(geology) The area between the trench and the volcanic arc of a subduction zone.
Forearc
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A forearc is a depression in the sea floor located between a subduction zone and an associated volcanic arc. It is typically filled with sediments from the adjacent landmass and the island arc in addition to trapped oceanic crustal material. The oceanic crustal fragments may be obducted as ophiolites onto the continent during terrane accretion. The late Cretaceous - early Paleogene development of the Central Valley of California is an example of forearc development.
References
- Einsele, Gerhard (2000) Sedimentary Basins : Evolution, Facies, and Sediment Budget 2nd ed., Ch. 12, Springer ISBN 3-540-66193-X
- USGS definition
- Forearc Basin Architecture, abstract
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