The Indian tectonic plate caused Tibet to split in two.

The Indian tectonic plate may be breaking in two as it slides beneath the Eurasian plate, splitting Tibet in the process.

Tibet may be affected by the activity of the Indian tectonic plate. Photo: Smart Water Magazine — Tibet may be affected by the activity of the Indian tectonic plate. Photo: *Smart Water Magazine*

Tibet may be splitting in two beneath the towering Himalayas, with pieces of continental tectonic plates popping out like tin can lids, according to new research presented at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, Live Science reported on January 16. This suggests that the geology beneath the world's highest mountain range may be far more complex than previously thought.

The Himalayas developed from two continental tectonic plates, the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate, colliding beneath this massive mountain range. In some cases, when continental and oceanic tectonic plates collide, the denser oceanic plate slides beneath the lighter continental plate in a process called subduction. However, when two equally dense continental plates collide, as is the case beneath the Himalayas, predicting which plate will lie underneath is not straightforward. Geologists still don't know exactly what is happening in Tibet.

Some researchers suggest that the Indian plate may be sliding beneath the Eurasian plate without sinking deep into the mantle, while others speculate that the deeper part of the Indian plate is subducting, while the upper part is encroaching on Tibet. New research suggests the answer may be both hypotheses. The research team found evidence that the Indian plate is subducting, but it is distorted and detached in the process, with the upper half becoming layered and sloughing off.

To better understand what's happening beneath Tibet, researchers from China and the United States examined earthquake waves traveling through the crust in the area where the two tectonic plates collide. They reconstructed images from the earthquake waves, revealing cracks in the Indian plate. In many places, the underside of the Indian plate is 200 km deep. In other places, the depth is only about 100 km, indicating that a portion of the plate is breaking off.

Previous research published in 2022 in the journal PNAS also indicated multiple isotopes of helium from geothermal wells in the region. One helium isotope, helium-3, was found in rocks in the mantle, while a mixture containing much lower concentrations of helium-3 likely came from the crust. By mapping helium isotopes in multiple wells, the researchers discovered the boundary where the two tectonic plates meet lies north of the Himalayas.

The new research also identifies areas of increased earthquake risk along tectonic plate boundaries, although the research team does not yet fully understand how fracturing and deformation deep within the crust lead to pressure buildup at the ground.

An Khang (According to Live Science )

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