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Denali Fault
- 27 Dec 2024
- 2 min read
A new research has revealed the origins of the Denali Fault, the tectonic boundary that gave rise to Denali mountain in Alaska, North America's highest mountain.
- The Denali fault was formed from the collision of an oceanic plate called the Wrangellia Composite Terrane with the North American plate between 72 million and 56 million years ago.
- The study also found evidence of inverted metamorphism, where high-pressure rocks are positioned above low-pressure ones due to tectonic activity.
- About Fault: Fault or crack gives rise to Block mountains. E.g., Satpura and Vindhya mountains.
- Block mountains are formed when large areas of land are broken and displaced vertically. They are also known as fault-block mountains.
- Types of Fault:
- Strike-Slip Faults: These faults occur when tectonic plates slide horizontally with minimal vertical movement. E.g., Denali Fault.
- Normal Faults: These faults occur when one rock block slides downward, separating from the adjacent block. E.g., East African Rift Valley.
- Reverse Faults (Thrust Faults): These faults occur when the upper block moves up and over the lower block.
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