New research suggest that Indian Continental Plate is splitting apart

Recent tectonic studies propose a third mechanism affecting the Indian Plate's interaction with the Eurasian Plate.

Indian Continental Plate is splitting apart

Indian Continental Plate is splitting apart

Geological Context

1. The Indian Continental Plate is one of Earth's major tectonic plates.
2. It is bordered by four significant plates: the Eurasian, Arabian, African, and Australian Plates.
3. Around 60 million years ago, the Indian Plate began its northward drift.
4. This ongoing convergence with the Eurasian Plate gave rise to the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau.

Traditional Theories Explaining the Uplift

1. Underplating Theory: The denser Indian lower crust slides beneath the lighter Eurasian crust during convergence.
2. Subduction Theory: Denser plates typically sink below lighter ones during collisions, a process called subduction.
3. However, continental plates are thick and buoyant, unlike oceanic plates, and resist subduction into the mantle.

Emerging Theory: Delamination and Plate Splitting

1. Recent findings suggest a new mechanism — delamination — may be occurring.
2. Delamination involves the dense lower layer of the Indian Plate peeling off and sinking into the mantle.
3. This process could be causing the Indian Plate to split internally as it continues to collide with the Eurasian Plate.
    

   

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