Mantle Upwelling Beneath the Hoh‐Xil Basin in the Northern Tibetan Plateau: Evidence From Seismic Anisotropy

New seismic anisotropy measurements reveal significant mantle upwelling beneath the Hoh‐Xil Basin, part of the northern Tibetan Plateau. The study identifies E-W-oriented shear wave splittings aligned with the plateau's absolute plate motion, with a peak delay time of ∼1.8 seconds in the northern Qiangtang and Songpan–Ganzi Terranes. This pattern, combined with post-collisional magmatism migration, suggests lithospheric delamination-driven mantle upwelling. In contrast, the southern portion shows ENE-WSW splitting directions, linked to Indian Plate subduction and poloidal flow, separated by a deep-seated relic terrane. These findings provide evidence for differential mantle flow beneath the Tibetan Plateau, offering insights into how continental subduction shapes orogenic deformation.

Li, W., He, R., Yuan, X., & Chen, Y. (2025). Mantle Upwelling Beneath the Hoh‐Xil Basin in the Northern Tibetan Plateau: Evidence From Seismic Anisotropy. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 130(12). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025jb032003