Multi-system geochronometer constraints on thermo-tectonic evolution of the Qiangtang Terrane, central Tibetan Plateau: Comment

Abstract

The elevation of the Tibetan Plateau constitutes a revolutionary event in Earth's history, but the chronologic evolution and mechanistic drivers of plateau formation persist as subjects of intense contention. Recently, Lei et al. (2026) proposed that the Tibetan Plateau underwent pulse-like growth and that the rapid elevation of the Qiangtang block during the 120–90 Ma due to the Lhasa–Qiangtang continental collision. However, the extensive literature records of Cretaceous marine deposition over the Qiangtang block does not support its rapid elevation during 120–90 Ma and studies reveal that the subduction of the Meso- and Neo-Tethys oceanic lithospheres could have played a critical role in the initial elevation of the Qiangtang and Lhasa blocks prior to the Cenozoic Indo–Asian collision. An insufficient incorporation of regional sedimentary, structural and tectonic data under over-reliance on limited thermochronological data has seriously undermined the soundness and reliability of Lei et al.'s work.