Mountain Belts.

Catalog description

This course will explore mountain belts with a focus on the tectonic processes and climatic interactions that sculpt their deep structure and surface expression. We will discuss all components of mountain systems including fold-thrust belts, accretionary prisms, basins, and the magmatic arc. The course will largely follow the lifecycle of orogens, from subduction initiation, to Cordilleran orogenesis, collisional orogenesis, and ultimate orogenic collapse. An emphasis will be placed on techniques that are used to study different parts of the system. This course is designed for graduate students and upper-level undergraduates.