Epeirogeny
Also called: Epeirogenic process · Topic: Geomorphic Processes: Weathering, Mass Movement, Erosion and Soil Formation · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 5 "Geomorphic Processes"
Meaning
Epeirogeny is a continent-building process. Large parts of the crust are slowly raised or gently warped (bent). The deformation is simple, with little or no folding. It is one part of diastrophism.
Example
Scandinavia in northern Europe and the Hudson Bay region in Canada are still slowly rising. Huge ice sheets once pressed them down, and the land has been rising since the ice melted. This broad, gentle uplift is an epeirogenic movement.
Don't confuse with
- Orogeny: this severely folds long, narrow belts to build mountains. Epeirogeny gently raises or warps very wide areas.