Abstract The Longmenshan Thrust Belt in Eastern Tibet resulted from a Mesozoic orogeny and Cenozoic reworking. It is generally believed that the tectonics along are mostly inherited Mesozoic. Reconstructing of therefore important for understanding its evolutionary history. On basis detailed structural analysis, we recognized Main Central Boundary divides into Southeastern Zone Northwestern Zone...

As the largest depression in Tibetan plateau, Qaidam basin preserves over 10 km thick of Cenozoic sediments. Those sediments represent a unique archive evolution northern part plateau and intracontinental deformation general. Yet, several critical issues associated with remain controversial, preventing full understanding margin Tibet during Cenozoic. Here we comprehensively review these issues,...

Here, the state of our knowledge regarding the interior dynamics and evolution of habitable terrestrial planets including Earth and super-Earths is reviewed, and illustrated using state-of-the-art numerical models. Convection of the rocky mantle is the key process that drives the evolution of the interior: it causes plate tectonics, controls heat loss from the metallic core (which generates the...

Mid-ocean ridges, transform faults, subduction and continental collisions form the conventional theory of plate tectonics to explain non-rigid behaviour at plate boundaries. However, the theory does not explain directly the processes involved in intraplate deformation and seismicity. Recently, damage structures in the lithosphere have been linked to the origin of plate tectonics. Despite seismo...

The recent discovery of super-Earths (masses ≤ 10 M⊕) has initiated a discussion about conditions for habitable worlds. Among these is the mode of convection, which influences a planet’s thermal evolution and surface conditions. On Earth, plate tectonics has been proposed as a necessary condition for life. Here we show, that super-Earths will also have plate tectonics. We demonstrate that as pl...

The recent discovery of super-Earths (masses ≤ ) has initiated a discussion about conditions for habitable 10 M worlds. Among these is the mode of convection, which influences a planet’s thermal evolution and surface conditions. On Earth, plate tectonics has been proposed as a necessary condition for life. Here we show that super-Earths will also have plate tectonics. We demonstrate that as pla...

Today, plate tectonics is the dominant tectonic style on Earth, but in a hotter Earth tectonics may have looked different due to the presence of more melting and associated compositional buoyancy as well as the presence of a weaker mantle and lithosphere. Here we review the geodynamic constraints on plate tectonics and proposed alternatives throughout Earth’s history. Observations suggest a 100...

Abstract. The exposed Variscan basement in central Europe is well-known for its complex structural and lithological architecture resulting from multiple deformation phases. We studied the southwestern margin of Bohemian Massif, which characterized by major long-lived shear zones, such as Pfahl Danube extending over > 100 km initiated during tectonics. integrated Bouguer gravity anomaly lidar...