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Insights into the synergistic effects of tectonics and climate from the formation and evolution of the Hongwen allochthonous deposit, southwestern China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 November 2024

Yuchao Li ,
Jianping Chen ,
Qing Wang ,
Zhihai Li ,
Yansong Zhang  and
Jianhua Yan
Yuchao Li
Affiliation:
College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130026, China
Jianping Chen
Affiliation:
College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130026, China
Qing Wang*
Affiliation:
College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130026, China
Zhihai Li
Affiliation:
Zhejiang Huadong Construction Corporation Limited, POWERCHINA Huadong Engineering Corporation Limited, 310014, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Yansong Zhang
Affiliation:
College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130026, China
Jianhua Yan
Affiliation:
College of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
*
*Corresponding author email address: [email protected]
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Abstract

The formation and evolution of large-scale deposits generated by mass movement are often closely related to tectonic and climatic conditions. Investigating deposits under the influence of complex geological conditions can aid in reconstructing paleoenvironmental characteristics and fluvial geomorphic evolution. The First Bend of the Yangtze River (FBYR), located in the Jinsha River basin in southwest China, represents a significant section characterized by abundant allochthonous deposits. We conducted a detailed investigation of the Hongwen allochthonous deposit (HAD) and the river sediments in the First Bend. Through terrain interpretation, dating, and paleoenvironmental analysis, the HAD was determined to be a complex deposit with multiple sources and stages (46.4–33.5 ka), formed under the combined influence of tectonic activity and climate. Three mass-movement events occurred during the interglacial stage of the last glacial period or its transitional period, coinciding with the rapid uplift stage of the Tibetan Plateau since the late Pleistocene. Prominent features of this period include significant rainfall and tectonic activities. By dating fluvial sediments and examining the evolution of the HAD, we revealed a river incision rate of 2.30 mm/yr for the Jinsha River, providing a basis for analyzing periodic river cutting and the development pattern of surface processes.

Keywords

Allochthonous depositGenetic mechanismDatingPaleoclimate and paleostructureEvolution of fluvial geomorphology
Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 122 , November 2024 , pp. 62 - 75
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Quaternary Research Center

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