The Hellenides, also known as the Albanides-Hellenides (or the Hellenides-Albanides), are a mountain range in Southeast Europe. The Hellenides and Dinarides form a common orocline.
Name
Geologically, the Hellenides and Dinarides share
Late Cretaceous-
Paleogene nappe sequences, so the main distinction between the two is
tectonics: the Hellenides are characterised by retreating
subduction, collision and slab bending, and the Dinarides by oblique dextral collision and slab tearing. The boundary between the two ranges is usually drawn between
Prokletije in the Dinarides and Šar in the Hellenides. To emphasise the
orogeny unity of the Hellenides and Dinarides, some authors avoid using the term Albanides for the northern segment of the Hellenides,
while some Albanian authors treat it on an equal level with the Dinarides and Hellenides. In between, many scholars use terms like Albanides-Hellenides and Hellenides-Albanides to refer to the Hellenides.
Among authors who use the term "Albanides," no consensus exists as to the line of separation between them and the Hellenides
sensu stricto.
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Further reading
