Mesozoic-Cenozoic sedimentary geology in the Tibetan Himalaya: Continental collision, palaeoceanography and hyperthermal events

Leaders:
Xiumian Hu (Nanjing University, huxm@nju.edu.cn);
Xi Chen (China University of Geosciences (Beijing), xichen@cugb.edu.cn);
Wei An (Hefei University of Technology, awarajm@163.com);
Jingen Dai（China University of Geosciences (Beijing), djgtibet@163.com）;
Qun Liu (Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Qunliu2019@hotmail.com);
Juan Li (Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, lij0723@163.com).
Zhong Han (Chenddu University of Technology, China, hanz321@163.com).
Jiangang Wang (Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, wangjiangang@mail.iggcas.ac.cn)

Time: 20:00-24:00 August 27(UTC+8)

Final price: 20 USD/150 RMB.

Limits:
Minimum number of participants: 5
Maximum number of participants: 100

Description:

The youngest and arguably most spectacular continent-continent collisional orogen on Earth is the Himalayan-Tibetan orogen, occupying the east-west trending, high-altitude Himalaya and Karakorum ranges in the south and the vast Tibetan plateau to the north. This orogenic system in southern Tibet was largely created by the closure of Neo-Tethys ocean and collision of Indian and Asian continents. The sedimentary successions in southern Tibet record the history of palaeoceanographic environments, collision of the Indian and Asian continents and the early uplift of Tibetan Plateau.

Traditionally, the Indus-Yarlung Zangbo Suture Zone (IYSZ) is believed to be composed of remnants of the Neo-Tethys. The IYSZ comprises four major tectonic units (from north to south): Gangdese magmatic arc (GMA) of Cretaceous-Tertiary plutonic and volcanic rocks, Xigaze forearc basin (XFB), ophiolite belt. On the south of the IYSZ, it is the Tethys Himalayas, which belong to the north margin of the Indian subcontinent before the collision of the two continents. Mesozoic-Palaeogene marine sediments deposited in broad environments from coast to lower slope are well exposed in Tethys Himalayas. 

This one-week field trip will take place in the southern Tibet from Lhasa in the east to the Saga in the west. It includes about 30 geological stops. The field trip mainly deals with the Mesozoic-Palaeogene marine sediments of the eastern Tethys margin and the tectono-sedimentary evolution of the southern Tibet. The focus will be on: 1) the Gangdese magmatic arc, Xigaze forearc basin, Yarlung Zangbo mélange and trench basins, and the Xigaze ophiolites which are related to the oceanic subduction of the Neo-Tethys, and the syn-collisional sedimentary basins; 2) the Mesozoic-Palaeogene hyperthermal events including the Permian-Triassic Boundary Event, Early Jurassic and Cretaceous Oceanic Anoxic Events, and Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds, and the shallow-marine PETM in the eastern Tethyan ocean; 3) Sedimentary succession related to the uplift of the Himalaya, including the latest marine horizons (Sangdanlin and Zheya, Enba and Zhaguo formations) in different basins, the continental Liuqu and Kailas conglomerates.
 

Field photo of the Nirang section in Tibetan Himalaya. Marine strata consist mainly of marls, limestones, shales from Albian to Eocene are well exposed. This section records the coeval horizons of OAE 1b, 1c, 1d, 2 and PETM, and the latest marine strata (Pengqu Fm.) of Tibetan Himalaya.