Rise of the Andes.
The surface uplift of mountain belts is generally assumed to reflect progressive shortening and crustal thickening, leading to their gradual rise. Recent studies of the Andes indicate that their elevation remained relatively stable for long periods (tens of millions of years), separated by rapid (1 to 4 million years) changes of 1.5 kilometers or more. Periodic punctuated surface uplift of mountain belts probably reflects the rapid removal of unstable, dense lower lithosphere after long-term thickening of the crust and lithospheric mantle.
Garzione
Carmala N
CN
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA. garzione@earth.rochester.edu
Hoke
Gregory D
GD
Libarkin
Julie C
JC
Withers
Saunia
S
MacFadden
Bruce
B
Eiler
John
J
Ghosh
Prosenjit
P
Mulch
Andreas
A