Cenozoic Tectono‐Geomorphologic Evolution of the Pamir‐Tian Shan Convergence Zone: Evidence From Detrital Zircon U‐Pb Provenance Analyses

A shift in sediment sources from the Tian Shan to the Northern Pamir around 41–40 million years ago, alongside evidence of asymmetric drainage and late Miocene uplift of the SW Tian Shan, reveals key insights into the Cenozoic tectono-geomorphologic evolution of the Pamir-Tian Shan convergence zone. This study used detrital zircon U-Pb provenance analysis on Cretaceous-Pliocene sediments from the Tierekesazi section to reconstruct the region's geological history. The findings suggest that the Pamir developed an asymmetric drainage system, influenced by either eastward decreasing precipitation or low western Pamir topography, and that the late Miocene saw significant uplift in the SW Tian Shan while the Pamir thrust belt propagated northward, establishing the current east-flowing drainage pattern.

Jia, Y., Glotzbach, C., Lü, L., & Ehlers, T. A. (2021). Cenozoic Tectono‐Geomorphologic Evolution of the Pamir‐Tian Shan Convergence Zone: Evidence From Detrital Zircon U‐Pb Provenance Analyses. Tectonics, 40(10). Portico. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020tc006345