1. Unraveling the Lhasa‐Qiangtang Collision in Western Tibet: Insights From Geochronological and Paleomagnetic Analyses.
- Author
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Song, Peiping, Ding, Lin, Li, Jinxiang, Yue, Yahui, and Xie, Jing
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CONTINENTAL crust , *PLATEAUS , *VOLCANOLOGY , *PALEOZOIC Era , *CENOZOIC Era - Abstract
The Lhasa‐Qiangtang collision closed the Meso‐Tethys Ocean, but the exact timing of this event remains hotly debated. Here, we present geochronological and paleomagnetic analyses conducted on Cretaceous volcanics from western Qiangtang to constrain the Lhasa‐Qiangtang collision in western Tibet. Our investigations yield a paleolatitude of ∼30.5 ± 5.0°N for western Qiangtang during ca. 110–100 Ma. A reanalysis of previously acquired Mesozoic‐Cenozoic paleomagnetic data from western Qiangtang suggests a stationary position during ca. 136–34 Ma. Examination of paleomagnetic data from western Lhasa reveals a significant reduction in northward paleolatitudinal motion during the Early Cretaceous, dropping from ∼12.3 cm/yr to nearly zero. Integration of our paleomagnetic findings with available geological records has led to conclude that the Lhasa‐Qiangtang collision in western Tibet occurred at ca. 132 Ma. Additionally, we infer that crustal shortening on the order of ∼1,000 km happened between Lhasa and Qiangtang during the Early Cenozoic. Plain Language Summary: The Tibetan Plateau comprises multiple different blocks, which originated from the Gondwana in the southern hemisphere. Their convergence histories toward Euraisa have changed the global land‐sea distributions since the Late Paleozoic. The time at which the Lhasa block, one of the Tibetan blocks, accreted to the Qiangtang block to the north remains poorly constrained. In this work, we provide robust data suggesting a latitude of ∼30.5 ± 5.0°N for western Qiangtang during the Early Cretaceous (ca. 110–100 Ma). We also compiled the available latitudinal data from western Tibet in combination with geological observations. We suggest Lhasa collided with Qiangtang during 132 million years ago in western Tibet. Significant shortening of the continental crust by ∼1,000 km between the Lhasa and Qiangtang blocks occurred after their collision. Key Points: Western Qiangtang had a paleolatitude of ∼30.5 ± 5.0°N at ca. 110–100 MaA substantial decrease in the paleolatitudinal motion of western Lhasa occurred in the Early CretaceousThe Lhasa‐Qiangtang collision in western Tibet occurred at ca. 132 Ma [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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