Crustal structure of the Tethyan Himalaya, southern Tibet: New constraints from old wide-angle seismic data

Geophysical Journal International

Volumn 181, Issue 3, 2010, Pages 1247-1260

  Zhang, Zhongjie ^a   Klemperer, Simon ^b  

^a INSTITUTE OF GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS   (China)

^b STANFORD UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

Asia; Continental tectonics: compressional; Controlled source seismology; Crustal structure

Indexed keywords

COMPRESSION; CRUSTAL STRUCTURE; LOW VELOCITY ZONE; MOHO; P-WAVE; S-WAVE; SEISMIC DATA; SHEAR ZONE; SLAB; SUTURE ZONE; WAVE REFLECTION;

CHINA; KANGMAR DOME; XIZANG;

EID: 77954079822     PISSN: 0956540X     EISSN: 1365246X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2010.04578.x     Document Type: Article

References (92)

1. Allegre CJ. Structure and evolution of the Himalaya-Tibet orogenic belt. Nature 1984, 307:17-22.
2. Alsdorf D. INDEPTH (International Deep Profiling of Tibet and the Himalaya) multichannel seismic reflection data: description and availability. J. geophys. Res. 1998, 103(B11):26 993-26 999.
3. Armijo R, Tapponnier E, Mercier JL, Tongling H. Quaternary extension in southern Tibet: field observations and tectonic implications. J. geophys. Res. 1986, 93:13 803-13 872.
4. Beaumont C, Jamieson RA, Nguyen MH, Medvedev S. Crustal channel flows: 1. Numerical models with applications to the tectonics of the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen. J. geophys. Res. 2004, 109:B06406. 10.1029/2003JB002809, doi
5. Beaumont C, Nguyen MH, Jamieson RA, Ellis S. Crustal flow modes in large hot orogens. Channel Flow, Ductile Extrusion and Exhumation in Continental Collision Zones 2006, Vol. 268:91-146. Law RD, Searle MP, Godin L, eds, Geological Society, London, Special Publications
6. Brown LD. Bright spots, structure, and magmatism in southern Tibet from INDEPTH seismic reflection profiling. Science 1996, 274:1688-1690.
7. Burchfiel BC, Royden LH. North-south extension within the convergent Himalayan region. Geology 1985, 13:679-682.
8. Burchfiel BC, Chen Z, Hodges KV, Yuping L, Royden LH, Changrong D, Jiene X. The south Tibetan detachment system, Himalayan Orogen: extension contemporaneous with and parallel to shortening in a collisional mountain belt. Geol. Soc. Am., Spec. Pap. 1992, 269:41 pp.
9. Burg JP, Chen GM. Tectonics and structural zonation of southern Tibet, China. Nature 1984, 311:219-223.
10. Burg JP, Capais D, Capais D. Deformation of the crystalline main central sheet in south Tibet (China). J. Struct. Geol. 1984, 6(5):535-542.
11. Caldwell WB, Klemperer SL, Rai SS, Lawrenc JF. Partial melt in the upper-middle crust of the northwest Indian Himalaya revealed by Rayleigh wave dispersion. Tectonophysics 2009, 477:58-65. 10.1016/j.tecto.2009.01.013, doi
12. Červený V, Molotkov IA, Pšenčík I. Ray methods in Seismology 1977, University of Karlova, Prague
13. Chang C, Shackleton RM. The Geological Evolution of Tibet 1988, The Royal Society, London
14. Chen Y, Badal J, Hu JF. Love and Rayleigh wave tomography of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and surrounding areas. Pure appl. Geophys. 2010, 167. 10.1007/s00024-009-0040-1, doi
15. Chen Z, Liu Y, Hodges KV, Burchfiel BC, Royden LH, Deng C. The Kangmar ome-a metamorphic core complex in Southern Xizang (Tibet). Science 1990, 250:1552-1556.
