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This presentation is part of the Geological Society of America’s J.B.Thompson, Jr. Distinguished International Lecture tour. Dr. Mary Hubbard was once a student of Professor J.B. Thompson and now is sharing results of her collaborative work in the Nepal Himalayas on this lecture tour. The Himalayas are the product of the continental collision process, yet details of how this orogen formed are still the focus of research for many scientists from around the world. One of the new findings relates to fault zones that cut across the mountain range from north to south, now referred to as cross faults. These faults may have played a role in limiting lateral rupture of large, range-parallel thrust faults. Cross faults also strike parallel to many Himalayan river systems and likely contribute to the landslide hazard. In central and eastern Nepal, cross faults are found from the Kathmandu valley to the Kanchenjunga region. Recent changes in climate further contribute to landslides and flooding. |