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New constraints on Cenozoic subduction between India and Tibet

Author

Listed:
  • Liang Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Science
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou))

  • Lijun Liu

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

  • Jason. P. Morgan

    (Southern University of Science and Technology)

  • Yi-Gang Xu

    (Chinese Academy of Science
    Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou))

  • Ling Chen

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

The type of lithosphere subducted between India and Tibet since the Paleocene remains controversial; it has been suggested to be either entirely continental, oceanic, or a mixture of the two. As the subduction history of this lost lithosphere strongly shaped Tibetan intraplate tectonism, we attempt to further constrain its nature and density structure with numerical models that aim to reproduce the observed history of magmatism and crustal thickening in addition to present-day plateau properties between 83°E and 88°E. By matching time-evolving geological patterns, here we show that Tibetan tectonism away from the Himalayan syntaxis is consistent with the initial indentation of a craton-like terrane at 55 ± 5 Ma, followed by a buoyant tectonic plate with a thin crust, e.g., a broad continental margin (Himalandia). This new geodynamic scenario can explain the seemingly contradictory observations that had led to competing hypotheses like the subduction of Greater India versus largely oceanic subduction prior to Indian indentation.

Suggested Citation

  • Liang Liu & Lijun Liu & Jason. P. Morgan & Yi-Gang Xu & Ling Chen, 2023. "New constraints on Cenozoic subduction between India and Tibet," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-37615-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37615-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. C. Beaumont & R. A. Jamieson & M. H. Nguyen & B. Lee, 2001. "Himalayan tectonics explained by extrusion of a low-viscosity crustal channel coupled to focused surface denudation," Nature, Nature, vol. 414(6865), pages 738-742, December.
    2. Pengpeng Huangfu & Zhong-Hai Li & Taras Gerya & Weiming Fan & Kai-Jun Zhang & Huai Zhang & Yaolin Shi, 2018. "Multi-terrane structure controls the contrasting lithospheric evolution beneath the western and central–eastern Tibetan plateau," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, December.
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