16. Christensen NI, Mooney WD. Seismic velocity structure and composition of the continental crust: a global view. J. geophys. Res. 1995, 100:9761-9788.
17. Christensen NI. Poisson's ratio and crustal seismology. J. geophys. Res. 1996, 101:3139-3156.
18. Chun K, Yoshii T. Crustal structure of the Tibetan Plateau; a surface-wave study by a moving window analysis. Bull. seism. Soc. Am. 1977, 67:735-750.
19. Clark MK, Royden LH. Topographic ooze: building the eastern margin of Tibet by lower crustal flow. Geology 2000, 28:703-706.
20. Cogan M, Nelson KD, Kidd W, Wu C. Shallow structure of the Yadong-Gulu rift, southern Tibet, from refraction analysis of INDEPTH CMP data. Tectonics 1998, 17(1):46-61.
21. Coleman M, Hodges K. Evidence for plateau uplift before 14 Myr ago from a new minimum age for E-W extension. Nature 1995, 374:49-52.
22. Cook FA, Varsek JI. Orogen-scale decollements. Rev. Geophys. 1994, 32:37-60.
23. Cotte N. Determination of the crustal structure in southern Tibet by dispersion and amplitude analysis of Rayleigh waves. Geophys. J. Int. 1999, 138:809-819.
24. DeCelles PG, Robinson DM, Quade J, Ojha TP, Garzione CN, Copeland P, Upreti BN. Stratigraphy, structure, and tectonic evolution of the Himalayan fold-thrust belt in western Nepal. Tectonics 2001, 20(4):487-509.
25. Edwards MA, Kidd WSE, Li J, Yue Y, Wu C, Clark M. Surface geology of the INDEPTH I and II seismic profiles, southern Tibet. EOS, Trans. Am. geophys. Un. 1994, 75:632.
26. England P, Houseman G. The mechanics of the Tibetan Plateau. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond., A 1988, 326:301-320.
27. England P, Molnar P. Cause and effect among thrust and normal faulting, anatectic melting and exhumation in the Himalaya. Himalayan Tectonics 1993, Vol. 74:401-411. Treloar PJ, Searle M. eds, Geol. Soc. London Spec. Publ
28. Galve A, Sapin M, Hirn A, Diaz J, Lepine JC, Laigle M, Gallart J, Jiang M. Complex images of Moho and variation of Vp/Vs across the Himalaya and South Tibet, from a joint receiver-function and wide-angle-reflection approach. Geophys. Res. Lett. 2002, 29(24):2182. 10.1029/2002GL015611, doi
29. Gansser A. Geology of the Himalayas 1964, 289. Wiley Interscience, London, pp
30. Gao E. Crustal structure interpreted from the explosive seismic exploration in the Himalayas Yarlung-Zangbo area. Papers on Geophysics, Geology of the Himalayas 1991, Vol. 1:298-36. Li GYuan XHirn A. eds, Geological Publishing House, Beijing, China, pp
31. Grujic D, Casey M, Davidson C, Hollister LS, Kündig R, Pavlis T, Schmid S. Ductile extrusion of the Higher Himalayan Crystalline in Bhutan: evidence from quartz microfabrics. Tectonophysics 1996, 260(1-3):21-43. 10.1016/0040-1951(96)00074-1, doi
32. Harrison T M, Copeland P, Kidd WSF, Lovera OM. Activation of the Nyainqentanghla shear zone: Implications for uplift of the southern Tibetan Plateau. Tectonics 1995, 14:658-676.
33. Harrison TM, Grove M, McKeegan KD, Coath CD, Lovera OM, LeFort P. Origin and episodic emplacement of the Manaslu intrusive complex, central Himalaya. J. Petrol. 1999, 40:3-19.
34. Hauck ML, Nelson KD, Brown LD, Zhao W, Ross AR. Crustal structure of the Himalayan orogen at -90 degree east longitude from Project INDEPTH deep reflection profiles. Tectonics 1998, 17(4):481-500.
