Paper 292 of 383
Published June 1, 2026
Extreme geological features often attract attention because they represent maximum expressions of observable processes.
The highest elevations.
The deepest depressions.
The largest basins.
The most extensive corridors.
Yet many extremes share another characteristic.
They persist.
This paper evaluates whether planetary extremes participate within larger persistence networks extending beyond the features themselves.
An extreme is not necessarily important because it is large.
An extreme may be important because it remains relevant across geological time.
Persistence transforms an observation into a participant.