Geology Bites

Peter Molnar on Why the Tibetan Plateau is So High


Listen Later

How can we tell what is happening at the bottom of the lithosphere, especially in one of the most remote places on the planet?  Peter Molnar describes how many diverse lines of evidence, from the fossil record to normal faulting point to abrupt elevation changes in Tibet, both before and well after India collided with it.  He thinks this tells us that the bottom of the thickened lithosphere there is gravitationally unstable and hot enough to literally drip off into the asthenosphere below, after which the remaining lithosphere becomes more buoyant.

Peter Molnar is Professor of Geological Sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder.  He has worked on a great many subjects, but especially on how mountain ranges are built and how climate on geological timescales is affected by topography and crustal movements.  His research on mountain ranges has focused on the high terrain in Asia - the Himalaya, Tibet, and Tien Shan - all of which he has studied extensively in the field.

For podcast illustrations, and to learn more about Geology Bites, go to geologybites.com

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Geology BitesBy Oliver Strimpel

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

3 ratings


More shows like Geology Bites

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,894 Listeners

Science Weekly by The Guardian

Science Weekly

398 Listeners

Astronomy Cast by Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay

Astronomy Cast

2,865 Listeners

Science In Action by BBC World Service

Science In Action

344 Listeners

99% Invisible by Roman Mars

99% Invisible

26,137 Listeners

Origin Stories by The Leakey Foundation

Origin Stories

486 Listeners

Curious Cases by BBC Radio 4

Curious Cases

823 Listeners

Pod Save America by Crooked Media

Pod Save America

86,615 Listeners

Fall of Civilizations Podcast by Fall of Civilizations Podcast

Fall of Civilizations Podcast

4,849 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,964 Listeners

The Ancients by History Hit

The Ancients

3,013 Listeners

PlanetGeo: The Geology Podcast by Chris and Jesse

PlanetGeo: The Geology Podcast

216 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

12,918 Listeners

The News Agents by Global

The News Agents

981 Listeners

Dark Matters – Geheimnisse der Geheimdienste by SWR3, rbb24 Inforadio, Eva-Maria Lemke

Dark Matters – Geheimnisse der Geheimdienste

20 Listeners