Karakoram fault system

E946368

The Karakoram fault system is a major strike-slip fault zone in the western Himalaya–Tibetan region that accommodates significant tectonic movement and has played a key role in shaping the high-relief Karakoram and adjacent mountain ranges.

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Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Karakoram fault zone 1

Statements (44)

Predicate Object
instanceOf geological fault
strike-slip fault
tectonic structure
accommodates lateral extrusion of Tibetan crust
tectonic shortening in the Himalaya–Tibet region
activityStatus active
associatedWith Karakoram metamorphic complex NERFINISHED
granite plutonism
high-grade metamorphism
rapid exhumation of deep crustal rocks
controls exhumation of mid- to lower-crustal rocks
localization of magmatism in the Karakoram
displacementMagnitude tens to hundreds of kilometers (estimated)
extendsFrom southwestern Tibet
extendsTo northern Pakistan
formsBoundaryBetween Asian plate internal blocks
Karakoram terrane and Tibetan Plateau crust
geologicalAge Cenozoic
hasKinematics right-lateral strike-slip with local normal and thrust components
influences drainage patterns in the Karakoram
regional seismic hazard in the western Himalaya–Tibet region
topographic evolution of adjacent mountain ranges
initiatedDuring Miocene (approximate) NERFINISHED
linkedTo Altyn Tagh fault system NERFINISHED
Indus–Tsangpo suture NERFINISHED
locatedIn India
Karakoram Range NERFINISHED
Tibetan Plateau region
northern Pakistan
western China NERFINISHED
western Himalaya NERFINISHED
movementSense right-lateral
movementType strike-slip
namedAfter Karakoram Range NERFINISHED
parallelTo Himalayan orogenic belt NERFINISHED
Indus–Yarlung suture zone NERFINISHED
partOf intra-continental strike-slip fault network of Asia
playsRoleIn deformation of the Tibetan Plateau
development of high relief in the Karakoram Range
tectonic evolution of the Karakoram
studiedInDiscipline seismology
structural geology
tectonics
tectonicSetting India–Eurasia collision zone NERFINISHED

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Karakoram orogeny associatedWith Karakoram fault system
Abruzzi Glacier geologicalSetting Karakoram fault system
this entity surface form: Karakoram fault zone