Mesozoic Collision-Related Structures in the Southern Tarim Basin, W. China: Implications for the Paleo-Tethys Closing Process

Yong Li,Xian-Zhang Yang,Liang Zhang,Cheng Li,Ya-Lei Liu,Cai Chen,Bin Wang,Yue-Jun Li,Lei Wen

doi:10.3389/feart.2021.792049

Abstract

The Mesozoic syn- and post-collision structures were revealed in the southern Tarim Basin based on careful seismic interpretation and field investigation. The syn-collision structures are the Late Triassic thrusts in the piedmonts of W. Kunlun and Altun Mountains and the Markit Slope. They include both newly formed thrusts and reactivation of some preexisting thrusts, such as the Qarqan fault in the piedmont of the Altun Mountains. The post-collision structures are the Jurassic–Cretaceous normal faults, with the development of horsts and grabens. In the Late Triassic, the maximum stress was SSW-NNE-directed in the piedmont of the W. Kunlun Mountains and the Markit Slope but SSE-NNW-directed in the piedmont of the Altun Mountains, forming many reverse faults thrusting from the mountains to the Tarim Basin with the development of some back-thrusts in the Markit Slope. They are the syn-collision structures in response to the North Qiangtang–Tarim collision. This Late Triassic collision is an important tectonic event in the complicated closing process of the Paleo-Tethys. The Jurassic–Cretaceous extensional structures are the post-collision structures.

Highlights

The Tarim Basin is located between the Tethysides and Altaids, two super orogenic complexes in the world (Figure 1)
Based on several years of continuous field investigation and seismic interpretation, we have revealed more and more Mesozoic collision-related structures, including the Late Triassic syn-collision structures and Jurassic–Cretaceous post-collision structures in the southern Tarim Basin, in the piedmont of West Kunlun Mountain and in the Markit Slope and the piedmont of Altun Mountains
Their related collision should be located south of the Tarim plate. It is the North Qiantang–Tarim collision. This paper reports these collision-related structures preserved in the southern Tarim Basin and discuss their significance for the Paleo-Tethys study

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The Tarim Basin is located between the Tethysides and Altaids (or Central Asian Orogenic Belt), two super orogenic complexes in the world (Figure 1). Based on several years of continuous field investigation and seismic interpretation, we have revealed more and more Mesozoic collision-related structures, including the Late Triassic syn-collision structures and Jurassic–Cretaceous post-collision structures in the southern Tarim Basin, in the piedmont of West Kunlun Mountain and in the Markit Slope and the piedmont of Altun Mountains. They are the Late Triassic syncollision structures and the Jurassic–Cretaceous post-collision structures. On the basis of careful seismic interpretation, the Late Triassic syncollision thrusts have been revealed in the Markit Slope, but no Jurassic–Cretaceous post-collision structures are revealed so far. Our recent seismic interpretation revealed the Late Triassic thrusts together with the Jurassic–Cretaceous extensional structures in the SE Tarim Basin. It occurred in the Late Cenozoic under the far-field effect of the India–Asia collision (Tapponnier and Molnar, 1977; Sobel and Dumitru, 1997; Li et al, 2016b)

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT