Middle Miocene paleoaltimetry of southern Tibet: Implications for the role of mantle thickening and delamination in the Himalayan orogen

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 2005 Middle Miocene paleoaltimetry of southern Tibet: Implications for the role of mantle thickening and delamination in the Himalayan orogen Brian S. Currie; Brian S. Currie 1Department of Geology, 114 Shideler Hall, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David B. Rowley; David B. Rowley 2Department of the Geophysical Sciences, 5734 South Ellis Avenue, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Neil J. Tabor Neil J. Tabor 3Department of Geological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Brian S. Currie 1Department of Geology, 114 Shideler Hall, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA David B. Rowley 2Department of the Geophysical Sciences, 5734 South Ellis Avenue, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA Neil J. Tabor 3Department of Geological Sciences, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas 75275, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 08 Sep 2004 Revision Received: 09 Nov 2004 Accepted: 11 Nov 2004 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2005) 33 (3): 181–184. https://doi.org/10.1130/G21170.1 Article history Received: 08 Sep 2004 Revision Received: 09 Nov 2004 Accepted: 11 Nov 2004 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Brian S. Currie, David B. Rowley, Neil J. Tabor; Middle Miocene paleoaltimetry of southern Tibet: Implications for the role of mantle thickening and delamination in the Himalayan orogen. Geology 2005;; 33 (3): 181–184. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G21170.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The stable isotope composition of pedogenic and early diagenetic carbonates from the Oiyug Basin of southern Tibet allows model estimates of the paleoaltimetry of the Tibetan Plateau for the middle Miocene. Pedogenic calcium carbonate nodules have average δ18Occ values of −19.6‰, whereas nodular lacustrine dolomites range in composition from −7.6‰ to −5.5‰. The most negative of the carbonate isotope values can be used to constrain the oxygen isotope composition of paleoprecipitation, from which model estimates of paleoaltimetry can be made. Model results indicate that the southern Tibetan Plateau achieved elevations of ∼5200 +1370/−605 m by at least 15 Ma. Our results are identical within uncertainty to previous workers' paleoelevation estimates based on Oiyug Basin fossil floral physiognomy. This is the first time that two paleoaltimeters have been directly compared and are in accord. Collectively, these data strongly support tectonic models in which thickening of mantle lithosphere beneath the domain of crustal thickening and subsequent detachment of the mantle lithosphere plays an indiscernible role in the elevation history of this part of the Himalaya-Tibet orogenic system. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.