Hercynian orogeny

views updated

Hercynian orogeny A major and prolonged episode of mountain building that began in the Late Devonian and continued throughout the Carboniferous, affecting a broad belt along an approximately WSW to ENE line from what are now south-western England and north-western Europe to southern Europe and the Iberian Peninsula, and eastern N. America and the Andes. Probably it was caused by northward thrusting and plutonism along a discontinuous front.

About this article

Hercynian orogeny

Updated About encyclopedia.com content Print Article