Mode of intracontinental mountain building controlled by lower crustal composition and mantle lithosphere depletion

Xi Xu (), Andrew V. Zuza, Taras Gerya, Lin Chen, Xingtao Kuang, Hanlin Chen (), Baodi Wang, Jingao Liu, Xuhua Shi, Yanyun Sun, Lei Wu, Song Han, Xiubin Lin, Shufeng Yang and An Yin
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Xi Xu: Yangtze University
Andrew V. Zuza: University of Nevada
Taras Gerya: ETH-Zürich
Lin Chen: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xingtao Kuang: China Geological Survey
Hanlin Chen: Zhejiang University
Baodi Wang: China Geological Survey
Jingao Liu: China University of Geoscience (Beijing)
Xuhua Shi: China Geological Survey
Yanyun Sun: China Geological Survey
Lei Wu: Zhejiang University
Song Han: China Geological Survey
Xiubin Lin: Zhejiang University
Shufeng Yang: Zhejiang University
An Yin: University of California-Los Angeles

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Tectonic plate convergence is accommodated across the continental lithosphere via discrete lithospheric subduction or distributed shortening and thickening. These end-member deformation modes control intra-plate mountain building, but their selection mechanism remains unclear. The variable composition of the continental crust and lithospheric mantle, which impacts its density and rheology, can be inferred by the distribution of magnetic-indicated crustal iron. Here we demonstrate that vertically coherent pure-shear shortening dominated the active Tian Shan orogen, central Asia, based on high-resolution aeromagnetic imaging and geophysical-geodetic observations. Integrating these findings with thermomechanical collisional models reveals that the mode of intracontinental deformation depends on contrasts in lower crust composition and mantle lithosphere depletion between the converging continents and central orogenic region. Distributed shortening prevails when the converging continents have a more iron-enriched mafic crust and iron-depleted mantle lithosphere when compared to the intervening orogenic region. Conversely, continental subduction occurs without such lithospheric contrasts. This result explains how the Tian Shan orogen formed via distributed lithospheric thickening without continental subduction or underthrusting. Our interpretations imply that iron distribution in the crust correlates with lithospheric compositional, density, and rheological structure, which impacts the preservation and destruction of Earth’s continents, including long-lived cratons, during intracontinental orogeny.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63468-1

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