Glossary
Accretionary prism When deformed sediment is scraped off the oceanic
lithosphere and deposited in wedge-shapes at the edge of descending, subducting slabs under island arcs and/or continents
Active margin Area marked by faults and earthquakes where two tectonic plates
converge
Adiabatically If mantle rises adiabatically, there is compression or expansion of
volatiles with no heat exchange. Compression causes a rise in temperature,
expansion causes a decrease in temperature
Adventive cone Also called a parasite cone, is a smaller volcanic edifice formed
on the flank of a main volcano
Amphibole Fibrous mineral that is a hydrated silicate of iron, calcium,
magnesium
Anatexis Recrystallization of previously hardened rocks
Ankaramite Olivine-enriched basalt containing mainly pyroxene and olivine
Anorthite Mineral that is a silicate of aluminum and calcium
Antigorite Laminar brown serpentine mineral
Aphyric Rock without visible crystals
Aseismic ridge Ridge formed during continental opening and that does not have
seismic activity. It represents an ancient volcanic ridge and/or a fragment of a
continent
Augite Mineral of pyroxene (silicate of aluminum, magnesium and calcium)
Authigenic Refers to minerals that have not been transported, but have been
crystallized locally, in the same place where they are found
Basanite Volcanic rock enriched in alkali compounds
Benioff zone Seismic area under continents and/or island arcs at which place a
subducted slab produces deep-seated earthquakes
R. Hekinian, Sea Floor Exploration, Springer Oceanography,
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-03203-0,
Ó Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
365
Accretionary prism When deformed sediment is scraped off the oceanic
lithosphere and deposited in wedge-shapes at the edge of descending, subducting slabs under island arcs and/or continents
Active margin Area marked by faults and earthquakes where two tectonic plates
converge
Adiabatically If mantle rises adiabatically, there is compression or expansion of
volatiles with no heat exchange. Compression causes a rise in temperature,
expansion causes a decrease in temperature
Adventive cone Also called a parasite cone, is a smaller volcanic edifice formed
on the flank of a main volcano
Amphibole Fibrous mineral that is a hydrated silicate of iron, calcium,
magnesium
Anatexis Recrystallization of previously hardened rocks
Ankaramite Olivine-enriched basalt containing mainly pyroxene and olivine
Anorthite Mineral that is a silicate of aluminum and calcium
Antigorite Laminar brown serpentine mineral
Aphyric Rock without visible crystals
Aseismic ridge Ridge formed during continental opening and that does not have
seismic activity. It represents an ancient volcanic ridge and/or a fragment of a
continent
Augite Mineral of pyroxene (silicate of aluminum, magnesium and calcium)
Authigenic Refers to minerals that have not been transported, but have been
crystallized locally, in the same place where they are found
Basanite Volcanic rock enriched in alkali compounds
Benioff zone Seismic area under continents and/or island arcs at which place a
subducted slab produces deep-seated earthquakes
R. Hekinian, Sea Floor Exploration, Springer Oceanography,
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-03203-0,
Ó Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
365