Quaternary geology and time scale are key constrains for identification of active faults. The project surveyed the Quaternary geology at scale 1:100000 along the Golmud-Lhasa Railway (Fig.2), classified Quaternary deposits into lacustrine, fluvial, alluvial, glacial and chemical deposits and studied ages of major Quaternary deposits along the railway by U-series, ¹⁴C, TL, OSL and Electronic Spin Resonance (ESR) dating (Wu et al., 2004, 2005; Zhao et al., 2002, 2003). This provided necessary data for the classification of Quaternary glaciation and establishing a Quaternary Geological Time Scale along the Golmud-Lhasa Railway (Table 1, Fig.3).

Table 1  Quaternary  geological time scale and stratigraphic system along the Golmud-Lhasa Railway

Fig.2 Examples of Quaternary geologic maps and features of areas along the Golmud-Lhasa Railway

Explanations: (1) Quaternary geological map of the Kunlun Pass area: 1-present glacial; 2-Holocene alluvial and fluvial deposits; 3-Late Pleistocene moraine of the Yuzhu glacial stage; 4-Late Plastocene glacial flood deposits of the Yuzhu glacial stage; 5-Late Pleistocene alluvial deposits; 6-Middle Pleistocene moraine of Yakou glacial stage; 7-Middle Pleistocene glacial flood deposits of Yakou glacial stage; 8-Middel Pleistocene moraine of Tangula glacial stage; 9-Middle Pleistocene glacial flood deposits of Tangula glacial stage; 10-Early Pleistocene lacustrine and delta deposits of Qiangtang Formation; 11-Triassic granite; 12-Triassic strata; 13-Permian strata; 14-Sinistral strike-slip fault; 15-Pressure ridges and trenches. (2) Quaternary geological map of Nyainqentanglha area: 1-present glacial; 2-Holocene alluvial and fluvial deposits; 3-Holocene lacustrine deposits; 4-Late Pleistocene moraine of Laqu glacial stage; 5-Late Pleistocene glacial flood deposits of Laqu glacial stage; 6-Late Pleistocene lacustrine deposits; 7-Late Pleistocene alluvial deposits; 8-Middle Pleistocene moraine of Palen glacial stage; 9-Middle Pleistocene glacial flood deposits of Palen glacial stage; 10-Middle Pleistocene moraine of Ningzhong glacial stage; 11-Middle Pleistocene glacial flood deposits of Ningzhong glacial stage; 12-Early Pleistocene alluvial and glacial flood deposits; 13-Cenozoic granite; 14-Eocene strata; 15-Cretaceous strata; 17-Metamorphic rocks of amphibolite faces; 18-fault.

Fig.3 Quaternary stratigraphic system and geological events of the Nyainqentanglha and its adjacent areas

1-gravel; 2-dark clay; 3-glacial flood deposits; 4-miraine; 5-sands and silt; 6-gray clay; 7-brown gravel; 8-paleo-soil; 8-gaps in stratigraphic record