Collaborative Research: The Thermo-Kinematic Evolution of the Taiwan Mountian Belt

9909575 Willett

9909638 Wiltschko

9909464 Fisher

Arc-continent collisions commonly involve additions of material by tectonic accretion and subtractions of material by tectonic and surficial erosion. A number of models have been proposed for this system, and this project will attempt to test them by using the active Taiwan arc-continent collision. One of the fundamental questions in these models is whether erosion and tectonic accretion reach a steady-state, and if so, how long does it take. The work involves structural mapping, geochronology and GPS geodesy. Results are expected to provide a test for the steady state eroding wedge model for arc-continent collisions which will address several important issues relating to constructive and

steady-state mountain belts generally.