Displacement and distortion in orogenic systems

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Mountain belts represent the most dynamic and complex tectonic systems on earth. In addition to remoulding the earth's crust and altering mantle dynamics, mountain belts can also have a profound effect on the biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. These belts are not static entities, but rather are dynamic systems that react to both large- scale changes in plate tectonics and more local factors such as focused vigorous erosion. The dynamic nature of mountain belts can result in the preservation of a complex series of spatially and temporally distinct deformational, metamorphic, and thermal episodes. Understanding how these sometimes seemingly disparate geologic histories relate within a single belt is critical to elucidating the processes that govern its evolution. Recent hypotheses proposed for how large mountain belts evolve can be tested by investigating the dynamic spatial and temporal relationships between displacement and distortion within orogens and by ascertaining how convergence is accommodated throughout evolving mountain belts. Much of Canada's economic geologic wealth (both oil/gas and mineral resources) is related either to the formation of a mountain belt, or its distribution has been affected by deformation associated with mountain building. Understanding the processes that govern mountain formation by examining young mountain belts can provide insight into how the ancient systems that host some of those large economic reserves evolved.