan margin: Implication for lithospheric delamination

Lin, Chen; Berntsson, Fredrik; Zhang, Zhongjie; Wang, Peng; Wu, Ji; Xu, Tao

doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2013.11.005

Cited by 25 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 91 publications

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“…The lithospheric thermal structure of continental China has been estimated in previous studies, following two different approaches: (1) solving the steady state thermal conduction equation, formulated in one or two dimension using heat flow data [e.g., Zhang et al ., ; Chen et al ., ] and (2) inverting seismic velocity models [ An and Shi , ; Priestley and McKenzie , ] using mineral physics constraints [ Cammarano et al ., ]. The results obtained, using the first approach, were influenced by the uneven distribution of the heat flow observations.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithospheric strength variations in Mainland China: Tectonic implications

Deng

Tesauro

2016

Tectonics

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We present a new thermal and strength model for the lithosphere of Mainland China. To this purpose, we integrate a thermal model for the crust, using a 3‐D steady state heat conduction equation, with estimates for the upper mantle thermal structure, obtained by inverting a S wave tomography model. With this new thermal model and assigning to the lithospheric layers a “soft” and “hard” rheology, respectively, we estimate integrated strength of the lithosphere. In the Ordos and the Sichuan basins, characterized by intermediate temperatures, strength is primarily concentrated in the crust, when the rheology is soft, and in both the crust and upper mantle, when the rheology is hard. In turn, the Tibetan Plateau and the Tarim basin have a weak and strong lithosphere mainly on account of their high and low temperatures, respectively. A comparison of temperatures, strength, and effective viscosity variations with earthquakes distribution and their seismic energy released indicates that both the deep part of the crust and the upper mantle of the Tibetan Plateau are weak and prone to flow toward adjacent areas. The high strength of some of the tectonic domains surrounding Tibet (Tarim, Ordos, and Sichuan basins) favors the flow toward the weak western part of South China block.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithospheric strength variations in Mainland China: Tectonic implications

Deng

Tesauro

2016

Tectonics

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“…L. Chen et al . [] suggested that the delamination of a thickened lithospheric root could occur beneath the eastern Tibet and be responsible for the growth of the eastern Tibetan margin. In the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, seismic anisotropy from shear wave splitting reveals a conspicuous change in the fast direction, implying the existence of complex mantle deformation [ Lev et al ., ; Huang et al ., ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…In the crust, geophysical observations (e.g., ambient noise tomography and magnetotelluric imaging) and geodynamic modeling suggest that the existence of middle-to-lower crustal flow could contribute to material escape toward southeast [Royden et al, 1997;Clark and Royden, 2000;Shen et al, 2001;Huang et al, 2002;Wang et al, 2003;Xu et al, 2007;Cook and Royden, 2008;Yao et al, 2008;Li et al, 2009;Bai, 2010]. A few studies have addressed how the lithospheric mantle accommodates the convergence of >2000 km [Le Pichon et al, 1992;Guillot et al, 2003;Zhao et al, 2010;L. Chen et al, 2014].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithospheric structure of the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau from Rayleigh wave tomography

Gao

et al. 2017

JGR Solid Earth

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Lithospheric shear wave velocity beneath the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is obtained from Rayleigh wave tomography using earthquake data recorded by the temporary ChinArray and permanent China Digital Seismic Array. Fundamental mode Rayleigh wave phase velocities at periods of 20–100 s are determined and used to construct the 3‐D shear wave velocity model. Low‐velocity anomalies appear along or close to the major faults in the middle crust and become a broad zone in the lower crust, suggesting block extrusion in the shallow crust and diffuse deformation in the lower crust, both of which play important roles in accommodating the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates. A vertical low‐velocity column beneath the Tengchong Volcano is observed, which could be caused by upwelling of warm mantle due to the lithosphere extension in the Thailand rift basin to the south or by fluid‐induced partial melting due to the subduction of the Burma slab. The western Yangtze Craton is characterized by low velocity in the crust and uppermost mantle above the fast mantle lithosphere, indicating possible thermal erosion at the western craton edge resulted from the extrusion of the Tibetan Plateau. A low‐velocity zone is imaged at the depths of 70–150 km beneath the eastern part of the Yangtze Craton, which could be caused by small‐scale mantle convection associated with the subduction of the Burma microplate and/or the opening of the South China Sea.

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“…The longitudinal stress boundary in Figure 3 is also unrelated to the tectonic boundary between the Tibetan plateau and the South China block at the surface in Figure 1. It might be relation with lateral differences in the lithospheric structure [46]. Based on the tomography results, a westward extension front of a high velocity zone beneath the South China block has crossed the Longmenshan fault by 20 km westward and arrived in the eastern margin of the plateau in the lower crust and the upper mantle at 50 km depth [13,47].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%