32e0eec4-8def-46f1-9444-ea2c3f16d0e3

Continental Rift Block Diagram

alt="block diagram of earth's surface layers at continental rift zone"

Basin and Range topography develops over a few million years as fault lines move gradually or more abruptly during tens of thousands of earthquakes. Lakes pond against active fault escarpments where one side of a rift valley moves downward faster than the other. National Park Service sites in continental rift zones reveal long mountain ranges separated by deep valleys (basins) that are partially filled with sedimentary and volcanic material. Earthquakes (white stars) occur when the fault lines separating the basins and ranges suddenly let go.

Permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this website. Digital assets without any copyright restrictions are public domain.

Modified from “Beauty from the Beast: Plate Tectonics and the Landscapes of the Pacific Northwest,” by Robert J. Lillie, Wells Creek Publishers, 92 pp., 2015, www.amazon.com/dp/1512211893.

Public domain:Full Granting Rights

Image

Geologic Resources Division, Code: GRD

NPS.gov Collection

09/26/2019

09/26/2019

Public Can View

Wednesday, October 9, 2019 10:07:34 AM

Wednesday, October 9, 2019 10:07:34 AM

continental rift block diagram@10x.jpg

Thursday, September 26, 2019 4:57:38 PM

jpg

4.2 MB

2019-09-26T10:57:38-06:00

Scenic