Knowledge regarding the origin of the arcuate belts located south of the Altyn Tagh Fault (ATF) is important for understanding the evolution of the ATF. Here, we conduct a detailed paleomagnetic rotation study on two halves of the Saishitengshan arcuate belt (SAB) in the northern Qaidam Basin to better understand the ATF evolution. Paleomagnetic results reveal an ~25° rotational difference between the two halves during deposition of the Shangganchaigou and Xiayoushashan formations. This rotational difference is consistent with the geometric trend change in the SAB, and its oroclinal bending is further constrained as having occurred during the middle to late Miocene (~17–10 Ma) based on similar rotation of nearby Heishiqiu. Combined with other paleomagnetic results along the ATF, we propose that a transitional zone with remarkable counterclockwise rotations developed south of the fault due to the frictional dragging of the ATF, which is related to its tectonic transition from concentrated to distributed sinistral shear during the middle to late Miocene.

有关位于阿尔金塔格断层 (ATF) 以南的弓形带起源的知识对于了解 ATF 的演化非常重要。在这里，我们对柴达木盆地北部赛石腾山弓形带（SAB）的两半进行了详细的古地磁旋转研究，以更好地了解ATF演化。古地磁结果表明，在上干柴沟组和下油沙山组沉积过程中，两半之间的旋转差异约为 25°。这种旋转差异与 SAB 的几何趋势变化是一致的，并且基于附近黑石球的类似旋转，其口斜弯曲进一步受到限制，因为它发生在中新世中晚期（~17-10 Ma）。结合沿 ATF 的其他古地磁结果，