Back to Search
Start Over
Mesozoic Thermo-Tectonic Evolution of the Western Altai Orogenic Belt (NW China): Insights from Low-Temperature Thermochronology
- Source :
- Lithosphere, Vol 2023, Iss Special 14 (2023)
- Publication Year :
- 2023
- Publisher :
- GeoScienceWorld, 2023.
-
Abstract
- The Meso-Cenozoic tectonic activities of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) played an important role in controlling the present-day topography of Central Asia. The Altai orogenic belt is a key component in the southern CAOB; so far, there is still a lack of sufficient constraints on the time and mechanism of its tectonic reactivation since the Mesozoic. In this contribution, we present new zircon and apatite (U-Th)/He and apatite fission track thermochronological data from granitoid samples in the Habahe area, western Altai orogenic belt. Therein zircon (U-Th)/He ages range from ~230 to ~238 Ma, apatite fission track central ages are ~140–157 Ma, and apatite (U-Th)/He ages vary from ~134 to ~149 Ma. Based on the associated thermal history modeling results, the Habahe area underwent a moderate cooling during the Late Triassic to Middle Jurassic (~230–170 Ma) with a cooling rate of ~0.8–1.1℃/Ma and a subsequent moderate to slightly rapid cooling stage during the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (170–130 Ma) with a cooling rate of ~1.5–2.3℃/Ma. We propose that this prolonged cooling stage occurred under a long-lasting contractional tectonism in the western Altai throughout the early Mesozoic, which was produced by multiplate convergence in East Asia during this period, mainly including the consumption of the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean in the northeast and the Meso-Tethys Ocean in the south. The region experienced rather limited Late Cretaceous-Cenozoic cooling and exhumation due to insufficient reactivation and weak surficial erosion.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 19418264 and 19474253
- Volume :
- 2023
- Issue :
- Special 14
- Database :
- Directory of Open Access Journals
- Journal :
- Lithosphere
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsdoj.4270306ca44847b0ba33b2371664be22
- Document Type :
- article
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.2113/2023/8161000/5933536/8161000.pdf