Evolution of Asian monsoons and phased uplift of the Himalaya-Tibetan plateau since Late Miocene times

The climates of Asia are affected significantly by the extent and height of the Himalayan mountains and the Tibetan plateau. Uplift of this region began about 50 Myr ago, and further significant increases in altitude of the Tibetan plateau are thought to have occurred about 10-8 Myr ago, or more recently. However, the climatic consequences of this uplift remain unclear. Here we use records of aeolian sediments from China and marine sediments from the Indian and North Pacific oceans to identify three stages of evolution of Asian climates: first, enhanced aridity in the Asian interior and onset of the Indian and east Asian monsoons, about 9-8 Myr ago; next, continued intensification of the east Asian summer and winter monsoons, together with increased dust transport to the North Pacific Ocean, about 3.6-2.6 Myr ago; and last, increased variability and possible weakening of the Indian and east Asian summer monsoons and continued strengthening of the east Asian winter monsoon since about 2.6 Myr ago. The results of a numerical climate-model experiment, using idealized stepwise increases of mountain-plateau elevation, support the argument that the stages in evolution of Asian monsoons are linked to phases of Himalaya-Tibetan plateau uplift and to Northern Hemisphere glaciation.     

青藏高原地面抬升证据讨论

当前学术界在青藏高原地面何时达到现代高度问题上存在着许多不同观点,概括起来主要有３种：１４Ｍａ前已达到高于现代的最大高度,８Ｍａ前已达到或超过现代高度,距今３．４Ｍａ来分阶中强烈上升并逐步达到现代高度,之所以出现如此大的意见分歧,除高原面积广阔,研究程度不深和覆盖面不够的原因外,不同研究者所使用研究方法和证据的差异也是重要因素,在分析了各种证据对高原地面上升的记录机理后,我们认为夷平面、河流附地,     

Normal faulting in central Tibet since at least 13.5 Myr ago

Tectonic models for the evolution of the Tibetan plateau interpret observed east-west thinning of the upper crust to be the result of either increased potential energy of elevated crust or geodynamic processes that may be unrelated to plateau formation. A key piece of information needed to evaluate these models is the timing of deformation within the plateau. The onset of normal faulting has been estimated to have commenced in southern Tibet between about 14 Myr ago and about 8 Myr ago and, in central Tibet, about 4 Myr ago. Here, however, we report a minimum age of approximately 13.5 Myr for the onset of graben formation in central Tibet, based on mineralization ages determined with Rb-Sr and 40Ar-39Ar data that post-date a major graben-bounding normal fault. These data, along with evidence for prolonged activity of normal faulting in this and other Tibetan grabens, support models that relate normal faulting to processes occurring beneath the plateau. Thinning of the upper crust is most plausibly the result of potential-energy increases resulting from spatially and temporally heterogeneous changes in thermal structure and density distribution within the crust and upper mantle beneath Tibet. This is supported by recent geophysical and geological data, which indicate that spatial heterogeneity exists in both the Tibetan crust and lithospheric mantle.     

Continuing Colorado plateau uplift by delamination-style convective lithospheric downwelling

The Colorado plateau is a large, tectonically intact, physiographic province in the southwestern North American Cordillera that stands at ～1,800-2,000?m elevation and has long been thought to be in isostatic equilibrium. The origin of these high elevations is unclear because unlike the surrounding provinces, which have undergone significant Cretaceous-Palaeogene compressional deformation followed by Neogene extensional deformation, the Colorado plateau is largely internally undeformed. Here we combine new seismic tomography and receiver function images to resolve a vertical high-seismic-velocity anomaly beneath the west-central plateau that extends more than 200?km in depth. The upper surface of this anomaly is seismically defined by a dipping interface extending from the lower crust to depths of 70-90?km. The base of the continental crust above the anomaly has a similar shape, with an elevated Moho. We interpret these seismic structures as a continuing regional, delamination-style foundering of lower crust and continental lithosphere. This implies that Pliocene (2.6-5.3?Myr ago) uplift of the plateau and the magmatism on its margins are intimately tied to continuing deep lithospheric processes. Petrologic and geochemical observations indicate that late Cretaceous-Palaeogene (～90-40?Myr ago) low-angle subduction hydrated and probably weakened much of the Proterozoic tectospheric mantle beneath the Colorado plateau. We suggest that mid-Cenozoic (～35-25?Myr ago) to Recent magmatic infiltration subsequently imparted negative compositional buoyancy to the base and sides of the Colorado plateau upper mantle, triggering downwelling. The patterns of magmatic activity suggest that previous such events have progressively removed the Colorado plateau lithosphere inward from its margins, and have driven uplift. Using Grand Canyon incision rates and Pliocene basaltic volcanism patterns, we suggest that this particular event has been active over the past ～6?Myr.     

