Cenozoic sedimentation rate evolution of Qaidam Basin in the Tibetan Plateau and its response to the uplift of the plateau

The influence of compaction has always been ignored in the study of stratigraphic authentic thickness and sedimentation rate. The authors studied in detail the ancient thickness and original deposition rate of Cenozoic strata along Dahonggou section at the northeastern edge of Qaidam Basin. A comparison with other sections in the basin shows that at least three intense tectonic uplift events happened in this region from ca. 52Ma to ca. 13Ma, and the ages of each stage are ca. 49.5Ma，45.5~33Ma，and 25~16Ma，respectively. The results reveal the sedimentary evolution of the northeast margin of Qaidam Basin and the uplift of northern South Qilian Mountains, and the corrected sedimentation rate is coupled well with the tectonic uplift stages of the plateau summed up by previous researchers. The results obtained by the authors provide important information for exploring the process of tectonic uplift in the whole Tibetan Plateau and the deposition rate's response to that development.