RIFTVALLEY

Rift valley

A rift valley is a linear-shaped lowland between several highlands or mountain ranges created by the action of a geologic rift or fault. A Rift Valley is formed on a divergent plate boundary. This action is manifest as crustal extension, a spreading apart of the surface, which is subsequently further deepened by the forces of erosion. When the tensional forces are strong enough to cause the plate to split apart, it will do so such that a center block will drop down relative to its flanking blocks, forming a graben. This creates the nearly parallel steeply dipping walls. This feature is the beginning of the rift valley. As this process continues, the valley widens, ...

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rift valley

Noun

  1. A graben structure between two tectonic plates which are opening relative to each other.
  2. A mid-oceanic ridge system with central valleys.


The above text is a snippet from Wiktionary: rift valley
and as such is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

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