Abstract
Basalts and the rocks associated with them occupy the greater part of the Earth’s surface, covering the ocean floor and forming continental surface deposits. Basalts may be extruded either from point sources or from deep intracontinenetal and intraoceanic fissures. In either case, they derive from the crystallization of a magma. Associated with other lavas, basalts from present or recent volcanic systems constitute suites with a distribution closely linked to that of earthquakes. Through the study of seismic and volcanic activity, it is possible to arrive at an understanding of the internal structure of the Earth. The basalts associated with granular rocks occur in the ophiolitic series of folded mountains and in the oceans around the mid-oceanic ridges. They provide clues to the processes that underlie the dynamic structure of the planet.
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© 1985 Graham & Trotman
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Dercourt, J., Paquet, J. (1985). Basalts and Associated Rocks. In: Geology Principles & Methods. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4956-0_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4956-0_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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