Syneclise


A syneclise is a large, relatively shallow depression formed in a continental platform setting, due to slow and steady subsidence. Covering a large area, the slow subsidence generally leads to thick, convergent sedimentary layers with low-angle dips.

Usage

The term is used mostly by Russian and East European geologists. It has been used to describe structures in a wide range of geological settings formed by various processes and has, therefore, lost its usefulness and is falling into disuse. It is often synonymous with the more widespread term basin.

Examples