Mountain Case Study - Cw

Alps Mountains: Orogenisis Case Study

Chrison Wong

Location

The Alps are a 700 mile long mountain system in southern central Europe. It extends from the south coast of France to Slovenia. It also passes through Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Italy and Austria.

Formation • Began during the Cretacious period 70 million years ago • Formed by the collision of the Eurasian Plate and Africa Plate • Large compression forces were exerted upon the sediments of the Tethys Sea, which was located between what is now Europe and Africa • These immense tectonic forces caused recumbent folds in the rock to form and rise from the Tethys Sea • The folds subsequently faulted, forming large thrust faults which are known today as The Alps mountain range. • The Alps are currently still rising as much as 1 cm per year, but this is balanced by the effects of weathering.

Rock Composition • The Alps are composed of sedimentary rock which was deposited in the Tethys Sea and uplifted • The rock composition is a mixture of nappes (sheets of rock) from both the Eurasian Plate and the African Plate which were formed when the two plates collided • Contains large amounts of limestone and some shale and sandstone • Intrusions in the Alps, although rare, do occur occasionally. They are most commonly found along the Periadriatic Seam (discussed later) • The largest intrusion in the mountain system is the Adamello Granite in northern Italy

Major Feature: Periadriatic Seam

A 1000km long collection of vertical slip faultzones. It is the most geologically active area of the Alps and is a source of minor earthquakes.

Major Feature: Mont Blanc • At 4,810 meters, it is the highest peak in the Alps. Mont Blanc

Human Factors •

The region has a relatively high population density compared to other mountain ranges. • The Alps run through countries in relatively high stages of development, and there is no major seismic activity in the region, so the mountain range causes little harm to the people who live in the area. The only danger is from avalanches, and those are closely monitored. • Many parts of the mountain system have been adapted to provide income for the countries in which it is located. – The Alps attract over 10 million visitors per year. – Winter: Popular snow sports include alpine and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and tobogganing. – Summer: Hiking and paragliding are popular activities. Mountain lakes attract swimmers, surfers, and sailors.

Works Consulted • • •

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WorldAtlas. (2008). Alps mountain map and details. Waldron, John. (2004). Landforms – how did the Alps mountains form?. < http://earthnet-geonet.ca/qa/landformsqa/index_e.php?q1> Adamello Group. (2008). Tione di trento nature. < http://www.trentino.to/it/guide/85202sy,en,SCH1/objectId,SIG11850it,curr,EUR,parentId,RGN > NationMaster Encyclopedia. (2008) Periadriatic Seam. Encyclopedia Britannica. (2008). Alps mountains, Europe. <( http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/17356/Alps/34394/Tourism>