Fig. 5: Simplified model to illustrate the dynamical links between river systems and tectonic plates in the eastern Tibetan Plateau (TP).
From: Evolution of eastern Tibetan river systems is driven by the indentation of India
a A dividing segment between the Jinsha and Yalong catchments, oblique view toward the northwest of satellite image draped on digital elevation model (3×vertical exaggeration, from Google Earth), seen from the perspective point indicated on Fig. 2. The orange line indicates the dividing range, blue lines denote the river networks. The asymmetric dividing range will migrate farther northeast (NE) according to the divide asymmetry index. b Above the sea level line, the conceptive representation of the evolution of eastern Tibetan river systems, modified after Forte and Whipple21. The dividing range moves when catchment erosion rates are different across-divide. Orange arrow indicates the northeastward migration of the dividing range. Under the sea-level line, a cross-section of convergent plates in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. The black arrow shows the persistent northeastward indentation of India. The crust is displayed grayish and not distinguished between India and Eurasia. Indian mantle lithosphere is marked red. Eurasian mantle lithosphere is marked blue, green area represents the crushed lithospheric region.
