The Andes have grown so much by droughts

2004/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Geologia

Two geologists have just explained an interesting hypothesis about the height of the Andes. The drought caused the spectacular South American mountain range to grow. It seems that in the times of greatest growth of the Andes the climate was very cold and dry.

(Photo: C. Fujimoto).

The Andes were formed by sinking the Pacific plate under the South American continental plate. According to this new hypothesis, the sinking of tectonic plates causes sediments to act as lubricants and, when sediments are missing, in droughts, the collision is rougher and the mountain ranges generated are higher.

As an example they have taken the Andes of the Center, where the highest peaks are located and where it hardly rains. Consequently, the streams are scarce and the sediments that reach the sea are very scarce, hence the growth of the mountains that surround them.