Crustal growth and tectonic evolution of the Tianshan orogenic belt, NW China: A receiver function analysis

Abstract

The Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) represents the world's largest Phanerozoic accretionary orogen, the major phase of which was built during the closure of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. The Tianshan orogenic belt forms the southwestern segment of the CAOB and has been the focus of investigations related to the evolution of the CAOB. Here we present results from an analysis of the crustal structure and upper mantle discontinuity beneath the Chinese Tianshan by employing H-k stacking technique as well as depth domain and synthetic receiver functions. Our results identify a double peak of Moho Ps in the Tianshan orogenic belt, suggesting the possibility of insertion of the lower crust of the Tarim Basin into this belt, with the latter retaining its initial crustal architecture. Our results provide insights into the dynamics of northward extrusion and the N–S trending crustal shortening of the Tianshan orogen during the convergence of the India and Eurasia blocks.