Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Structure and evolution of the Himalaya–Tibet orogenic belt

Abstract

The 1981 French–Chinese expedition to Tibet focused on the Lhasa block, extending earlier coverage 400 km north of the Tsangpo suture. The Lhasa block stood between 10 and 15° N latitude over most of the Upper Cretaceous and Eocene and, if Gondwanian in origin, had detached from Gondwana by early Permian. Seismic profiles reveal a complex Moho topography resulting both from multiple continental thrusting and large-scale strike-slip faulting. Subduction related granitoids representing mixtures of mantle and crustal components and anatectic granitoids have been analysed and dated. This study emphasizes the role of smaller blocks in the accretion of the continental mosaic.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Tapponnier, P. et al. Nature 294, 405–410 (1981); Résultats de la coopération francochinoise au Tibet (mission 1980) (eds Mercier, J. L. & Guangqin, Li) (CNRS, Paris, in the press).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Tapponnier, P., Mercier, J. L., Armijo, R., Tonglin, H. & Ji, Z. Nature 294, 410–414 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Nicolas, A. et al. Nature 294, 414–417 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Pozzi, J. P. et al. Nature 297, 319–321 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Colloque Franco–Chinois sur la Géologie de l'Himalaya, Abstr. Guilin (1982).

  6. Chang Chenfa & Cheng Hsilan, Sci. Sinica, 16, 257–265 (1973); in Proc. Symp. on Qingai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau, (Gordon & Breach, New York, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Westphal, M., Pozzi, J. P., Yaoxiu, Zhou, Lisheng, Xing & Xianyao, Chen, Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 73, 507–521 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Maluski, H., Proust, F. & Xuchang, Xiao, Nature 298, 152–154 (1982).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Hsü, J. Scient. Geol. Sinica 10, 323–331 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Schang, Y. 5th int. palyn. Conf., (Cambridge University Press, 1980).

  11. Buffetaut, E. Bull. Soc. géol. Fr. 23, 587–593 (1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Ingavat, R. & Janvier, P. Geobios 14, 725 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Burg, J. P., Proust, F., Tapponnier, P. & Guoming, Cheng . Eclog. Helv. (submitted).

  14. Shackleton, R. J. struct. Geol. 3, 97–101 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Bally, A. W. et al. U.S. geol. Surv. Open File Rep. 80–501 (1980).

  16. Marcoux, J. et al. Ofioliti Suppl. 6, 31–32 (abstr.) (1981).

  17. Anderson, D. Nature 297, 391–393 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Dupré, B. & Allègre, C. J. Nature 303, 142–146 (1983).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Hamelin, B., Dupré, B. & Allègre, C. J. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. (in the press).

  20. Hirn, A., Jobert, G., Wittlinger, G., Zhongxin, Xu & Enyuan, Gao, Ann. Géophys. (submitted).

  21. Hirn, A., Nercessian, A., Zhongxin, Zu, Deyan, Lu & Jiwen, Teng, Terra Cognita 3, 267 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Hirn, A. et al. Nature 307, 23–25 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Barazangi, M. & Ni, J. Geology 10, 179–185 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Mattauer, M. C. R. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris 296, 481–486 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Seeber, L., Armbruster, J. G. & Quittmeyer, R. in Zagros-Indukush–Himalaya Geodynamic Evolution (eds Gupta, H. K. & Delany, F. M.) 215–242 (1981).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  26. Burg, J. P., Guiraud, M. & Guoming, Cheng, Earth planet. Sci. Lett. (submitted).

  27. Argand, E. C. r. Congr. géol. int. 13, 171–372 (1924).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Ben Avraham, Z., Nur, A., Jones, D. & Cox, A. Science 213, 47–54 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Nur, A. & Ben Avraham, Z. J. geophys. Res. 87, 3644–3661 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. Tapponnier, P., Mattauer, M., Proust, F. & Cassaigneau, C. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 52, 355–371 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  31. Tapponnier, P. & Molnar, P. Nature 264, 319–324 (1976); J. geophys. Res. 82, 2905–2930 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. Forsyth, D. & Uyeda, S. Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. 40, 465–474 (1975).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Armijo, R., Tapponnier, P., Mercier, J. L. & Tonglin, Han, EOS 63, 1093 (1982).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Molnar, P. & Tapponnier, P. Science 189, 419–426 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Bird, P. J. geophys. Res. 84, 7561–7571 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  36. Allègre, C. J., Dupré, B., Richard, P., Rousseau, D. & Brooks, C. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 57, 25–34 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  37. Burg, J. P. thesis, Montpellier Univ. (1983).

  38. Geological map of the Tibetan Plateau, 1/1,500,000, Chengdu, China 1981).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Allégre, C., Courtillot, V., Tapponnier, P. et al. Structure and evolution of the Himalaya–Tibet orogenic belt. Nature 307, 17–22 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/307017a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/307017a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing