~ Geology and Major Structures of the Himalayas The closing and subduction of the Tethyan Ocean, located between India and Asia during the Paleozoic, followed by collision of continents produced the structures and lithologies we see today in the Himalayas. Consequently, the mountains and surrounding regions are characterized by astounding complexity,represented by a variety of deformed and collision-produced lithologies and representing several phases of tectonic and deformational events. The Himalayas can be divided into six primary lithotectonic zones that occur in parallel belts. These zones consist of the Trans-Himalayan batholith, Indus-Tsangpo suture zone, Tethyan(Tibetan) Himalaya, Higher(Greater) Himalaya, Lesser(Lower) Himalaya, and Sub-Himalaya. Tectonic environments within these zones also vary. The emense collision of plates at 45 million years gave rise to an island-arc margin in the western Himalayas and an Andean-type margin in central-to-eastern Himalayan regions (Windley 1995).
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 10:42:24 +0000
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