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by vijay_nair
3041 days ago
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Punctuated equilibrium[1] — growth followed by sudden collapse — could be the umbrella term for the scenarios you are thinking of. The phenomenon, originally from biology, shows up in sandpiles and avalanches as well; it could explain the growth (or lack of it) of mountains too. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punctuated_equilibrium |
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It could be slow / fast growth followed by slow / fast sinking / decay / collapse / asteroid impact / weathering.
I image there have been a number of sequences that have played out in various locations over time.