T146 Bridging Two Continents: New Insights into the Mechanisms of Continental Deformation from Sinoprobe Deep Seismic Reflection Profiling And Receiver-Function Studies Of The Lithosphere

Monday, 2 November 2015
1:30 PM - 2:45 PM
Room 347/348

SINO-US COOPERATION ON DEEP SEISMIC REFLECTION/REFRACTION STUDIES AND EDUCATION FOCUSED ON CONTINENTAL TECTONICS: RESULTS OF COOPERATION ON THE LONGMEN SHAN AND LIUPAN SHAN IN THE EASTERN AND NORTHEASTERN MARGINS OF TIBETAN PLATEAU

Paper number: T146-1
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 1:30 PM – 1:45 PM

Authors

  • Rui Gao
    Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing
  • John Encarnacion
    Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO
  • Xiao Xu Presenting Author
    Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing
  • Haiyan Wang
    Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing
  • Xiaoyu Guo
    Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing
  • Wenhui Li
    Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing
  • Xiaosong Xiong
    Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing
  • G. Randy Keller
    University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
  • Mian Liu
    Univ of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO
  • An Yin
    University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA

Abstract

Since 2011, the SinoProbe-02-01 working group, a consortium from the Institute of Geology at Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences and the participated USA universities listed above, has collected and co-interpreted an approximately total 1500 km-long deep seismic reflection and refraction lines roughly distributing in the eastern and northeastern margins of the Tibetan Plateau. High-density and near-vertical reflection data provided needed information on crustal structure beneath eastern and northeastern Tibet, which is essential to advance our understanding on the tectonic responses to the ongoing Himalayan orogeny. Integrated analysis of the seismic reflection profiles and other geophysical and geological data indicated that crustal shortening, instead of lower crustal flow, is a primary driver for the uplift and expansion of eastern and northeastern Tibet. Even though, differentiation is evident between the eastern and northeastern Tibetan Plateau in the patterns of uplift and expansion, in which, crustal-scale deformation is suggested to have participated in the oblique extrusion and uplift of the easternmost edge of the Tibetan Plateau; while in the northeastern flank of the Tibetan Plateau, decoupled crustal deformation owing to differential structural integrity is accommodated during the subsequent northeastward growth of the plateau, and in addition, crustal shortening, structural integrity, and topographic relief are strongly correlated.

Other people who participated in the Sino-US Cooperated SinoProbe-02-01:

China side:

Hesheng Hou, Hongqiang Li, Hongda Liang, Zhuo Ye, Xingfu Huang, Xinyan Zhang

USA side:

Jefferson C. Chang, Stephen D. Holloway, Galen M. Kaip, Kanglin Xu,

Shane F. Ingate, Gaurang Patel, Guang Chen