syncline

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syncline

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n. Geology
A fold in rocks in which the rock layers dip inward from both sides toward the axis.

[Back-formation from SYNCLINAL.]

In its simplest form, a geologic structure marked by the folding of originally horizontal rock layers into a systematically curved, concave upward profile geometry ( illus. a). A syncline is convex in the direction of the oldest beds in the folded sequence, concave in the direction of the youngest beds. Although typically upright, a syncline may be overturned, recumbent, or upside down ( illus. d). Synclines occur in all sizes, from microscopic to regional. Profile forms may be curved smoothly ( illus. a) to sharply angular ( illus. b). Fold tightness of a syncline, as measured by the angle at which the limbs of the syncline join, may be so gentle that the fold is barely discernible, to so tight that the limbs are virtually parallel to one another ( illus. c). The orientation of the axis of folding is horizontal to shallowly plunging, but synclines may plunge as steeply as vertical.

planar limbs. (c) Recumbent, isoclinal syncline with parallel limbs. (d) Upside-down syncline, sometimes called an antiformal syncline.">
Varieties of synclines as seen in profile view. (a) Upright syncline with smoothly curved limbs. (b) Overturned, sharply angular syncline with planar limbs. (c) Recumbent, isoclinal syncline with parallel limbs. (d) Upside-down syncline, sometimes called an antiformal syncline.

Synclines are products of the layer-parallel compression that arises commonly during mountain building. The final profile form of the fold reflects the mechanical properties of the rock sequence under the temperature-pressure conditions of folding, and the percentage of shortening required by the deformation. See also Anticline; Fold and fold systems.

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A downfold of rock strata. See also fold.

Basined, sunken series of sedimentary formations; the opposite of anticline.

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - synklinal (fold i bjerglag)

Nederlands (Dutch)
synchronisatielijn

Français (French)
n. - synclinal

Deutsch (German)
n. - Mulde

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - σύγκλινο

Italiano (Italian)
sinclinale

Português (Portuguese)
n. - sinclinal (m)

Русский (Russian)
синклиналь, синклинальный

Español (Spanish)
n. - sinclinal

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - ett veck i jordytan

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
向斜

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 向斜

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 향사

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 向斜

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) القعيرة : طيه مقعرة‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮קער (מרבץ סלע קעור) (גאולוגיה), סינקלינה‬

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