GL209: The Wilson Cycle ~ continental rifting



1) Which of the following sequences best describes the Wilson cycle?
One answer only.

   continental breakup - continental drift - continental collision 
   rifting - ocean basin formation - subduction 
   rifting - sea floor spreading - subduction - continental collision 
   subduction - continental colision - continental breakup


2) What initiates rifting?
Choose all that might apply.

   compressional deformation 
   plume related up-doming of the lithosphere 
   thinning of the lithosphere by convection in the asthenosphere 
   extensional collapse of an orogen 
   tectonic extension of the lithosphere


3) Which of the following would you expect to observe in a rift zone?
Choose all that might apply.

   granitic magmas 
   normal faulting 
   reverse faulting 
   basaltic magmas 
   subsidence 
   doming or uplift


4) Which of the following sediments would you expect to find at a passive contiental margin? (check all that might apply)
Choose 4 of the following options.

   carbonates 
   volcanogenic sediments 
   pelagic clays 
   evaporites 
   clastic sediments 
   blackshales


5) What would you call a branch of a triple junction not developed into an ocean basin?
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6) Which of the following terms best describes a tectonically interconnected series of rifts?
One answer only.

   continental rift 
   paleorift 
   modern rift 
   rift system


7) What do you call a paleorift in an ancient platform, reactivated by compressional deformation?
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8) Name the type of rifting that occurs in response to thermal upwelling of the lithosphere.
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9) Name the type of rifting that occurs in response to a remote stress field.
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10) Why are rifts often good sites to get mineralisation (see figure)?

Choose 3 of the following options.

   presence of thick accumulations of clastic sediments 
   presence of brines, meteoric waters and deep faults 
   presence of a thermal anomaly 
   they are topographically low structures 
   they are associated with a diversity of rock types

This test has been created using the CASTLE Toolkit