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Salt Dome
A salt dome is a type of structural dome formed when salt (or other evaporite minerals) intrudes into overlying rocks in a process known as diapirism. Salt domes can have unique surface and subsurface structures, and they can be discovered using techniques such as seismic reflection. They are important in petroleum geology as they can function as petroleum traps. Formation Diagram showing formation of salt domes Stratigraphically, salt basins developed periodically from the Proterozoic to the Neogene. The formation of a salt dome begins with the deposition of salt in a restricted basin. In these basins, the outflow of water exceeds inflow. Specifically, the basin loses water through evaporation, resulting in the precipitation and deposition of salt. While the rate of sedimentation of salt is significantly larger than the rate of sedimentation of clastics, it is recognized that a single evaporation event is rarely enough to produce the vast quantities of salt needed to f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Buoyancy
Buoyancy (), or upthrust, is the force exerted by a fluid opposing the weight of a partially or fully immersed object (which may be also be a parcel of fluid). In a column of fluid, pressure increases with depth as a result of the weight of the overlying fluid. Thus, the pressure at the bottom of a column of fluid is greater than at the top of the column. Similarly, the pressure at the bottom of an object submerged in a fluid is greater than at the top of the object. The pressure difference results in a net upward force on the object. The magnitude of the force is proportional to the pressure difference, and (as explained by Archimedes' principle) is equivalent to the weight of the fluid that would otherwise occupy the submerged volume of the object, i.e. the Displacement (fluid), displaced fluid. For this reason, an object with average density greater than the surrounding fluid tends to sink because its weight is greater than the weight of the fluid it displaces. If the objec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gulf Of Mexico Basin
The formation of the Gulf of Mexico, an oceanic rift basin located between North America and the Yucatan Block, was preceded by the breakup of the Supercontinent Pangaea in the Late-Triassic, weakening the lithosphere. Rifting between the North and South American plates continued in the Early-Jurassic, approximately 160 million years ago, and formation of the Gulf of Mexico, including subsidence due to crustal thinning, was complete by 140 Ma. Stratigraphy of the basin, which can be split into several regions, includes sediments deposited from the Jurassic through the Holocene, currently totaling a thickness between 15 and 20 kilometers. Basin countries Tectonics Pangaea Beneath the sediments of the Gulf of Mexico basin, most of the pre-Triassic basement rocks are believed to be allochthonous thrust sheets sutured during the formation of Pangaea. However, it was during the break-up of the supercontinent that the foundation for the Gulf of Mexico sediments would be laid. Prio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gas Venting
Gas venting, more specifically known as natural-gas venting or methane venting, is the intentional and controlled release of gases containing alkane hydrocarbons - predominately methane - into Earth's atmosphere. It is a widely used method for disposal of unwanted gases which are produced during the extraction of coal and crude oil. Such gases may lack value when they are not recyclable into the production process, have no export route to consumer markets, or are surplus to near-term demand. In cases where the gases have value to the producer, substantial amounts may also be vented from the equipment used for gas collection, pipeline transport, transport, and distribution. Gas venting contributes strongly to climate change. Nevertheless, many individual cases are sufficiently small and dispersed to be deemed "safe" with regard to immediate health hazards. Large and concentrated releases are usually abated with gas flares to produce relatively less-harmful carbon dioxide gas. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mineral Spring
Mineral springs are naturally occurring springs that produce hard water, water that contains dissolved minerals. Salts, sulfur compounds, and gases are among the substances that can be dissolved in the spring water during its passage underground. In this they are unlike sweet springs, which produce soft water with no noticeable dissolved gasses. The dissolved minerals may alter the water's taste. Mineral water obtained from mineral springs, and the precipitated salts such as Epsom salt have long been important commercial products. Some mineral springs may contain significant amounts of harmful dissolved minerals, such as arsenic, and should not be drunk. Sulfur springs smell of rotten eggs due to hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which is hazardous and sometimes deadly. It is a gas, and it usually enters the body when it is breathed in. The quantities ingested in drinking water are much lower and are not considered likely to cause harm, but few studies on long-term, low-level ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Salt Surface Structures
Salt surface structures are extensions of salt tectonics that form at the Earth's surface when either diapirs or salt sheets pierce through the overlying strata. They can occur in any location where there are salt deposits, namely in cratonic basins, Rift, synrift basins, passive margins and Convergent boundary, collisional margins. These are environments where mass quantities of water collect and then evaporate; leaving behind salt and other evaporites to form sedimentary beds. When there is a difference in pressure, such as additional sediment in a particular area, the salt beds β due to the unique ability of salt to behave as a fluid under pressure β form into new structures. Sometimes, these new bodies form subhorizontal or moderately Strike and dip, dipping structures over a younger stratigraphic unit, which are called allochthonous salt bodies or salt surface structures. Salt Tectonic environments Four key environments can facilitate salt deposition. These places ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Passive Diapirism
