Late Paleozoic tectonic amalgamation of northwestern China: sedimentary record of the northern Tarim, northwestern Turpan, and southern Junggar Basins

Sedimentary rocks contained in basins adjacent to the Tian Shan provide a long and complex record of the late Paleozoic continental amalgamation of northwestern China. This record broadly supports previous interpretations of a two-part evolution of the Tian Shan: Late Devonian to Early Carboniferous collision of the Tarim continental block with the Central Tian Shan, followed by collision of this combined block with island arcs in the north Tian Shan and Bogda Shan in Late Carboniferous-Early Permian times. from Authors