The Himalaya–Karakoram–Tibet (HKT) orogenic system, the largest high-mountain region on Earth, represents the archetypal example of an active continental collision. This hot "giant orogen", considered the largest currently active hot orogen, resulted from the closure of the Neo-Tethys Ocean linked to the breakup of Gondwana, and the subsequent collision between the Eurasian and Indian plates during the Paleocene.
The Himalaya and surrounding regions constitute a natural laboratory for investigating the processes active during the formation and evolution of collisional belts, from multiple perspectives spanning solid-Earth geophysics to environmental sciences. Moreover, extending from Afghanistan–Pakistan to Myanmar and characterized by an extensive glacial cover, the Himalaya is often referred to as the "Third Pole", as it feeds major Asian river systems that sustain more than 1.5 billion people.
Each year, researchers working on the HKT system share ideas and research results at the HKT Workshop, an international meeting continuing for over 30 years. In 2025, the HKT Workshop returned to Italy, in Turin, after more than a decade for the 37th edition.
The aim of this special issue is to gather contributions from diverse fields of Earth Sciences addressing the HKT orogenic system, from its lithospheric processes to surface processes. It is open to all high-quality contributions, including those not presented at the 37th HKT meeting.
Guest Editors:
Chiara Montomoli
University of Torino, Italy; chiara.montomoli@unito.it
Salvatore Iaccarino
University of Torino, Italy; salvatore.iaccarino@unito.it
Djordje Grujic
Dalhousie University, Canada; dgrujic@dal.ca
Xiumian Hu
Nanjing University, China; huxm@nju.edu.cn
Kathakali Bhattacharyya
IISER –Kolkata, India; kathakali@iiserkol.ac.in
Key words:
Himalaya–Karakoram–Tibet (HKT), Tectonics and Geodynamics, Stratigraphy and Basin Analysis, Geochemistry, Petrology and Critical Raw Materials, Natural Hazards and Climate Change, Tectonic geomorphology, Earthquake Geology.
Possible Topics
- Geodynamics and lithospheric architecture of the HKT system;
- Tectono-metamorphic evolution, stratigraphy and magmatism of the Himalaya–Karakoram–Tibet (HKT) system;
- Characterization of Neo-Tethys ophiolites;
- Earthquake geology and natural hazard assessment and mitigation;
- Hydrogeology and climate change of the "Third Pole";
- State of the art and future perspectives in stratigraphy, paleontology, and basin evolution of the HKT region;
- Critical raw material potential and exploration of the HKT;
- Environmental challenges and social impacts of Earth Sciences in the HKT framework;
Deadline for expression of interest: March 2026
Deadline for manuscript submission: December 2026
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chiara.montomoli@unito.it
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The Himalaya-Karakoram-Tibet system: Insights from the root to the surface