Palinspastic restorations for the south Tien Shan mountains and Tajik depression based on paleomagnetic data

Abstract

In terms of plate tectonic concepts, horizontal movement are responsible for the formation of fold belts, and modern structures are interpreted by the position of the belt relative to the zones of plate collision. Paleomagnetic data allow the reconstruction of the former positions of these zones relative to a geographic grid, their pre-deformation patterns being important to the solution of problems in fold belt tectonics (Van der Voo et al., 1980; Khramov et al., 1982). Fold structures within the south-western spurs of the Tien Shan Mountains and the intermontane basins separating them were the first to be studied (Rzhevsky, 1966). Paleomagnetic studies aimed at understanding the tectonic setting of the region have been undertaken during the ensuing years and also cover adjacent areas of Central Asia (Khramov et al., 1982). In this paper an attempt is made to summarize some paleomagnetic results, produced palinspastic reconstructions of the region and produce a framework to help understand the formation of one of the crucial parts of the Alpine-Himalayan belt.