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Tibetan plateau river incision inhibited by glacial stabilization of the Tsangpo gorge

Author

Listed:
  • Oliver Korup

    (Swiss Federal Research Institutes WSL/SLF, Flüelastr. 11, CH-7260 Davos, Switzerland)

  • David R. Montgomery

    (Quaternary Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-1310, USA)

Abstract

Tibetan plateau survival Much attention has focused on how and when the Tibetan plateau formed, but far less research has been done on the controls on river incision into the plateau itself. Oliver Korup and David Montgomery address this issue, which also relates to the question of why the Tibetan plateau is still there at all. Despite hosting one of the deepest gorges on Earth, the plateau edge is extremely well defined, and according to widely accepted stream-power theory, should be heavily dissected by one of Asia's most powerful rivers, the Yarlung Tsangp (or Yarlung Zangbo). Korup and Montgomery propose that the southeastern edge of the plateau was preserved in part by the presence of glaciers that were large enough during the Holocene to stall aggressive river downcutting along the plateau margin.

Suggested Citation

  • Oliver Korup & David R. Montgomery, 2008. "Tibetan plateau river incision inhibited by glacial stabilization of the Tsangpo gorge," Nature, Nature, vol. 455(7214), pages 786-789, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:455:y:2008:i:7214:d:10.1038_nature07322
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07322
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    Cited by:

    1. Junxue Ma & Jian Chen & Zhijiu Cui & Wendy Zhou & Ruichen Chen & Chengbiao Wang, 2022. "Reconstruction of catastrophic outburst floods of the Diexi ancient landslide-dammed lake in the Upper Minjiang River, Eastern Tibetan Plateau," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 112(2), pages 1191-1221, June.
    2. Jiao Wang & Hao Wang & Yao Jiang & Guotao Zhang & Bo Zhao & Yu Lei, 2023. "Geomorphic controls on debris flow activity in the paraglacial zone of the Southeast Tibetan Plateau," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 117(1), pages 917-937, May.

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