Cenozoic exhumation history of the western part of Xigaze basin and its adjacent area, South Xizang: Constraints from the fission track of clastic apatite

Objective The significant information of the convergence of India and Asia plates has been recorded in the Xigaze basin and its adjacent area within the India−Asia collision zone.

Methods We present new apatite fission track in the western part of the Xigaze basin and its adjacent area to elucidate the burial and exhumation history of the region.

Results The data and inverse thermal history modelling show that the western part of basin reached its maximum palaeotemperature at ca. 30±5 Ma, followed by rapid cooling between 30 Ma and 23 Ma, and then commenced cooling slowly until present day. Combined with previous studies, the initial cooling time varies along the strike of the basin.

Conclusions The onset of cooling in the eastern part of the basin is older than the western part. This difference is probably controlled by the lateral variable subduction angles of the Indian lithospheric slab, which is revealed by the seismic tomography.