How does/did the Tibetan Plateau grow? Geologic-geophysical research in NE-Tibet

印度-亚洲大陆-大陆碰撞形成了地球上最高的山脉（喜马拉雅山）和最大的高原（帕米尔-西藏），并使中亚和东亚的大片地区（如天山）变形。高原的东北部是研究活动碰撞构造、地壳增厚和沿沿着大规模断裂/剪切带（如昆仑、阿尔金）的侧向挤压的原型;这些带容纳了最近的Ms <8.1地震。作为地壳增厚的响应，高原的地表隆起影响着欧亚大陆的气候。结合地质-构造-热年代学和主动与被动地震观测手段，详细阐明了藏东地区的地壳上地幔结构。我们的目的是评估沿着哪个大规模变形带地壳增厚已经完成，是否活跃的陆内俯冲发生沿着在东北-西藏的预先存在的缝合线，以及下地壳流动是否是一个显着的增厚和隆升机制的高原。该项目将与美国和中国科学家密切合作。结合其他地球物理（如美国大地电磁）和地质调查，我们的工作将推进碰撞构造的整体认识。

The India-Asia continent-continent collision is responsible for the highest mountain range (Himalaya) and the largest plateau (Pamir-Tibet) on Earth and deforms large regions of Central and Eastern Asia (e.g. Tien Shan). The NE part of the plateau is the archetype for studies of active collisional tectonics, crustal thickening, and lateral extrusion along large-scale fault/shear zones (e.g. Kunlun, Altyn Tagh); these zones accommodated Recent Ms <8.1 earthquakes. Surface uplift of the plateau as a response to crustal thickening influences the climate of Eurasia. Combining geologic-tectonic-thermochronologic and active and passive seismic observation tools, we will elucidate in detail the structure of the crust and upper mantle in NE-Tibet. Our aim is to evaluate along which of the large-scale deformation zones crustal thickening was/is accomplished, whether active intra-continental subduction occurs along the pre-existing sutures in NE-Tibet, and whether lower crustal flow is a significant thickening and uplift mechanism for the plateau. The project will be executed in close cooperation with US and Chinese scientists. Integrating other geophysical (e.g. US magnetotellurics) and geologic investigations, our work will push ahead the overall understanding of collisional tectonics.