Massif

In geology, a massif ( /mæˈsiːf/ or /ˈmæsɪf/) is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole. The term also refers to a group of mountains formed by such a structure.

In mountaineering and climbing literature, a massif is frequently used to denote the main mass of an individual mountain. The massif is a smaller structural unit of the crust than a tectonic plate, and is considered the fourth-largest driving force in geomorphology.[1]

The word is taken from French (in which the word also means "massive"), where it is used to refer to a large mountain mass or compact group of connected mountains forming an independent portion of a range. One of the most notable European examples of a massif is the Massif Central of the Auvergne region of France.

The Face on Mars is an example of an extraterrestrial massif.[2]

Massifs may also form underwater, as with the Atlantis Massif.[3]

List of massifs

Africa

Adrar des Ifoghas – Mali
Aïr Massif – Niger
Benna Massif – Guinea
Bongo Massif – Central African Republic
Ennedi Plateau – Chad
Kilimanjaro Massif – border of Kenya and Tanzania
Oban Massif – Nigeria
Marojejy Massif – Madagascar
Mulanje Massif – Malawi
Virunga Massif – border shared by Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo
Waterberg Biosphere – South Africa

Algeria

Collo Massif – Algeria
Edough Massif
Khachna Massif

Antarctica

Borg Massif
Craddock Massif
Cumpston Massif
Vinson Massif
Otway Massif

Asia

Annapurna – Nepal
Chu Pong Massif – Vietnam
Dhaulagiri – Nepal
Gasherbrum – China-Pakistan
Kangchenjunga – Nepal–India
Knuckles Massif – Sri Lanka
Kondyor Massif – Russia
Kugitangtau Ridge – Turkmenistan
Kumgangsan – North Korea
Logar ultrabasite massif – Afghanistan
Mount Ararat – Turkey
Mount Everest massif (including Lhotse) – border of Nepal and Tibet (China)
Mount Kinabalu – Malaysia
Mount Tomuraushi – Japan
Nanga Parbatcode: urd promoted to code: ur – Pakistan

India

Bundelkhand – India
Nun Kun
Panchchuli
Shillong

Iran

Dena – Iran
Hazaran – Iran
Kheru-Naru (Chekel) – Iran
Kholeno – Iran
Mount Damavand – Iran
Sabalancode: fas promoted to code: fa – Iran
Takht-e Suleyman Massif – Iran
Zard-Kuh – Iran

Europe

Aerial view of Mont Blanc massif, an example of a massif and also the highest summit in the Alps.[4]

Panorama of Pirin Mountain massif, Bulgaria

Gran Sasso d'Italiacode: ita promoted to code: it massif seen from an airplane. Part of the Apennine Mountains, it is located in the Abruzzo region of Italy.

Aarmassif - Switzerland
Ardennes Massif – France/Belgium/Luxembourg
Åreskutan – Sweden
Arlbergcode: deu promoted to code: de – Austria
Bohemian Massif – Czech Republic
Ceahlău Massif – Romania
Gotthard Massif – Switzerland
Hesperian Massif - Iberian Peninsula
Jungfrau Massif – Switzerland
Mangerton Mountain – Ireland
Montgris – Spain
Montserratcode: cat promoted to code: ca – Spain
Mont Blanc massif – Italy/France/Switzerland
Rhenish Massif - Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Rilacode: bul promoted to code: bg - Rhodope Massif – Bulgaria/Greece
Troodos – Cyprus
Untersberg – Germany/Austria
Vitoshacode: bul promoted to code: bg Massif – Bulgaria

France

Alpilles
Aravis Range
Armorican Massif
Bauges Massif
Beaufortain Massif
Belledonne massif
Bornes Massif
Calanques Massif
Cerces Massif
Chablais Massif
Chartreuse Massif
Dévoluy Massif
Massif des Écrins
Jura Mountains
Lauzière massif
Luberoncode: fra promoted to code: fr
Massif Centralcode: fra promoted to code: fr
Massif de l'Esterel
Mercantourcode: fra promoted to code: fr
Monte Cinto massif
Taillefer Massif
Queyras Massif
Vanoise Massif
Vercors Plateau
Vosges Mountains

Italy

Gran Sasso d'Italiacode: ita promoted to code: it
Grappa Massif
Massiccio del Matesecode: ita promoted to code: it
Massiccio del Pollinocode: ita promoted to code: it
Monte Ermada
Sila Massif
Speikboden (South Tyrol)

Kazakhstan

Degelencode: kaz promoted to code: kk
Kokshetau Massif
Mount Ku
Myrzhyk
Semizbughycode: kaz promoted to code: kk

United Kingdom

Ben Nevis massif
Cornubian Massif
Long Mynd
Snowdon Massif

Canada

Laurentian Massif – Quebec
Le Massif de Charlevoixcode: fra promoted to code: fr – Quebec
Mount Logan – Yukon

British Columbia

Mount Cayley – British Columbia
Level Mountain
Mount Edziza
Mount Meager massif
Mount Septimus

United States

Adirondack Massif – New York
Denali – Alaska
Mount Juneau – Alaska
Mount Katahdin - Maine
Mount Le Conte – Tennessee
Mount Shuksan – Washington
Mount Timpanogos - Utah
Teton Range – Wyoming

Oceania

Big Ben – Heard Island
Ahipara Gumfields – New Zealand

Caribbean

Massif de la Hotte – Haiti
Valle Nuevo Massif – Dominican Republic

South America

Brasilia Massif – Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay.
Neblina Massif – Venezuela–Brazil border
Colombian Massif – Colombia
North Patagonian Massif – Argentina
Deseado Massif – Argentina

Submerged

Atlantis Massif – part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the North Atlantic Ocean
Tamu Massif — the largest volcano on Earth

References

Allen, 2008, Time scales of tectonic landscapes and their sediment routing systems, Geol. Soc. Lon. Sp. Pub., v. 296, p. 7–28.
Britt, Robert Roy (2006-09-21). "Mars Face Makeover: Controversial Formation Observed from New Angles". Space.com. Retrieved 2009-05-04.
Blackman, Donna (2002). "Geology of the Atlantis Massif (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 30°N): Implications for the evolution of an ultramafic oceanic core complex". Marine Geophysical Researches. 23 (5): 443–469. Bibcode:2002MarGR..23..443B. doi:10.1023/b:mari.0000018232.14085.75. S2CID 96459991.
"The Sydney Morning Herald, November 6, 2009". 2009-11-06.

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[1] Allen, 2008, Time scales of tectonic landscapes and their sediment routing systems, Geol. Soc. Lon. Sp. Pub., v. 296, p. 7–28.

[2] Britt, Robert Roy (2006-09-21). "Mars Face Makeover: Controversial Formation Observed from New Angles". Space.com. Retrieved 2009-05-04.

[3] Blackman, Donna (2002). "Geology of the Atlantis Massif (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 30°N): Implications for the evolution of an ultramafic oceanic core complex". Marine Geophysical Researches. 23 (5): 443–469. Bibcode:2002MarGR..23..443B. doi:10.1023/b:mari.0000018232.14085.75. S2CID 96459991.

[4] "The Sydney Morning Herald, November 6, 2009". 2009-11-06.