Tectonic Setting

These are used in the Cutting Edge geomorphology, petrology and oceanography modules to allow for a lot of different options for sorting of resources. Feel free to tag this vocab for geomorph, petrology or oceanography resources. Also, this term can be used in any new collection that wants to add another "dimension" of faceted searching. If you do that, please change this definition so we know where else this vocab is being used.

• Mid-Ocean Ridge A continuous, seismic, median mountain range extending through the North and South Atlantic Oceans, the Indian Ocean, and the South Pacific Ocean. It is a broad, fractured swell with a central rift valley and usually extremely rugged topography; it is 1-3 km in height and about 1500 km in width and 84,000 km in length. 26:1 end

• Oceanic Island Island either composed of basalt or of biogenic origin (e.g. coral reef, etc.) as distinguished from islands having rocks characteristic of continents. 26:2 end

• Island Arc An offshore volcanic arc; generally a curved linear belt of volcanoes above a subduction zone. 26:3 end

• Continental Arc An arcuate line of plutons, volcanic rocks, or active volcanoes; formed adjacent to a subduction zone. 26:4 end

• Continental Collision Margin The edges of two continents, each on a different plate, collide with each other resulting in deformation, metamorphism, and magmatism. 26:5 end

• Transform Margin A plate boundary where two plates slide past each other. 26:6 end

• Passive Margin A continental margin formed by rifting and continental shelves and located withing plates rather than at the leading edge of a plate. 26:7 end

• Intracratonic Basin A depression entirely surrounded by higher land and from which no stream flows outward to the ocean. 26:8 end

• Craton Part of the Earth's continental crust that has attained stability and has been little deformed for a prolonged period; mostly Precambrian in age. 26:9 end

• Continental Rift 26:10 end

• Hot Spot 26:11 end

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