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In geology, a rift is a linear zone where the lithosphere is being pulled apart [1] [2] and is an example of extensional tectonics. [3] Typical rift features are a central linear downfaulted depression, called a graben , or more commonly a half-graben with normal faulting and rift-flank uplifts mainly on one side. [ 4 ]
The Baikal Rift Zone in eastern Russia; The Red Sea Rift; The Aden Ridge along the southern shore of the Arabian Peninsula; The Carlsberg Ridge in the eastern Indian Ocean; The Woodlark Basin undergoing transition from continental rifting to sea floor spreading to the east of New Guinea; The Gorda Ridge off the northwest coast of North America
The Midcontinent Rift System (MRS) or Keweenawan Rift is a 2,000 km (1,200 mi) long geological rift in the center of the North American continent and south-central part of the North American plate. It formed when the continent's core, the North American craton , began to split apart during the Mesoproterozoic era of the Precambrian , about 1.1 ...
Continental-continental divergent/constructive boundary Oceanic divergent boundary: mid-ocean ridge (cross-section/cut-away view). In plate tectonics, a divergent boundary or divergent plate boundary (also known as a constructive boundary or an extensional boundary) is a linear feature that exists between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other.
In individual rift segments, one polarity (i.e. dip direction) normally dominates, giving a half-graben geometry. [6] Other common geometries include metamorphic core complexes and tilted blocks. Examples of active continental rifts are the Baikal Rift Zone and the East African Rift.
A rift zone is a feature of some volcanoes, especially shield volcanoes, in which a set of linear cracks (or rifts) develops in a volcanic edifice, typically forming into two or three well-defined regions along the flanks of the vent. [1]
One of the best known examples of this process is the East African Rift. [1] On Earth, rifts can occur at all elevations, from the sea floor to plateaus and mountain ranges in continental crust or in oceanic crust. They are often associated with a number of adjoining subsidiary or co-extensive valleys, which are typically considered part of the ...
The Rio Grande rift is a north-trending continental rift zone. It separates the Colorado Plateau in the west from the interior of the North American craton on the east. [ 1 ] The rift extends from central Colorado in the north to the state of Chihuahua , Mexico , in the south. [ 2 ]