Correlation of Cretaceous-Palaeogene sedimentary evolution in southwestern Tarim Basin and adjacent central Asia basins

The southwestern region of the Tarim Basin was located on the northern margin of the Neo-Tethys, and linked with the Alay Basin, Fergana basin and Tajiki Basin in central Asia during the Cretaceous-Palaeogene. In the light of the previous results, and current data of drilling, logging and outcrops, the Cretaceous-Palaeogene strata in the southwestern region of the Tarim Basin has witnessed continental-marine-continental evolution. The continental deposits occur in the Lower Cretaceous strata, the upper part of the Eocene strata and Oligocene strata, and represent the alluvial fan-fan delta-lake deposits. The marine deposits occur in the Upper Cretaceous-lower Eocene strata deposited in the evaporate platform, open platform, restricted platform and barrier coastal environments. Influenced by the transgression and regression of the Neo-Tethys, the Cretaceous-Palaeogene strata in central Asia region had also experienced the same evolution with those in the southwestern region of the Tarim Basin in China.