The Cenozoic tectonic evolution of East and Southeast Asia: Interplay between the India-Eurasia collision and the Pacific and Sunda subduction zones

The collision between India and Eurasia has resulted in the formation of the Himalayas and Tibet, the highest mountain range on Earth. The collision is also thought to be responsible for the extrusion of microplates (Sunda, East China) and far-field deformation in Asia, including Lake Baikal and the Sea of Okhotsk, 3000-5000 km to the northeast. Previous models have not considered the role of the Pacific and Sunda subduction zones in driving such extrusion and far-field deformation. This project will investigate the role of these subduction zones using sophisticated laboratory and numerical models of continental deformation and subduction. Results will provide fundamental insight into the largest intra-plate deformation zone on Earth.