Evidence for Tibetan plateau uplift in Qaidam basin before Eocene-Oligocene boundary and its climatic implications

Abstract

Geometry analysis of the Hongsanhan (红三旱) Section in the northwestern Qaidam basin illustrates the typical growth strata in the Xiaganchaigou (下干柴沟) Formation. The age and sedi-mentation rates of the Xiaganchaigou and the Shangganchaigou (上干柴沟) formations were determined by the high-resolution magnetostratigraphy. This result shows that the growth strata began to form at ca. 38.0 Ma and increased sedimentation rates occurred at ca. 37.0 Ma. The uplift of the Tibetan plateau before the Eocene-Oligocene boundary is confirmed, which enables us to better understand the relationship between climatic changes and the tectonic uplift. This uplift event could have resulted in the regional drying by blocking the moisture and contributed to the Eocene-Oligocene boundary global cooling event due to the declining atmospheric CO₂ concentrations by increased weathering of the mountains.

Keywords

Qaidam basin / Eocene-Oligocene boundary / growth stratum / magnetostratigraphy

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