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Evolutionary characteristics of lakes and palaeoclimatic undulation in the Qaidam Basin, China

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Abstract

The Qaidam Basin is a tectonically controlled depression at 2700 m altitude on the northern margin of the Tibet Plateau. A succession of Neogene clastic sediments indicates lake depocentre migration from NW to SE. Towards late Pliocene, evaporative conditions developed with formation of gypsum, halite, celestite, mirabilite and bloedite. Continued deformation through Pleistocene developed a series of NW-SE trending domes and troughs. This setting continued to exert a controlling influence on basin and brine evolution and the progressive development of sulfate to chloride brines as dry conditions intensified in late Pleistocene, at the end of which, extensive flat floors were formed in Dalangtan, Qarhan and other playas.

The model, which was set up based on the synthetic analyses, divides the fluctuating palaeoclimate since 750ka, B. P. into 11 warm and humid stages and 10 dry and cold stages. The water of the lakes evaporated during the dry-cold periods and were freshened during the warm-humid periods.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Salt Lakes, Academia Sinica, 810008, Xining

    Huang Qi

  2. Department of Geological Sciences, University of Southern California, 90089-0740, Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.

    Teh-Lung Ku

  3. Geoscience Department, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 87801, Socorro, NM, U.S.A.

    Fred M. Phillips

Authors
  1. Huang Qi
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  2. Teh-Lung Ku
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  3. Fred M. Phillips
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Qi, H., Ku, TL. & Phillips, F.M. Evolutionary characteristics of lakes and palaeoclimatic undulation in the Qaidam Basin, China. Chin. J. Ocean. Limnol. 11, 34–45 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02850726

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02850726

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