Alaska Orocline Bending - Oroclinal Bending of Southern Alaska during Final Assembly of the North American Cordillera

Explore the geological processes behind Alaska's dramatic crustal deformation in this 35-minute conference talk where South Dakota School of Mines Assistant Professor Trevor Waldien presents his groundbreaking 2025 research on oroclinal bending in southern Alaska. Discover how massive tectonic forces bent and twisted Alaska's mountain ranges during the final assembly of the North American Cordillera, fundamentally reshaping the region's geological architecture. Learn about the evidence and methodologies used to reconstruct this complex geological history, including paleomagnetic data and structural analysis that reveal how Alaska's current configuration resulted from large-scale rotational deformation. Gain insights into the timing and mechanisms of this oroclinal bending process and understand its significance in the broader context of North American continental evolution and Cordilleran tectonics.