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Cenozoic India-Asia collision driven by mantle dragging the cratonic root

Author

Listed:
  • Yanchong Li

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

  • Lijun Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Science)

  • Sanzhong Li

    (Ocean University of China
    Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center)

  • Diandian Peng

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    UC San Diego)

  • Zebin Cao

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    Chinese Academy of Science)

  • Xinyu Li

    (Chinese Academy of Science
    University of Science and Technology of China)

Abstract

The driving force behind the Cenozoic India-Asia collision remains elusive. Using global-scale geodynamic modeling, we find that the continuous motion of the Indian plate is driven by a prominent upper-mantle flow pushing the thick Indian lithospheric root, originated from the northward rollover of the detached Neo-Tethyan slab and sinking slabs below East Asia. The maximum mantle drag occurs within the strong Indian lithosphere and is comparable in magnitude to that of slab pull (1013 N m−1). The thick cratonic root enhances both lithosphere-asthenosphere coupling and upper-plate compressional stress, thereby sustaining the topography of Tibetan Plateau. We show that the calculated resistant force from the India-Asia plate boundary is also close to that due to the gravitational potential energy of Tibetan Plateau. Here, we demonstrate that this mantle flow is key for the formation of the Tibetan Plateau and represents part of a hemispheric convergent flow pattern centered on central Asia.

Suggested Citation

  • Yanchong Li & Lijun Liu & Sanzhong Li & Diandian Peng & Zebin Cao & Xinyu Li, 2024. "Cenozoic India-Asia collision driven by mantle dragging the cratonic root," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-51107-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51107-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Prakash Kumar & Xiaohui Yuan & M. Ravi Kumar & Rainer Kind & Xueqing Li & R. K. Chadha, 2007. "The rapid drift of the Indian tectonic plate," Nature, Nature, vol. 449(7164), pages 894-897, October.
    2. Jiashun Hu & Lijun Liu & Michael Gurnis, 2021. "Southward expanding plate coupling due to variation in sediment subduction as a cause of Andean growth," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    3. Lin Chen & Fabio A. Capitanio & Lijun Liu & Taras V. Gerya, 2017. "Crustal rheology controls on the Tibetan plateau formation during India-Asia convergence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-8, December.
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