Orogenic uplift is the result of tectonic-plate collisions and results in mountain ranges or a more modest uplift over a large region. Perhaps the most extreme form of orogenic uplift is a continental-continental crustal collision. In this process, two continents are sutured together, and large mountain ranges are produced. The collision of the
Indian and
Eurasian plates is a good example of the extent to which orogenic uplift can reach. Heavy thrust faulting (of the Indian plate beneath the Eurasian plate) and
folding are responsible for the suturing together of the two plates. The collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates produced the Himalayas and is also responsible for crustal thickening north into
Siberia. The
Pamir Mountains,
Tian Shan,
Altai,
Hindu Kush, and other mountain belts are all examples of mountain ranges formed in response to the collision of the Indian with the Eurasian plate. The
Ozark Plateau is a broad uplifted area which resulted from the
Permian Ouachita Orogeny to the south in the states of
Arkansas,
Oklahoma, and
Texas. Another related uplift is the
Llano Uplift in Texas, a geographical location named after its uplift features. The
Colorado Plateau which includes the
Grand Canyon is the result of broad tectonic uplift followed by river
erosion. When mountains rise slowly, either due to orogenic uplift or other processes (e.g.,
rebound after glaciation), an unusual feature known as a
water gap may occur. In these, erosion from a stream occurs faster than mountain uplift, resulting in a
gorge or
valley that runs through a mountain range from low-lying country on one side to similar country on the other. Examples of such water gaps include the
Manawatū Gorge in New Zealand and the
Cumberland Narrows in
Maryland. ==Isostatic uplift==