Tag Archives: himalaya mountains

Asian Monsoon Much Older Than Previously Thought

Scientists originally thought the climate pattern began 22-25 million years ago as a result of the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalaya Mountains. But UA researchers say that’s not going back far enough.

The Asian monsoon already existed 40 million years ago during a period of high atmospheric carbon dioxide and warmer temperatures, reports an international research team led by a University of Arizona geoscientist. (more…)

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When Continents Collide: A New Twist To a 50 Million-Year-Old Tale

ANN ARBOR, Mich.— Fifty million years ago, India slammed into Eurasia, a collision that gave rise to the tallest landforms on the planet, the Himalaya Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau.

India and Eurasia continue to converge today, though at an ever-slowing pace. University of Michigan geomorphologist and geophysicist Marin Clark wanted to know when this motion will end and why. She conducted a study that led to surprising findings that could add a new wrinkle to the well-established theory of plate tectonics – the dominant, unifying theory of geology. (more…)

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