Raising Tibet

Journal Article · Fri Mar 27 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.255.5052.1663· OSTI ID:5253954

Harrison, T M; Yin, An ^[1]; Copeland, P ^[2]; Kidd, W S.F. ^[3]

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1. Univ. of California, Los Angeles (United States)
2. Univ. of Houston, TX (United States)
3. State Univ. of New York, Albany (United States)

Thermochronologic, sedimentologic, oceanographic, and paleoclimatic studies suggest that rapid uplift and unroofing of southern Tibet began about 20 million years ago and that the present elevation of much of the Tibetan plateau was attained by about 8 million years ago. Hypotheses advanced to explain the tectonic evolution of the India-Asia collision, which began about 40 to 50 million years ago, predict the timing and rates of crustal thickening of the southern margin of Asia. However, these models do not predict the prominently enhanced early Miocene denudation and uplift that are manifested in a variety of geological records. A model involving continental extrusion, development of a crustal-scale thrust ramp of the Main Central Thrust beneath the Gangdese belt, and lithospheric delamination provides a history consistent with these observations.

• OSTI ID: 5253954
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 255:5052; ISSN 0036-8075
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
TIBET
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
GEOLOGY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MIOCENE EPOCH
ASIA
CENOZOIC ERA
GEOLOGIC AGES
PALEONTOLOGY
TERTIARY PERIOD
540110*
580000 - Geosciences