Cross Orogenic Belts in Central China: Implications for the tectonic and paleogeographic evolution of the East Asian continental collage

Abstract

The East Asian continent records a complex geologic and tectonic history that involved the amalgamation of several small- to medium-sized blocks from Laurasia or Gondwana. The China continent is located at the core of East Asia, and is the key to understanding the formation and evolution of the East Asian Continent. The most important tectonic framework controlling the formation and evolution of the main China continent is the EW-trending Central China Orogenic Belt and the NS-trending Helan-Chuandian Orogenic Belt, defined as the ‘Cross Orogenic Belts’. The former includes, from east to west, the Qinling, Qilian and Kunlun Orogens, which were formed by the subduction-collision between the southern and northern continental blocks during the Early Paleozoic–Triassic and constitute the mainland of China Continent. Following this, the Central China Orogenic Belt was overprinted by the Mesozoic to Cenozoic intracontinental orogenic events, resulting in a prominent north and south division of geology, geography, ecology, environment, economy and culture. The latter inherited the Paleoproterozoic and the Neoproterozoic plate tectonic frameworks in its north and south, respectively, and was gradually transformed into the continental margin of the Paleo-Asian Ocean or Paleo-Tethys tectonic domain. Associated with the Neo-Tethys tectonic evolution, it evolved into the eastern boundary of the uplift and expansion of the Tibetan Plateau, controlling the Late Mesozoic–Cenozoic reverse evolution of the western and eastern China Continent. The Cross Orogenic Belts experienced multiple phases of uplift, which were dominated by deep geological process together with surface geomorphologic influence. The uplift of the Cross Orogenic Belts resulted in differential evolution of the climate, environment, as well as economy and culture in four quadrants of the China Continent.