What is the difference between a syncline and a stuctural basin? Both have bowl-like shapes and their youngest rocks are exposed at the center. The same for anticlines and structural domes, both have older rocks at the center, so how are these structures different?

-- Kelly Wirth (kwirth@oswego.edu), May 04, 2001

Answers

From what we have learned in class, and to my best understanding a structural basin has a bowl like shape, but a syncline doesn't. A syncline has more of a V like shape much like a trough or a valley. This would be the exact reverse in relation to structural domes and anticlines. A structural dome is much like a dome itself an inverted bowl, while an anticline would just be somewhat of an arch, or an inverted V.

-- Henry Richards (heruptah@hotmail.com), May 04, 2001.