epeirogeny

epeirogeny
—epeirogenic, epeirogenetic /i puy'roh jeuh net"ik/, adj.
/ep'uy roj"euh nee/, n. Geol.
vertical or tilting movement of the earth's crust, generally affecting broad areas of a continent.
Also, epeirogenesis /i puy'roh jen"euh sis/, epirogeny.
[1885-90; < Gk épeiro(s) mainland, continent + -GENY]

* * *

      in geology, broad regional upwarp of the cratonic (stable interior) portions of continents. In contrast to orogeny (q.v.), epeirogeny takes place over broad, nonlinear areas, is relatively slow, and results in only mild deformation. Phenomena accompanying epeirogeny include the development of regional disconformities that gently bevel underlying strata and the formation of regressive deposits if marine incursions have taken place. Igneous intrusion and regional metamorphism rarely, if ever, are associated with epeirogeny. The causes of epeirogeny are not well known but may include large-scale adjustments of the continental crust to phase transitions in the Earth's mantle.

      Some geologists believe that large-scale cycles of epeirogeny that affect entire cratonic plates can be recognized. Strata deposited in the intervals between such cycles in North America have been called sequences and have been given formal names. The most widely recognized of these are the Sauk Sequence (Late Precambrian to mid-Ordovician; about 650 to 460 million years ago), the Tippecanoe Sequence (mid-Ordovician to Early Devonian; about 460 to 400 million years ago), the Kaskaskia Sequence (Early Devonian to mid-Carboniferous; about 408 to 320 million years ago), and the Absaroka Sequence (Late Carboniferous to mid-Jurassic; about 320 to 176 million years ago).

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • epeirogeny — [ep΄ī räj′ə nē] n. [< Gr ēpeiros, mainland + GENY] movements of uplift or depression affecting large areas of the earth s crust and producing continents, ocean basins, etc. epeirogenic [e pī΄rō jen′ik] adj. epeirogenetic [e pī΄rōjə net′ik] …   English World dictionary

  • epeirogeny — noun (plural nies) Etymology: Greek ēpeiros mainland, continent + English geny Date: 1890 the deformation of the earth s crust by which the broader features of relief are produced • epeirogenic adjective • epeirogenically adverb …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • epeirogeny — n. slow vertical or tilting movements of the Earth s crust that cause formation of continents or oceans …   English contemporary dictionary

  • epeirogeny — ep·ei·rog·e·ny …   English syllables

  • epeirogeny — ep•ei•rog•e•ny [[t]ˌɛp aɪˈrɒdʒ ə ni[/t]] n. gel vertical or tilting movement of the earth s crust, generally affecting broad areas of a continent • Etymology: 1885–90; < Gk ḗpeiro(s) mainland, continent + geny e•pei•ro•gen•ic ɪˌpaɪ roʊˈdʒɛn ɪk …   From formal English to slang

  • epeirogeny — /ɛpəˈrɒdʒəni/ (say epuh rojuhnee) noun Geology vertical or tilting movement of the earth s crust affecting broad areas of the continents or ocean basins. Also, epeirogenesis /ɛpərəˈdʒɛnəsəs/ (say epuhruh jenuhsuhs), epirogeny. {Greek ēpeiro(s)… …  

  • epeirogeny —   n. geological formation of continents, oceans, etc.    ♦ epeirogenic, a …   Dictionary of difficult words

  • epeirogeny — …   Useful english dictionary

  • epirogeny — variant of epeirogeny * * * epirogenic /i puy reuh jen ik/, epirogenetic /i puy roh jeuh net ik/, adj. /ep uy roj euh nee/, n. Geol. epeirogeny …   Useful english dictionary

  • ep|i|rog|e|ny — «EHP y ROJ uh nee», noun. = epeirogeny. (Cf. ↑epeirogeny) …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”