What is Rift (geology)?
{{see|Plate tectonics}} In [[geology]], a '''rift''' is caused by [[tectonic plate]]s in the [[Earth]]'s [[lithosphere]] moving apart. Rifts are usually accompanied by [[orogeny]] ([[mountain]] building), [[volcano]]es and [[earthquake]]s.<ref>http://www.mantleplumes.org/VM_DecompressMelt.html Decompressional Melting During Extension of Continental Lithosphere</ref><ref>http://www.le.ac.uk/geology/art/gl209/lecture4/lecture4.html Plate Tectonics: Lecture 2</ref> Rifting often makes a rift valley, which may hold a rift lake. The [[Great Rift Valley]] in [[East Africa]] is an example. [[File:Riftxsection.jpg|thumb|center|450px|The internal dynamics of a rift system.]] A rift is the result of the pulling apart or extension of the [[continental crust|crust]] and [[lithosphere]]. Mantle upwelling brings hotter [[asthenosphere]] up into the colder lithosphere. Sometime it comes out as [[lava]]. This rise occurs with the thinning and stretching of the lithosphere. [[File:Plates tect2 en.svg|thumb|Plates in the crust of the earth ([[plate tectonics]] theory)]] == References == {{Reflist}} {{Commonscat|Rifts|Rift (geology)}} {{-}} {{science-stub}} [[Category:Plate tectonics]] [[Category:Landforms]]