Geologists from the University of Glasgow, working alongside their Chinese counterparts, have uncovered how deep-seated processes within the Earth shaped the landscape of the Tibetan Plateau, one of the planet’s highest regions, according to a study published in Nature Geoscience.
The authors demonstrated that the plateau’s surface features are tied to how far the Indian Plate has moved beneath the Eurasian Plate. This finding established a connection between subsurface activity and the development of the terrain. Rock analysis, conducted using geochronological techniques, revealed that the western and central parts of the plateau each have a distinct geological history.
Researchers identified clear differences in the rates of rock “exposure” between the western and central plateau between 45 and 20 million years ago. These variations align with a period when the Indian Plate was already subducting beneath the Eurasian Plate in the west but had not yet reached the central region of the area.
Fieldwork was carried out from 2017 to 2019 in the Gerze and Rutog regions, where scientists collected samples for further study. By combining data on rock ages, field observations, and geophysical measurements, they were able to reconstruct the region’s ancient topography.
According to Professor Cristina Persano, landforms and geological structures remain a primary source of information about processes occurring deep within the Earth. This knowledge is crucial for understanding natural hazards, including earthquakes and volcanic activity.
As Professor Fin Stuart noted, the findings provide the first solid evidence that the subduction of the Indian Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate was the key factor in shaping the Tibetan Plateau and the differences between its western and eastern sections.
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