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GEOREF RECORD

The Miocene elevation of Mount Everest

Aude Gebelin, Andreas Mulch, Christian Teyssier, Micah J. Jessup, Richard D. Law and Maurice Brunel
The Miocene elevation of Mount Everest
Geology (Boulder) (May 2013) 41 (7): 799-802

Abstract

The Neogene elevation history of the Mount Everest region is key for understanding the tectonic history of the world's highest mountain range, the evolution of the Tibetan Plateau, and climate patterns in East and Central Asia. In the absence of fossil surface deposits such as paleosols, volcanic ashes, or lake sediments, we conducted stable isotope paleoaltimetry based on the hydrogen isotope ratios (delta D) of hydrous minerals that were deformed in the South Tibetan detachment shear zone during the late Early Miocene. These minerals exchanged isotopically at high temperature with meteoric water (delta D (sub water) = -156 per mil + or - 5 per mil) that originated as high-elevation precipitation and infiltrated the crustal hydrologic system at the time of detachment activity. When compared to age-equivalent near-sea-level foreland oxygen isotope (delta (super 18) O) paleosol records (delta (super 18) O (sub water) = -5.8 per mil + or - 1.0 per mil), the difference in delta (super 18) Owater is consistent with mean elevations of > or =5000 m for the Mount Everest area. Mean elevations similar to modern suggest that an early Himalayan rain shadow may have influenced the late Early Miocene climatic and rainfall history to the north of the Himalayan chain.


ISSN: 0091-7613
EISSN: 1943-2682
Coden: GLGYBA
Serial Title: Geology (Boulder)
Serial Volume: 41
Serial Issue: 7
Title: The Miocene elevation of Mount Everest
Affiliation: Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt, Germany
Pages: 799-802
Published: 20130524
Text Language: English
Publisher: Geological Society of America (GSA), Boulder, CO, United States
References: 38
Accession Number: 2013-047965
Categories: Stratigraphy
Document Type: Serial
Bibliographic Level: Analytic
Annotation: GSA Data Repository item 2013220
Illustration Description: illus. incl. geol. sketch map
N27°58'60" - N28°00'00", E86°55'60" - E86°58'00"
Secondary Affiliation: University of Minnesota at Minneapolis, USA, United StatesUniversity of Tennessee, USA, United StatesVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA, United StatesGeosciences Montpellier, FRA, France
Country of Publication: United States
Secondary Affiliation: GeoRef, Copyright 2022, American Geosciences Institute. Reference includes data from GeoScienceWorld, Alexandria, VA, United States. Reference includes data supplied by the Geological Society of America, Boulder, CO, United States
Update Code: 201330
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