Passive may refer to: * Passive voice, a grammatical voice common in many languages, see also Pseudopassive * Passive language, a language from which an interpreter works * Passivity (behavior), the condition of submitting to the influence of one's superior * Passive-aggressive behavior, resistance to following through with expectations in interpersonal or occupational situations * Passive income, income resulting from cash flow received on a regular basis * Passive immunity, the transfer of active humoral immunity * Passive experience, observation lacking reciprocal interaction; and wrought with delusion of control. Science and technology * Passivation (chemistry), process of making a material "passive" in relation to another material prior to using the materials together * Passivity (engineering) a property of engineering systems, particularly in analog electronics and control systems * Passive solar building design, which uses (or avoids) sunlight as an energy source without a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Faulting
In geology, a fault is a planar fracture or discontinuity in a volume of rock across which there has been significant displacement as a result of rock-mass movements. Large faults within Earth's crust result from the action of plate tectonic forces, with the largest forming the boundaries between the plates, such as the megathrust faults of subduction zones or transform faults. Energy release associated with rapid movement on active faults is the cause of most earthquakes. Faults may also displace slowly, by aseismic creep. A ''fault plane'' is the plane that represents the fracture surface of a fault. A ''fault trace'' or ''fault line'' is a place where the fault can be seen or mapped on the surface. A fault trace is also the line commonly plotted on geological maps to represent a fault. A ''fault zone'' is a cluster of parallel faults. However, the term is also used for the zone of crushed rock along a single fault. Prolonged motion along closely spaced faults can blur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thrust Fault
A thrust fault is a break in the Earth's crust, across which older rocks are pushed above younger rocks. Thrust geometry and nomenclature Reverse faults A thrust fault is a type of reverse fault that has a dip of 45 degrees or less. If the angle of the fault plane is lower (often less than 15 degrees from the horizontal) and the displacement of the overlying block is large (often in the kilometer range) the fault is called an ''overthrust'' or ''overthrust fault''. Erosion can remove part of the overlying block, creating a ''fenster'' (or ''window'') β when the underlying block is exposed only in a relatively small area. When erosion removes most of the overlying block, leaving island-like remnants resting on the lower block, the remnants are called ''klippen'' (singular '' klippe''). Blind thrust faults If the fault plane terminates before it reaches the Earth's surface, it is called a ''blind thrust'' fault. Because of the lack of surface evidence, blind thrust fa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Extensional Tectonics
Extensional tectonics is concerned with the structures formed by, and the Tectonics, tectonic processes associated with, the stretching of a planetary body's Crust (geology), crust or lithosphere. Deformation styles The types of structure and the geometries formed depend on the amount of stretching involved. Stretching is generally measured using the parameter ''β'', known as the ''beta factor'', where : \beta = \frac \,, ''t''0 is the initial crustal thickness and ''t''1 is the final crustal thickness. It is also the equivalent of the Strain (materials science), strain parameter ''stretch''. Low beta factor In areas of relatively low crustal stretching, the dominant structures are high to moderate angle normal faults, with associated half grabens and tilted block faulting, tilted fault blocks. High beta factor In areas of high crustal stretching, individual extensional faults may become rotated to too low a dip to remain active and a new set of faults may be generated. Lar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thermal Loading
Thermal shock is a phenomenon characterized by a rapid change in temperature that results in a transient mechanical load on an object. The load is caused by the differential expansion of different parts of the object due to the temperature change. This differential expansion can be understood in terms of strain, rather than stress. When the strain exceeds the tensile strength of the material, it can cause cracks to form, and eventually lead to structural failure. Methods to prevent thermal shock include: * Minimizing the thermal gradient by changing the temperature gradually * Increasing the thermal conductivity of the material * Reducing the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material * Increasing the strength of the material * Introducing compressive stress in the material, such as in tempered glass * Decreasing the Young's modulus of the material * Increasing the toughness of the material through crack tip blunting or crack deflection, utilizing the process of plastic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Displacement Loading
Displacement may refer to: Physical sciences Mathematics and physics *Displacement (geometry), is the difference between the final and initial position of a point trajectory (for instance, the center of mass of a moving object). The actual path covered to reach the final position is irrelevant. **Particle displacement, a measurement of distance of the movement of a particle in a medium as it transmits a wave (represented in mathematics by the lower-case Greek letter ΞΎ) **Displacement field (mechanics), an assignment of displacement vectors for all points in a body that is displaced from one state to another **Electric displacement field, as appears in Maxwell's equations *Wien's displacement law, a relation concerning the spectral distribution of blackbody radiation *Angular displacement, a change in orientation of a rigid body, the amount of rotation about a fixed axis. Engineering *Engine displacement, the total volume of air/fuel mixture an engine can draw in during one compl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
