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How have crustal shortening and volcanism both affected the Plateau of Tibet?
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plateau
The Columbia Plateau is uniformly covered with basaltic lava flows and spans an area of about 100,000 square miles in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.
The Plateau of Tibet is a high-altitude landform shaped by complex tectonic processes, primarily crustal shortening and volcanism.1
- Crustal Shortening: The collision between the Indian subcontinent and Eurasia has caused severe crustal shortening, effectively doubling the thickness of the plateau's crust. This process created high mountain ranges along the plateau's margins and resulted in broad, flat valleys where eroded debris has accumulated. While crustal thickening has largely ceased, the plateau now experiences east-west extension, contributing to its current tectonic structure.21
- Volcanism: Volcanism has also played a role in the plateau's development. Active volcanoes and young lava flows are present, covering some of the broad basins in the northern part of the region.1
Ultimately, the high, flat elevation of the Plateau of Tibet is considered a result of the simultaneous influence of crustal shortening, volcanism, and thermal expansion of the underlying lithosphere.1