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Did incision of the Three Gorges begin in the Eocene?

Richardson, N.J.; Densmore, A.L.; Seward, D.; Wipf, M.; Li, Y.

Did incision of the Three Gorges begin in the Eocene? Thumbnail


Authors

N.J. Richardson

D. Seward

M. Wipf

Y. Li



Abstract

Like the other large river systems that drain the area of the India-Asia collision, the Yangtze River was assembled through a series of Cenozoic capture events. These events are important for orogenic erosion and sediment delivery, but their timing remains largely unknown. Here we identify enhanced cooling in the Three Gorges region in central China, a key capture site during basin development, beginning at 40–45 Ma. This event is not visible in regional thermochronological data, but is near-contemporaneous with the onset of widespread denudation in the Sichuan Basin, just upstream of the Three Gorges. While we cannot rule out alternative explanations, the simplest mechanism that links these events is progressive capture of the middle Yangtze River by the lower Yangtze and the onset of incision in the Three Gorges. This model agrees with independent mid-Cenozoic estimates for the timing of middle Yangtze River diversion and capture, and provides a plausible outlet for large volumes of erosional detritus from the Sichuan Basin.

Citation

Richardson, N., Densmore, A., Seward, D., Wipf, M., & Li, Y. (2010). Did incision of the Three Gorges begin in the Eocene?. Geology, 38(6), 551-554. https://doi.org/10.1130/g30527.1

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jun 1, 2010
Deposit Date Aug 5, 2010
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Geology
Print ISSN 0091-7613
Electronic ISSN 1943-2682
Publisher Geological Society of America
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 38
Issue 6
Pages 551-554
DOI https://doi.org/10.1130/g30527.1

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