Implications of the fault scaling law for the growth of topography: mountain ranges in the broken foreland of north‐east Tibet

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3121.2004.00549.x
• Publication Date: 2004-05-21T15:20:40Z
• Authors: Ralf Hetzel; Mingxin Tao; Samuel Niedermann; Manfred R. Strecker; Susan Ivy‐Ochs; Peter W. Kubik; Bo Gao
• Keywords: Elevation (ballistics)

Abstract A fault scaling law suggests that, over eight orders of magnitude, length L is linearly related to maximum displacement D . Individual faults may therefore retain a constant ratio / as they grow. If erosion minor compared with tectonic uplift, the and along‐strike relief young mountain ranges should thus reflect growth. Topographic profiles along crests in actively deforming foreland north‐east Tibet exhibit characteristic shape height near their centre decreasing elevation toward tips. We interpret these slip distribution on high‐angle reverse faults. geometric model illustrates that lateral propagation rate such be deciphered if length‐to‐height has remained constant. As an application model, we reconstruct growth Heli Shan using long‐term uplift ∼1.3 mm yr −1 derived from 21 Ne 10 Be exposure dating.