Seminar

Focused erosive systems are hypothesized to concentrate uplift and exhumation to the extent that the erosive signal dominates both the tectonic development and landform formation. However, the upper limit of vertical rock motions and associated features that may be caused by focused-erosion are poorly understood. It is challenging to parse the relative contributions of focused-erosion from tectonic impact in generating localized uplift/exhumation systems. To isolate the signal of focused-erosion, we are exploring the development of the Sutlej River valley in the NW Indian Himalaya where locates perpendicularly to the strike direction and has a quasi-homogeneous tectonic setting. The evidence shows that the structure of the Sutlej River region could represent the early stage of tectonic aneurysm development (river anticline). To explore focused erosion’s impacts on the structural evolution of this region, we acquired low-temperature apatite (U-Th)/He thermochronology data to explore the exhumation variations in this study area. According to the spatial distribution of the apatite (U-Th)/He data, the zone of rapid exhumation is most likely related to the distribution of rivers and influenced by erosive power. Focused erosion along the Sutlej River appears to produce localized exhumation at rates comparable to previously explored, tectonically heterogeneous sites.

Additional information: Ms. Yuwei HUANG, yuweih9@connect.hku.hk