Fossils of Quercus sect. Heterobalanus can help explain the uplift of the Himalayas

Using data from previous research on Quercus sect. Heterobalanus, the coexistence approach to Xix-abangma and Namling fossil sets, and altitudinal ranges of vegetation presented by fossil floras, a re-view and reevaluation have been made of existing theories on the uplift of the Himalayas, especially the palaeoaltitudes of Xixabangma and Namling in Tibet. The Xixabangma fossil set has a palaeoaltitude range of 2500―3500 m, and has risen 2200―3400 m since the Pliocene. The lower and upper assem-blages of the Miocene Namling had palaeoaltitudes of 2500―3000 m and 2800―3000 m, respectively. Therefore, Namling has risen at least 1300 m since the Miocene, thereby challenging some existing theories that suggest Namling has been static since the Miocene.     

Dating of the oldest continental sediments from the Himalayan foreland basin

A detailed knowledge of Himalayan development is important for our wider understanding of several global processes, ranging from models of plateau uplift to changes in oceanic chemistry and climate. Continental sediments 55 Myr old found in a foreland basin in Pakistan are, by more than 20 Myr, the oldest deposits thought to have been eroded from the Himalayan metamorphic mountain belt. This constraint on when erosion began has influenced models of the timing and diachrony of the India-Eurasia collision, timing and mechanisms of exhumation and uplift, as well as our general understanding of foreland basin dynamics. But the depositional age of these basin sediments was based on biostratigraphy from four intercalated marl units. Here we present dates of 257 detrital grains of white mica from this succession, using the 40Ar-39Ar method, and find that the largest concentration of ages are at 36-40 Myr. These dates are incompatible with the biostratigraphy unless the mineral ages have been reset, a possibility that we reject on the basis of a number of lines of evidence. A more detailed mapping of this formation suggests that the marl units are structurally intercalated with the continental sediments and accordingly that biostratigraphy cannot be used to date the clastic succession. The oldest continental foreland basin sediments containing metamorphic detritus eroded from the Himalaya orogeny therefore seem to be at least 15-20 Myr younger than previously believed, and models based on the older age must be re-evaluated.     

青藏高原：全球气候变化的驱动机与放大器──Ⅱ．青藏高原隆起的基本过程

４０Ｍａ前印度板块与欧亚板块的碰撞导致了特提斯海的封闭和西藏成陆，但４０～２０ＭａＢＰ间地面很低。２０Ｍａ前的构造运动使青藏地区一些山地隆起，但而后又经历了长期的夷平，地貌与生物证据揭示，早上新世高原的高度仅约１０００ｍ。高原的强烈隆起开始于３．４Ｍａ前，这被高原内外普遍的砾岩堆积和盆地演化记录了下来。青藏高原东部盆地演化与大河流发育研究表明，至少有１０次强构造上升事件发生，它们分别开始于３．４、２．５、１．７、１．３、１．１、０．８、０．６、０．１４、０．０５和０．０１ＭａＢＰ。其中２．５、１．１、０．８、０．６和０．１４ＭａＢＰ五次上升事件对高原隆起十分重要。     

青藏高原隆升阶段性

 青藏高原的隆升不仅是印度板块与亚洲板块碰撞导致的地球内部岩石圈地球动力学作用过程的结果,并且对全球和亚洲气候变化、亚洲地貌和地表环境过程及大量地内和地表矿产资源的形成分布产生了深刻影响。因而研究高原隆升的历史不仅对解决上述重大科学问题提供重要途径,而且可为高原区域资源环境的开发和可持续发展提供理论依据。简要回顾和梳理了国内外近年来,围绕青藏高原隆升所取得的主要进展。研究表明新生代青藏高原经历了多阶段、多幕次、准同步异幅且高原南北后期加速隆升的演化过程。具体可划分为55~30、25~10及8~0 Ma 3个主要生长隆升期次。其中55~30 Ma的高原早期隆升,主要集中在高原中南部的拉萨地块和羌塘地块,并且可能隆升到接近3 km高度,或甚至更高,有人称之为“原西藏高原”,但其周缘存在准同步异幅的变形隆升响应;25~10 Ma的中期隆升,“原西藏高原”南北缘的喜马拉雅山和可可西里-昆仑山开始强烈隆升,“原西藏高原”率先隆升到目前高度并开始向东西两侧挤出物质、拉张形成南北向裂谷,高原北缘普遍产生广泛变形隆升但幅度有限;从约8 Ma开始的晚期隆升,高原南、北部边缘的喜马拉雅山和昆仑山-西秦岭以北的高原东北部隆升显著加速,经历一系列短暂快速的多幕次构造变形和生长隆升,最终形成现今高原面貌。     

