Himalayas Ascent Could Have Started Even Before Continental Plates Collided, Experts Say

A recent study has challenged the origin of the Himalayan mountain range, home to the world's tallest peaks.

In research published in the journal Nature Geoscience, researchers from the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability suggested that around 63 million to 61 million years ago, the oceanic portion of the Indian tectonic plate subducted, causing the Himalayas to move.

This implies that, prior to the impact, the mountains had already achieved roughly 60% of their current elevation.

"Previously it was assumed that continent-continent collision (India plate with Eurasian plate) was required for such high elevation to be obtained," study lead author Daniel Enrique Ibarra, an assistant professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences at Brown University, said in an email interview.

The Himalayas presently have an average elevation of 20,000 feet (6,100 meters) and are home to Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, which stands 29,032 feet (8,849 meters) above sea level.

Paleoaltimetry technique

The researchers utilized paleoaltimetry, which is a technique used to analyze meteorites to determine past altitudes in sedimentary rocks. They were astounded to discover that the massive mountain range did not appear in a single cataclysmic event.

While there was a continent-to-continent collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates, it was only at the final push and had little to do with the initial uplift.

Instead, they discovered that the tectonic plates were already pressing against each other, forcing the Himalayas to rise to about 3.5 kilometers, or 3,500 meters, on average, nearly 60% of their current height.

According to the study, while the tectonic dance began as early as 63 to 61 million years ago due to the subduction of the oceanic section of the Indian tectonic plate, the towering peaks were constructed by a continent-to-continent collision 45 to 59 million years ago.

For the first time, the study has shown that the edges of the two tectonic plates were already quite high prior to the collision that created the Himalayas, which is about 3.5 kilometers or 2.2 miles on average, according to senior study author Page Chamberlain.

Chamberlain serves as a professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Stanford University.

This study calls into question the long-held belief that major tectonic collisions are required for the development of mountain ranges such as the Himalayas.

Significant impact on climate and ecosystem

The study suggests a new understanding of the creation of the Himalayas has implications for our knowledge of the region's previous climate.

This also questions the existing theories about the creation of other mountain ranges, such as the Andes and the Sierra Nevada. The discovery may also help in explaining climate events such as the formation of the east and south Asian monsoon systems.

Ibarra had pointed out that the new understanding could reshape the theories that were made about past climate and biodiversity.

However, researchers noted that more research are needed to investigate these discoveries and improve the public's understanding of the mechanisms that shape the landscapes of our world.

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