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The tectonic plate associated with the Indian subcontinent significantly shapes the region’s geography. This is particularly evident in the Himalayas, which were formed when the Indian and Eurasian plates collided. However, geological dynamics can change, and tectonic plates can disintegrate.
Splitting in two. A new hypothesis regarding the interaction between tectonic plates may challenge established beliefs about the geological processes that created the world’s highest peaks in the Himalayas. This hypothesis proposes an unprecedented interaction: the horizontal rupture of a tectonic plate.
Researchers recently shared their findings at the American Geophysical Union conference and published the study in the ESS Open Archive repository.
Clash of plates. The Himalayas are located between the heart of the Asian continent and the Indian subcontinent. They were formed between 40 and 50 million years ago when the Indian continental plate collided with the Eurasian plate. The accumulation of these two massive landmasses caused the Earth’s crust to thicken in this region, forming a colossal mountain range.
This process is ongoing. As the Indian plate continues to drift northward, it accumulates additional mass and raises peaks like Everest even higher. The mountain range is growing at a rate of around 0.40 inches per year.
Plate subduction. Until now, the prevailing theory about the geological processes occurring in the border region was that the Indian plate was experiencing subduction. In other words, it was sinking beneath the Eurasian plate. Simultaneously, the Eurasian plate was said to be undergoing transformation, folding, and thickening, creating a more substantial volume of the Earth’s crust.
However, a new hypothesis presents a different scenario.
A new hypothesis. Researchers suggest that while part of the Indian plate is indeed undergoing subduction, not all of it is. Instead of completely submerging, the Eurasian plate is thought to be splitting the Indian plate in two horizontally.
As a result, some portions of the Indian plate would remain at the surface, effectively enveloping the Eurasian plate.
Tectonic plates break apart. The rupture of a tectonic plate isn’t uncommon. One example is in Africa. Scientists predict that the continent as we know it will eventually disappear in a few million years. This could occur if a fracture splits the continent in two along a north-south axis, separating the easternmost part from the rest of Africa.
This type of rupture allows tectonic plates to reorganize themselves, leading to continental drift–a process that still holds many secrets scientists are only beginning to uncover.
Image | Dan Gold
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