Reply to the comment by Q.Q. Qiao et al. on “Cenozoic tectonic deformation and uplift of the South Tian Shan: Implications from magnetostratigraphy and balanced cross-section restoration of the Kuqa depression” by Tao Zhang, Xiaomin Fang, Chunhui Song, Erwin Appel, and Yadong Wang [Tectonophysics, 2014, doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2014.04.044

Abstract

Qiao et al. (2016) commented on our work (Zhang et al., 2014) and rejected our reinterpretation of the magnetostratigraphic results of Huang et al. (2006) and Li et al. (2006), with the results gained using the Dynamic Time Warping Algorithm technique (DTWAT) as their main basis. However, Qiao et al. (2016) did not provide details of their modeling inputs, and, in particular, the parameters they chose for their calculations, where such parameters can have a serious impact upon any results. We therefore performed calculations using the same software (i.e., Qupydon) as Qiao et al. (2016), using reliable parameter settings. The results showed that the “interesting correlation” of a 6000 minimum cost output completely correlate with the magnetostratigraphic Chrons C18r to C3An.1n (~40–6Ma), which is consistent with our reinterpreted magnetostratigraphic results. Furthermore, we summarized previous biostratigraphic studies of nearby areas; the data resulting from this process also supported our reinterpreted magnetostratigraphic correlation. We were therefore able to confirm the revised magnetostratigraphic correlation of Zhang et al. (2014).