A
thrust fault is a particular type of
fault, or breach in the fabric of the Earth's crust with resulting movement of each side against the other, in which one side is pushed up higher than the other (thus, creating compression) and somewhat over it. The resulting cliff is termed a fault scarp. Another name for thrust faults is reverse faults; a
normal fault is similar but results from separation, with one side dropping lower than the other. Thrust faults may result in
mountain ranges. The
Himalayas are the most prominent such mountain range in the world.