Himalayan Geology, Vol. 43 (1B), 2022, pp. 164-179, Printed in India

Large-scale tectonic models for the evolution of the Himalaya

A.K. JAIN

CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee-247667, India

Email: himalfes@gmail.com

Abstract: Various lithospheric and local-scale tectonic models, proposed for the evolution of the Himalaya-Tibet mountain system, are summarized in this paper. Two tectonic models mainly emerge from this discussion. It is likely that the Indian continental lithosphere underthrust/subducted beneath Tibet till its junction with the Bangong-Nujiang Suture (BNS) in Central Tibet where true “collisional” signatures of large-scale opposing vergence of the India-Asia Plates are observed. On the other hand, the Himalayan metamorphic belt, bounded by the Main Central Thrust (MCT) at its base and the South Tibetan Detachment System (STDS) at the top, is deformed because of ductile shearing/channel flow, which might have shaped the evolution of core of the Himalaya.

Keywords: India-Asia convergence, Himalaya, continental subduction vs. collision, tectonic models