35. Haines SS, Klemperer SL, Brown L, Guo J, Mechie J, Meissner R, Ross A, Zhao W. INDEPTH III seismic data: from surface observations to deep crustal processes in Tibet. Tectonics 2003, 22(1):1001. 10.1029/2001TC001305, doi
36. Hirn A, Sapin M. The Himalayan zone of crustal interaction: suggestions from explosion seismology. Ann. Geophys. 1984, 2:123-130.
37. Hirn A. Crustal structure and variability of Himalayan border of Tibet. Nature 1984a, 307:23-25.
38. Hirn A, Nercessian A, Sapin M, Jobert G, Xu ZX, Gao EY, Lu DY, Teng JW. Lhasa block and ordering suture: a continuation of a 500 km Moho traverse through Tibet. Nature 1984b, 307(5946):25-27.
39. Hirn A, Jobert G, Wittlinger G, Xu ZX, Gao EY. Main features of the upper lithosphere in the unit between the High Himalayas and the Yarlung Zangbo Jiang suture. Ann. Geophys. 1984c, 2:113-118.
40. Hirn A, Sapin M, Jean Claude Lepine, Jordi Diaz, Jiang M. Increase in melt fraction along a south-north traverse below the Tibetan Plateau: evidence from seismology. Tectonophysics 1997, 273:17-30.
41. Hodges KV, Parrish RR, Housh TB, Lux DR, Burchfiel BC, Royden LH, Chen Z. Simultaneous Miocene extension and shortening in the Himalayan Orogen. Nature 1992, 258:1466-1470.
42. Inger S, Harris NBW. Geochemical constraints on leucogranite magmatism in the Langtang Valley, Nepal Himalaya. J. Petrol. 1993, 34:345-368.
43. Kind R. Evidence from earthquake data for a partially molten crustal layer in southern Tibet. Science 1996, 274(5293):1692-1694.
44. Klemperer SL. Crustal flow in Tibet: geophysical evidence for the physical state of Tibetan lithosphere, and inferred patterns of active flow. Channel Flow, Ductile Extrusion and Exhumation in Continental Collision Zones 2006, Vol. 268:39-70. Law RDSearle MPGodin L. eds, Geological Society, London, Special Publications
45. Le Fort P. Himalayas: the collided range, Present knowledge of the continental arc. Am. J. Sci. 1975, 275A:1-44.
46. Lee J. Evolution of the Kangmar dome, southern Tibet: Structural, petrologic, and thermochronologic constraints. Tectonics 2000, 19(5):872-895.
47. Lee J, Hacker B, Wang Y. Evolution of North Himalayan gneiss domes: structural and metamorphic studies in Mabja Dome, southern Tibet. J. Struct. Geol. 2004, 26:2297-2316.
48. Leech ML, Singh S, Jain AK, Klemperer SL, Manickavasagam RM. The onset of India-Asia continental collision: Early, steep subduction required by the timing of UHP metamorphism in the western Himalaya. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 2005, 234:83-97.
49. Liu DM, Li DW, Fan XG, Liao QA. Evolution of deformation and metamorphism during the tectono-emplacement of the granulite in the middle Himalaya orogen. J. Jilin Univ. (Earth Sci. Edition) 2009, 39(4):699-705.
50. Makovsky Y, Klemperer SL. Measuring the seismic properties of Tibetan bright spots: evidence for free aqueous fluids in the Tibetan middle crust. J. geophys. Res. 1999, 104(135):10 795-10 825.
51. Makovsky Y, Klemperer SL, Huang LY, Lu DY. Structural elements of the southern Tethyan Himalaya crust from wid-angle seismic data. Tectonics 1996, 15:997-1005.
52. Makovsky Y, Klemperer S, Ratschbacher L, Alsdorf D. Midcrust reflector on INDEPTH wide-angle profiles: an ophiolitic slab beneath the Indian-Asia suture in southern Tibet. Tectonics 1999, 18(5):793-808.
53. Masek JG, Isacks BL, Fielding EJ, Browaeys J. Rift flank uplift in Tibet: evidence for a viscous lower crust. Tectonics 1994, 13:659-667.
