SPACEPHOTOS

The impact of the Indian plate colliding with the Eurasian plate is captured in this synoptic image of the large-scale crustal deformation in southwest Pakistan adjacent to the Arabian Sea. This type of view shows the result of the tremendous tectonic forces that have shaped the rugged mountainous landscape of western Pakistan. Looking at the folding and bending of the Makran Coast Range and the Central Makran Coast Range with the intervening arid valleys, hills, and plateaus the result of plate tectonics on this part of the world is striking and dramatic. The ridgelines and peaks of the mountainous terrain range from 3000 feet (915 meters) to 4500 feet (1370 meters) above sea level. The structure-controlled drainage pattern (light-colored, meandering lines), especially of the Hingol River and its tributaries (lower left quadrant), parallels the multi folded mountains. In a few places the ephemeral streams have continually cut through the mountains as the uplifting and folding processes progressed to maintain drainage channels (southward) into the Arabian Sea. The elongated, highly reflective feature (bottom right) is a large dry lake (salt flat) that is located in an isolated valley.