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Rift identification and geology

A zone of crustal extension where the lithosphere is being pulled apart, producing normal faulting, thinning of the crust, volcanism, and the formation of graben-like basins. Continental rifts may eventually evolve into new ocean basins if extension continues to completion the Wilson Cycle . Active rifts are characterized by high heat flow, seismicity, and volcanism. Field: structural geology. Example: The East African Rift System extends over 3,000 km from the Afar Triple Junction to Mozambique and represents an active continental rift that may eventually split the African plate, creating a new ocean basin.. Related terms: Graben, Extension, Normal fault, Divergent boundary.

Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:42.055955+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Rift mean in geology?
A zone of crustal extension where the lithosphere is being pulled apart, producing normal faulting, thinning of the crust, volcanism, and the formation of graben-like basins. Continental rifts may eventually evolve into new ocean basins if extension continues to completion the Wilson Cycle . Active rifts are characterized by high heat flow, seismicity, and volcanism.
What is an example of Rift?
The East African Rift System extends over 3,000 km from the Afar Triple Junction to Mozambique and represents an active continental rift that may eventually split the African plate, creating a new ocean basin.
Which earth-science field uses the term Rift?
Rift is used in structural geology.
Which terms are related to Rift?
Related terms in this reference are Graben, Extension, Normal fault, Divergent boundary.

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