Diachronous Growth of the Northern Tibetan Plateau Derived From Flexural Modeling

The early Cenozoic topography of the northern Tibetan plateau remains enigmatic because paucity independent paleoelevation constraints. Long-held views northward propagating deformation imply a low Paleogene elevation, but this prediction is speculative. We apply flexural modeling to reconstructed isopach data obtained from Qaidam basin, which requires larger topographic load in Qilian Shan and smaller Eastern Kunlun Shan. Incorporating knowledge proto-Paratethys marine incursions we infer topographically (0.4–1.0 km) higher (0.4–1.5 during Paleogene. This implied paleo-relief contrasts with previous predictions suggests more recently, Neogene surface uplift has been significant than Shan, highlighting diachronous growth plateau. low-moderate implies warmer humid climate Northern Tibet