How perfect is the Himalayan arc?

Abstract

Research Article| September 01, 2001 How perfect is the Himalayan arc? R. Bendick; R. Bendick 1Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0399, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar R. Bilham R. Bilham 1Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0399, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2001) 29 (9): 791–794. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0791:HPITHA>2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 06 Nov 2000 rev-recd: 19 Apr 2001 accepted: 10 May 2001 first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share MailTo Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation R. Bendick, R. Bilham; How perfect is the Himalayan arc?. Geology 2001;; 29 (9): 791–794. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0791:HPITHA>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The Himalayan plate boundary, because it is entirely subaerial, is both the most dramatic and the most accessible to direct observation of all active convergent boundaries on Earth. The shape of this boundary can be described as a small circle of radius 1696 ± 55 km, centered at long 91.6° ± 1.6°E and lat 42.4° ± 2.1°N for the extent of the arc between long 77.2° and 92.1°E. The pole of this small circle is consistent whether seismicity, topography, or stress state is used to define the position of the tectonic boundary. The defined small circle also coincides with a peak in microseismicity, the maximum horizontal strain rate, and a peak in the vertical velocity field. This quantitative definition of a stable, curved tectonic boundary is a prerequisite to modeling the dynamics of curvature in convergent arcs and applying appropriate boundary conditions to other regional models. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.