A monocline is a step-like fold consisting of a zone of steeper dip within an otherwise horizontal or gently-dipping sequence.

Formation

Monoclines may be formed in several different ways (see diagram)

• By differential compaction over an underlying structure, particularly a large fault at the edge of a basin due to the greater compactibility of the basin fill, the amplitude of the fold will die out gradually upwards e.g.
• By mild reactivation of an earlier extensional fault during a phase of inversion causing folding in the overlying sequence e.g.
• As a form of fault propagation fold during upward propagation of an extensional fault in basement into an overlying cover sequence e.g.
• As a form of fault propagation fold during upward propagation of a reverse fault in basement into an overlying cover sequence e.g.

References

External links

http://bio-geo-terms.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_bio-geo-terms_archive.html

See also

Anticline

Syncline

Homocline