Figure 6. Representative seismic profile B–B′ across the northern Qaidam basin. (A) Uninterpreted. (B) Interpreted. The location of this seismic profile is shown in Figure 3 . Q—Quaternary; SZ—Shizigou Formation; SY—Shangyoushashan Formation; XY—Xiayoushashan Formation; SG—Shangganchaigou

—Shangyoushashan Formation; XYSS—Xiayoushashan Formation; SGCG—Shangganchaigou Formation; XGCG—Xiaganchaigou Formation.

the tendencies of the T-D curves during the stages of the Upper Xiaganchaigou–Xiayoushashan formations and the Shangyoushashan–Shizigou formations, respectively. 1—Lulehe Formation (LLH); 2—Lower Xiaganchaigou Formation (LXG); 3—Upper Xiaganchaigou Formation (UXG); 4—Shangganchaigou Formation (SG); 5

Figure 3 Structural cross section based on surface geology and seismic data. The line location is shown in Figure 1B . , Paleocene Lulehe Formation; , Eocene Xiaganchaigou Formation; , Oligocene Shangganchaigou Formation; , Miocene Xiayoushashan Formation; , Miocene Shangyoushashan

Figure 8. (A) Uninterpreted and (B) interpreted versions of a three-dimensional seismic section across the northern Shizigou salt structure. See Figure 5 for location. E 3 2 = Upper Xiaganchaigou Formation; N 1 = Shangganchaigou Formation; N 2 1 = Xiayoushashan Formation.

Figure 9. (A) Uninterpreted and (B) interpreted versions of a three-dimensional seismic section across the middle of the Shizigou salt structure. See Figure 5 for location. E 3 2 = Upper Xiaganchaigou Formation; N 1 = Shangganchaigou Formation; N 2 1 = Xiayoushashan Formation.

Figure 10. (A) Uninterpreted and (B) interpreted versions of a three-dimensional seismic section across the southern Shizigou salt structure. See Figure 5 for location. E 3 2 = Upper Xiaganchaigou Formation; N 1 = Shangganchaigou Formation; N 2 1 = Xiayoushashan Formation.

Figure 14. Seismic section 1 showing a typical strike-slip flower structure in the Yingxiongling range, where salt is absent. See Figure 2 for location. E 3 2 = Upper Xiaganchaigou Formation; N 1 = Shangganchaigou Formation; N 2 1 = Xiayoushashan Formation.

Figure 11. (A) Uninterpreted and (B) interpreted versions of a three-dimensional seismic strike section across the hanging wall of the Shizigou salt structure. See Figure 5 for location. E 3 2 = Upper Xiaganchaigou Formation; N 1 = Shangganchaigou Formation; N 2 1 = Xiayoushashan Formation.

= Xiayoushashan Formation.

Figure 7. Stratigraphic columns for major depositional environments of the Wulan section in the northern Tibetan Plateau. Age assignment of the sediment units were from Lu et al. (2012) . (A) Braided and meandering fluvial deposits of the early Miocene Xiayoushashan Formation. (B) Lacustrine

Figure 8. (A) Regional seismic section V and (B) related geological interpretation, showing folding associated with local plastic flow of the Lulehe Formation and thrusts soling into the Shangyoushashan Formation, as well as the neighboring Shizigou and Xiayoushashan Formations. (C) Details

Figure 12. Interpreted seismic profile (1) in time domain. T0 to T6 are regionally correlative reflectors; T0 at the top of the Shizigou Formation, T1 at the top of the Shangyoushashan Formation, T2 at the top of the Xiayoushashan Formation, T3 at the top of the Shangganchaigou Formation, TR

Figure 10. Seismic profiles in the southwestern Qaidam Basin; see Figure 2 for location. (A) Uninterpreted and (B) interpreted seismic profiles in the SW–NE direction; (C) uninterpreted and (D) interpreted seismic profiles in NW–SE direction. Note that the growth strata since the Xiayoushashan

Figure 12. ( continued ). (A) Isopach map of the Lulehe Formation (E1+2). (B) Isopach map of the lower Xiaganchaigou Formation (E3-1). (C) Isopach map of the upper Xiaganchaigou Formation (E3-2). (D) Isopach map of the Shanggan-chaigou Formation (N1). (E) Isopach map of the Xiayoushashan

Formation; XYSS—Xiayoushashan Formation; SGCG—Shangganchaigou Formation; XGCG—Xiaganchaigou Formation.

(MMCO). SZG—Shizigou Formation; SYSS—Shangyoushashan Formation; XYSS—Xiayoushashan Formation; SGCG—Shangganchaigou Formation; XGCG—Xiaganchaigou Formation.

). In the depositional period of the Xiayoushashan to Shangyoushashan Formations (ca. 11–5.8 Ma), continuous NE-SW shortening induced ductile flow (A2), resulting in the development of some décollement anticlines (such as the Dafengshan and Nanyishan anticlines). These anticlines created some other small subbasins

units are shown in Table 1 . TWTT—two-way traveltime. T0 to T6 are regionally correlative reflectors. T0 at the top of the Shizigou formation, T1 at the top of the Shangyoushashan formation, T2 at the top of the Xiayoushashan formation, T3 at the top of the Shangganchaigou formation, T4 at the top

shadow—mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO at ca. 17–14 Ma). SZG—Shizigou Formation; SYSS—Shangyoushashan Formation; XYSS—Xiayoushashan Formation; SGCG—Shangganchaigou Formation; XGCG—Xiaganchaigou Formation.