Abstract
The Tibetan Plateau serves as a model for understanding the possible influence of middle and lower crustal flow on the geomorphic and tectonic evolution of a continental plateau. Arguments are presented in favor of a weak middle (and, in some areas, lower) crust beneath the plateau, and the development of tectonic models of the Himalayan-Tibetan orogenic system that incorporate lateral flow of this weak crust under the influence of gravity are explored. Many long- and short-wavelength features of Tibetan and Himalayan landscapes are reasonably explained as a consequence of such flow.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | In: Shroder, J. (Editor in Chief), Owen, L.A. (Ed.), Treatise on Geomorphology |
| Publisher | Academic Press |
| Pages | 350-369 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |