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The Tian Shan is one of the world's largest intracontinental orogens and provides an excellent example for deciphering the intracontinental responses to the tectonics of plate boundaries. Despite its significance, the timing and driving mechanism of the Cenozoic mountain building of the Tian Shan in the context of the India–Eurasia collision remain controversial. In this study, Cenozoic stratigraphy of the Tiereke section along the western Kuqa Depression of the northern Tarim Basin on the south foreland of Eastern Tian Shan (east of 80°E) has been investigated. The results indicate that the Cenozoic deposition of the Tiereke region sequentially experienced a transgression from the Kumugeliemu Group to the Suweiyi Formation and a regression from the Suweiyi to the Kuqa Formations. Based on the contact relationships and conglomerate textures, three stages of high-energy alluvial deposition have been identified in the lower Kumugeliemu Group, upper Jidike and Kangcun–Kuqa Formations, respectively. These sedimentary events were interpreted to represent phases of Eastern Tian Shan mountain building at c. 54 Ma, c. 27 Ma and since c. 9.7 Ma according to previous magnetostratigraphic results, which were possibly related to the initial India–Eurasia collision, the collision between the India and Tarim lithospheric mantles, and the basinward propagation of deformation, respectively. Thematic collection: This article is part of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic tectonics, landscape and climate change collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/mesozoic-and-cenozoic-tectonics-landscape-and-climate-change [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced knowledge of the Pamir salient formation can contribute to comprehending the tectonic evolution of Himalaya‐Tibetan orogen. However, whether the Pamir salient formed along a linear or a curved southern Asian margin between the Tarim and Tajik cratons remains controversial. Likewise, the role of the two craton blocks during the evolution of the Pamir salient is unclear. Here we present three sandbox experiments exploring the effect of the geometry of the southern Asian margin, as well as the presence of Tarim and Tajik cratons. The results show that the highly curved shape of the Pamir salient, transpressional faults in its wings and strike‐slip faults within its interior only form along a curved southern Asian margin. A westward‐deflecting arcuate thrust wedge formed along the asymmetric curved southern Asian margin. Together with the Tarim craton and the Tajik craton, this wedge facilitated the westward transfer of materials in the Pamir, and resulted in the westward deflection of the velocity field in Pamir and the formation of the Tajik fold‐thrust belt. The oblique slip of arcuate thrust wedge along the western edge of the Tarim craton generated the Kongur extensional system. Moreover, the Tarim and Tajik cratons concentrated deformation mainly along the non‐cratonic continental margin and promoted the formation of transpressional faults surrounding the Pamir and the strike‐slip faults within the Pamir. The Pamir plateau is situated in the western part of the Tibetan plateau, and enhanced knowledge of how the Pamir plateau was formed contributes to comprehending the evolution of the Tibetan plateau. However, there are two distinct viewpoints about its formation: the Pamir plateau may have formed either along a linear or a curved Asian southern margin between the Tarim and Tajik cratons. Here, we used sandbox models to explore this issue. Our results suggest that the Pamir plateau formed along a curved southern Asian margin. The western margin of the curved southern Asian margin strikes north‐south, the northern margin strikes east‐west, and the eastern margin strikes northwest. A westward‐deflecting arcuate thrust wedge formed along this curved southern Asian margin. The northern segments of the western edge of the Tarim craton and the eastern edge of the Tajik craton strike both northwest. They together facilitated the westward transfer of materials in the Pamir, and resulted in the westward deflection of the velocity field in Pamir and the formation of the Tajik fold‐thrust belt. The arcuate thrust wedge slides obliquely along the western edge of the Tarim craton, resulting in the formation of Kongur extensional system. The orogen geometry and structural style of Pamir salient formed along curved southern Asian margin between the Tarim and Tajik cratonsThe curved southern Asian margin and two cratons jointly resulted in a westward deflection of the velocity field in the PamirThe arcuate thrust wedge slides obliquely along the western edge of Tarim craton, resulting in the formation of Kongur extensional system The orogen geometry and structural style of Pamir salient formed along curved southern Asian margin between the Tarim and Tajik cratons The curved southern Asian margin and two cratons jointly resulted in a westward deflection of the velocity field in the Pamir The arcuate thrust wedge slides obliquely along the western edge of Tarim craton, resulting in the formation of Kongur extensional system