54. Matthews D, Hirn A. Crustal thickening in Himalayas and Caledonides. Nature 1984, 308:497-498.
55. Min Z, Wu FT. Nature of the upper crust beneath central Tibet. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 1987, 84:204-210.
56. Molnar P, Tapponnier P. Active tectonics of Tibet. J. geophys. Res. 1978, 83:5361-5375.
57. Molnar P, England P, Martinod J. Mantle dynamics, uplift of the Tibetan, and the indian monsoon. Rev. Geophys. 1993, 31:357-396.
58. Monsalve G, Sheehan A, Schulte-Pelkum V, Rajaure S, Pandey MR, Wu F. Seismicity and one-dimensional velocity structure of the Himalayan collision zone: earthquakes in the crust and upper mantle. J. geophys. Res. 2006, 111. 10.10292005JB004062, doi
59. Nelson KD. partially molten middle crust beneath southern Tibet: synthesis of project INDEPTH results. Science 1996, 274:1684-1688. &, 27 co-authors
60. Owens T J, Zandt G. Implications of crustal property variations for models of Tibetan plateau evolution. Nature 1997, 387:37-43.
61. Pandey M, Tandukar R, Avouac J, Vergne J, Heritier T. Seismotectonics of the Nepal Himalaya from a local seismic network. J. Asian Earth Sci. 1999, 17:703-712.
62. Patiño Douce AE, Harris N. Experimental constraints on Himalayan anatexis. J. Petrol. 1998, 39:689-710.
63. Ratschbacher L, Frisch W, Liu G, Chen C. Distributed deformation in southern and western Tibet during and after India-Asia collision. J. geophys. Res. 1994, 99:19817-19945.
64. Rodgers AJ, Schwartz SY. Low crustal velocities and mantle lithospheric variations in southern Tibet from regional Pnl waveforms. Geophys. Res. Lett. 1997, 24:9-12.
65. Sapin M, Hirn A. Seismic structure and evidence for eclogitization during the Himalayan convergence. Tectonophysics 1997, 273:1-16.
66. Sapin M, Wang X, Hirn A, Xu Z. A seismic sounding in the crust of the Lhasa block, Tibet. Ann. Geophys. 1985, 3(5):637-646.
67. Schulte-Pelkum V, Monsalve G, Sheehan A, Pandey MR, Sapkota S, Bilham R, Wu F. Imaging the Indian subcontinent beneath the Himalaya. Nature 2005, 435:1222-12225.
68. Searle M, Corfield RI, Stephenson B, McCarron J. Structure of the north Indian continental margin in the Ladakh-Zanskar Himalayas: implications for the timing of obduction of the Spontang ophiolite, India-Asia collision and deformational events in the Himlaya. Geol. Mag. 1997, 134:297-316.
69. Searle MP. Stratigraphy, structure and evolution of the Tibetan-Tethys zone in Zanskar and the Indus suture zone in the Ladakh Himalaya. Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh 1983, 73:205-219.
70. Searle MP, Cooper DJW, Rex AJ. Collision tectonics of the Ladakh Zanskar Himalaya. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond., Ser. A 1988, 326:117-150.
71. Searle MP. The closing of Tethys and the tectonics of the Himalaya. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 1987, 98:678-701.
72. Srivastava P, Mitra G. Thrust geometries and deep structure of the outer and lesser Himalaya, Kumaon and Garhwal (India): implications for evolution of the Himalayan fold-and-thrust belt. Tectonics 1994, 13(1):89-109.
73. Tapponnier P, Molnar P. Active faulting and tectonics in China. J. geophys. Res. 1977, 82:2905-2930.
74. Tapponnier P, Peltzer G, Le Dayn AY, Armijo R, Cobbold P. Propagating extension tectonics in Asia: new insights from simple experiments with plasticine. Geology 1982, 110:611-616.
