The following is a list of known orogenies organised by continent, starting with the oldest in each. The headings are present-day continents, which may differ from the geography contemporary to the orogenies. Some orogenies encompass more than one continent and may have different names in each, and some very large orogenies include sub-orogenies. As with other geological phenomena, orogenies are often subject to revised interpretations of their age, type and associated paleogeography.

Geologic provinces of the world (USGS)

In some (especially older) literature, the term orogeny refers to a long episode of basin formation and deposition of sediments over hundreds of millions of years, ending with deformation (sometimes including metamorphism) of these deposits. However, some workers use the term only for the final mountain-building deformation event over tens of millions of years or shorter.[1][2]

African orogenies

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Antarctic orogenies

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Orogenies affecting Antarctica include:[3]

Asian orogenies

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Persia–Tibet–Burma orogeny in Eurasian Plate

European orogenies

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  • Saamian orogeny – Formation of an extensive area of tonalitic-trondhjemitic crust in Fennoscandia, (3.1–2.9 Ga)
  • Lopian orogeny – Archean orogeny – Formation of two different types of terrain compatible with plate tectonic concepts. One is a belt of high-grade gneisses formed in a regime of strong mobility, while the other is a region of granitoid intrusions and greenstone belts surrounded by the remnants of a Saamian substratum, (2.9–2.6 Ga)
  • Svecofennian orogeny, also known as Svecokarelian orogeny – Geological process that resulted in formation of continental crust in Sweden, Finland and Russia, (2.0–1.75 Ga)
  • Gothian orogeny – Formation of tonalitic-granodioritic plutonic rocks and calc-alkaline volcanites (like the previous Svecofennian orogeny), (1.75–1.5 Ga)
  • Sveconorwegian orogeny – Orogenic belt in southwestern Sweden and southern Norway – Essentially reworking of previously formed crust, (1.25 Ga – 900 Ma)
  • Timanide orogeny – Orogen that formed during the Neoproterozoic – Affecting the northern Baltic Shield during the Neoproterozoic Era, (620–550 Ma)
  • Cadomian orogeny – Tectonic event(s) in the late Neoproterozoic – On the north coast of Armorica in the Ediacaran/Cambrian, (660–540 Ma)
  • Caledonian orogeny – Mountain building event caused by the collision of Laurentia, Baltica and Avalonia – Deformation of the western Scandinavian Peninsula, Britain and Ireland, in the Ordovician Grampian phase and the Silurian Scandian phase[4]
  • Variscan orogeny, also known as Hercynian orogeny – Collision of tectonic plates resulting in the creation of mountains – Deformation in western Iberia, southwest Ireland, southwest England, central and western France, southern Germany and Czech Republic, during the Devonian and Carboniferous Periods
  • Uralian orogeny – Long series of linear deformation and mountain building events that raised the Ural Mountains, during the Permian Period.
  • Alpine orogeny – Formation of the Alpine mountain ranges of Europe, the Middle East and northwest Africa, encompassing:
  • Mediterranean Ridge – Seabed ridge south of Greece

North American orogenies

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Taconic orogeny

Oceania orogenies

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Australian orogenies

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New Zealand orogenies

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  • Tuhua Orogeny – Mountain-building process in New Zealand, (370–330 Ma)
  • Rangitata Orogeny – long period of uplift and collision in New Zealand, (142–99 Ma)
  • Kaikoura Orogeny – Seismic formation event, (24 Ma – present)

