A new understanding of the uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang (TIBET) plateau

Abstract

The uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau happened in different crustal movements and different time from those of the collision of Asia continent with the allochthonous India crustobody, and the uplift occurred very long after the finish of the collision. According to its temporal evolution, the uplift happened in another active stage of the mantle creep flow after the active stage resulting in the collision and the interruption of the 140Ma’s quiet stage. On the basis of the dynamic analysis, the uplift resulted from the multiple compressing stresses in the reactivation stage after weakening of the colliding stress and the following compressing stress, and after the interruption of the stable stage dominating the vertical movements and represented by formation of the universal Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) ancient platform. It was the production of another stress field existing in another crustobody evolution stage and growth age. In the light of the nature of the orogeny, the uplift was caused by the intracontinental Diwa (geodepression)-type orogeny after converging connection of the Central Asia Crustobody and the India crustbody which immediately became a part of the Asia continent, and hence after the substitution for the colliding stress and the following compressing stress by the platform-type crustal movements.