Abstract
AbstractThe high strength of the Tarim Basin (northwestern China) lithosphere, widely regarded as a Precambrian craton, is evidenced by its resistance to Cenozoic deformation in the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen. However, Neoproterozoic suturing and early Paleozoic shortening within the Tarim Basin suggest that its rigidity is a relatively recent phenomenon with unknown cause. We reprocessed high-resolution magnetic data that show a 300–400-km-diameter radial pattern of linear anomalies emanating from a central region characterized by mixed positive-negative anomalies. We suggest that this pattern was generated by the previously hypothesized Permian (ca. 300–270 Ma) plume beneath the Tarim Basin. Constrained by published geochemical and geochronological data from plume-related igneous rocks, we propose that the ∼30 m.y. Permian plume activity resulted in a more viscous, depleted, thicker, dehydrated, and low-density mantle lithosphere. The resulting stronger lithosphere deflected strain from the Cenozoic India-Asia convergence around Tarim Basin, including Pamir overthrusting to the northwest and Altyn Tagh left-slip displacement to the northeast, thus shaping the geometry of the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen.
Highlights
INTRODUCTIONChina, has remained undeformed during the development of the Cenozoic HimalayanTibetan orogen, expressed by flat-lying Cenozoic strata (e.g., Jia, 1997)
The interior of the Tarim Basin, northwesternChina, has remained undeformed during the development of the Cenozoic HimalayanTibetan orogen, expressed by flat-lying Cenozoic strata (e.g., Jia, 1997)
Its rigidity has been attributed to the presence of Precambrian basement (e.g., Neil and Houseman, 1997), this is inconsistent with the observation of an early Paleozoic thrust belt developed across the Tarim Basin (e.g., Yin and Nie, 1996; Jia, 1997; Carroll et al, 2001), which requires the acquisition of greater strength to resist Cenozoic deformation between the early Paleozoic and end of the Mesozoic
Summary
China, has remained undeformed during the development of the Cenozoic HimalayanTibetan orogen, expressed by flat-lying Cenozoic strata (e.g., Jia, 1997). The rigidity of the Tarim lithosphere could have developed via the presence of a Precambrian oceanic plateau that was strengthened from below by a Permian plume (e.g., Deng et al, 2017). Aeromagnetic anomalies have proven to be effective in locating and quantifying the geometry and extent of mafic intrusions associated with a mantle plume (e.g., Finn and Morgan, 2002). The success of this approach inspired us to reexamine the aeromagnetic data across Tarim. Tarim’s stronger lithosphere deflected strain from Cenozoic India-Asia convergence around the Tarim Basin to shape the deformation pattern of the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen
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