The uplifting processes of the Tibetan plateau since 0.5 ma BP - Evidence from hydrothermal activity in the Gangdise Belt

There is no final conclusion yet on the uplifting mechanism and epoch of the Tibetan Plateau, which is a hot point of the geological research. This paper discusses the epoch and scales of the hydrothermal activities based on the ESR ages of hot-spring sediments. The ESR ages show that hydrothermal activities mainly happened in four periods: 50 X 10(4)a, 50 X 10(4)-47 X 10(4), 40 X 10(4)-35 X 10(4), 27 X 10(4)-20 X 10(4) and 10 X 10(4)-0 aB.P.. This conclusion is supported by the geophysical data and the inner plateau and surrounding sediments. Through analyzing the constraints of the deep restraint mechanism and uplift tensile function of the plateau, the uplifting processes of the Tibetan Plateau since 50 X 10(4) a B. P. is elucidated.