South American orogenies

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Table

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Orogeny Estimated start time(Ga) Estimated end time(Ga) Continent
Pan-African orogeny .55 .55 Africa
Damara orogeny .53 .5 Africa
Kibaran orogeny 1.4 1 Africa
Eburnean orogeny 2.2 2 Africa
East African Orogeny .75 .55 Africa
Mauritanide Orogeny .32 .27 Africa
Mozambique Orogeny 2.65 2.97 Africa
Zambezi Orogeny .89 .53 Africa
Napier orogeny 4 Antarctica
Rayner orogeny 3.5 Antarctica
Humboldt orogeny 3 Antarctica
Insel orogeny 2.65 Antarctica
Early Ruker orogeny 2 1.7 Antarctica
Late Ruker orogeny 1 Antarctica
Beardmore orogeny .62 Antarctica
Ross orogeny .55 .48 Antarctica
Borchgrevink orogeny .42 .35 Antarctica
Aravalli-Delhi Orogen 2.3 Asia
Aravalli-Delhi Orogen 2.3 Asia
Altaid Orogeny .54 Asia
Uralian orogeny .3 .25 Asia
Cimmerian orogeny .22 Asia
Dabie-Sulu orogeny .24 Asia
Persia–Tibet–Burma orogeny .55 Asia
Himalayan orogeny .29 .16 Asia
Saamian orogeny 3.1 2.9 Europe
Lopian orogeny 2.9 2.6 Europe
Svecofennian orogeny 2.0 1.75 Europe
Gothian orogeny 1.75 1.5 Europe
Sveconorwegian orogeny 1.14 .96 Europe
Timanide orogeny .62 .55 Europe
Cadomian orogeny .66 .54 Europe
Caledonian orogeny .49 .39 Europe
Variscan orogeny .44 .35 Europe
Uralian orogeny .32 .25 Europe
Alpine orogeny .15 .25 Europe
Mediterranean Ridge .15 Europe
Algoman orogeny 2.7 2.5 North America
Wopmay orogeny 2.1 1.9 North America
Trans-Hudson orogeny 1 1.8 North America
Nagssugtoqidian orogeny 1.9 1.8 North America
Ketilidian orogeny 1.85 1.72 North America
Penokean orogeny 1.85 1.84 North America
Great Falls orogeny 1.77 North America
Ivanpah orogeny 1.71 1.70 North America
Yavapai orogeny 1.71 1.70 North America
Mazatzal orogeny 1.67 1.65 North America
Picuris orogeny 1.43 1.30 North America
Grenville orogeny 1.25 .98 North America
Caledonian orogeny East Greenland Orogen .72 .42 North America
Caledonian orogeny Taconic orogeny .44 North America
Caledonian orogeny Acadian orogeny .37 North America
Appalachian orogeny .48 North America
Taconic orogeny .44 North America
Acadian orogeny .37 North America
Alleghanian orogeny .35 North America
Ouachita orogeny .29 North America
Antler orogeny .35 .32 North America
Innuitian orogeny .45 North America
Sonoma orogeny .27 .24 North America
Nevadan orogeny .2 North America
Sevier orogeny .14 .05 North America
Laramide orogeny .07 .04 North America
Pasadena orogeny .03 North America
Sleaford orogeny 2.44 2.42 Oceania
Glenburgh orogeny 2 1.92 Oceania
Barramundi orogeny 1.89 1.85 Oceania
Kimban orogeny 1.84 1.70 Oceania
Cornian orogeny 2 1.86 Oceania
Miltalie orogeny 1.95 Oceania
Yapungku orogeny 1.76 Oceania
Albany-Fraser orogeny 1.71 1.02 Oceania
Mangaroon orogeny 1.68 1.62 Oceania
Isan orogeny 1.60 Oceania
Kararan orogeny 1.57 1.55 Oceania
Olarian orogeny 1.45 Oceania
Capricorn orogeny 1.3 Oceania
Musgrave orogeny 1.22 1.12 Oceania
Edmundian orogeny 1.68 1.46 Oceania
Petermann orogeny .55 .53 Oceania
Delamerian Orogeny .51 Oceania
Lachlan Orogeny .54 .44 Oceania
Thomson Orogeny .51 .49 Oceania
Alice Springs Orogeny .45 .30 Oceania
Kanimblan Orogeny .32 Oceania
Hunter-Bowen orogeny .26 .22 Oceania
Tuhua Orogeny .37 .33 Oceania
Rangitata Orogeny .14 .09 Oceania
Kaikoura Orogeny .03 Oceania
Transamazonian orogeny 2.14 1.94 South America
Guriense orogeny 2.8 2.7 South America
Sunsás orogeny 1.4 1.1 South America
Cariri Velhos orogeny .54 South America
Brasiliano-Pan African orogeny .54 South America
Pampean orogeny .53 .48 South America
Chonide orogeny .25 .20 South America
Terra Australis Orogen .54 .23 South America
Famatinian orogeny .49 .46 South America
San Rafael orogeny .29 .25 South America
Toco orogeny .33 .30 South America
Andean orogeny .20 0 South America

References

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  1. ^ Sengör, A.M.C. (1990); Plate tectonics and orogenic research after 25 years: A Tethyan perspective. Earth Sci. Reviews, 277, 1-201.
  2. ^ van Dijk, J.P. (1992); Late Neogene fore-arc basin evolution in the Calabrian Arc (Central Mediterranean). Tectonic sequence stratigraphy and dynamic geohistory. With special reference to the geology of Central Calabria. Geologica Ultrajectina, 92, 288 pp. ISBN 90-71577-46-5; pp. 251-264
  3. ^ "Geochronology". Archived from the original on 2008-10-19. Retrieved 2010-11-26. Tectonics of the Transantarctic Mountains: Geochronology
  4. ^ Strachan, R.A.; Smith, M.; Harris, A.L.; Fettes, D.J. (2002). "4: The Northern Highland and Grampian terranes". In Trewin N.H. (ed.). The Geology of Scotland. Geological Society, London. ISBN 978-1-86239-126-0.
  5. ^ Alkmima, Fernando F. and Stephen Marshak; Transamazonian Orogeny in the Southern São Francisco Craton Region, Minas Gerais, Brazil: evidence for Paleoproterozoic collision and collapse in the Quadrilátero Ferrífero, Precambrian Research, Volume 90, Issues 1–2, 30 June 1998, Pages 29–58
  6. ^ The Geology of Chile Teresa Moreno, Wes Gibbons, Geological Society of London