Comment on “Raising the Roof of the World: Intra‐Crustal Asian Mantle Supports the Himalayan‐Tibetan Orogen” by Sternai et al.

Abstract The recent publication by Sternai et al. (2025, https://doi.org/10.1029/2025tc009057 ) presents numerical modeling results interpreted as—contrary to most publications over the past 100 years—it is Asian mantle imbricated between a thin Asian crust (above) and partially molten Indian crust (below) that characterizes the thickened structure of the Tibetan Plateau. We have serious concerns with both the structure and the geological time of the “Sternai” models. Most critically, Sternai et al. do not consider a wealth of high‐resolution and high‐quality geophysical (especially receiver‐function and gravity) and geological data, which consistently characterize the lithosphere in the area as clearly showing Indian lower crust and mantle underthrusting the southern half of a thickened Tibetan crust. In this Comment, we detail our concerns and suggest that Sternai et al. carefully reconsider their models' input and output for a better understanding of the Himalaya‐Tibet orogenic history.