The Alpine-Himalayan mountain chain was caused by the closure of the Tethyan Ocean, and extends from the European Alps, through the Aegean Sea and the Anatolides, to the Himalayan ranges of northern India and southern China, through SE Asia, Papua New Guinea, out into the SW Pacific to New Caledonia and New Zealand.

Research undertaken aims to understand the evolution of the mountain chain from its beginning into the future, and ranges from reconstruction of its 3D evolution, to detailed specification of its time history at a small number of control points.