Paleoclimate Changes during the Early Oligocene in the Hoh Xil Region, Northern Tibetan Plateau

Abstract  Sedimentological, cyclic‐stratigraphic, paleomagnetic, and clay‐mineralogical studies on the early Oligocene Yaxicuo Group in the Hoh Xil Basin, the largest Cenozoic sedimentary basin in the hinterland of the Tibetan Plateau, provide abundant information of paleoclimate changes. A 350‐m thick section in the middle‐lower Yaxicuo Group was analyzed to reveal the climatic history that occurred in the Hoh Xil region during the early Oligocene interval 31.30‐30.35 Ma, dated with the paleomagnetic chronostratigraphy. The results indicate that arid and cold climate dominated the Hoh Xil region during the early Oligocene in general, being related to the global cooling and drying events that occurred in the earliest Oligocene. Within this period, relatively warm and wet climate accompanied by strong tectonic activity occurred in the 31.05–30.75 Ma interval; while arid and cold climate and relatively inactive tectonics occurred in the 31.30–31.05 and 30.75‐30.35 Ma intervals. Furthermore, spectral analyses of high‐temporal resolution paleoclimatic records show orbital periods including eccentricity, obliquity, and precession. It is concluded that paleoclimate changes during the early Oligocene in the Hoh Xil region were forced by both tectonic activity and orbital periods.