This session emphasizes studies that investigate continental collision as well as the evolution of subduction zones prior to their accretion and incorporation into collisional orogens, with an aim to understand the coupling between geodynamic processes near the Earth’s surface and deep-seated dynamics in the mantle. Numerous studies of convergent plate boundaries (subduction to collision) such as those focusing on near surface deformation and the lithospheric mantle interaction, tectono-thermal evolution during subduction and exhumation of metamorphic rocks, spatio-temporal evolution of magmatism, growth and fall of plateaus or the influence of rheological heterogeneities during collision have significantly improved our understanding of the behaviour of the lithosphere during continental collision. Contemporary studies attempt to compare the processes actively occurring in modern orogens, such as the Alpine-Zagros-Himalayan chain, to ancient collision orogens like the Pan-African, Caledonides, Variscides or Grenville. Conversely, studies of tectonic processes happening in the lower crust or mantle of modern orogens can significantly benefit from the insight of the deeply eroded structural levels of ancient orogens along with recent advances in analogue and numerical geodynamic modelling.
We thus anticipate contributions from a broad spectrum of geoscientists, which focus on geodynamics of subduction and continent collision and encourage the comparison of ancient and recent records.