Differential exhumation at eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, from apatite fission-track thermochronology

New apatite fission-track (AFT) ages from Mesozoic sediments in the Sichuan basin, combined with previous fission-track data, demonstrate differential uplift and exhumation across the basin. Particularly significant change in exhumation (at least ~ 2000 m) was found across the Huaying Mts. Modeled temperature–time histories and the Boomerang plot of AFT dataset across the basin suggest rapid cooling and exhumation events during 120–80 Ma and at 20–10 Ma. They reflect the start of the basin-scale differential uplift and exhumation which effected the eastern growth of Tibetan Plateau. In particular, nested old-age center separated by Huaying Mts. was found in the center-to-northwest part of the Sichuan basin. A simplified one-dimensional, steady-state solution model was developed to calculate the mean exhumation rate, which is 0.05–0.2 mm/yr in most parts of the basin. It suggests a slow exhumation across much of the basin. The regional pattern of AFT age, length and erosion rate supports a progressive change from the nested old-age center towards the southwest. This pattern supports the idea of a prolonged, steady-state uplift and exhumation process across the basin, controlled by cratonic basin structure. The eastern growth of the Tibetan Plateau has exerted a significant effect on the rapid exhumation of the southwestern part of the Sichuan basin, but not on all of the basin during the Late Cenozoic.

► A significant change in exhumation (at least ~ 2000 m) is across the Huaying Mts.
► An nested old-age center occurs with exhumation rates of 0.05 ~ 0.2 mm/yr.
► The AFT data shows a SW-wards change of long length, young age and increasing rate.
► Late Cenozoic exhumation in the southwest basin was controlled by eastern growth of the Tibet.