Early Eocene A-type (ferroan) rhyolites in southwestern Tibet: A far-field tectonic effect of the India-Eurasia collision

Eocene igneous rocks along the Gangdese belt in southern Tibetan Plateau are important for understanding the India-Eurasia collision and Tibetan Plateau uplift. These magmatic rocks are widely considered to be related to roll-back or break-off of the Neotethyan slab during northward subduction. However, Eocene rhyolites in the northwestern Gangdese belt (SW Qiangtang margin) do not fit either the rollback or breakoff models. This paper investigates these Early Eocene lavas and compares them with contemporaneous igneous rocks along the Gangdese belt via detailed field observations, petrology, zircon geochronology, zircon Lu-Hf isotopes and whole-rock geochemistry. These felsic lavas form large outcrops in western Tibet and have two zircon U-Pb ages of 54.71 +/- 0.14 Ma and 54.74 +/- 0.27 Ma. They have high SiO2 and alkali contents, FeO*/MgO, and Ga/Al ratios as well as strongly negative Eu anomalies and slightly positive zircon epsilon Hf(t) values (+2.5 to +4.4). Both Ti-in-zircon and Zr saturation thermometers confirm high magmatic temperatures (similar to 900 degrees C). They are ferroan, A-type rhyolites. Furthermore, the distinctive low epsilon Hf(t) values imply that these rhyolites are likely partial melting products of the southwestern Qiangtang Terrane. The lithosphere in this region undergone long-term shortening and thickening since 80-95 Ma. Pre-thickened lithosphere may be a prerequisite for the Early Eocene delamination, and the simultaneous inducement is a far-field tectonic effect from the India-Eurasia collision. We suggest that: (1) India collided with Eurasia before 55 Ma and triggered delamination to form the Shiquanhe A-type rhyolites on the southwestern Qiangtang margin thereafter; and (2) tectonic stresses related to India-Eurasia collision during the Eocene were transmitted efficiently over large distances.

Automated summary

By studying the Eocene lavas in the northwestern Gangdese belt, the research suggests that they are different from other rocks in the area and may be a result of far-field tectonic effect and crustal delamination caused by the India-Eurasia collision.