Why are some mountain ranges still rising today?
Quick Answer
Some ranges are still rising because tectonic plates are continuing to collide or slide under one another, pushing crust upward. The Himalayas are a classic example, built by the India–Eurasia collision that began about 50 million years ago.
The Full Story
Mountain ranges can keep rising when plate motions have not stopped. In the Himalayas, the Indian Plate is still moving north and pressing into the Eurasian Plate, which thickens and uplifts the crust. The same process affects other active ranges such as the Andes, where oceanic crust is subducting beneath South America. Erosion removes rock at the same time, so the final height reflects a balance between uplift and wear. GPS measurements show that parts of the Himalayas are still deforming by millimeters to centimeters per year.
Key Facts
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