Lateral growth of NE Tibetan Plateau restricted by the Asian lithosphere: Results from a dense seismic profile

Abstract We present high-resolution receiver function images along a 700-km long dense seismic array extending from northern Tibetan Plateau to the Alxa block, crossing the entire Qilian thrust belt (QTB). The dense stations, with less than ~2 km station intervals, allow the receiver functions to unveil unprecedented details of crustal structures across the northern frontier of the growing Tibetan Plateau. The migration image shows a thickened and strongly deformed QTB crust, with an uneven Moho and complex internal structures that are indicative of pure-shear shortening. The Alxa block, in contrast, has a thinner crust, a flat Moho, and little internal crustal deformation. These results suggest that the lateral growth of NE Tibetan Plateau is restricted by the strong Asian lithosphere, which shows no visible subduction beneath the Tibetan Plateau as previously suggested.