Geosynclines V. Accretionary Prisms Structure Term Paper

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This external thrust causes the migration of sediment material, creating lateral compression in addition to the vertical compression that occurs from the sheer weight of the deposits. The combination of lateral and vertical forces as well as compression lead to the solidifying and mineralization of the sediment deposits, as well as to their faulting and fractures. This is what results in the canyon and mountain formations that are the defining features of these undersea geosynclines, and of land-based features such as the Neoproterozoic Wonoka canyons that likely formed underwater.

2. Structure and formation of accretionary prisms

Accretionary prisms also form from the sedimentary deposits of continental runoff and erosion, but these structures are fundamentally different in both the mechanism of their formation and their eventual structure. Forming over or adjacent to areas of subduction, accretionary prisms or wedges are ultimately shaped by both the rate of sediment deposition and the rate of subduction of the same sediment, both of which can and do change regularly and independently of each other (Simpson, 2010). Accretionary prisms are large geometric structures that remain composed of sediment and can drastically shift their weight distribution and stress patterns based on these varying levels of subduction and sediment deposition (Simpson, 2010; Kimura et al., 2010).

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This in turn allows for a greater flow of gaseous elements through accretionary prisms, carving out even more unique formations and leading to even more delicate and unstable structures (Kimura et al.,

The formation of accretionary prisms can be rendered even more complex in areas where two continental plates are adjacent, or at least close enough to both feed the accretionary formation through erosion and sediment deposition (Simpson, In these instances, rates of sediment deposition are both greater and more prone to fluctuation, which can make the areas of subduction in which these prisms occur not areas of erosion as they are traditionally though of, but true areas of accretion as well (Simpson, In most instances, in fact, the dominant force shifts many times over the life span of the prism (Simpson,

The various shifting forces of accretionary prisms and the semi-fluidity of their sedimentary nature create other complicating factors in their formation and stability. Though forming and existing in submarine environments, fluid flow and drainage through accretionary prisms is still a matter of some importance in these structures, as a lack of fluid flow ability can lead to internal instabilities within the accretionary prism and a lack of consolidation in certain areas of the prism, making stability.....

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