Development of a Dense Cratonic Keel Prior to the Destruction of the North China Craton: Constraints From Sedimentary Records and Numerical Simulation

It remains unclear why some cratonic lithospheres like the North China Craton (NCC) have undergone significant thinning and catastrophic destruction. Here we provide evidence for a dense Phanerozoic cratonic keel beneath the NCC that provides a reason for the craton destruction during the late Mesozoic. We observed two long‐lasting (>100 Myr) episodes of surface subsidence that formed the saucer‐shaped basin topography on the NCC from the...