Tectonic uplift and geomorphic evolution of the East Tianshan from the Late Cretaceous to the Cenozoic
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摘要: 天山是新生代以来受印度–欧亚板块碰撞远程效应影响而复活的陆内造山带，对天山新生代构造演化的研究，有助于揭示陆内变形的过程与动力学机制。文章基于东天山（博格达山）–吐鲁番盆地北缘的塔尔郎河东侧剖面，通过沉积特征分析和碎屑锆石物源示踪分析，限定了博格达山及其邻区晚白垩世—新生代的构造地貌演化过程。研究结果显示，晚白垩世—渐新世期间博格达山整体构造相对稳定，仅发生小幅度隆升，地形起伏相对较低，吐鲁番盆地北缘接受来自西天山的侵蚀物质。晚渐新世以来，博格达山发生强烈变形并快速隆升，成为吐鲁番盆地的北部边界，为吐鲁番盆地北缘上渐新统—第四系地层提供了单一物质来源，代表了印度–欧亚板块碰撞的远程响应。Abstract:
Objective The Tianshan is an intracontinental orogenic belt reactivated in the Cenozoic by far-field effects of the India-Asia collision. Its Cenozoic tectonic evolution is thus key to understanding intracontinental deformation mechanisms. Methods Based on stratigraphic sedimentary characteristics and provenance tracing of a section on the northern margin of the Turpan Basin (south of the Bogda Shan), the Late Cretaceous to Cenozoic tectonic and geomorphic evolution of the East Tianshan and its adjacent region has been constrained. Results Field investigations reveal that the Paleocene and lower Oligocene strata in this area consist predominantly of red mudstones, indicating a lacustrine environment and stable tectonic conditions. The uppermost Cretaceous and Eocene strata contain relatively thin conglomerate deposits with small clast diameters, suggesting slight tectonic uplift of the Bogda Shan. In contrast, the upper Oligocene to Pliocene strata are composed of extremely thick, coarse conglomerates, reflecting long-term and intense tectonic activity. Detrital zircon U-Pb ages show that, from the Late Cretaceous to the Oligocene, the northern Turpan Basin continuously received detrital material from the West Tianshan, implying low topographic relief of the Bogda Shan during this period. Since the Miocene, however, the Bogda Shan has become the primary sediment source, indicating its rapid tectonic uplift. Conclusions In summary, the Bogda Shan remained tectonically stable with low relief during the Late Cretaceous to Oligocene. Since the late Oligocene, it has undergone intense deformation and rapid uplift, becoming the sole provenance area for the northern Turpan Basin. [Significance] This study refines the Cenozoic tectono-geomorphic evolution of the East Tianshan, thereby contributing to a better understanding of the intracontinental deformation processes resulting from the India–Asia collision. -
Key words:
- East Tianshan /
- Turpan Basin /
- Cenozoic /
- zircon U-Pb /
- tectonic geomorphology
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图 1 区域地形地貌与构造分布图
a—青藏高原及其周缘地形地貌图（红色矩形显示了图1b的位置）；b—东、西天山地形地貌与构造–水系分布图（红色矩形内为研究区域）
Figure 1. Regional topographic and geomorphic map with tectonic distribution.
(a) Topographic and geomorphic map of the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding region (the red box shows the location of panel b); (b) Topographic and tectonic-drainage distribution map of the East and West Tianshan (the red rectangle delineates the study area)
图 2 塔东剖面晚白垩世—新生代沉积特征及采样层位
a—博格达山南侧山前地质图（五角星和蓝色线段分别显示了塔尔郎河现代河砂M-8和塔东剖面AA’的位置）；b—塔东剖面地层剖面图；c—塔东剖面地层柱状图及样品采集位置
Figure 2. Sedimentary characteristics of the Late Cretaceous to Cenozoic strata in the Tadong Section and sampled horizons
(a) Geological map of the southern piedmont of the Bogda Shan (The five-pointed star and blue dashed line show the specific locations of the modern river sands M-8 from the Taerlang River and the Tadong Section A–A’); (b) Stratigraphic profile of the Tadong Section; (c) Stratigraphic column of the Tadong Section and sampled locations
图 3 塔东剖面不同时期地层主要沉积特征的野外照片
a—上白垩统砾岩；b—古新统泥岩；c—始新统砾岩；d—渐新统泥岩；e—渐新统砾岩；f—中新统砾岩
Figure 3. Field photos of the main sedimentary characteristics of strata from different periods in the Tadong Section
(a) Upper Cretaceous conglomerate; (b) Paleocene mudstone; (c) Eocene conglomerate; (d) Oligocene mudstone; (e) Oligocene conglomerate; (f) Miocene conglomerate
图 4 样品的代表性锆石阴极发光（CL）图像
黄色点及旁边的数字分别代表激光剥蚀位置和编号，白色数字表示锆石U-Pb年龄
Figure 4. Representative cathodoluminescence (CL) images of zircon for each sample
The yellow dots and the adjacent numbers respectively represent the laser ablation positions and their identification numbers, while the white numbers indicate the U-Pb ages of the zircons.
图 5 塔东剖面及其潜在物源区域的碎屑锆石U-Pb年龄频谱图（中天山和北天山的数据引自Ren et al.，2017；Xiang et al.，2019）
HTB—呼图壁河；MNS—玛纳斯河；n—锆石颗粒总数量
Figure 5. Probability density plots of detrital zircon U-Pb ages for the Tadong Section and its potential provenance regions (Primary sources of data for the Central Tianshan and North Tianshan are Ren et al., 2017 and Xiang et al., 2019)
HTB—Hutubi River; MNS—Manas River; n—total number of zircon grains
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