Continental Drift Definitions

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Undergraduate Geology - Part 1 (Continental Drift) Flashcards on Continental Drift Definitions, created by siobhan.quirk on 08/05/2013.
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Flashcards by siobhan.quirk, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by siobhan.quirk over 11 years ago
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Question Answer
Define continental drift the large sclae horizontal movement of continents during geological time
Define tillites ancient glacial deposits preserved within a rock sequence
Define evaporites minerals fomed by the evaporation of saline water for example: calcite, halite, gypsum, k-salts
Define apparent polar wandering curve is depicted by a line on a map, which joins up the apparent positions of the magentic north pole over time
Define magnetometer is towed behind a ship to measure changes is magnetism. It can detect the strength and direction of the magentic field
Define gravimeter can be towed behind a ship to measure changes in gravity. (see notes - 1.3.2)
Define mafic igneous rocks with 45-52% silica, such as basalt
Define pelagic is applied to organisms living in, and sediment deposited from, the main body of sea water
Define planktonic organisms that float in sea water
Define clastics sediments made up of fragments of pre-existing rock
Define continents situated on crust with an average thickness of 33km and a mean composition close to that of granite
Define ocean basins are situated on crust with an average thickness of only 7km, formed maninly of rocks with a basaltic composition
Define depth of focus earthquakes are classified by their depth at which the stress acts (see 1.3.5)
Define lithosphere plate a layer of thecrust and upper mantle in which the rocks are rigid and brittle
Define lithosphere divided into plates, carried by the moving underlying asthenosphere.
Define continental plate carries a continent but will also have oceanic crust
Define oceanic plate has no continental material
Define hot spot a volcano within a plate, which is the surface expression of a mantle plume
Define mantle plume a stationary area of high heat flow in the mantle, which rises from great depths and produces magma that feeds hot spot volcanoes
Define diapir low density, buoyant material rising upwards in the same way as hot wax does in a lava lamp
Define seismic tomography is a computer imaging technique based on seismic wave velocities
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