Mountain Belts - Birth, Growth, and Destruction

This lecture traces mountain belts from their formation during subduction and continental collision to later gravitational change and collapse. It introduces basic tectonic principles and uses examples from the Tripura Ranges, Taiwan, and the western United States.

Syllabus

Intro
Why learn about mountains?
Some basic tectonic principles to begin!
Mountains: Birth and early development
Critical taper theory
Megathrust events
Transition from subduction to collision
Tripura Ranges-growing tectonic folds
Mountains: Continental collision stage
Onset of continental collision
A single faulting/uplift event in Taiwan
Mountains have their own gravity!
Topography and gravity anomalies
A weak layer deep below mountains
Gravitational collapse in the western US
What next for a collapsed mountain range?