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orogeny

Also known as orogenesis, mountain building

thumb|Map of the last orogenies to affect Earth's geologic provinces

AI overview

Orogeny is the geological process that builds mountains, typically through the collision and deformation of Earth's crustal plates over millions of years. Understanding orogeny matters because it shapes the landscape we live on and helps explain the distribution of mountains, mineral resources, and geological hazards across our planet.

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Commons category: Orogeny

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~19 min read

Article

16 sections

Contents

Tectonics
Intraplate orogeny
Orogens
Orogenic cycle
Continental rifting
Seafloor spreading
Subduction
Mountain building
Closure of the ocean basin
Continental collision and orogeny
Erosion
History of the concept
See also
References
Further reading
External links

thumb|Map of the last orogenies to affect Earth's geologic provinces

Orogeny () is a mountain-building process that takes place at a convergent plate margin when plate motion compresses the margin. An or develops as the compressed plate crumples and is uplifted to form one or more mountain ranges. This involves a series of geological processes collectively called orogenesis. These include both structural deformation of existing continental crust and the creation of new continental crust through volcanism. Magma rising in the orogen carries less dense material upwards while leaving more dense material behind, resulting in compositional differentiation of Earth's lithosphere (crust and uppermost mantle). A synorogenic (or synkinematic) process or event is one that occurs during an orogeny.