基于数字高程模型(DEM)的可可西里地貌及区划研究

基于数字高程模型(DEM)数据,应用地理信息系统(GIS)方法,对可可西里地区地貌要素进行定量分析,并对其地貌区划进行研究。可可西里地区海拔分为中海拔、高海拔和极高海拔三级,其中高海拔地区占据69.38%的区域。研究区夷平面广泛发育,根据地势起伏度可划分为丘陵、平原和台地3种类型。除东部三江源地区外,研究区主体未受到青藏高原强烈隆升造成的河流溯源侵蚀影响,坡度类型以小于15的微斜坡、缓斜坡和斜坡为主,地势平坦。依据地貌形态特征定量分析、地貌类型组合和地貌成因的差异性原则,可可西里地区可划分为4个地貌区:羌塘高原地貌区(Ⅰ)、东昆仑山山地地貌区(Ⅱ)、三江源丘状山原地貌区(Ⅲ)和柴达木高原盆地区(Ⅳ)。其中,羌塘高原地貌区又可划分为可可西里高原地貌亚区(Ⅰ_1)和唐古拉山高山地貌亚区(Ⅰ_2),东昆仑山地地貌区可划分东昆仑南部极高山地貌亚区(Ⅱ_1)和东昆仑北部高山地貌亚区(Ⅱ_2)。地貌要素研究可以直观、量化地反映可可西里地区海拔、地势起伏度及坡度特征,地貌区划研究可以反映可可西里地区高原、山地、山原、盆地的地貌格局和水平分异,对研究地貌特征、地貌类型及开发保护具有重要意义。     

Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations over the past 60 million years

Knowledge of the evolution of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations throughout the Earth's history is important for a reconstruction of the links between climate and radiative forcing of the Earth's surface temperatures. Although atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations in the early Cenozoic era (about 60 Myr ago) are widely believed to have been higher than at present, there is disagreement regarding the exact carbon dioxide levels, the timing of the decline and the mechanisms that are most important for the control of CO2 concentrations over geological timescales. Here we use the boron-isotope ratios of ancient planktonic foraminifer shells to estimate the pH of surface-layer sea water throughout the past 60 million years, which can be used to reconstruct atmospheric CO2 concentrations. We estimate CO2 concentrations of more than 2,000 p.p.m. for the late Palaeocene and earliest Eocene periods (from about 60 to 52 Myr ago), and find an erratic decline between 55 and 40 Myr ago that may have been caused by reduced CO2 outgassing from ocean ridges, volcanoes and metamorphic belts and increased carbon burial. Since the early Miocene (about 24 Myr ago), atmospheric CO2 concentrations appear to have remained below 500 p.p.m. and were more stable than before, although transient intervals of CO2 reduction may have occurred during periods of rapid cooling approximately 15 and 3 Myr ago.     

Deep roots of the Messinian salinity crisis

The Messinian salinity crisis--the desiccation of the Mediterranean Sea between 5.96 and 5.33 million years (Myr) ago--was one of the most dramatic events on Earth during the Cenozoic era. It resulted from the closure of marine gateways between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, the causes of which remain enigmatic. Here we use the age and composition of volcanic rocks to reconstruct the geodynamic evolution of the westernmost Mediterranean from the Middle Miocene epoch to the Pleistocene epoch (about 12.1-0.65 Myr ago). Our data show that a marked shift in the geochemistry of mantle-derived volcanic rocks, reflecting a change from subduction-related to intraplate-type volcanism, occurred between 6.3 and 4.8 Myr ago, largely synchronous with the Messinian salinity crisis. Using a thermomechanical model, we show that westward roll back of subducted Tethys oceanic lithosphere and associated asthenospheric upwelling provides a plausible mechanism for producing the shift in magma chemistry and the necessary uplift (approximately 1 km) along the African and Iberian continental margins to close the Miocene marine gateways, thereby causing the Messinian salinity crisis.     

