Climatic and tectonic evolution in the North Qaidam since the Cenozoic: Evidence from sedimentology and mineralogy

Abstract

Clay mineralogy and bulk mineral composition of Tertiary sediments in Qaidam were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy in order to better understand regional climate change resulting from uplift of the Northeast Tibetan Plateau. Climate change in Qaidam since ∼53.5 Ma could be divided into four stages: a warm and seasonally arid climate between ∼53.5 and 40 Ma, a cold and arid climate from ∼40 to 26 Ma, a warm and humid climate between ∼26 and 13.5 Ma, and a much colder and arid climate from ∼13.5 to 2.5 Ma, respectively. The illite crystallinity and sedimentary facies suggested that uplift events took place around >52–50, ∼40-38, ∼26-15, ∼10-8, and <5 Ma in the Qaidam region, respectively. The climate in Qaidam Basin could have been controlled by global climate prior to 13.5 Ma. As the Tibetan Plateau reached a significant elevation by ∼13.5 Ma, and the climate cycles of the East Asian monsoon might add additional influence.

Keywords

clay mineral / illite crystallinity / paleoclimate / Qaidam Basin / Tibetan Plateau

References

An Z S, Kutzbach J E, Prell W L, . Evolution of Asian Monsoons and Phased Uplift of the Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau since Late Miocene Times. Nature, 2001, 411: 62-66.

Chamley H. Clay Sedimentology, 1989 Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 1-623.

Chung S L, Chu M F, Zhang Y Q, . Tibetan Tectonic Evolution Inferred from Spatial and Temporal Variations in Post-Collisional Magmatism. Earth Science Reviews, 2005, 68(3–4): 173-196.

Clark M K, Farley K A, Zheng D W, . Early Cenozoic Faulting of the Northern Tibetan Plateau Margin from Apatite (U-Th)/He Ages. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2010, 296(1–2): 78-88.

DeCelles P G, Quade J, Kapp P, . High and Dry in Central Tibet during the Late Oligocene. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2007, 253(3–4): 389-401.

Drits V A, Sakharov B A, Dainyak L G, . Structural and Chemical Heterogeneity of Illite-Smectites from Upper Jurassic Mudstones of East Greenland Related to Volcanic and Weathered Parent Rocks. American Mineralogist, 2002, 87(11–12): 1590-1606.

Duan Z, Hu W. The Accumulation of Potash in a Continental Basin: The Example of the Qarhan Saline Lake, Qaidam Basin, West China. European Journal of Mineralogy, 2001, 13(6): 1223-1233.

Dupont-Nivet G, Horton B K, Butler R F, . Paleogene Clockwise Tectonic Rotation of the Xining-Lanzhou Region, Northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Journal of Geophysical Research, 2004, 109 B04401

Dupont-Nivet G, Krijgsman W, Langereis C G, . Tibetan Plateau Aridification Linked to Global Cooling at the Eocene-Oligocene Transition. Nature, 2007, 445: 635-638.

Dupont-Nivet G, Hoorn C, Konert M. Tibetan Uplift Prior to the Eocene-Oligocene Climate Transition: Evidence from Pollen Analysis of the Xining Basin. Geology, 2008, 36(12): 987-990.

Fang X M, Zhang W L, Meng Q Q, . High-Resolution Magnetostratigraphy of the Neogene Huaitoutala Section in the Eastern Qaidam Basin on the NE Tibetan Plateau, Qinghai Province, China and Its Implication on Tectonic Uplift of the NE Tibetan Plateau. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2007, 258(1–2): 293-306.

Grim R E. Clay Mineralogy, 1968 New York: McGraw-Hill, 600.

Harris N. The Elevation History of the Tibetan Plateau and Its Implications for the Asian Monsoon. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2006, 241(1): 4-15.

Harrison T M, Copeland P, Kidd W S, . Raising Tibet. Science, 1992, 255(5052): 1663-1670.

Hong H L, Yu N, Xiao P, . Authigenic Palygorskite in Miocene Sediments in Linxia Basin, Gansu, Northwestern China. Clay Minerals, 2007, 42(1): 45-58.

