Trough (geology)
Encyclopedia
In geology, a trough generally refers to a linear structural
depression that extends laterally over a distance, while being less steep than a trench
.
A trough can be a narrow basin
or a geologic rift
.
There are various oceanic troughs, troughs found under ocean
s; examples include the rift along the mid-oceanic ridge and the Cayman Trough
.
Structural geology
Structural geology is the study of the three-dimensional distribution of rock units with respect to their deformational histories. The primary goal of structural geology is to use measurements of present-day rock geometries to uncover information about the history of deformation in the rocks, and...
depression that extends laterally over a distance, while being less steep than a trench
Oceanic trench
The oceanic trenches are hemispheric-scale long but narrow topographic depressions of the sea floor. They are also the deepest parts of the ocean floor....
.
A trough can be a narrow basin
Basin (geology)
A structural basin is a large-scale structural formation of rock strata formed by tectonic warping of previously flat lying strata. Structural basins are geological depressions, and are the inverse of domes. Some elongated structural basins are also known as synclines...
or a geologic rift
Rift
In geology, a rift or chasm is a place where the Earth's crust and lithosphere are being pulled apart and is an example of extensional tectonics....
.
There are various oceanic troughs, troughs found under ocean
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
s; examples include the rift along the mid-oceanic ridge and the Cayman Trough
Cayman Trough
The Cayman Trough, is a complex transform fault zone pull apart basin which contains a small spreading ridge on the floor of the western Caribbean Sea between Jamaica and the Cayman Islands...
.