Global Cenozoic relief formation and mountain uplift in convergent plate margins

Cenozoic mountain uplift in global scale especially since the Neogene appears to be a fact and not just fiction. Since a dispute on this problem has been put forward by MOLNAR & ENGLAND (1990) postulating that tectonically forced late Neogene global mountain uplift may be fiction, time has come for a global-scale compilation of data from regional studies. Whereas until similar to1992 only indirect evidence of surface uplift has been available, new methods developing since then claim, e. g., to reflect elevation-dependent paleo-pressure of gas in basalt vesicles or paleo-elevation of precipitation as reflected by oxygen isotope composition of fossils and caliche crusts. Major pulses of uplift in global scale occur around 17, 10, 5, and 2.7 Ma. Evidence from large plateaus, which are driven up solely by tectonic forces, indicates earlier uplift, e.g. for parts of the Tibetan plateau, than previously assumed. The southern and central parts of the Tibetian plateau attained modem elevation before middle Miocene times, possibly even in Oligocene times. Time constraints for surface uplift of individual narrow Alpine-type mountain ranges remain vague. Increasing mountain glaciations since the late Pliocene and potentially increasing zonal wind speed in the westerlies, forcing orographic precipitation, accelerated valley erosion. Thus, increase of local relief and isostatically forced mountain top uplift is partly driven by climate and enhanced by positive feedback. The causal role of climate change for global late Miocene uplift of Alpine-type mountain chaines remains controversail, whereas an important role since 2.7 Ma, related to the onset of cyclic glaciations, is fairly established. Dedicated to Wolfgang Frisch for his 60(th) anniversary.