Basin analysis of the Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous southwest Tarim basin, northwest China

Research Article| May 01, 1999 Basin analysis of the Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous southwest Tarim basin, northwest China Edward R. Sobel Edward R. Sobel 1Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-2115 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1999) 111 (5): 709–724. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1999)1112.3.CO;2 Article history first online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Edward R. Sobel; Basin analysis of the Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous southwest Tarim basin, northwest China. GSA Bulletin 1999;; 111 (5): 709–724. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1999)1112.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The Jurassic through Cretaceous southwest Tarim basin, northwest China, contains more than 6 km of fluvial and lacustrine strata deposited in a foreland setting during the successive collisions with Eurasia of the Changtang block during Late Triassic–Early Jurassic time and with the mega-Lhasa block during Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous time. This tectonism is chronologically linked with the creation of a narrow lower Middle Jurassic transtensional basin with thick sedimentary infill, succeeded by a broader Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous compressional(?) basin with thinner sedimentary infill. The older basin formed between a north-northwest–striking dextral fault on the eastern side of the southwest Tarim basin in the Tian Shan and a postulated strike-slip or normal fault on the western margin of the basin along the Kunlun Shan. The former fault is now the Talas-Ferghana fault; the latter may be a predecessor to the Main Pamir thrust. Subsidence analysis of the thickest sedimentary section suggests thermal subsidence, interpreted as the result of transtension between the two basin-bounding faults. The younger basin extends farther east and west and does not preserve evidence of activity along the Talas-Ferghana fault. The change in basin style between these two episodes of basin development likely reflects either a small counterclockwise rotation of basin-bounding structures during the first episode or a small clockwise rotation of the maximum compressive stress between the two episodes. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.