Solid Earth Sciences Division
Geochemistry of mountains
Not all mountain ranges are created equal. In fact, the processes that build and erode mountains are surprisingly diverse, and they're not always triggered by the collision or divergence of tectonic plates. At CIRES, our researchers are involved in a major effort to discern the separate effects of the crust and upper mantle on western U.S. topography. We're finding that many of the observed differences in western geology are a result of variations in the density or composition of the mantle. Mountain uplift and extension in the Sierra Nevada, for example, appear to be driven by the "drip" of hot and dense rock from the foundation of the mountain range.
