orogeny
Sign in to savethumb|Map of the last orogenies to affect Earth's geologic provinces
AI overview
Orogeny is the geological process that builds mountains, typically through the collision and deformation of Earth's crustal plates over millions of years. Understanding orogeny matters because it shapes the landscape we live on and helps explain the distribution of mountains, mineral resources, and geological hazards across our planet.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
16 sectionsContents
- Tectonics
- Intraplate orogeny
- Orogens
- Orogenic cycle
- Continental rifting
- Seafloor spreading
- Subduction
- Mountain building
- Closure of the ocean basin
- Continental collision and orogeny
- Erosion
- History of the concept
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|Map of the last orogenies to affect Earth's geologic provinces
Orogeny () is a mountain-building process that takes place at a convergent plate margin when plate motion compresses the margin. An or develops as the compressed plate crumples and is uplifted to form one or more mountain ranges. This involves a series of geological processes collectively called orogenesis. These include both structural deformation of existing continental crust and the creation of new continental crust through volcanism. Magma rising in the orogen carries less dense material upwards while leaving more dense material behind, resulting in compositional differentiation of Earth's lithosphere (crust and uppermost mantle). A synorogenic (or synkinematic) process or event is one that occurs during an orogeny.