Outward-growth of the Tibetan Plateau during the Cenozoic: A review

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) exhibits an 'inside-out' growth pattern, expanding outward from a nucleus of high topography during the Cenozoic era. This finding challenges conventional models by demonstrating that the plateau's uplift began in its central regions, particularly the Lhasa and Qiangtang terranes, which reached their current elevations as early as the Eocene due to the India-Lhasa collision. Peripheral areas like the Hoh Xil basin and Himalayas remained low or even below sea level until later periods. The study synthesizes data from sedimentology, stratigraphy, structural geology, magmatism, exhumation, and paleoaltimetry to support this model, revealing that thrust belts accommodated India-Asia convergence, driving crustal shortening and thickening in the central TP. Future expansion along major fault lines is predicted if tectonic forces persist.

Wang, C., Dai, J., Zhao, X., Li, Y., Graham, S. A., He, D., Ran, B., & Meng, J. (2014). Outward-growth of the Tibetan Plateau during the Cenozoic: A review. Tectonophysics, 621, 1–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2014.01.036