Study sheds new light on desert’s age
Print Edition
The Taklimakan Desert, in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, might have formed about 25 million years ago, much earlier than previously thought, according to a new study.
It’s actual age remains controversial, however, with the main view being that it is between 3.4 million and 7 million years, said lead author Zheng Hongbo, a professor at the School of Geography Science of Nanjing Normal University.
In the new study, Zheng and his colleagues identified volcanic ash from two sedimentary sections along the southwestern margin of the Tarim Basin, which preserves the evidence of desertification in the region’s geological past.
The ash includes minerals that are ideal for precise geological dating, Zheng said.
The research, combined with field investigations and petrologic studies, showed that the Taklimakan Desert likely came into existence about 25 million years ago, he said.
Zheng said the formation of the desert was the result of “widespread regional aridification and increased erosion in the surrounding mountain fronts, both of which are closely linked to the tectonic uplift of the Tibetan-Pamir Plateau and Tian Shan.”
The desertification of the Asian interior has had a far-reaching impact, he said.
Dust from the Taklimakan Desert “contributes substantially to the global aerosol system, allowing it to play a significant role in modulating global climate,” Zheng said.
The findings were published in the United States journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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