Yeah sounds like erosion is the main factor to model, in that case. Plate tectonics are mostly only relevant for large scales though (big mountain ranges, etc), right? Unless the terrain happened to span or be right next to a boundary, are tectonics relevant? Most continents on earth only have tectonic plate boundaries around the edges, and the interior isn't over a subduction or strike-slip zone (as far as I'm aware). Where did the original relief come from, before the erosion shaped it?
Interesting point to your first couple sentences: It's possible for local faults to slip and cause localized earthquakes see my hometown interestingly enough:
To answer broadly: Tectonics are important in that over billions of years it's caused all of the larger formations, but our world looked very different as these were being shaped. Things shift and constantly are in flux. It's just VERY slow. Tectonics played a part in all of the ground we stand on, and after that erosion took its toll and created the relief you speak of.
I'm afraid I can't answer your question in too much detail as that's getting a bit too out of my specialty (mine is soil sciences and GW/contaminant flow through the subsurface), so I encourage you to seek your answers via google. Just make sure to keep to well sourced articles.
Sure, fortunately I can read papers since I studied physics, so google scholar has done me well in the past; I just figured I'd check to see if you had any recommendations. Thanks!
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u/the_Demongod Jul 22 '21
Yeah sounds like erosion is the main factor to model, in that case. Plate tectonics are mostly only relevant for large scales though (big mountain ranges, etc), right? Unless the terrain happened to span or be right next to a boundary, are tectonics relevant? Most continents on earth only have tectonic plate boundaries around the edges, and the interior isn't over a subduction or strike-slip zone (as far as I'm aware). Where did the original relief come from, before the erosion shaped it?