The Uplift of the Longmenshan Thrust Belt and Subsidence of the West Sichuan Foreland Basin

Abstract Based on fission track dating of apatite, and measurement of vitrinite reflectance of rock samples from the Longmenshan (Longmen Mountain)area and the West Sichuan foreland basin and computer modelling it is concluded that (l)the Songpan‐Garzê fold belt has uplifted at least by 3‐4 km with an uplift rate of no less than 0.3‐0.4 mm/a since 10 Ma B.P.; (2) the Longmenshan thrust nappe belt has uplifted at least by 5‐6 km with an uplift rate of more than 0.5‐0.6 mm/a since 10 Ma B.P.; (3) the Longmenshan detachment belt has uplifted by 1‐2 km at a rate of 0.016‐0.032 mm/a since 60 Ma B.P.; (4) the West Sichuan foreland basin has uplifted by 1.7‐3 km at a rate of 0.028‐0.05 mm/a since 60 Ma B.P.; (5) the uplift rate of the area on the west side of the Beichuan‐Yingxiu‐Xiaoguanzi fault for the last 10 Ma is 40 times as much as that on its east side; (6) the uplifting of the the Songpan‐Garzê fold belt and the subsidence of the West Sichuan foreland basin 60 Ma ago exhibit a mirro‐image correlation, i.e. the rapid uplifting of the the Songpan‐Garzê fold belt was corresponding to the rapid subsidence of the basin; the Songpan‐Garzê fold belt has uplifted at a much greater rate than the West Sichuan foeland basin in the last 60 Majand (7) the palaeogeothermal gradient was 25°C/km in the West Sichuan foreland basin.