Hong H L, Zhang K X, Li Z H. Climatic and Tectonic Uplift Evolution since ∼7 Ma in Gyirong Basin, Southwestern Tibet Plateau: Clay Mineral Evidence. International Journal of Earth Sciences, 2010, 99(6): 1305-1315.

Hong H L, Wang C W, Xu Y M. Paleoclimate Evolution of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau since the Cenozoic. Earth Science-Journal of China University of Geosciences, 2010, 355(5): 728-736.

Jiang R B, Chen X H, Dang Y Q, . Apatite Fission Track Evidence for Two Phases Mesozoic-Cenozoic Thrust Faulting in Eastern Qaidam Basin. Chinese Journal of Geophysics, 2008, 511(1): 116-124.

Jolivet M, Burnel M, Seward D, . Mesozoic and Cenozoic Tectonics of the Northern Edge of the Tibetan Plateau: Fission Track Constraints. Tectonophysics, 2001, 343(1–2): 111-134.

Kuhn G, Diekmann B. Late Quaternary Variability of Ocean Circulation in the Southeastern South Atlantic Inferred from the Terrigenous Sediment Record of a Drift Deposit in the Southern Cape Basin (ODP Site 1089). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2002, 182(3–4): 287-303.

Lanson B, Sakharov B A, Claret F, . Diagenetic Smectite-to-Illite Transition in Clay-Rich Sediments: A Reappraisal of X-Ray Diffraction Results Using the Multi-Specimen Method. American Journal of Science, 2009, 309(6): 476-516.

Li M H, Fang X M, Yi C L, . Evaporite Minerals and Geochemistry of the Upper 400 m Sediments in a Core from the Western Qaidam Basin, Tibet. Quaternary International, 2010, 218(1–2): 176-189.

Lu H J, Xiong S F. Magnetostratigraphy of the Dahonggou Section, Northern Qaidam Basin and Its Bearing on Cenozoic Tectonic Evolution of the Qilian Shan and Altyn Tagh Fault. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2009, 288(3–4): 539-550.

Mikesell L R, Schaetzl R J, Velbel M A. Hornblende Etching and Quartz/Feldspar Ratios as Weathering and Soil Development Indicators in Some Michigan Soils. Quaternary Research, 2004, 62(2): 162-171.

Molnar P. Late Cenozoic Increase in Accumulation Rates of Terrestrial Sediment: How Might Cimate Change Have Affected Erosion Rates?. Annual Reviews of Earth Planetary Sciences, 2004, 32: 67-89.

Raymo M E, Ruddiman W F. Tectonic Forcing of Late Cenozoic Climate Change. Nature, 1992, 359: 117-122.

Rieser A B, Bojar A V, Neubauer F, . Monitoring Cenozoic Climate Evolution of Northeastern Tibet: Stable Isotope Constraints from the Western Qaidam Basin, China. International Journal of Earth Sciences, 2009, 98(5): 1063-1075.

Rowley D B, Currie B S. Palaeo-Atimetry of the Late Eocene to Miocene Lunpola Basin, Central Tibet. Nature, 2006, 439: 677-681.

Singer A. The Paleoclimatic Interpretation of Clay Minerals in Sediment-A Review. Earth-Science Reviews, 1984, 21(4): 251-293.

Song B W, Zhang K X, Ji J L, . Palaeogence Sedimentary Evolution in the Xitieshan-Changshanliang Region, North Qaidam Basin. Sedimentary Geology and Tethyan Geology, 2010, 30(1): 1-10.

Sun J M, Zhang Z Q. Palynological Evidence for the Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum Recorded in Cenozoic Sediments of the Tian Shan Range, Northwestern China. Global and Planetary Change, 2008, 64(1–2): 53-68.

Sun X J, Wang P X. How Old is the Asian Monsoon System?-Palaeobotanical Records from China. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2005, 222(3–4): 181-222.

Sun Z M, Yang Z Y, Pei J L, . Magnetostratigraphy of Paleogene Sediments from Northern Qaidam Basin, China: Implications for Tectonic Uplift and Block Rotation in Northern Tibetan Plateau. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2005, 237(3–4): 635-646.

