graben
Sunken fault block
A graben is a long, narrow trough of land that has dropped down between parallel faults in the earth's crust.
The word comes from German for "ditch" or "trench." Grabens form when tectonic forces pull the crust apart, causing a central block to sink relative to the flanking highlands: The Rhine Valley is a classic graben.
The opposite structure, where a block rises between faults, is a horst.
Elevated block between faults
- extensionalDefined by actual members
- plate tectonicsEarth's crust mobility theory
- lithosphereCrust plus upper mantle
- displacementRemoval from usual location
escarpment · downthrow · spreading · strain
Low ground between heights
- troughOpen container for animal feed
- depressionProlonged low state
- basinConcave water receptacle
- trenchLong narrow excavation
lowland · East African Rift · Dead Sea · elongated · linear · asymmetric
Study of rock layers
- sedimentationParticles settling in liquid
- aquiferGroundwater-bearing geological formation
- groundwaterWater in underground rock
- geothermalRelating to underground heat
volcanic · mineral deposits · subsurface · bedrock · continental crust
horst
Elevated block between faults
- extensionalDefined by actual members
- plate tectonicsEarth's crust mobility theory
- lithosphereCrust plus upper mantle
displacement · escarpment · downthrow · spreading · strain
valley
Low ground between heights
- troughOpen container for animal feed
- depressionProlonged low state
- basinConcave water receptacle
trench · lowland · East African Rift · Dead Sea · elongated · linear · asymmetric
stratigraphy
Study of rock layers
- sedimentationParticles settling in liquid
- aquiferGroundwater-bearing geological formation
- groundwaterWater in underground rock
geothermal · volcanic · mineral deposits · subsurface · bedrock · continental crust
- landformsmountain, cliff, valley, volcano, mountain ridge
- moonfull moon, lunar, crescent moon, new moon, half moon
- valleysdales, alpine valley, canyon, vales, glacial valley
- seismologyearthquake, earthquakes, seismograph, seismicity, seismometer
- basinswash basin, washbasin, hand basin, bowl, river basin
- planetary featuresvolcano, mountain, crater, canyon, cliff