Which tectonic processes can create plateaus?

Plateaus are primarily formed by three distinct tectonic processes, which are the same mechanisms responsible for creating mountain ranges. These processes often operate simultaneously to shape the Earth's surface.1

Primary Tectonic Processes

• Thermal Expansion: This occurs when the lithosphere is heated, often by an upwelling of hot material from the asthenosphere. The resulting warming and expansion of the uppermost mantle cause the surface to uplift. If the area was originally low and flat, it often retains a relatively uniform, elevated surface, as seen in the Ethiopian Plateau.12
• Crustal Shortening: This process thickens the crust through the folding of rock layers or the thrusting of one crustal block over another. High plateaus formed this way, such as the Plateau of Tibet, are essentially mountain ranges buried in their own debris, where internal drainage leads to the deposition of sediment in broad, flat valleys.12
• Volcanism: Extensive lava flows, known as flood basalts or traps, can bury preexisting terrain to create vast volcanic plateaus. These eruptions are frequently associated with hot spots, as exemplified by the Columbia Plateau and the Deccan Traps.12