The permanent bending of originally planar surfaces such as sedimentary strata into curved forms, from microscopic crinkles to mountain-sized folds, singly or in periodic fold trains. Folds form under varied conditions of stress, pore pressure and temperature, most commonly by shortening of existing layers, and a set of folds distributed on a regional scale constitutes a fold belt, a common feature of orogenic zones. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
TimescaleThousands to millions of years, developing over the same timescales as the mountain-building episodes that typically drive it. 1 Driving ForceWhen a sequence of layered rock is shortened parallel to its own layering, that deformation can be accommodated by folding, among other mechanisms. 1 Resulting FeatureFolding produces anticlines, arch-shaped folds whose strata dip away from the axis and whose oldest layers sit at the center. 1 SignificanceFolded rock can trap hydrocarbons: a porous sandstone layer capped by low-permeability shale and folded into an anticline can form an oil or gas trap. 1 Timescale
Timescale (category) Folding
Filter Results4 entries
Connections
Associated With
Folds may form from displacement on a non-planar fault or at the tip of a propagating fault.
Source Fold, Geology (Wikipedia)
A fold belt is a common feature of orogenic zones.
Source Fold, Geology (Wikipedia)
The principle is important to the analysis of folded and tilted strata.
Source Principle of Original Horizontality (Wikipedia)
Folding is one of the primary deformation structures structural geology reconstructs the history of.
Source Wikipedia: Structural geology
Causes
Source Anticline (Wikipedia)
Source Cordillera (Wikipedia)
Source Monocline (Wikipedia)
Source Syncline (Wikipedia)
In Discipline
A subject of structural geology.
Source Fold, Geology (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Fold, Geology (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead section
a fold is a stack of originally planar surfaces, such as sedimentary strata, that are bent or curved
Causes of folding
When a sequence of layered rocks is shortened parallel to its layering, this deformation may be accommodated in a number of ways, homogeneous shortening, reverse faulting or folding.
Types of fold (anticline)
Anticline: linear, strata normally dip away from the axial center, oldest strata in center irrespective of orientation.
Oil industry
Anticlinal traps are formed by folding of rock. For example, if a porous sandstone unit covered with low permeability shale is folded into an anticline, it may form a hydrocarbons trap.
View the Source Anticline (Wikipedia)
Causes: Anticline, Lead paragraphQuote, Causes: Anticline, Lead paragraph
The progressing age of the rock strata towards the core and uplifted center, are the trademark indications for evidence of anticlines on a geological map
Syncline (Wikipedia)
Causes: Syncline, Lead paragraphQuote, Causes: Syncline, Lead paragraph
Synclines are typically a downward fold (synform), termed a synformal syncline (i.e. a trough), but synclines that point upwards can be found when strata have been overturned and folded (an antiformal syncline).
Monocline (Wikipedia)
Causes: Monocline, Lead section (caused-by Folding)Quote, Causes: Monocline, Lead section (caused-by Folding)
A monocline (or, rarely, a monoform) is a step-like fold in rock strata consisting of a zone of steeper dip within an otherwise horizontal or gently dipping sequence.
Cordillera (Wikipedia)
Causes: Cordillera, Lead sentenceQuote, Causes: Cordillera, Lead sentence
Such mountain systems have a complex structure, which is usually the result of folding and faulting accompanied by volcanic activity.
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