中新世以来滇西高原内红河流域区的古高程反演

流经滇西高原的红河水系将高原内被剥蚀下来的物质输送到莺歌海盆地与琼东南盆地中堆积.滇西高原隆升剥蚀区与莺歌海盆地和琼东南盆地堆积区构成了一个相对封闭系统.采用质量平衡法,将莺-琼盆地内的堆积物回剥至隆升剥蚀区,重建了中新世以来滇西高原内红河流域区所达到的可能高程.16.2～19.6 Ma前红河流域区海拔高度低于560 m,16.2～11 Ma前的隆升使高程升至860～950 m.经过11～5.3 Ma前的剥蚀夷平后,海拔高度降为800m.距今5.3～1.6 Ma前的快速隆升,使海拔高度曾达到2600～2725 m,隆升幅度达1800～1925 m,滇西高原形成.近1.6 Ma以来则主要是剥蚀削低,海拔高度从2560 m降为2300m.中新世以来红河流域区被剥蚀掉约3900 m.     

Palaeo-altimetry of the late Eocene to Miocene Lunpola basin, central Tibet

The elevation history of the Tibetan plateau provides direct insight into the tectonic processes associated with continent-continent collisions. Here we present oxygen-isotope-based estimates of the palaeo-altimetry of late Eocene and younger deposits of the Lunpola basin in the centre of the plateau, which indicate that the surface of Tibet has been at an elevation of more than 4 kilometres for at least the past 35 million years. We conclude that crustal, but not mantle, thickening models, combined with plate-kinematic solutions of India-Asia convergence, are compatible with palaeo-elevation estimates across the Tibetan plateau.     

A new species of great ape from the late Miocene epoch in Ethiopia

With the discovery of Ardipithecus, Orrorin and Sahelanthropus, our knowledge of hominid evolution before the emergence of Pliocene species of Australopithecus has significantly increased, extending the hominid fossil record back to at least 6 million years (Myr) ago. However, because of the dearth of fossil hominoid remains in sub-Saharan Africa spanning the period 12-7 Myr ago, nothing is known of the actual timing and mode of divergence of the African ape and hominid lineages. Most genomic-based studies suggest a late divergence date-5-6 Myr ago and 6-8 Myr ago for the human-chimp and human-gorilla splits, respectively-and some palaeontological and molecular analyses hypothesize a Eurasian origin of the African ape and hominid clade. We report here the discovery and recognition of a new species of great ape, Chororapithecus abyssinicus, from the 10-10.5-Myr-old deposits of the Chorora Formation at the southern margin of the Afar rift. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first fossils of a large-bodied Miocene ape from the African continent north of Kenya. They exhibit a gorilla-sized dentition that combines distinct shearing crests with thick enamel on its 'functional' side cusps. Visualization of the enamel-dentine junction by micro-computed tomography reveals shearing crest features that partly resemble the modern gorilla condition. These features represent genetically based structural modifications probably associated with an initial adaptation to a comparatively fibrous diet. The relatively flat cuspal enamel-dentine junction and thick enamel, however, suggest a concurrent adaptation to hard and/or abrasive food items. The combined evidence suggests that Chororapithecus may be a basal member of the gorilla clade, and that the latter exhibited some amount of adaptive and phyletic diversity at around 10-11 Myr ago.     

East Antarctic rifting triggers uplift of the Gamburtsev Mountains

The Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains are the least understood tectonic feature on Earth, because they are completely hidden beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Their high elevation and youthful Alpine topography, combined with their location on the East Antarctic craton, creates a paradox that has puzzled researchers since the mountains were discovered in 1958. The preservation of Alpine topography in the Gamburtsevs may reflect extremely low long-term erosion rates beneath the ice sheet, but the mountains' origin remains problematic. Here we present the first comprehensive view of the crustal architecture and uplift mechanisms for the Gamburtsevs, derived from radar, gravity and magnetic data. The geophysical data define a 2,500-km-long rift system in East Antarctica surrounding the Gamburtsevs, and a thick crustal root beneath the range. We propose that the root formed during the Proterozoic assembly of interior East Antarctica (possibly about 1 Gyr ago), was preserved as in some old orogens and was rejuvenated during much later Permian (roughly 250 Myr ago) and Cretaceous (roughly 100 Myr ago) rifting. Much like East Africa, the interior of East Antarctica is a mosaic of Precambrian provinces affected by rifting processes. Our models show that the combination of rift-flank uplift, root buoyancy and the isostatic response to fluvial and glacial erosion explains the high elevation and relief of the Gamburtsevs. The evolution of the Gamburtsevs demonstrates that rifting and preserved orogenic roots can produce broad regions of high topography in continental interiors without significantly modifying the underlying Precambrian lithosphere.     

