Exhumation history of the western Kyrgyz Tien Shan: Implications for intramontane basin formation

A new thermochronological study reveals that the western Kyrgyz Tien Shan began significant exhumation around 25 million years ago, much earlier than previously thought. This early uplift dissected the continuous Parathethyan Sea, isolating intramontane basins like the Fergana and Alai. The research combines new data with existing records to show that while initial exhumation was slower, a rapid late Miocene cooling event affected the entire Tien Shan range uniformly, challenging notions that the Pamir or Tarim alone drove this geological process. The findings provide critical insights into the Cenozoic evolution of the western Tien Shan and its implications for basin formation in Central Asia.

Bande, A., Sobel, E. R., Mikolaichuk, A., Schmidt, A., & Stockli, D. F. (2017). Exhumation history of the western Kyrgyz Tien Shan: Implications for intramontane basin formation. Tectonics, 36(1), 163–180. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016tc004284