When Continents Collide: Geodynamics and Geochemistry of Ultrahigh-Pressure Rocks

The few coesite-bearing outcrops have conventionally been considered as anomalies but the number of orogenic belts that contain diamond, coesite or other indications of metamorphic pressures 2Gpa has increased to more than 15. This indicates that subduction of continental fragments to depths of 100-150 km may have played a significant role in the formation of mountain belts. This volume brings together the geochemical, geophysical and geodynamical approaches to study the processes active during ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) tectonics. The collection of papers explores our understanding of the creation, preservation, and exhumation of ultrahigh-pressure rocks. The book should be of interest to any earth scientist interested in ultrahigh pressure processes and the formation and modification of continental crust.