Ancient Teton Rocks Reveal Evidence of Ancient Continental Collision

Scientists have found evidence of continental collisions in Wyoming's Teton Range dating to as early as 2.68 billion years ago. The findings reveal a bit more about the geologic history of this area.

"While the Himalayas are the prime example of continent-continent collisions that take place due to plate tectonic motion today, our work suggests plate tectonics operated far, far back into the geologic past," said Carol Frost, one of the researchers, in a news release.

In this latest study, the researchers analyzed ancient, exposed granite in the norther Teton Range and then compared it to similar rock in the Himalayas. The rocks were formed from magma produced by what is known as decompression melting, a process that commonly occurs when two continental tectonic plates collide. The dramatically thickened crust extends under gravitational forces, and melting results when deeper crust rises closer to the surface.

While the Tetons are a relatively young mountain range, forming just 9 million years ago, the rocks exposed there are some of the oldest found in North America.

In fact, the remnants of tectonic activity in old rocks exposed in the Tetons point to the world's earliest known continent-continent collision.

The findings may reveal a bit more about the geologic history of our planet, which could help researchers better understand what geologic processes are occurring today.

The findings are published in the journal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta.

Related Articles

Adorable Pika's Future with Climate Change May Not be as Grim as Once Thought

Desert Beetle May Give Scientists a Way to Combat Frost on Materials

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).