75. Teng JW, Xiong SB, Yin ZX. Seismic velocity distribution and crustal velocity in Xizang (Tibet) Plateau. Chin. J. Geophys. 1985, 16-27. (1), in Chinese and with English abstract
76. Teyssier C, Whitney DL. Gneiss domes and orogeny. Geology 2002, 30:1139-1142.
77. Thiede RC, Ramón Arrowsmith J, Bodo Bookhagen, Michael McWilliams, Edward R, Sobel, Manfred R, Strecker Dome formation and extension in the Tethyan Himalaya, Leo Pargil, northwest India. GSA Bull. 2006, 118(5/6):635-650. 10.1130/B25872, doi
78. Unsworth MJ, Jones AG, Wei W, Marquis G, Gokarn SG, Spratt JE. Crustal rheology of the Himalaya and southern Tibet inferred from magnetotelluric data. Nature 2005, 438. 10.1038/nature04154, doi
79. Wang CY, Flesch LM, Silver PG, Chang LJ, Chan WW. Evidence for mechanically coupled lithosphere in central Asia and resulting implications. Geology 2008, 36:363-366.
80. Wu C, Nelson KD, Wortman G, Samson SD, Yue YJ, Li JX, Kidd WSF, Edwards MA. Yadong cross structure and South Tibetan Detachment in the east central Himalaya (89-90 degree E). Tectonics 1998, 17(1):28-45.
81. Xiong S, Teng J, Yin Z. The thickness of the crust and undulation of discontinuity in Xizang (Tibet) plateau. Chin. J. Geophys. 1985, 16-27. (1), in Chinese and with English abstract
82. Yin A. Mode of Cenozoic east-west extension in Tibet suggesting a common origin of rifts in Asia during the Indo-Asia collision. J. geophys. Res. 2000, 105(B9):21 745-21 759.
83. Yin A, Harrison TM. Geologic evolution of the HimalayanTibetan orogen. Annu. Rev. Earth planet. Sci. 2000, 28:211-280.
84. Yuan X, Ni J, Kind R, Mechie J, Sandvol E. Lithospheric and upper mantle structure of southern Tibet from a seismological passive source experiment. J. geophys. Res. 1997, 102(B12):27 491-27 500.
85. Zhang H, Harris N, Parrish R, Kelley S, Zhang L, Rogers N, Argles T, King J. Causes and consequences of protracted melting of the mid-crust exposed in the North Himalayan antiform. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 2004, 228:195-212.
86. Zhang Z, Klemperer S. West-east variation in crustal thickness in northern Lhasa block, central Tibet, from deep seismic sounding data. J. geophys. Res. 2005, 110(B9):B09403. 10.129/2004JB003139, doi
87. Zhang Z, Wang Y, Chen Y, Houseman G, Tian X, Wang E, Teng J. Crustal structure across Longmenshan fault belt from passive source seismic profiling. Geophys. Res. Lett. 2009, 36:L17310. 10.1029/2009GL039580, doi
88. Zhang Z, Yuan X, Chen Y, Tian X, Kind R, Li X, Teng J. Seismic signature of the collision between the east Tibetan escape flow and the Sichuan Basin. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 2010, 292:254-264. 10.1016/j.epsl.2010.01.046, doi
89. Zhao L, Sen MK, Stoffa P, Frohlich C. Application of very fast simulated annealing to the determination of the crustal structure beneath Tibet. Geophys. J. Int. 1996, 125:355-370.
90. Zhao WJ. Deep Structure and Formation Study under Himalaya Mountain and Indus-Yarluzanbo Suture Belt 2001, 369. Geological Publisher, in Chinese, pp
91. Zhao WJ, Nelson KD. Deep seismic reflection evidence for continental underthrusting beneath southern Tibet. Nature 1993, 366:557-559.
92. Zhao WL, Morgan WJ. Injection of India crust into Tibetan lower crust. Tectonics 1987, 6:489-504.