Wang C W, Hong H L, Song B W, . The Early-Eocene Climate Optimum (EECO) Event in Qaidam Basin, Northwest China: Clay Evidence. Clay Minerals, 2011, 46(4): 649-661.

Wang C S, Zhao X X, Liu Z F, . Constraints on the Early Uplift History of the Tibetan Plateau. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2008, 105(13): 4987-4992.

Wang G C, Cao K, Zhang K X, . Spatio-Temporal Famework of Tectonic Uplift Stages of the Tibetan Plateau in Cenozoic. Science China: Earth Sciences, 2011, 54(1): 29-44.

Wang J, Wang Y J, Liu Z C, . Cenozoic Environmental Evolution of the Qaidam Basin and Its Implications for the Uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and the Drying of Central Asia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 1999, 152(1–2): 37-47.

Wang S J, Ren M D, Huang X Z, . The Transverse Distribution Regularity and Its Controlling Factors of Clay Minerals in Tertiary System, Qaidam Basin. Acta Sedimentologica Sinica, 1997, 15(3): 153-157.

Wang X L, Miao X D. Weathering History Indicated by the Luminescence Emissions in Chinese Loess and Paleosol. Quaternary Science Reviews, 2006, 25(13–14): 1719-1726.

Wang X M, Qiu Z D, Li Q, . Vertebrate Paleontology, Biostratigraphy, Geochronology, and Paleoenvironment of Qaidam Basin in Northern Tibetan Plateau. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 2007, 254(3–4): 363-385.

Warr L N, Rice A H N. Interlaboratory Standardization and Calibration of Day Mineral Crystallinity and Crystallite Size Data. Journal of Metamorphic Geology, 1994, 12(2): 141-152.

Wright J D, Miller K G, Fairbanks R G. Early and Middle Miocene Stable Isotopes: Implications for Deepwater Circulation and Climate. Paleoceanography, 1992, 7(3): 357-389.

Yin A. Cenozoic Tectonic Evolution of Asia: A preliminary Synthesis. Tectonophysics, 2010, 488(1–4): 293-325.

Yin A, Dang Y Q, Wang L C, . Cenozoic Tectonic Evolution of Qaidam Basin and Its Surrounding Regions (Part 1): The Southern Qilian Shan-Nan Shan Thrust Belt and Northern Qaidam Basin. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 2008, 120(7–8): 813-846.

Yin A, Rumelhart P E, Butler R, . Tectonic History of the Altyn Tagh Fault System in Northern Tibet Inferred from Cenozoic Sedimentation. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 2002, 114(10): 1257-1295.

Zachos J C, Pagani M, Sloan L, . Trends, Rhythms, and Aberrations in Global Climate 65 Ma to Present. Science, 2001, 292(5517): 686-693.

Zhang K X, Wang G C, Cao K, . Cenozoic Sedimentary Records and Geochronological Constraints of Differential Uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Science in China Series D: Earth Sciences, 2008, 51(11): 1658-1672.

Zhang K X, Wang G C, Ji J L, . Paleogene-Neogene Stratigraphic Realm and Sedimentary Sequence of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Their Response to Uplift of the Plateau. Science China: Earth Sciences, 2010, 53(9): 1271-1294.

Zhang K X, Wang G C, Luo M S, . Evolution of Tectonic Lithofacies Paleogeography of Cenozoic of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Its Response to Uplift of the Plateau. Earth Science-Journal of China University of Geosciences, 2010, 35(5): 697-712.

Zhang W L. The High Precise Cenozoic Magnetostratigraphy of the Qaidam Basin and Uplift of the Northern Tibetan Plateau: [Dissertation], 2006 Lanzhou: Lanzhou University, 95-105.

Zheng D W, Zhang P Z, Wan J L, . Rapid Exhumation at ∼8 Ma on the Liupan Shan Thrust Fault from Apatite Fission-Track Thermochronology: Implications for Growth of the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau Margin. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 2006, 248(1–2): 198-208.