Evidence from episodic seamount volcanism for pulsing of the Iceland plume in the past 70 Myr

The North Atlantic volcanic province has been attributed to continental rifting about 60 Myr ago over an Iceland plume head with a diameter of 1,000-2,000 km (refs 1, 2). But evidence from a few igneous centres has been used to infer that earlier plume activity occurred in this region. The three seamounts in the Rockall trough off the Atlantic coast of Scotland are among the few accessible remnants of such early plume activity. Here we present 40Ar-39Ar incremental-heating ages of samples from these seamounts, which show that volcanism began there in the late Cretaceous period (70 +/- 1 Myr ago), and then continued for the next 30 Myr in at least four discrete phases: 62, 52, 47 and 42 Myr ago. We relate this activity to pulsing of large masses (approximately 10(8) km3) of hot Iceland plume material on timescales of 5-10 Myr. This significantly extends the time span for Iceland plume activity both backwards and forwards in time, and provides a possible alternative to the 'plume head' models for the formation of continental flood basalts.     

Using the fossil record to estimate the age of the last common ancestor of extant primates

Divergence times estimated from molecular data often considerably predate the earliest known fossil representatives of the groups studied. For the order Primates, molecular data calibrated with various external fossil dates uniformly suggest a mid-Cretaceous divergence from other placental mammals, some 90 million years (Myr) ago, whereas the oldest known fossil primates are from the basal Eocene epoch (54-55 Myr ago). The common ancestor of primates should be earlier than the oldest known fossils, but adequate quantification is needed to interpret possible discrepancies between molecular and palaeontological estimates. Here we present a new statistical method, based on an estimate of species preservation derived from a model of the diversification pattern, that suggests a Cretaceous last common ancestor of primates, approximately 81.5 Myr ago, close to the initial divergence time inferred from molecular data. It also suggests that no more than 7% of all primate species that have ever existed are known from fossils. The approach unites all the available palaeontological methods of timing evolutionary events: the fossil record, extant species and clade diversification models.     

新生代青藏高原三维古地形再造

印度板块与欧亚板块的碰撞,引发了青藏高原的快速隆升、高原及邻区的气候环境、地形地势巨变,这一过程为同期形成的海洋沉积盆地、周缘前陆盆地和高原内部盆地所记录。高原隆升剥蚀区与前述三种类型的汇水盆地基本上处于一个相对封闭和半封闭体系,因而,可以根据质量平衡的原则,将汇水盆地内的沉积物按照物源方向和一定的分配方案回剥至隆升剥蚀区,重建任一时间段内剥蚀区的地形地势。通过对比不同时间段的古地形地势演变,可以比较精确和全面地刻划高原的隆升过程、隆升和剥蚀速率、隆升后所达到的海拔高度,进而探讨隆升与气候的关系,探索青藏高原在大陆碰撞体制下是增生扩大还是缩小     

Magnetostratigraphy of Late Cenozoic fossil mammals in the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau

~~Magnetostratigraphy of Late Cenozoic fossil mammals in the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau~~~~     

Doushantuo embryos preserved inside diapause egg cysts

Phosphatized microfossils in the Ediacaran (635-542 Myr ago) Doushantuo Formation, south China, have been interpreted as the embryos of early animals. Despite experimental demonstration that embryos can be preserved, microstructural evidence that the Doushantuo remains are embryonic and an unambiguous record of fossil embryos in Lower Cambrian rocks, questions about the phylogenetic relationships of these fossils remain. Most recently, some researchers have proposed that Doushantuo microfossils may be giant sulphur-oxidizing bacteria comparable to extant Thiomargarita sp. Here we report new observations that provide a test of the bacterial hypothesis. The discovery of embryo-like Doushantuo fossils inside large, highly ornamented organic vesicles (acritarchs) indicates that these organisms were eukaryotic, and most probably early cleavage stage embryos preserved within diapause egg cysts. Large acanthomorphic microfossils of the type observed to contain fossil embryos first appear in rocks just above a 632.5 +/- 0.5-Myr-old ash bed, suggesting that at least stem-group animals inhabited shallow seas in the immediate aftermath of global Neoproterozoic glaciation.