Cenozoic Paleotopographic Evolution of the Tibetan Plateau

罗利青藏高原是地球上最大的高地形地区，显然与印度和亚洲之间的喜马拉雅碰撞有关。由于对该地区构造历史的认识有限，有关高原隆升的时间和性质的地球动力学模型难以评估。现有模式对地壳增厚的初始时间、速率、持续时间和空间分布作出预测，但现有数据未能对这些预测提供明确的检验。当前数据中最严重的缺失之一是对古海拔随时间的定量估计，这可以用来区分不同的模式。本项目将尝试利用新生代盆地非海相含碳酸盐湖相沉积物，利用降水氧同位素组成的海拔依赖性。许多其他因素影响这些沉积物的同位素组成，但如果一个信号可以被识别出来，它将提供关于青藏高原隆升历史的关键数据，可以完善和测试喜马拉雅造山作用的模型。

9973222RowleyThe Tibetan Plateau is the largest region of high topography on earth, and is clearly related to the Himalayan collision between India and Asia. Due to a limited understanding of the tectonic history of the region, Geodynamic models concerning the timing and nature of plateau uplift have been difficult to assess. Existing models make predictions regarding the initial timing, rate, duration and spatial distribution of crustal thickening, however available data fails to provide unequivocal tests of these predictions. One of the most serious absences from current data is a quantitative estimate of paleoaltitude through time that can be used to discriminated between models. This project will attempt to take advantage of altitudional dependence of the oxygen isotopic makeup of precipitation by use of non-marine lacustrine carbonate-containing, Cenozoic basin deposits. Many other factors affect the isotopic makeup of such deposits, but if a signal can be identified, it would provide key data about the uplift history of the Tibetan plateau that could refine and test models of Himalayan orogenesis.